92 Sigil

Gong Lan wiped the sweat off her brow as she admired the freshly swept bridge behind her. It was white like alabaster, a clear contrast to the lush greenery and the clear blue sky up above. She was proud at having managed to sweep the bridge in its entirety.

Turning around, she took her first step onto the emerald-green grass. When her bare feet touched the grassy carpet, a cooling sensation ran up her legs and released all the tension that had accumulated during her full day of sweeping.

She took another step, plunging her entire body into the calming shadow beneath the bodhi tree. The few worries that remained in her mind after sweeping the bridge vanished instantly. They were replaced by clarity, and her self-criticism transformed to thoughts of self-reflection.

She continued walking for a short time before arriving near the front of the crowd, where several monks and animals peacefully sat in meditation. There, even lions and antelopes could sit together in peace, so she followed suit and sat cross-legged as well. As soon as she shut her eyes, the soft sound of mantras that emanated from the wind whispered to her through the leaves of the bodhi tree.

You've finally resolved the memories that cause you the most problems, a small voice said inside her head. What will you do now?

Oddly enough, the voice didn't trouble her. It simply triggered peaceful self-reflection.

I'm not sure what I should do, she thought. It seems that whenever I do things, I cause people to suffer. I also cause myself to suffer as well.

That's right, the voice replied. Whatever you do, you will cause suffering for someone or something. More importantly, you will cause suffering for yourself. You have accumulated far too much negative karma in this life. Your actions cannot help but reap it. As you are now, you would cause more harm than good regardless of your intentions.

Gong Lan paused as she contemplated this notion. At the same time, it made her feel rather helpless. Was there no way for her to interact with the world without causing one death after another? Would she simply have to hide herself away from the world and do nothing?

There is a way, if you are willing, the voice said. The problem is due to the karma you've accumulated. Since that's the case, if you are willing, you can suffer your karma here, little by little, under my protective shadow. It will be painful, but it will soothe your soul.

Gong Lan hesitated. Are you the bodhi tree?

I have been called this by some, the voice replied.

How long will this process take? she asked.

It could take a day, or it could take a lifetime, the voice replied. Your progress will only depend on yourself. First, it will depend on your willingness to face your past misdeeds, whether intentional or unintentional. Then it will depend on your willingness to admit your wrongs and beg forgiveness. Finally, it will depend on your willingness to change.

She thought about her current counterproductive state before making a swift decision. "I accept," she said softly, breaking the silence surrounding her. The ones around her didn't hear it, however, as they were all entranced and in deep contemplation. Only one being heard her, and that was the spirit of the tree.

Bear with it, my child, the tree whispered to Gong Lan. Then, the inside of Gong Lan's mental space was covered in a soft yellow light. Her soul let out an agonizing wail that no one could hear. She could only sit under the shadow of the bodhi tree and suffer in silence.

***

The familiar atmosphere in the world of white was very comforting to Cha Ming. It gave him a feeling of control, a certain confidence in his abilities. He waited patiently in the world of white for what seemed like hours.

Finally, he heard footsteps in the distance. He looked over and was surprised to see an old man with gray hair wearing a green Daoist robe. The man carried himself with grace, giving the impression that he was a natural-born sovereign. Yet despite this innate mightiness, Cha Ming felt no pressure from the man. Instead he found only gentleness and care.

The man walked over to where Cha Ming was seated, leaving him no choice but to stand up and bow in greeting. The old man smiled at the polite gesture.

"Have a seat, my young friend," the man said while waving his hand. A surge of white mist traveled from his fingers, and a short table with two cushions appeared. This greatly surprised Cha Ming, who thought that he alone could manipulate his mental space. "I don't often get to meet people from the younger generation. Welcome to my library, young man. I am Fuxi."

The revelation left Cha Ming in a daze. After all, Fuxi was a legendary figure, an emperor credited with creating humanity along with Nuwa. He seated himself but couldn't help but doubt the man's identity.

