Kindling, page 26
part #6 of Painting the Mists Series
Fortunately, Yu Wen was ready. She quickly anchored herself and pulled on the strings with all her might. Then, seeing that she couldn’t stop him in time, she dashed sixty feet over and pulled once more. He avoided the giant obsidian coral by a mere foot and crashed onto a hard sheet of black rock, breaking several of his bones in the process.
Don’t worry, I’m alive, Cha Ming sent. Thanks for the quick thinking.
You shouldn’t have done that, Yu Wen sent. You could have been killed.
But I wasn’t, and we now have more information, Cha Ming replied. I think we can go to that place now.
That place? Yu Wen sent. You mean the shark nest? Are you crazy?
I’d be crazy if we only had thirty feet, but it’s doable with ten feet, Cha Ming sent back. Especially if there are two of us. We can use tethers to help each other dodge.
Yu Wen shook her head. Let me think about it. How about we search the other place first?
Fine, Cha Ming sent. But I don’t think it’s there. The odds are nine out of ten that it’s in the shark nest.
One out of ten is a good enough reason to check the other place first, Yu Wen replied.
Cha Ming nodded, and they both dove through lava like fish in the ocean. They swam for days before they saw a violet light in the distance. The light glowed stronger until they reached a beautiful crystal arch.
Make sure you don’t get too close to any eels, Yu Wen sent as they navigated the field of crumbling crystal columns. A million such structures covered the volcano bed, giving the impression that it was subsea palace. However, they both knew what it really was—a mass graveyard for those demons who fell prey to lava eels. They wandered through the death-filled valley for a full week before admitting defeat and returning to the surface.
Cha Ming smiled as he looked at Yu Wen, who was curled up in a blanket while sorting through pictures on her camera’s display. She looked up and smiled back. Cha Ming channeled these warm feelings through his brush and onto paper.
… douses the hearts of the needy;
Man is left…
Kindling the flames…
Never questioning…
While the first part seemed foreign and alien, the second part was starting to surface in his mind. Whenever he thought of these two lines, he recalled the warm feeling whenever he held Yu Wen and they watched pictures together. Or when they held hands while diving in the lava and protected each other from the various beasts. Each experience with her intensified this feeling. To him, this was the essence of kindling.
“But there’s still something missing,” Cha Ming said, sighing.
“Are you still working on it?” Yu Wen said, stowing away her space-time camera. She approached Cha Ming from behind and hugged his back.
“I’m still missing something, but I don’t know what,” Cha Ming said. The truth was, however, that he had an inkling. But he was far too cautious about love to mention such things to Yu Wen. Cha Ming knew from his previous life that feelings and relationships could hurt, something that carried through all the way to the present moment. Furthermore, he now had a lifespan of five hundred years. It would soon grow to a thousand. As far as he was concerned, he had plenty of time to ease into anything.
“I think I know what’s missing,” Yu Wen said. Cha Ming looked at her in surprise. “But you’re too scared to talk about it? Why?”
Cha Ming swallowed but didn’t reply. He averted his eyes slightly. Yu Wen used her hand to guide his face back toward hers.
“Close your eyes, Cha Ming,” she said.
Cha Ming smiled. “No, you close yours,” he quipped back.
“As you wish,” Yu Wen said. Her eyelashes fluttered gently as she stood still. Although she seemed relaxed, Cha Ming could sense the excitement coursing through her muscles and the irregularity of her breath.
I’m so silly, Cha Ming thought. You’d think knowing someone for four years and spending two of those years with them would be enough to commit. He steeled his mind and edged forward. Their lips pressed together gently. After what seemed like too brief a moment, they pulled apart and looked at each other, smiling shyly.
“You’re a little slow with things, but I like that,” Yu Wen said, blushing deeply.
“We have an eternity ahead of us,” Cha Ming said. “Why rush?” Then, he looked to the paper he’d been working on. “But you were right, that was just the inspiration I needed.” His brush moved slowly and exquisitely, tracing down his burning feelings.
