I followed Tang Lan, struggling to catch up to the little ball of energy, limping and panting my way behind her. She ran all the way, down a cobbled stone path, across the stream until we finally arrived at our destination.
It was a small courtyard, twice covered. Once shaded by a large oak tree, the fire red leaves forming a canopy, absorbing the sunlight and shading us from it, and twice by the same leaves blanketing the ground, preventing even a hint of the grey stone from peeking through.
Below the tree was a figure, legs folded meditating on a mat of leaves, silent, concentrating, focused on his breathing, every single motion measured, calculated almost instinctively.
"You're late," he said, eyes still shut.
"My apologies Tang Lou," I replied, giving him an apologetic bow.
He grunted and opened his eyes, standing up and giving the little princess a gentle pat on the head, sending her off to the side, candy in hand.
"Father asked me to start training you, to build a solid foundation for…something, I don't know what he was talking about. We'll start with the basics today, just strength and stamina work. Given your current…conditioning, I'd say we have a lot to do before we can even think of getting started on any techniques."
"Physical conditioning?" I questioned.
"I don't think your father informed you yet but I think I need to let you know that I'm crippled, I can't really cultivate. Is there really a point to all this?"
A flash of pity ran through his eyes.
"That's…quite unfortunate," he said, tone a bit softer this time.
"But, it matters not, just because you cannot enter body tempering does not mean you can't temper the body."
That did make some sense I guess.
He guided me to the middle of the courtyard, standing in front of me and demonstrating what he called the horse stance. A position where one squats with their legs set wide apart, arms straight out in front of their chest, fists clenched. I copied him and all things considered it really wasn't that difficult to get the hang of.
"Hmm, good. Now, stay in that position until I tell you, if you fall or get up before I let you, you'll be running laps around the courtyard till you pass out."
Sure, I could do this, it really wasn't that tough.
I didn't really get what he was talking about. I felt fine.
My legs were starting to get a bit tired though, how long exactly did he say I had to do this for?
"Uhh, Tang Lou, you haven't told me when I can get up."
"Shut up."
I zipped my mouth up, no worries, it would be over soon enough.
Right?
My legs were starting to burn, not to mention my arms.
This wasn't funny.
My thighs were on fire, tremors running through my calves. Sweat was starting to fall off of me, a dark pool of my own spreading on the red leaves beneath.
"Tang Lou, I think I'm at my limit, I don't think I can do this anymore." I panted out.
"I don't remember giving you permission to speak." he said, face stoic although I could swear a hint of a smile was creeping through.
I tried holding on.
My entire body was shaking, clothes soaked with sweat. I didn't know how long it had been, it could have been minutes, hours or even days. The burning had receded, giving way to an intense numbness that consumed every fiber of muscle in my legs.
I could barely breathe.
My hands trembled in front of me, I couldn't keep them clenched anymore. I was almost out of strength, almost about to…
"And down." came the voice, just like a siren's song in a stormy sea.
I collapsed onto the ground, curled up in a ball, cramping, panting and heaving. Tang Lan came and sat near my head, a curious look on her face.
"Hey Mister," she said innocently, "Why are you so weak, big bro can do this for the whole day, you barely lasted fifteen minutes."
fifteen minutes?
That's it?
I groaned at the knowledge of my own weakness, clearly I had a long way to go.
Tang Lou stood next to this sister, staring at me, tutting with a small smirk on his face.
"Very poor Lei Nei, looks like we have plenty of work left to do.
I panted, wheezing out a weak response that only drew a chuckle from him as he motioned at me to get up. I groaned once more, dragging my unwilling body up from the oh so comfortable stony ground, legs trembling as he demonstrated yet another pose.
This one was harder than the previous one, targeting a different group of muscles.
I only lasted ten minutes.
And on the next one, five.
I couldn't move my body enough to get into position for anything else after that. This amongst other factors, namely my heaves and wretches which brought up no food, my stomach empty due to a lack of breakfast afforded me a precious moment of rest.
I used the few minutes I had to recharge and have a bite to eat, courtesy of a few servants who brought us up some meatballs and rice.
We continued on, first running for a while, then jumping, then some manner of convoluted pose that eventually left me collapsed on the ground.
To my own credit, not once did I give up but perhaps that is the only thing I can credit myself for since according to Tang Lou I had the conditioning of a "ten year old child."
Ouch.
He seemed intent on running me ragged, not stopping till I quite literally collapsed from exhaustion, a goal that he was very close to achieving.
I, however, was saved from such a fate when just as the sun was about to set, Tang Wei graced us with her presence, promptly admonishing Tang Lou for pushing me so hard on my first day and then Tang Lan, for not telling her brother to go easy on me, the former of whom, much to my relief, was forced to cut me loose for the day. Although the ease with which he agreed led to realise that he probably planned to repeat this all the next day.
My fears were not unfounded.
I dragged my body back to my hut, barely scraping out the energy to wash myself before collapsing into my bed. When I woke up the sun had barely peeked over the horizon, the colors yet to bleed into the black sky.
