Chapter 12: Rock in the woods

Cold, wet, numb, and now threatened by some old guy who could kill a giant tiger, what a wonderful day this was for Lady Valentine. There wasn't really much choice, after what happened with Iris, it wouldn't be a surprise.

"So you've finally shown…" There was a long pause as the old man simply stared at her state. Beyond her noble good looks, there was no question she was most certainly not a proper cultivator. Her black dress was shredded small cuts across her legs and arms, a giant welt where she had been clotheslined.

"Who are you." He asked dumbfounded.

"Duchess apparent, Valentine Lockheed." The noble introduced herself but didn't bow. She had no idea who this guy was. Since he had shown no courtesy, it was returned as is.

"Sect leader of the Bladeless sect, Long Hugh" There was a pause as each person didn't recognize who the other was, but both felt that the other person should have except.

"Are you related to Iris Xin?" Valentine asked, the stye of clothing was almost identical. However, all that did was cause her opposite to narrow his eyes

"How are you related to the Rainbow Sage, Immortal ascendant?" The surround temperature dropped, and it felt like someone had just dropped sandbags on her head.

"Im…i…" Couldn't speak was what Valentine wanted to say. She had felt this just a bit ago when the flame knight dropped into her life.

"Emp-emp- friend." If Valentine was a little more aware of her feelings at this point, she would have clearly stated unrequited love. Instead, she debated over to say employer, or friend or acquaintance.

"You, a mere solution building, is friends with the sect ancestor of the formless blade sect?"

It was the last thing I remembered before coming to with an unfamiliar ceiling.

"Oh, you finally woke up, it's been a few hours." The shortest women I've ever seen in my life walked into the door. Estimate of her age based on appearance would be hundreds if not thousands of years.

"Here drink drink, we need to get your color back." There was something soft and soothing about it, even if the shape of the cup was strange to her. Even the decor had taken a strange look. Most of the wood she was used to seeing was as is, accentuating the natural grains and quality of the wood itself. Here, dark, and light lacquers with curved wood pieces were prevalent. There was a current and a screen decorated with cranes.

"Thank you, ma'am." Even as the duchess there was no reason to be rude. Tea was nothing like this, a hint of mint, and a very astringent taste.

"Worry not young Daoist, now that we had a chance to look at you it's obvious that you're that young lady Iris student." Student would have been a way better answer than employer or friend. There was still a lot of confusion, however.

"Um, miss, if you don't mind me asking, what happened?" The girl here was very soft spoken unlike the rascal that was lady Xin. As one of the oldest cultivators here that practiced medical arts, she outlived two generations. She had no illusions of ascension, but intend to enjoy her golden years spoiling the young kids that passed through the sect.

"Well dearie, the sect leader rendered you unconscious with spiritual pressure. Once than he used a formation that would let him trace energy back to the source. I'm not sure the results, but it was obvious that child helped you form your foundation. The sect leader brought you back and left you in my care. You've been here ever since honey."

"Thank you" It seemed that she was unusually reserved, given how long it took her to say thank you.

"You needn't worry its what I'm here for. Keep this a secret." She placed something on the table. Looking at it, Valentine felt that the warping meant it was a sweet or candy. By the time the thoughts had cycled the old women had already left to take care of others, leaving her with more questions than answers.

Left to her own devices, there wasn't really anything to do. After a long internal debate, she tried the wrapped product. It was a soft bland sweetness, in a smooth cream candy. Tasty was the final verdict.

"Now what?" She had been here awhile, and no one came to see her, or bother her. There were a few books in the room on a strange shelf unit. The noble found she was a bit wobbly but didn't let that stop her form reading. The strange characters did that just fine. They looked like the ones Iris wrote, in fact this must be where she was from.

"Good to see you up." Ancient women had been replaced by a very small women, instead of ancient this one was very childlike. There were even fluffy soft ears, and a big poofy tail behind her. This kind of thing was unheard of in her realm.

"Good day." There were a lot of thoughts, and the calmness outward was a symptom of freaking out internally.

"I know about my appearance, I ran afoul with illusion spirt beast, still haven't figured out how to get rid of it." Staring as the ears twitched Valentine didn't say much, before remembering that she should introduce herself.

"I'm Valentine Lockheed." There was a pause as the short women waited for her to continue.

"I am the third elder, of the south wind northern strike peak, Li Ming Song." This time the cursed elder waited a moment for effect.

"Well at this point I'm sure you're wondering what's going to happen." It turned out that a small fox girl talking with her hands was adorable.

"Since your Sect master Iris's disciple, and we read enough of the Dao to understand she's out of reach, we decide to take you in. Normally you would have to go through recruitment selection, but your foundation is perfect for the cultivation techniques we have at the third peak."