"No doubt you are confused about why someone so prominent as myself would come meet you in person," the old man said understandingly. Then, seeing Cha Ming nod, the old man chuckled. "Your honesty is appreciated. I am, in fact, only a fragment of Fuxi's soul. Each of these libraries that I established throughout the universe carry a small fragment. A conservative estimate is that I have millions of such avatars. Fragments like myself exist solely to educate and test those who come into the library and will continue to do so as long as my main body lives."

"My apologies for doubting you, Senior," Cha Ming said. "Please allow me to pour you tea to repent." With but a thought, a steaming pot of water appeared in front of Cha Ming. He then imagined the best tea he had ever tasted—coincidentally one that Wang Jun had poured for him—and prepared two small cups using a gaiwan . He did this over a wet tea table that he summoned in conjunction with the tea set.

Fuxi waited patiently for him to serve the tea before knocking his index and middle finger twiceon the table and receiving his cup. He inhaled deeply, savoring the smell, and then drank a small sip.

"It's been so long since I've drank tea from a material plane," Fuxi said appreciatively. "These leaves are definitely some of the better ones among those I've tasted across the aeons. Tell me, do you like music, young man?"

"All kinds," Cha Ming replied.

"Good, then I'll summon some ambiance music for us," Fuxi said. He then snapped his fingers, and a single blue guqin appeared beside them and began playing itself. It was as though a phantom master musician had appeared and began playing for them. Cha Ming soon found himself lost in the process of brewing and drinking tea and enjoying the music. He had no idea know how much time passed.

"Cha Ming, it's good to take time to calm down every once in a while," Fuxi said softly. "Otherwise, you will burn yourself out."

Cha Ming didn't find it odd in the slightest that the man knew his name.

"It's not like I've been left with much of a choice," Cha Ming said helplessly. "There are people relying on me, and I must learn all I can before going to help them." The villagers up above needed his help, and if he didn't hurry, he could only imagine their fate.

"You misunderstand me, Cha Ming," Fuxi said. "Right now, you rested while drinking tea and listening to music. Much of the tension you've accumulated over these past months has dissipated. You're sure to be of much better help to them now that you've rested.

"Sometimes it only takes an incense time or an hour to show sufficient care for yourself. But many people still don't bother. So no matter what anyone says, that is a choice that you can make, regardless of what's happening around you. It's a matter of attitude."

Cha Ming took in a deep breath and pondered these words as he continued brewing and drinking.

"Now then, for the last trial," Fuxi said suddenly.

Cha Ming put his cup down, and the table and tea disappeared. The calming guqin music stayed, however.

"As I'm sure you've guessed by now, the first step to language is the use of words. Words describe many things, and we abbreviate them with runes. We then use our knowledge of their relationships and relate them through grammar and geometry. However, it is still an abbreviation. It is far from the truth.

"The meaning of words is best expressed through sigils. These are three-dimensional constructs, much like the three engraved in your chest. However, the requirements for crafting them is very strict. Like runes, a cultivator can only write what he knows. It is very taxing on the soul and qi to trace out sigils, which is why this exercise is taking place in your mental space. It will allow you to partially exceed the limits of your qi.

"Unfortunately, nothing I do can make you surpass the limits of your soul. As such, this trial will be immensely difficult, but the benefits to your future cultivation will be staggering." Fuxi then materialized a gray brush in his hands. It was plain and unadorned, but Cha Ming could sense that it was a frighteningly powerful artifact.

"Try to follow my motions," Fuxi said.

A small stream of liquified elemental essence poured out from the brush as Fuxi slowly painted a sigil. As Cha Ming observed, he noticed that it was a very familiar character. It gave the impression of a solid tree and fluttering leaves and exuded an aura of rich vitality despite being incomplete. It only took the man an incense time to complete the full sigil. Its base form seemed to be the character for wood, however, it was a hundred times more complex than the simplified sigil he'd drawn before. Once the sigil was complete, it began glowing with a vivid green color.

