Treasures Of Heaven And Earth

Dàilán knelt before the table in her study, studying the bamboo strips rolled out in front of her.

This was an ancient collection of writings on Formations she had found the day before in a pawn shop. Normally she would not have entered such a shop as they generally only held dusty old leftovers of impoverished families sold by people desperate for small amounts of cash or the proceeds of thievery.

Someone of her status would cause a great deal of scandal if it came out that she visited such a place. While she did not really care about that sort of thing, she did have to be mindful of the perceptions of others on her actions, reflecting badly on the Clan… politics again.

However, yesterday she had been quite fed up with the inane nattering of the gaggle of boys and young men that really ought to know better who had persisted in 'accompanying' herself and Chen'er through Market Street as they 'subtly' attempted to win her favour.

She had ducked around a corner ahead of her maid and as Chen'er was blocking the collection of 'suitors' vision with the 'appropriate' parasol she carried on their outings - she had dived into the shop - as her maid continued down the street.

The 'suitors' and their hangers-on continued after the nearly street to twice head height parasol, ignoring the pawn shop - after all, no one of their stature would notice its existence, let alone consider going in.

The elderly broker had looked surprised to see her, then seeing her glancing nervously at the procession passing the dusty windows, winked and bowed her in the direction of the back of the shop without a sound.

Quickly ducking between dusty stacks of precariously stacked trinkets, pots, pans, mouldy carpets and clothes to keep out of sight, she had wandered among the maze of trash until she found a wall of scrolls and older bamboo strip manuscripts.

It occurred to her that she ought to purchase something in return for the broker's cheerful assistance and she had idly scanned the tattered collection until this very old collection of bamboo strips had caught her eye, crookedly jammed between two crumbling scrolls.

Her curiosity piqued when she caught sight of the ancient character for 'Form' on the exposed bamboo, she had pulled it out. A quick look had shown her ancient characters for 'Formation' she only recognised from studying the Clan's older records and techniques and her interest in Relic Hunting.

It had taken Chen'er a while to double back for her and it was not until much later in the afternoon - close to evening by the time they got home unnoticed. The old writing had to be put aside in the rush to bathe and change for the evening meal with Father, so this was the first opportunity she had since the shop to examine her discovery.

Tracing her fingers down the carved figures worn smooth with age under the late morning sunlight, her lips quirked up as part of her idly wondered if this would count as a 'fortunate encounter' from one of the commoner stories.

No doubt this would be a set of Techniques of great power in that story.

Wielding her writing brush with practised expertise, she slowly translated the ancient characters into modern Xia on an old piece of parchment.

"Natural… Formations… without… false… anchor… superior. Not… false… consuming.

Against... Natural… Essence… flow."

Dàilán frowned in puzzlement. The author of these writings seemed to be discussing an area of Formation construction she had not encountered before. Perhaps it was an advanced formation manual?

"Follow… flow… of Essence… to natural… Essence point?… guide to appropriate... essence point - that odd term again… complete pattern…"

"Huh." Putting down her brush the young woman rose to her feet and crossed to her book shelf, pulling out a large scroll.

"Sage Xu's Treatise on constructing formations.. Where is it?" She scrolled the book between her upper and lower scroll rolls "Foundation. Locks. Gates. Inscribing… aha here"

Holding her hands still she began reading out the words from the scroll '…the creation of a formation is a manifestation of one of the heavens brought to this plane… a Formation is created by a Formation Master placing their Essence in specially prepared anchors in a pattern defined by studying the stars and channelling their essence through them in the correctly divined order…'

Blinking, she brought the scroll over to the desk and read her translation rather than the individual separate characters. "Naturally formed Formations are superior against false… consuming... formations that are created against the natural flow of Essence. Follow the natural flow of Essence to… points… and guide the Essence between points to create the pattern… required?"

Dàilán's eyes lit up. It seemed that the Ancient writing proposed a completely opposing school of thought regarding Formations. Sage Xu's Treatise was regarded as the definitive orthodoxy of learning Formations - imposing the law of the Formation Master. This older writing seemed to suggest it was possible to create formations without imposing an external law - it seemed to say that imposing a law was the wrong method.

It was one of the more frustrating parts of mastering formations, that without learning how to impose law - either by changing the landscape or by pushing one's essence forcefully into a pattern a person would not be successful.

The first required a lifetime of study of how best to construct or change a location - the second required access to a lot of essence - usually cultivators combined their Essence into a formation to pull it off.

If the information in the old writing held merit - she might have found a way to create formations without either drawback - and then she could modify her Cultivation ground the way she wanted.

