Chapter 55

  Greedy Justice (I)

  Calm returned once more to Lonesome Peak.

  I'm actually considering the name change, as it could hardly be called 'Lonesome' anymore. I mean, yeah, compared to other peaks, it still is, but there are 6 of us now, which is enough to start a cult!

  ... I mean, I won't. But I could. But I won't. Well, it really is couldn't.

  Long Tao locked himself up in his room, seemingly struggling to comprehend the art.

  Elder Qin delivered a first batch of cultivation resources that were all funneled into Xi Zhao, who in turn started cultivating like mad.

  Dai Xiu was also busy cultivating, as I instructed her to just do that for now.

  And the remaining three of us... well, here we are, busy under the clouded sun, building materials strewn about.

  "And what is this?" Light asked, pointing at a bucket.

  "It's a bucket."

  "Yes, but what is it for?"

  "... for storing water."

  "Ah. And this?"

  "It's a rope."

  "What is it for?"

  "... for tying things."

  "And what are you doing now?"

  Okay, yeah, she's definitely a kid. Relentless, like a fly in midsummer, always just... buzzing around. Hua and I busied ourselves with construction as I arrived this morning with a new batch of materials necessary.

  As for what we were doing right now? Digging, mostly, and laying down the foundation. It was going to be relatively shallow, as the plan was simple: these 'houses' weren't permanent but just temporary lodging. I'd actually planned on starting the construction of the main palace shortly after the competition's end, but with the war looming... I decided to wait.

  If we win--no, once we win, there's gonna be a huge influx of materials, and if it's true that I'll be treated as a hero, maybe I won't even have to lift a finger, and the sect will build me whatever the hell I want built? That's the dream.

  "Preparing a foundation."

  "Why?"

  "Otherwise, any stronger winds could knock the building to the ground."

  "Why not just use arrays to stabilize them, then?"

  A case of literary theft: this tale is not rightfully on Amazon; if you see it, report the violation.

  "Because they cost money."

  "So, you're a cheapskate?"

  "..." you know, I can kind of see why this guy who's just barely holding back from belting out a laugh is pretending to be mute. I couldn't not answer, and it honestly didn't even have anything to do with her identity; had I not known, she'd only seem like an averagely curious six-year-old girl with slightly special-looking hair and eyes. "Where'd you learn that word?"

  "My mother used to call my father that. She said it's a bad thing."

  "It's not a bad thing... always," I defended myself vehemently. "These will be temporary shelters, so instead of wasting Spirit Stones on them, it's better to use the stones for cultivation."

  "Oh. I don't have any stones for cultivation."

  "... did Sect Master not give you any?"

  "He said you would."

  "..." and I'm the cheapskate? Yeah, right. I gritted my teeth, took out a pouch, and tossed it over toward her. It had a hundred mid-grade Stones, which honestly barely made a dent in my savings, but I still feared it wouldn't last for too long. "Let me know when you're through with them."

  "Okay," she put them away... but she didn't go away. Instead, she crouched, pinned her elbows into her knees, her palms out against the sides of her face, and she just... stared at us.

  Yeah, one thing a guy doing construction always needs is an audience. How else would he be motivated?

  I started to sweat relatively soon as the early day broke into midday and the sun surged toward the zenith. Strangely, the word here for it was the same--a star they called sun. There was also the same moon, which they called, well, moon. There were quite a few overlaps that you'd think would be at least marginally different, but, alas, I thank the lord every day for that being the case, as it was much easier for me to learn.

  About an hour or so later, I was done; I was chugging water by a barrel and hadn't actually peed even once because of how much I was sweating. Look, I've been mostly making arts for the sake of my disciples, but I now have to make a few for my own sake.

  One: art to blocking this freakin' heat (and eventual cold).

  Two: art that passively increased my stamina immensely.

  Three: art that made it so that I don't have to go to the bathroom anymore.

  Four: art that--

  --long story short, I couldn't actually create any of them. Not that I didn't have enough points or anything like that, but rather that there were no options to select that would allow me those things. For the blocking of the elements specifically, the system was quite brutal, replying with the soul-burning:

  [Body Qi Control is considered a basic Qi function every Foundation Establishment cultivator can do without any special art]

  ... yeah, of all the things that cut deep, that cuteth the deepest.

  "Master," Xi Zhao spoke up as we were all chewing the delicious rice. Honestly, at this point it feels like I'm eating paper... "I've, uh, I've heard some rumors..."

  "What rumors?"

  "About our sect."

  "Really? You heard rumors about our sect whilst being in said sect?"

  "Hm?" You know, I was wrong. This one cuteth the deepest.

  "Never mind. What did you hear?"

  "That, uh, that we might be going to war with the Fire Sun Sect..."

  "Oh?" I arched my brows slightly, looking over at his squirming figure. How did the rumor spread? Well, it was leaked intentionally, of course.

  Unless someone in that Elder's meeting was a complete moron of cosmic proportions, kids would have never found out. And Xi Zhao has only been down the mountain once in the recent days to finish up whatever unfinished business he had.

  So, they must have leaked it intentionally.

  I mean, it made sense; rather than outright declaring it to a bunch of kids just barely getting their feet wet with the world of cultivation, disseminate the few pieces of info slowly. The Fire Sun Sect is attacking our disciples, killing a few of them even, bullying us, giving us no choice...

  There's a preamble to everything, and this was ours, I suppose.

  "Are you scared?" I asked.

  "No, of course not! I will fight for our sect even if it costs me my life!" There's something adorable yet cosmically horrifying about seeing a 14-year-old boy so boldly proclaim something like that. There wasn't an ounce of fear on his face or in his eyes, and he genuinely believed it.

  But... what was I to say? He would have to go out and fight, ultimately. Perhaps, for better or worse, his zeal was but a requirement. The only thing I can do--

  "Elder Lu, get out right now! We have a score to settle!!"

  ... oh, for the love of God, what the hell is it now?!