Kindling the flames of love and caring;
Never questioning his devotion.
Every moment he spent with Yu Wen flashed through his mind as he painted these words. Their initial fumbling meeting in Fuxi’s Library. Their surprising reunion on the Bridge of Stars. Her patience as he took his time to ponder the mysteries of runic fragments. Their separation for two years and yearning for each other.
He thought of his worry as he saw her being chased by devils and fiends. He recalled his relief as he held her close during their escape. And finally, he recalled their recent memories. The wonderful sights they’d seen, their impeccable teamwork, and the many times they’d saved each other while searching for the fire source.
The paper turned a vivid red as the ink dried. Although this talisman could be used to burn, that would be far too wasteful. Instead, its true use was to inspire. It could banish fear and kindle hearts. It could fan the flames of faith and annihilate doubt. This was his way of fire.
At this moment, a thought struck him. He immediately sat cross-legged. Yu Wen smiled and stroked the side of his face. She kissed him on the forehead before returning to her pictures. He didn’t notice a single tear rolling down her check before she wiped it away.
Cha Ming’s eyes opened after a week of careful thought. “I’ve finally figured it out,” he said to Yu Wen before approaching her.
“Figured what out?” she said.
Cha Ming didn’t answer her directly. Instead he painted a familiar runic diagram. It was their protective suit, which reflected the essence of lava. Yet this time it was different. Many blue lines now accompanied the red and brown ones that represented fire and earth.
“Why water?”
“Because lava flows,” Cha Ming said, shrugging. “And it likely contains more than these essences. I suspect metal is required to make this perfect. Using water to represent the flow characteristics should make us as fast in lava as we are in the air. Furthermore, it should improve our hiding capabilities. We’ll be much safer in the lava shark nest.”
Two suits materialized, after which he painted several dozen cables. They dove into the lava, though now, instead of swimming, it felt more like flying. Further, they were now able to push off the lava as though it were solid. The suit could not only cause lava to crumble and harden, but it would also manipulate the viscosity of lava around them, thinning and thickening it as required. What made this all possible, however, was his insights on energy. By incorporating elements of kindling, he was able to provide enough energy to better meld the suits with their surroundings.
Their descent was much more rapid than before. They quickly followed the downcurrent and headed toward the deepest place in the lava ocean. Lava sharks began swimming in pairs, then in trios. Before long, lava sharks of all sizes swam around them. Sometimes they were only able to avoid them by several feet. However, a few feet were enough. The suit’s new construction made them practically invisible to lava-dwelling creatures.
They swam unimpeded to the heart of shark territory. The obsidian sand gradually turned to crystal sand as they approached the nest. The violet crystals were the remnants of the many bones the sharks had consumed over the years. In some places, the layer was as much as ten feet thick. But it thinned as they approached territories with larger sharks that tended to swallow their prey whole.
Why are there no youngsters anymore? Yu Wen questioned as they approached an elevated platform at the back of the nest. An eerie red glow emanated from it.
My guess is that it’s a restricted area, Cha Ming said. The outer reaches are used for breeding, while this is the source of their power. It’s also why they’re the strongest demons in the volcano. As they spoke, ten massive sharks appeared before them. Each one was two thousand feet long, far larger than any other animal Cha Ming had ever seen. How can they transcend the limit? he wondered. How can they grow longer than 333 feet?
I think it has to do with the fire source, Yu Wen said. A fire source contains primal demonic energy. Perhaps it has eroded the Jade Emperor’s laws to some extent, but only within the immediate vicinity of the fire source itself.
Cha Ming frowned. Do you think we can make it? he asked, pointing to the red gem in the center of the platform. It released a 20,000-foot aura, giving the sharks barely enough space to swim around.
Perhaps with a distraction, Yu Wen thought. Quick, make ten more suits.
Cha Ming rapidly painted ten suits of similar size to those they wore. As he finished, Yu Wen weaved silver strings into puppetlike shapes and sent them into the suits. They moved about the lava swiftly without any external control from the skilled puppeteer.