She eagerly returned back to the desk, looking forward to discovering exactly what the process was.

---

The Golden Crow was flying directly overhead by the time she laid down her brush, scowling at the old writing. She had gotten through barely a tenth of the old book and she could feel the faint throb of an incipient headache competing with growing hunger pangs.

Unfortunately, even with only this little translated, she was almost certain she would not be performing any amazing feats of formation mastery any time soon. The writer seemed to assume that the Cultivator reading their writings, would be able to see and direct external Essence like the Essence within their own meridians and Dantian.

Dàilán had only heard of Cultivators approaching World Level Cultivation being able to see or direct Essence that did not belong to them. Outside of tribulations, lower level Cultivators could only affect things by pushing the Essence they had acc.u.mulated out in techniques. Even the commoners knew this basic fact.

Sighing, she rose from the writing desk stiff from the length of time holding her posture.

Walking awkwardly into the bedroom, she slowly took her stance at her usual empty space at the foot of her bed and went through a basic tàijíquán form to limber herself back up, pushing her frustration and disappointment into the movements.

The negative feelings rushed away into the familiar curl of warmth and exertion, replaced with sensations of warmth and energy until all that remained was the hunger.

Decisively, she completed the form and left her suite, headed for the kitchens. Since Chen'er was not back yet from her errands, she would have to find lunch on her own!

Crossing the length of the house did not take long. Avoiding the central courtyard that led off to the other two branches of the Clan, she entered the smaller courtyard that served as the hub for the servants quarters. None of her cousins would ever bother going to the servants, rather than having servants go to them, so she would be safe from running into any of them here.

Her polite knock at the entrance to the kitchens produced an immediate response from the Head Matron who was clearly supervising the preparation and service of the family lunch requests.

"Young Mistress!" declared the impeccably turned out mistress of the servants, all beaming smiles, "What are you doing here?"

Activity in the kitchen halted and Dàilán gave a quick dip of her head, embarrassed at the fuss. "My apologies, Matron, but I was studying and lost track of time. Chen'er is on errands… so I thought I should come and seek my lunch in person…"

The Matron bowed and smiled to the young girl, "A moment mistress," spinning away to the other kitchen staff she clapped her hands and spoke sharply, "Enough gawking. Do not embarrass the young mistress for giving us face. The other Heirs will not appreciate their food being late by a single miǎo."

Turning back to Dàilán, the matron came forward and bowed again, "Your thoughtfulness honours us, young mistress. Come and choose anything you wish and I will have it sent to your rooms."

The young girl hesitated, suddenly aware of how quiet and lonely her rooms seemed compared to the cheerful bustle around her. Indicating the simple trestle tables set up in the kitchen courtyard, she dipped her head and quietly requested, "I would be much happier to take a corner out there where I could watch things being accomplished. I have not had much success myself today."

The Matron looked at her shrewdly, her face softening. "All the simpler then. Come, choose what you want…"

---

Eating with the noisy and content servants, went a long way to make her feel less alone in the world. It was good to remember that not everyone was a self serving creature with nothing but self interest at heart.

After eating until no longer hungry - and refusing politely offers of additional food from half a dozen servants, she made her way to her meditation ground again, this time to use the sand garden for its intended purpose.

On her way, she picked up her favourite bāwū flute from her suite and was soon seated in the warm afternoon sun on a comfortable boulder.

Playing without thinking, the melodies flowed from her as she sank into cultivation, without trying to push her Essence through any technique. Watching the flow of her Essence through her meridians and Diantian - shifting and moved with the music… or perhaps the music moved with the shifts in her Essence…

...the mists of her Essence swirled around the core of her Diantian instead of becoming solid to join it - like the mists around a mountain…

Unlike the pain caused by the Family Techniques, she felt nothing but a rising sense of completion….

---

A sudden awareness of her name being called, let the music taper off and she came back to herself, realising the Crow was returning to its nest in the west, a concerned looking Chen'er beside her.

"Lán'er? Are you… the servants said the flute had been playing for many shi…"

"I am OK, Chen'er. Your errands are done?"

"Yes. If you are OK, mistress, we should get ready for dinner…"

"Yes." Dàilán leapt off the rock, noting she felt like she had only been sitting for moments instead of all afternoon.

The pair turned for her rooms as Chenli inquired, "That music seemed, profound. I almost, was afraid to call out… were you Cultivating?"

"Not… really. Just playing…"

"It looks like it worked. Impurities have ruined that dress."

"Ah… bath, quick!"

"You did not notice? What were you doing?"

"I… am not sure. Just trying something I read…"

"What!?"