Valentine didn't say anything per usual. Without a response and very little to go on facial expression wise, the shortie continued.

"You don't have a choice; in case you were wondering." It was a low threaten voice, complete with a fiery aura of doom. Lacking sensibilities as a duchess, and the even more adorableness generated from the furious expression on the elder's face, the noble lady missed the threat in that statement.

"Do I at lest get a place to stay, and compensation?" Iris had guided her a bit, making sure to remind her to get things for the work she had done.

"Well, you will be a disciple of my peak, that comes with room and board, plus a minor stipend for cultivation resources." Her fire dissipated as the patient didn't show signs of refusal.

"Wait, you have no idea what I'm talking about do you." When the girl in the bed didn't say anything more, Li Ming confirmed the slight oddities in their conversation.

Becoming a disciple and the general structure of cultivation sects was common world knowledge. Even if the final details were different, there was no reason why some one of her age wouldn't know.

"So, you must have been from wherever iris went, just who are you?" There was no threatening aura this time but a clear palpable pressure from the third elder. It was clear something wasn't above board.

"I'm a duchess heir, Miss Iris was staying with us. There was a monster, or something, Iris fought it and I…ended up here. She had just congratulated me, on making my foundation and she was hurt…I" Even if Valentine didn't like saying much, her distress was present. It was obvious not just to the elder but to the Dao that this noble was telling the truth. This girl was someone important where she had come from but was now just a small fry.

"Don't worry, I take care of those under my mountain so don't fret. Iris is one of the most powerful people of all time, she taught the sect leader you know. Look just follow me and we will go and ill tell you all about it…"

The pair left the medical hall and flew on some sort of leaf to their own peak.

Stunning breathtaking views. It was like stepping into another world, even though all the items within were the same. Hundreds of peaks and cliff faces. Mist and clouds dance and wisped merrily along valleys and paths. Water, a pure radiant azure, formed small, tiered pools, before falling into larger pools at lower elevations. Doted though out the landscape were ornate wooden buildings, and trees growing almost sideways from the cliffsides. The landed in a larger flatten section carved out of the rock face.

"This will be home for now, at lest until you make enough contributions to move up. Just because we took you in doesn't mean you can stay if you slack off. Your hall leader will fill you in on what you need to do, and we will do the formalities for you becoming a disciple in the morning."

Leading Valentine through the main entry gate, she listed the various locations of interest. Where to get medical care, where to turn in contribution points, the various structures that had purposes unclear to the girl who knew nothing of cultivation.

"This is the outer disciple hall; we switched to small rooms rather large occupancy for reasons." Handing a small jade carved in the shape of a fist, her short instructor told her to focus her qi into it.

Noble Valentine was incredibly surprised when it worked. There was a tangible feel to it, like she could guide the heat across her body.

"Those are some interesting characters in your name there." Iris hadn't been able to read either, even further, she had a difficult time adjusting to the idea of using an alphabet, rather than logogram characters.

"My mother's maid gave me the name."

"You don't speak much do you?" The fox girl asked, after receiving such an answer. Why the servant gave the name was a mystery to Li Ming.

"Are you going to be ok getting your room?" After seeing the nod, the elder gave her a few more instructions and let her leave into the Disciple Dormitory.

!@# !@# !@#

"What does this have to do with throwing someone a dozen yards." The duke had lost his patience.

"There isn't a magic solution, In absence of a great master like Master Iris, there is a vast network of supplies and traditions, as well as underlying structure that is required to nurture such talent."

"So, your saying its impossible?" Daughter Lockheed scoffed.

"It is to go against god, and their enforces are more than enough to lay waste to any army you could muster at this time." Inwardly the duke cursed. It was bad enough that this woman had somehow gained strength but there were now others in his way?

"Why does seeking strength go against god?" He asked, why was he being blockaded was his real question.

"We are mortal are we not. Pursing immortality could be nothing but a crime against this world. Even if the Dao tells us to seek better, we must remember our place in it, that's why I was attacked when I built a foundation. If I were to attempt to break through to the deity stage, it would likely occur not just fiery tribulations, but an assault but the monsters of this realm."

Who cares about fiery tribulations if it meant gaining control of such power? What a foolish woman his daughter. Did she not know just what there was to gain?

"I can detail the daily training I went through as part of the Bladeless sword sect. It was quite…through."

"Don't keep me waiting daughter." Remembered Valentine remember that you're doing this so you can have more fluffy happy time with Iris.

"It was precarious in the initial, as master Iris told me to bow to no one, but once I understood just how pointlessly weak, I was there wasn't much I could do. Of course, then I had to spar with third elder…"