We’ll send them out from above and behind while we approach them from in front and below, Yu Wen said.
Cha Ming nodded. They grasped each other’s forearms and entered the 20,000-foot zone. They carefully approached along the sea floor, careful not to make contact, lest the noise alert the large sharks.
They traveled slowly, suppressing their movements to minimize disturbances in the lava. They continued to do so until they were 100 feet away from the glowing red gem.
The moment we grab it, they’ll know it, Yu Wen said. You’ll need to store it in your soul-bound treasure space to cut off their senses. After that, they’ll likely go berserk. We’ll need to leave the 20,000-foot area, or else we’ll be crushed to death.
Cha Ming nodded. They waited as their puppets approached from above. A roar of indignation sounded from five of the sharks, who instantly dove toward the decoys. Yu Wen rapidly controlled the puppets to make evasive maneuvers. Meanwhile, Cha Ming approached the red crystal. It was the size of an adult human head. He quickly grabbed it and urged the Clear Sky Brush to take it in. The moment he did, the senses of all ten beasts locked on to him. Cha Ming swiftly pushed off the lava, grabbed Yu Wen by the waist, and flew through the lava with all his strength.
Swish. A massive, three-layered wave suddenly struck his chest, stunning him for a moment. Yu Wen grabbed his lava suit and pulled him back. The sharks hadn’t noticed them, and after crushing the ten puppets, they swam around chaotically, sending powerful waves of lava in all directions.
Cha Ming pulled a Flow Talisman from his Clear Sky Space and activated it. An invisible barrier of lava formed around them, repelling these waves. Unfortunately, this also alerted the lava sharks, who swiftly charged toward them.
They pushed off hardening walls of lava, frantically avoiding the sharks’ pursuit. One of them, the largest one, let out a sharp roar, which stunned Cha Ming and Yu Wen, disorienting them. Thinking quickly, Cha Ming pulled out a Matter Talisman. He used it to strengthen their bodies and resist the sound waves. Then he used any residual power to form baffles and divert the oncoming current into a funnel. Power rushed out from his suit to form a platform of hardened lava, which was propelled by the resulting lava stream.
Seeing their attempts were failing, five of the sharks suddenly began glowing. Their energy destabilized as they began self-detonating.
If you have any trump cards, you should use them, Cha Ming said, gulping. He threw up another Matter Talisman and Flow Talisman, as well as a Shape Talisman, and carefully formed a spherical wall to protect them. Then, he summoned his Dao sigils and formed yet another shield within the two. Although he wasn’t sure if this was enough, only time would tell.
Boom. Boom. Boom. Boom. Boom. Five consecutive detonations occurred. It severely injured the other five lava sharks but simultaneously engulfed the area in fierce destructive energy. Cha Ming projected his qi into the Dao shield as his Material and Flow Talismans failed. His material barrier crumbled piece by piece, leaving behind only the supporting shape framework. His qi rapidly drained after the initial impact.
Suddenly, a gray light filled the area surrounding them. Cha Ming looked around in amazement as he realized that the source of the gray light was Yu Wen.
Is that Grandmist Essence? he thought as the gray glow intensified. No, it’s not Grandmist Essence but Grandmist Qi. In other words, she didn’t cultivate five elements, creation, and destruction like he did. Instead, she cultivated Grandmist directly. It was a full level higher than his own cultivation method.
Hurry and get us out of here, Yu Wen said weakly. I can’t use this for long.
Cha Ming nodded. He grabbed her by the waist and pushed away from the general area. The explosion, which had rocked them previously, was frozen in time. He carefully avoided sharp edges and intense turbulent vortexes. Unfortunately, it was impossible to avoid them all, and he could tell that Yu Wen was weakening under the strain. To gain time, he bore the brunt of some weaker vortexes with his body while using his remaining qi to shield Yu Wen.