"Now it's your turn," he said, motioning to Cha Ming. "We will repeat this process three times for each of the characters being tested. At your level, I suggest not pushing yourself to complete it. Instead, focus on gaining insights from the sigils you draw."

Cha Ming gulped but soon took out his Clear Sky Brush. Noticing that it was missing liquified elemental essence, he dipped the brush in the bowl that appeared beside him. Real or false, he would use this essence to complete the trial.

Instead of striving for perfection, Cha Ming decided to start off improving on what he had imagined previously as a suitable base for the wood sigil. He began drawing leaves, but now he combined them with vines and bark. Even so, there were many pieces of the sigil that he couldn't fathom and thus couldn't draw. For example, on one part of Fuxi's sigil, he sensed an aura of death and decay. How could these abstract concepts be painted so easily? Before long, he finished a simplified but slightly improved version of the wood sigil he had drawn as part of the Seventy-Two Transformations Technique.

"Not bad!" Fuxi said. "Let's try again."

They repeated the process twice, and Cha Ming's wood sigil grew increasingly complex. They then moved on through the other four material elements—wind and lightning and through a multitude of other sigils.

Weeks passed, and soon the number of tiny, incomplete sigils he'd painted numbered almost a thousand. He began realizing that many of them could be joined together if he so chose, like pieces of a great puzzle. When he explained this epiphany to Fuxi, the older man simply laughed and told him he wasn't wrong.

Finally, after many months, Cha Ming began his last feeble attempt at the 10,000th sigil. It didn't even materialize. Instead it crumbled, as Cha Ming's understanding could not support even the most rudimentary form of the character.

"Don't be discouraged," Fuxi said, seeing Cha Ming's sad expression. "It's only natural that you can't complete it. Truth be told, it would take someone at the peak of core formation to even stand a chance. Their soul would need to be a single step away from breaking through transcendence."

Fuxi then stood up, and Cha Ming anxiously rose with him. It was about time for Cha Ming to leave, and who knew if he would be able to meet the legendary man again. He clasped his hands together and bowed deeply in thanks.

But when he rose up, Fuxi was gone. His white mental space was completely blank, like it had originally been. The message the man was trying to convey was clear: There was no need for thanks. The man was simply doing what he felt was right—spreading his knowledge throughout humanity. He was just like the legends described, selflessly teaching mankind the tools it needed to survive.

***

Cha Ming awoke shortly after Fuxi left. After traveling back to his body from his mental space, he realized he was famished. His body was also stiff, as though he hadn't moved in months. Had it been months? The only way to be certain would be to ask the Custodian.

"Congratulations on completing the trial," a pleasant voice said from behind him. The Custodian soon walked around him at a leisurely pace and set down a bowl full of white pellets. Cha Ming swiftly picked up a few and ate them, instantly relieving the extreme hunger he felt.

"It's normal to be hungry like this," the Custodian explained in a friendly manner, placing a bowl of water in front of him. "You were in the trial for three months. During that time, you lost about twenty pounds. I suggest resting and stretching for the next few days while you eat these nutritional supplements. They are very good, and you'll gain the weight back in no time."

The duration didn't surprise Cha Ming, as this was well within his expectations. He was more impressed to find out that he could now meditate for so long.

"You wouldn't mind giving me a bag of those before I leave, would you?" Cha Ming asked jokingly.

"I certainly can," the Custodian said. "However, they have a shelf life of one hour. I can teach you how to make them if you like. You can use creation qi, right?"

It hadn't occurred to Cha Ming that they were being made on demand. However, given that he had been gifted a set of custom-made cultivation robes, this wasn't too surprising.

"Deal," Cha Ming replied.

"Now, where was I," the Custodian said, pondering. "Ah yes, it's time to finalize your prize for completing the trial. Your completion rate was frankly abysmal—only sixteen percent. As a result, you aren't required to teach anything. In fact, you're strongly advised against it."

"I'm flattered," Cha Ming said dryly.

