The procession from the Temple to the Convent followed strict rules. As soon as the sky started shading towards dawn, a mortal servant was sent out with a bell. Tian could hear it as it passed out into West Town. There was a certain cadence to it- three rings, then two, then three, then four, then three and the pattern repeated.
He was required to bathe, and put on a clean robe, clean pants and new shoes. His long black hair was carefully folded, twisted and pinned in place with a wooden pin shaped like a dragon. His rope dart was formed into a hank, and tucked into his robe.
Just before noon, the Lay Brothers formed a procession. Senior Brother Fu stood at the very front, Tian at the very end. Arranged outside of the Temple were mortals dressed in gaudy silks and bright chainmail. Tall spears with red tassels, carried by strong, scarred men, formed up as the procession left the Temple gate. A stern man and woman walked ahead of the Lay Brothers, ringing their own bells. His bell was deep and sonorous, hers high and bright. The two tones contrasted and harmonized as they walked. Drummer boys took up the time, beating steadily on the warmed goat hides.
As the procession walked out into West Town, the Townsfolk came out and prostrated themselves. Whole families, from the eldest and most sickly, to little babies that should have been on their mother’s hip, all knelt on the paving stones and bare dirt, their heads pressed to the ground. Some, the most finely dressed or heavily armed, took a single knee and clasped their hands in front of their faces, eyes fixed firmly on the ground.
Tian thought they were afraid. They smelled like fear, envy and perhaps even hate. But above all, fear. He could see some kids his age. Were they the ones who struck the Dragon Calling Bell with him? He couldn’t tell. Probably some of them. But so what? He didn’t know them. Their faces were already fading from his memory. In another year, their faces would be forgotten entirely. In sixty years, they would be feeding the worms. But Tian would be here.
For the first time, Tian truly appreciated the gulf between mortal and immortal. Immortals weren’t simply older, or stronger. They were above the masses. It was the gap between Earthly Person and Heavenly Person- a single thought, a single breath, a single glance from fate, and one was lifted over the other. The two were as far apart as Heaven and Earth.
He wasn’t someone who had to hide anymore. Not a single one of them would dare throw a rock now. They couldn’t hurt him even if they did. He was someone that the townsfolk couldn’t even look at. He didn’t have words for the feeling. Like his chest was expanding and he was rising up to the sky. That he already was the sky, looking down on everything.
Grandpa’s hand pressed gently on his shoulder. Remember, thou art mortal. At least for now. Don’t look at the townsfolk, look at your Senior Brothers. That’s who you should measure yourself against.
Tian felt heart settle down and his feet pressed more firmly on the ground. He looked at his senior’s backs. They didn’t look much different. Maybe they were standing a little straighter and moving with firmer steps, but not much changed.
They must have done this more than a hundred times, even if they only did it once a year. This wasn’t worth being proud of. They were all at the peak of Level Nine, the so-called Tenth Level. Waiting for that first breath of immortality. Trying to understand what their predecessors were talking about in all those cultivation manuals when they spoke about being trees, or mountains, or the ocean.
The bells and drums lead them on, through the town, past the farms on the outskirts. No farmers in sight. No chickens or ducks or buffaloes. Nobody working in the fields, or kneeling by the paddies.
Empty and still, except for the insects buzzing and the wild birds landing to feast on the little eels that lived in the ponds. All that stinking humanity just vanished, and they took their livestock with them.
It seemed that the villagers weren’t even worthy of entering into the sight of the Immortals.
They walked to a little hill overlooking the river, about a mile from town. The Convent looked similar to the Temple- white plastered walls wrapping around courtyards with black tile roofs. The paths were flagstones set in gravel, and they tended to paint their pillars red too. If there was a particular difference, it was that they had more places to sit. Tian noticed it immediately. Lots of little benches and clusters of stools under trees or lining courtyards.
The procession ended at a large square covered in gray flagstones. The Lay Sisters of the Convent were waiting for them.
The Sisters had the same robes that the Brothers wore, and the same leggings. The main difference, to Tian’s eyes, was the hair. Men wore their hair long and twisted and pinned with wooden pins. The women had their hair cropped close, with patterns and shapes carefully shaved around their skull. One might have a flower blooming on the back of her head, another would cover their scalp with repeating geometric patterns, yet another might have waves crashing against her temples.
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“They must help each other,” Tian thought. “There is no way they could do that for themselves.” He remembered the Senior Brother who came by that morning to help him pin up his hair. He thought it was just because he was new.
“Brother Fu, welcome back.”
“Sister Bai, it’s good to be back.” The two lead their delegations in bowing towards the other side.
“Usual rules?” Senior Sister Bai asked.
“Naturally. And since we both have cute little juniors this year-”
“It feels quite fated, doesn't it? Little Hong just broke through to Level Three the other day. But she can hold back against your junior.”
Brother Fu laughed. “It really is fated. Our little Tian just broke through to Level Three as well. It’s true that fists and feet don’t have eyes, and injuries are normal in a spar. That being said, we should probably make their weapons safe before turning them loose.”
Sister Bai started to roll her eyes, but seemed to catch a hint of something in Brother Bai’s face. She barely raised half an eyebrow and nodded.
