Chapter 3 - Money

The disciples were practicing thirty lives regeneration art on the courtyard. Move you shoulder ! Fowliang shouted, with Larchen watching her in a spirit form.
You must turn that speed into strength, she instructed. Another senior brought in dishes since it was lunch time, he put the trays on the floor table. You'll be graded for your term after you lunches. All your efforts will be rewarded or your lack of discipline penalized, Fowliang said.

Serve our sect well, and we will help you with cultivation resources. Obey your elders and bring honor to thunder God. Larchen was in thought.. he remembered how horrible these lessons felt at that time, even after this time nothing much changed, the lessons just slid away from him. He looked at Fowliang... she has a huge nice ass.. as usual. But the Larchen of that time, would never be able to get such big ideas. Larchen concentrated again on the lesson, he decided to deduce what he couldn't learn back then, what did he miss ?

He was casting his net too wide, and he took risks when cultivating, and he put on a bad front, so he couldn't make friends, he was.. nonrepresentable, which
made him isolated. He back then however also was very well aware of the importance of cultivation resources, he remembered that he was at the time thinking to make an impression to get some funding from the sect.

It was his turn to be tested now, he watched himself move towards the instructors.. He used all his willpower to produce some kind of glowing effect, he was just too lucky, he was able to survive once again, more over he was able to produce energy from source of the art itself, which got him extra rewards. Larchen present, observed Fowliang's reaction very carefully and intensely, he got near her and took the sight of her mirage under careful observation. He was so close he could see her breath.

And just as so, she gave Larchen who passed, an unusual look. Her head tilted and her gaze rested on the pupil in a rather unusual manner. Larchen almost burst out laughing.. All living creatures craved.. care and attention.. but this was different. He saw in her eye, the political burden of her life.. And that how she craved luxuries.. Larchen wondered, why she was so "impoverished", he thought of what happened really, and where she lost her wealth..

He followed the source, and came upon a scene. It was a few elders gathered around Fowliang.

You'll be fine Fowliang.. Just start over, one said.

How can i ? she answered to no one in particular...

Sect will help you out, misfortune happens on the path, its completely normal. Heavens' ways are mysterious, you just have to accept this.

Larchen recognized a few of the faces there.

Some insecurity will help you advance, Fowliang, another said.

Can't you lend me some money ?

We've lent you enough, you owe everyone, already.. It's time for you to get clean. We'll assign you to outer disciple courtyard, gain your redemption by training disciples, it'll also take your mind off things. These disciples represent our sect, you must be an example to them.

She then went into her room, Larchen followed. She lied on the bed as if she was a frozen corpse... Larchen pitied her.. She then got up and started brewing some white powder medicine. She was probably going to sell it on a regular price. This was standard grade spirit medicine.

She then proceeded to a medicinal shop. The clerk has greeted her.. He had a sad look.. Elder Fowliang...

Hello, Fowliang said, i brought you some pills to sell.

I'm not allowed to trade with you anymore the sect strictly forbade it, i'm sorry.

Fowliang reached over to grasp his sleeves... after a moment, she let him go..

What happened next almost blew Larchen off his mind.. She then gone to a common house.. This was a place where the show girls serviced the wealthy patrons.. She changed her clothes, and with the purple faced Larchen watching, starting to strip dance on the lap of a tradesman.
The businessman grasped her calves running his hand along her crevices.. Or he tried, but she snapped her hand back. The man got angry then threw a few bills, then left hastily. She was fishing, for money.. Larchen felt like he was going to die..

He became wobbly, but it could be worse.. much much worse, he followed her back home on the snowy streets he once roamed as a poor disciple.

And just as he was thinking that, he saw himself walking towards the Fowliang, who just got out of the door of the common house, their eyes crossed for a second... The jig was up..

Fowliang stood there for a few seconds... She then said, would you like to.. come to my room for extra lessons ? She was clearly inciting him in order to keep her secret.. Larchen was shocked.. he had no memory of the incident.. at all.. At the time, he was thinking heavily about how to raid the dark lands, and as usual he was so depressed and brooding like a computer stuck on infinite loop, smoke coming out of his head.. He realized, he didn't even recognize the elder Fowliang, as he waved her away, thinking it was a prostitute, she also realized that
he didn't recognize her, so her secret was safe. But how could she be sure ?

To Larchen's shock, Fowlian started to tail the Larchen of old , Larchen back then, as he slipped out towards the forest ruins, on his usual forays for artifacts. He passed through the city center, and she followed.. There were a few heroic statues on the city plaza. Larchen of now sighed heavily, the sigh lasted for some time, and was heavy with something. He.. stumbled, the duo was going distant in his sight, he just.. couldn't decide if he is to follow... he took a few breaths to calm his nerves.

The place was familiar to him. He recognized everything here, and he was used to hardship.. He decided to soldier on.. Turns out Fowliang was a pretty experienced "veteran", and a stalker.. She just kept adding titles to her persona...

Larchen has reached the place where he used as a stash. He stored some clothes and basic necessities there. As much as it could, things that would help him explore the dark forest better, yet were difficult to carry around without attracting attention. He also put a seal on it so it would look different to everyone who passes near. Fowliang who was following him (and he who was following her), surely would notice it by now. Larchen looked left and right for some seconds, acting nonchalant, then switched attires rapidly, as well as backpacks and went his way after he gathered various other materials and gadgets.

Fowliang stood there for a while, she felt relief, he definitely didn't recognize her.. He was a complete.. moron.. But she understood why he didn't ? He was totally crazy. No disciple would ever dare to wander into dark forest. There is no way a person this strange would blackmail anyone. As an elder.. she had the authority to, report him.. so it was even, she felt relief.

She looked at her feet.. the branches stood there under her feet. The forest was cursed.. it didn't matter who you are, you'd fall into its charm. All the dead hummed and sang there, it was on the wind, you would get captured like a rabbit.

She felt insanely angry.. This person... she cursed him.. What a trouble maker... Good riddance, i'll just be free of him.. she said to herself as she watched his person start to disappear on forest line. Her face was so red.. City was half asleep, no one would notice he was gone... or she was..

Larchen hovered above her indecisive antics.. He looked at her red face.. And he looked and he looked.. he just couldn't stop looking.. He wanted to look at it forever... But there was no such thing in life.. He felt that, obviously all people were criminals.. they were suspicious.. And they got what they deserved.. He felt, contained.. he walked into dark forests for exactly this reason.. The forest was just as wild and dark as him, he just didn't show it, so instead of fear, he felt relief.

Fowliang decided to follow, she was a mighty elder, she wouldn't be easy to.. harm, even by the dark forest. She was a supremely powerfulbeing, with a stable mind.