Finally, after much effort, they left the 20,000-foot area. Time resumed once more, and only the violent remnants of the self-detonation struck them. Cha Ming funneled whatever qi he could into Yu Wen as he brought her toward the surface. Their surroundings grew brighter and brighter, until finally they broke through the surface and arrived at the lava serpent’s shrine. They collapsed on the obsidian ground, and lava pooled beneath them as they looked up at the furious fire serpent. The reptile stared at them coldly for a few breaths before speaking.
“Asssss agreed, you may take these three thingssss,” it hissed before plunging back into the lake of lava.
Cha Ming sighed in relief when the fire serpent had gone.
“What are these three things for anyhow?” Cha Ming asked as he looked at the red globe.
Yu Wen grabbed it and motioned with her hand. A goopy red liquid film ran off the orb and formed a small blob.
“Quickly, catch the Fire Source Marrow in your brush,” Yu Wen said.
Cha Ming didn’t hesitate to scoop it up, causing ruby runes to cover the black-and-white artifact.
“It’s for you and your body refining. You can also keep the Fire Essence Core. It will come in handy for you in the future.” She then pulled a glowing red spot from the center of the sphere that emitted a massive amount of energy. Yu Wen stowed it away in an independent space before too much of the energy could leak out.
“Fire Essence Cores can take over ten thousand years to form,” she said. “But fire sources are different—they might take millions before condensing within a Fire Essence Core. Now that we’ve obtained it, we need to hurry back to Jade Moon Garden. With any luck, we’ll all be sent home in five years’ time.”
As they left the volcanic area toward the garden, a sense of loss filled Cha Ming. I’ll go home, and you’ll go home, he thought. But what will we do? How will we find each other? It was a difficult question, one they’d have to face in the next half decade. But for now, we can enjoy these gentle moments with each other, he thought as he gripped her hand tightly.
Yu Wen summoned a flying ship, which they used to fly off the peak of the hardening volcano and into the valley below.
Chapter 25: Heart of Ice and Snow
Hong Xin’s feelings slowly returned after the latest round of “treatment.” The happiness she felt was numb and distant. This was no surprise, given that the process had consumed one twentieth of her inner flame. After much wearing away, the purple flame within her was now only a third of its original size.
“How very resilient of you,” Mistress Huang said. She sat down and took a sip of hot tea. “Most people can’t resist more than a few treatments before giving in. But you’ve managed to last dozens. What exactly is it that keeps you going?”
“Just kill me and get it over with,” Hong Xin said weakly between strained breaths. “You’ll need to force me into the fifth level of the Frozen Heart Realm to succeed, something that’s easier said than done. It’s a total waste of your time and mine.”
Mistress Huang smiled. “How perceptive,” she said. “I was the same as you once. So full of hopes and dreams. My first teacher was very different than the current headmistress. Back then, the Red Dust Pavilion’s emphasis was on heart kindling. Did you know that?” She didn’t wait for Hong Xin to respond. “I was my teacher’s personal disciple. I, too, had reached the fourth level of heart kindling before minoring in heart dousing. Back then, we clung to our personal talents like possessive children.”
She sighed and placed her cup upside down. A half cup of ice slid out from the cup, which was still warm. “But that didn’t last long. My teacher had a younger sister who followed the path of heart dousing. She had an unfathomably loyal following. The headmistress, being the most powerful cultivator in the Red Dust Pavilion at the time, didn’t pay close enough attention to her. She continued cultivating diligently until finally, she transcended.”
Mistress Huang shook her head. “Ironically, her strength increased, but her freedom decreased. Her junior sister took the opportunity to consolidate her power and chase her out of the Red Dust Pavilion. My former teacher was forced to wander the continent like a vagabond, and I had no choice but to turn my sights on heart dousing. The new headmistress became my new master.
“How did it feel?” Hong Xin asked.
“How did what feel?” Mistress Huang asked.
“How did it feel to betray your teacher’s ideals and completely change your heart?” Hong Xin asked. “Those who practice heart kindling believe in hope and salvation. Those who practice heart dousing are selfish and manipulative.”