I had to drag myself out of my bed, muscles stiff and sore, every movement sending spikes of pain shooting everywhere.
Once again a knock rang on my door, the culprit, Tang Lan, dragging me off to the training ground where Tang Lou, deaf to my pleas and cries, almost tortured my body the whole day.
This continued on, happening the next day, and the day after, and so on so forth.
Every day I was broken down. My dreamless nights being the only moments of respite where my body was allowed to build itself anew.
Everything hurt but this pain…was satisfying.
I felt good.
For the first time in forever, I felt strong.
This went on for a while and for the next few months I followed the exact same routine: Wake up, eat, train, eat, train and then sleep. It was tough, harder beyond what my mere words can describe, but it was simple.
And it was freeing.
One evening after a particularly grueling training session I walked back to my hut and caught a glimpse of my reflection in a puddle. The water was murky and the reflection equally unclear but one thing was very clear.
I looked different.
Yes whilst I was exactly the same person, I wasn't exactly as thin and wiry as I used to be. I was a lot more toned, defined muscle visible under my robes.
I didn't just feel stronger, I looked the part too.
For the first time in a while I dreamt that night too.
Not of the sutra, no, I hadn't heard nor felt from or of it since I had arrived.
I dreamt of something else.
I dreamt of a past long forgotten.
Of being smaller, much smaller.
Being picked up by a woman that smelt of musk and herbs. She planted my cheek and laughed as I cooed.
I was older, a bit bigger now, in a large city whose name I couldn't remember holding a man's hand with one and the same woman's hand with the other. They took me from shop to shop, buying me something new from each one.
The scene faded away, blending in with the next, of me in a study with the same man, him a bit older now, the grey in his hair visible. We sat in front of a book written in a language long forgotten as he taught me the meaning of each symbol one by one. The woman walked in, bringing us a tray of tea and sweets.
I was happy.
Oh so happy.
We smiled, all of us, as we rode in a carriage, heading through the streets. I was older, almost a teenager.
They were happy too.
She smiled till her death, an arrow flying into her neck, the life fading out of her quicker than I could react.
The man tried to raise his aura, tried to bring up a shield but his head was pierced by another arrow, dead even before the smile could run off my face.
I screamed.
Tried to wake them up.
Tried to run away.
Tried to do anything.
Nothing.
A fist hit my dantian, crippling me forever.
A handsome face swam into my vision, his eyebrows sharp and severe, thin mouth curled into a cruel smile.
"Good night little prince," he said as his foot hovered above my head.
"I guess I'll let you live for now."
CRUNCH
GASP
I shot up in my bed, sweat beading all over my body.
A nightmare.
Memories conjured up by my mind.
Of a past that I'd rather leave forgotten.
He was right.
I'm not ready.
A knock on my door awakened me from my slumber. I opened the door to let the little princess in but it wasn't her that had come to wake me.
It was Tang Li. The Beast was here in front of me.
I stiffened up, unsure what to do.
He chuckled lightly at my reaction.
"Relax, I just came to see how you were doing."
He gave my improved frame a quick once over, nodding in approval.
"Looks like Tang Lou did a good job. Awfully irritating trying to get him to do anything he doesn't want to do but you must admit that the boy gets results."
"Thank you sir. How can I help you?" I ask awkwardly, still wondering if my nightwear was appropriate enough for the current situation.
"Hmmm? Oh yes, walk with me."
"Ummm, could I get dressed first please sir?"
"Oh, sure, go ahead."
I hurriedly put on a set of fresh robes and ran to the door, locking it behind me and following the Patriarch to his office. Once we reached I saw that Tang Lou was already there, sitting in a chair, looking bored as always. He perked up a bit when he saw his father, back straightening slightly as he asked.
"Father, you called for me?"
"Yes."
I stood behind Tang Lou, the father son duo occupying the only chairs in the office, and waited for the former to speak.
He measured up both of us for a while, thinking a bit before saying.
"Son, do you remember the merchant we discussed a few weeks ago?"
"The one you told me to keep my eyes on for a while?"
"Yes, what became of it?"
"Exactly what I told you would happen."
He let out a soft, almost sad sigh and said," Fine, take care of it, and take Lei Nei with you, some time outside and an easy mission will probably do him good."
This made Tang Lou groan and roll his eyes but he still agreed begrudgingly.
I, on the other hand, was extremely confused, not only could I not make any sense of their conversation but now I was being sent on a mission?
Before I could ask any questions, however, Tang Lou dragged me out of the office.
"Alright, you have five minutes to get your things, If you're not at the front gates by that time I'm leaving without you."
"Wait but what are we even supposed to do? Where are we going? What's the mission?"
He simply ignored me and walked off.
I stared at him in disbelief
That rude bastard.
No point in complaining though, there was no time. I had no doubt that he would carry out his threat and leave.
I guess I was about to go on my very first mission.