Chapter 9: A Quiet Meeting (1)

Tao Cai quietly pondered the meeting he had with his father as he walked through the paths of the residence's gardens. He wondered about many things, especially about his current health. He wondered if it was his physique causing the strange holes that he felt in his memory, or if something else was afflicting him.

As he walked, he eventually stopped at the entrance to a small hedge maze. He closed his eyes as he stood there. After several moments he was able to feel Ao Jin's Qi at the center of the maze. With a deep breath, Tao Cai entered into the maze. As he stepped past the small arch that acted as an entrance way, he realized that the sounds he once heard all melted away. It was as if he entered a whole other world as he began to navigate toward the center, toward Ao Jīn.

After several minutes of walking, Tao Cai stepped into the center of the maze. He looked at Ao Jīn from the entrance, staring at the back of the young man who sat in the middle of the small clearing in the maze. With the way he was sitting, it was clear to Tao Cai that Ao Jīn was in the middle of meditation. As soon as Tao Cai stepped foot into the clearing, however, Ao Jīn's demeanor changed.

"Young lord." Ao Jīn suddenly spoke up as he shifted himself, turning around to face Tao Cai while still seated. "I'm surprised that you've come to the secluded gardens."

"I... I've come to speak with you." Tao Cai replied with slight hesitance as he stepped forward, sitting down in front of Ao Jīn. "There are several things I want to talk about, but first... and while it may not be important, I want to know what you wanted to say on the training fields." Tao Cai questioned with slightly hesitation as he waited for Ao Jīn to reply. Ao Jīn opened his mouth slightly as if preparing to speak but paused for a moment.

"As you wish, young lord." Ao Jīn bowed his head. "I was going to speak more about your physique and martial arts. I stopped myself as you seemed... pained in that moment, but I know it is something that a cultivator must know." Ao Jīn paused for a moment once more, Tao Cai refraining from speaking as he could tell Ao Jīn was preparing to continue. "I was going to tell you it would be best to find something that meshes with your physique. Even if your physique causes you to feel uneasy or scared, this is essential."

"I understand." Tao Cai responded after a moment, pausing afterward as he took a second to build up his courage. "And... did I... do something on the training fields?" Ao Jin's eyes went wide at Tao Cai's question as he looks into the confused eyes of the young boy, immediately noticing the boy grow more fidgety.

"What makes you think you did something on the field?" Ao Jīn asked with a questioning look. He had yet to speak with Lord Li and didn't know if Wei Jie had the chance either as he met with Tao Cai as soon as they returned home. He knew he didn't want to reveal anything that could cause problems before alerting Lord Li to the existence of the possible problem they witnessed.

"I... I don't really know." Tao Cai gazed into Ao Jin's eyes with a look of absolute confusion. "I just... feel like my mind is full holes, as if a dark veil has fallen upon my mind." Tao Cai spoke softly before looking down at his hands, fidgeting his fingers.

Ao Jīn examined Tao Cai for a moment before speaking. "Do you... remember anything, even if only vaguely?"

Tao Cai attempted to think back on the moments where his mind seemed to twist and change but was met with only headaches and a throbbing feeling behind his eyes while doing so. As Tao Cai began to do this, Ao Jīn immediately noticed a strange fluctuation in his Qi, a strange darkness welling up inside of him.

"Y-you can stop, young lord!" Ao Jīn raised his voice slightly, speaking with gentle if not harried tone. Tao Cai immediately stopped, and soon after the fluctuations ended.

"I... guess I don't really recall anything." Tao Cai responded, sounding rather defeated as he lowered his head.

"I see..." Ao Jīn paused for a moment, examining the confused young boy in front of him. he sighed before continuing, contemplating if it was right to say what he was about say. "Yes, young lord, you did do something on the training fields..."