"In any case," the Custodian continued, "you accomplished sixteen percent despite being at a harsh disadvantage in terms of soul and cultivation level. Due to this, you will be rewarded with a prize one tier higher than your first prize."

With a wave of the man's hand, ten items floated around Cha Ming. They appeared much more powerful than the last set he had witnessed.

"Are those… peak-magic treasures?" Cha Ming asked.

"Of course they are," the construct said. "Besides, you should be able to advance your realm rather quickly, so these items will be immensely useful to you. Strictly speaking, I wouldn't have offered these specific ones, but someone put in a good word for you. So here we are."

Knowing that his time was limited, Cha Ming began sifting through the items. He instantly disqualified three of the prizes, as they were weapons that he was not proficient with: a sword, a saber, and a spear. The staff was also redundant, as his Clear Sky Staff was a superior weapon. Another four magic treasures were tempting but didn't suit his current needs. They were a magic pill cauldron, a magic hammer focus, a set of formation flags, and a magic carving knife.

The final four items would all be extremely beneficial to him. The first was a cloak that could hide his appearance and obscure his presence. It would be incredibly useful if he wanted to ambush the bandits one by one. Another item was a pair of bracers. According to their description, anyone wearing the bracers would gain resistance to the five elements. He wasn't sure what element Wei Chen practiced, but it would likely be incredibly useful to be prepared for so many.

The third item was a mysterious-looking silver plate. It had an intricate runic design carved into it and exuded an otherworldly charm. After reading the description, Cha Ming realized that it was a peak-magic treasure, a cultivation formation plate. With this plate, he could greatly increase his cultivation rate. Unfortunately, he didn't have the luxury of time. Otherwise he would have picked this item in a heartbeat.

The fourth and final item was a wispy piece of cloud. To Cha Ming's surprise, the item's description didn't match the item at all.

Stormchaser Boots? Looking at it again, he saw lightning crackling within the cloud.

"Sir Custodian," Cha Ming asked, "are these really boots?"

"Yes, these are fine boots," the Custodian replied. "You just can't see them in their current form." He then proceeded to slap the cloud a few times. "Get back into your original form this instant!"

The cloud shuddered for a bit, looking aggrieved, before condensing into a pair of white boots.

"They are very stylish, albeit temperamental boots. You can even wear them to upscale events, as their color will shift to match anything you wear."

"What do they do exactly?" Cha Ming asked hesitantly. He didn't want to waste his pick on a fashion item.

"Ah, these boots allow you to run with the wind," the Custodian replied. "They are imbued with the powers of wind and lightning, the fastest of the natural elements aside from maybe light. While they won't increase your movement speed by a full sub-realm, they are equivalent to having a top-tier movement technique. With a complimentary technique, they could very well increase your speed to the next sub-realm.

"In addition, they allow you to run in the air. It's very similar to a flying sword, but it's decidedly slower. However, you can run at a higher altitude than a flying sword, which is very convenient in many situations."

"I'll take the boots, then," Cha Ming said. The increase in movement speed was already enough to sell him on the item, but this last function cinched the deal.

The Custodian nodded understandingly. "He thought you would like them. Now then, here is the other prize that I promised you. Due to your excellent overall score, I'll reward you with ten jin of liquified elemental essence. Also, I took the liberty of making you 1,000 slips of talisman paper. Do let me know if you need more paper before you leave."

Two items floated out from his sleeves: one small bundle and a large crystal bottle.

Hearing he would be receiving a whole ten jin of liquified elemental essence, Cha Ming's eyes sparkled. If he wasn't wrong, he had enough to write out the next two sigils of the Seventy-Two Transformations Technique!

"Many thanks for fulfilling this request," Cha Ming said. "You've saved many lives."

Over the next few days, Cha Ming ate, slept, and stretched his limbs as he recovered from his extended meditation session. He also performed some simple calisthenics and bodyweight exercises to circulate the blood in his body.

Finally, after sufficiently resting, he secluded himself in a small room to execute what he had been planning over the past few days: a breakthrough unlike any other he had ever attempted.