a journey into immortal cultivation

Chapter Twenty-One: Spirit-Seizing

The last man was a little older—twenty-something—with a long horse face. Chin tilted high, eyes rolled upward in scorn, he said, “Junior Brother Wang, you’ve been in seclusion for months and don’t know the biggest joke in our Hengyue Sect. As Junior Sister Xu said, this Wang Lin only wormed his way into the inner sect through disgraceful means.”

Wang Zhuo burst out laughing. “You actually startled me for a moment there. So that’s how you got in. With talent like yours, you’ll never reach the first layer of Qi Condensation in this lifetime. Why come here and make a fool of yourself, dragging the Wang clan’s name through the mud?”

“You’re wrong, Senior Brother Wang,” the young woman surnamed Zhou said, lashes fluttering, voice gentle and clear. “Talent matters, but willpower matters more. Cultivation is defying the heavens—without great resolve, even the finest talent is useless.”

“Senior Brother Wang isn’t wrong either. One look at this Wang Lin and he’s dull as a post—he doesn’t look like a cultivator at all,” the girl surnamed Xu edged closer to Wang Zhuo, seizing the chance to speak up for him.

Wang Lin chuckled. He’d seen through the tangle among them: Wang Zhuo clearly fancied the Zhou girl, while this Miss Xu plainly carried a torch for Wang Zhuo, hence her eagerness to meddle earlier.

His laugh irked Wang Zhuo. With a snort he said, “Wang Lin, you’d better leave Hengyue while you can. Otherwise, when the inner-sect tournament comes at year’s end, with that frail body of yours, you’ll be crippled if not dead.”

Wang Lin had heard from Sun Dazhu: every year’s end, the inner sect held an examination-like tourney; winners received magical artifacts. There were two tracks—one for the overall top ten, and another crowning the year’s “newcomer king.”

He flicked a glance and said lazily, “Save your concern. Whether I end up crippled or dead, what’s it to you?”

Wang Zhuo sneered. “I’m only thinking of you because we’re kin. Since you won’t accept my good will, don’t blame me for showing no mercy when we meet in the ring!” A cold light flashed in his eyes.

Since childhood he had looked down on Wang Lin’s family. He’d never met them, but he’d heard plenty from his father—how Wang Lin’s sweet-tongued sire had wheedled their grandfather into favoritism, seized the bulk of the inheritance, and lorded it over his father. Only the clan’s “clear-eyed sense of justice” had won the property back. Thus, in his heart, Wang Lin’s household was the Wang clan’s shame; like father, like son. Though as he grew he dimly sensed the story might not be so simple, his nature had always been haughty and overbearing—at times he even scorned his own father, let alone others.

Miss Xu blinked. “You two are related?”

The other pair looked surprised as well; it was the first they’d heard of any kinship between them.

Seeing Wang Zhuo’s darkening face, Miss Xu hurried to smooth things over. “Brother Wang Zhuo, he just doesn’t understand your good intentions. Don’t be angry. You’re the better man—smarter than he is. You can’t expect him to grasp your kindness right away. Once he suffers for it later, he’ll understand you meant well. We have relatives like that too—every family does. Not everyone can be as outstanding as you. I get it—you’re just frustrated that he won’t live up to his potential, aren’t you?”

Wang Zhuo flushed, shooting her a hard look, unsure whether she was mocking him or truly speaking for him.

Wang Lin laughed aloud. “Wang Zhuo, seems I really did misunderstand you. All right then—your kindness, I, Wang Lin, will remember. Much obliged.”

Just then the pill hall doors opened and a stocky, bright-eyed youth in a short jacket stepped out—Wang Hao.

He cleared his throat loudly to draw their gaze, then said with a smug look, “Today’s Spirit-Seizing Pills aren’t out yet. Wait here. Once my master finishes refining, I’ll call you in one by one.”

Wang Zhuo glared, teeth itching, yet he didn’t dare offend him; Wang Hao served as the third senior brother’s boy in the pill hall, handling its errands. Cross him, and the third senior would dock your monthly allotments without a second thought.

After speaking, Wang Hao’s eyes swept the group; spotting Wang Lin, he brightened and hurried over, pulling him aside to whisper, “Brother Tiezhu, congrats on making the inner sect. I heard all about it. I wanted to come find you, but this place ties a man down—I can’t get out easily. Don’t mind what others say. Once your arts come along, make those who look down on you eat their words.”

Warmth stirred in Wang Lin’s chest. He smiled. “Thanks, Wang Hao.”

Wang Hao sighed. “That day at the manor I wanted to speak up for you, but my father gave me a glare—meaning I wasn’t to get involved. Don’t take it to heart, Brother Tiezhu.”

Wang Lin shook his head. “It’s past. No sense digging it up. I just want to focus on training and reach the first layer of Qi Condensation as soon as I can.”

Wang Hao’s eyes flicked; when no one was watching he slipped something into Wang Lin’s hand and winked. A cool voice came from within the hall:

“Apprentice, back inside.”

“Yes!” Wang Hao answered, and scurried in.

Wang Lin clenched the object, caught a glimpse from the corner of his eye—three crystal-clear pills. He slid them quietly into his storage pouch, then sat cross-legged on the ground to breathe and wait, dirt or no dirt.

Of the other four, only the twenty-something man spared Wang Lin a curious glance before sitting to meditate as well; the remaining three stayed standing. Wang Zhuo murmured to the Zhou girl with a fawning smile, while Miss Xu cut in now and then, bristling on his behalf.

Time seeped by; darkness pooled. When the moon lifted, the pill hall doors opened again. Wang Hao emerged looking spent, a tray in his hands.

On it lay five shards of low-grade spirit stone and five glittering pills.

They stepped up one by one to receive their shares. Wang Lin was last. After taking what was his, he gave Wang Hao a smile and a cupped-fist salute, then departed.

He filed the boy’s kindness away. The three pills Wang Hao had slipped him in secret were Spirit-Seizing Pills.