“Alright, nobody here is a junior except for the kids. Line up and pair off, and don’t shame your homes.” Sister Bai waved at the crowd, and Brother Fu did the same.
“Scram, the lot of you.”
Nobody moved on either side.
Sister Bai and Brother Fu shared a long suffering look.
“Or you can stay and watch kids almost two centuries your junior squabble with toys you were bored of decades ago.” Brother Fu blessed the assembled Lay Brothers and Sisters with a very genuine ‘smile.’
He got a lot of grins back. He snorted at them and turned towards Tian.
“Tian Zihao, come forth.” Tian stepped forward.
“Hong Liren, come forth.” Sister Bai called, and a girl walked out of the line across from Tian.
Hong Liren was a head taller than Tian. Her hair was trimmed into a sea of flames, which fit the strands of red hair mixed in with the black. Tian wasn’t very clear on what counted as pretty, but she probably was. More than that, she looked hostile. Her fist clenched firmly around a spear. She seemed eager to use it.
Tian bowed. He had been told repeatedly that he must bow when he met someone, that it was terribly rude not to. Hong Liren didn’t return his bow.
“Aunty, can I blind him? His dog eyes violated me. He is one of those toads you mentioned, hungering for swan meat.”
Tian blinked and looked over at Brother Fu, who was apparently finding the clouds very interesting.
“Senior Brother, is it conforming to the martial virtues to beat up the mentally ill? Is the girl I’m supposed to fight hiding behind the idiot?”
The clouds were just downright fascinating today. So much so that Brother Fu’s shoulders were shaking with emotion. Sister Bai apparently saw the same things that Brother Fu did. Neither spoke.
Tian looked at the girl. She had her spear in both hands now, though not pointed at him. Tian pulled out his rope dart. She covered her mouth and laughed.
“A rope dart? You mean to duel with that toy? Are you a street performer? A money that dances for crusts of bread and rotten fruit?”
“I have lived on moldy bread and rotten fruit.” Tian nodded. “Rice and fresh vegetables are better. I’ve never seen a monkey dance, though. Do we just fight, or…?”
“Fight? Do you think you are worthy to fight me?”
Tian thought about it seriously, his one good finger scratching his chin. Hong Liren visibly recoiled at the sight of his hands.
“No, absolutely not. A mutilated monkey is not worthy to fight me. Take yourself to the dump and kill yourself. It’s what you deserve. Go, or I’ll stone you till you do.” She spat.
“NO KILLING!” Brother Fu yelled.
“Oh calm down you old- NO!”
Tian threw the metal dart at Hong’s eye. Hong whipped her spear up and blocked as she stepped to the side, seemingly welcoming the way the rope wrapped around her spear. She pulled it back, and yanked the smaller Tian towards her thrusting spearhead.
Tian fell forward, but as he did, he yanked the rope taut and stepped down on it. The spear point drove into the flagstones, the recoil nearly knocking it out of Hong’s hands. Tian stepped on the spear and with a jump, whipped his foot towards the tall girl’s head. She ducked his foot and twisted to the side as Tian landed. Hong smashed his flank with the shaft of her spear, knocking half his breath away. Tian caught the shaft with his arm and rushed in, sliding up the spear and going for another jumping kick at her head.
Hong wasn’t pedantic- she dropped the spear and fast as a plunging hawk, grabbed his leg in her strong hand. Whip quick, she yanked him even further upward before smashing him down towards the stones.
Tian wasn’t any slower than Hong. Before he touched the ground, he contracted and twisted his body like a writhing snake. Tian drove his heel into Hong’s temple, causing the girl’s eyes to lose their focus for a moment. The other end of the rope dart danced with his qi, snaking around Hong’s neck as he broke loose of her hold.
Hong was still moving towards the ground, but Tian used her arm as a pivot and swung around to her back, wrapping his legs around her waist. The spear flew up, now wrapped by the rope dart like a boa choking a goat. Its shaft smacked Hong in the belly as Tian looped his ankles over the hardwood. Then he pressed his knees to the small of her back, tightened his grip on the rope around the girl’s neck, and leaned back hard.
It took a long time to say, but happened faster than a spark flying off a flint.
Brother Fu rushed in and slapped Tian’s hands away from the rope. Sister Bai yanked the rope off Hong’s neck and poured a potion down her throat.
“She’s alright. Badly bruised and she got her bell rung, but she’ll live. What kind of feral animal are you raising, Mad Dog Fu?!”
“Funny you should say feral. He actually is. That move isn’t in Snake Head Vine Body.”
“No, I imagine Venerable Eight Arms probably didn’t think it necessary to choke someone, break their neck AND break their spine at the same time, all while acting like the floor is on fire!” Senior Sister Bai snarled as she ran her fingers around Hong’s neck and along her back.
Tian walked over and looked down at the girl. Her eyes were glassy, unfocused. He stared directly into them. “I’m worthy. The better question is, are you worthy to fight me?”
He tidied up and put away his rope dart. “Brother Fu?”
“Yes, Tian?”
“What does “worthy” mean? Also, if she is so brain damaged that she thought she was a swan fighting a toad, should she really be let out of the house?”