Chapter 8: Why Bother With Enemies?

"Sure."Both Hongdao and Dashan stared at Xun like they had seen a ghost."An, what did you just say?" Dashan asked."I agreed," Xun replied. He wanted to laugh. So much of the trouble in his past life came from his wives and paramours. Now that he had a second chance at life? He'd leave love for those who had the time and energy. He just wanted to cultivate. "What did you say her name was again?""Yifan?" Hongdao replied, unsure of his sudden success."Right, so I'll stay away from Yifan. It's really not that big of a deal." The image of the bulky girl he saw in the Fire Path sprung to mind, unbidden. For a second, Xun wondered if maybe he had been reborn into a universe with a different aesthetic taste than the one he was familiar with."Anlin! How could you say something like that?"Before Xun knew it, he was face to face with a girl with tears in her eyes. I really need to cultivate. My senses are all so dull."I'm sure he didn't mean it, Yifan." Dashan tried to protect his friend."No, I heard it loud and clear. Anlin, tell me, why would you say that?" Yifan asked.Unlike the figure he saw in the Fire Path, the real Yifan was beautiful. Not as pretty as his previous wives, but still someone that Xun could understand people falling for. Next to her, Hongdao had a slight smile playing across his face.Xun scratched the back of his head. Anlin's life was a bit messier than he first expected. It was no matter though, he'd clean everything up.The first step to changing a person's mind is to pull their attention to someone else."Sorry," Xun said, "I was only responding to Hongdao. He said some nasty things.""Is that true?" Yifan whirled on Hongdao. "You really think that you can bully others because you're friends with Fangqiu? Why do you always annoy me?"Hongdao's smile disappeared. "I didn't mean it like that. I was simply talking about how Fangqiu is now an honorary disciple. And…"Yifan ignored the weak excuses as she turned back to Xun. "Anlin, it's my fault. Are you alright? I would have come to help you in the Thunder Path, but the elder forbade it. Are you hurt? How can I help?"The second step is to intensify another of their emotions and let them come to their own conclusion."My spirit channels are damaged and everything hurts," Xun replied. "Even this conversation is making my head hurt.""So Hongdao was taking advantage of your injuries." Yifan walked forward with concern in her eyes. "It makes sense that you'd say those hurtful things now. You aren't thinking straight."The third step, sow confusion and use it as cover to find an escape."Something else happened when I almost died on the Thunder Path," Xun said as he raised a hand to stop the girl from approaching closer. "I've decided to devote my life to cultivation. To show my commitment, I'm changing my name. From now on, please call me Xun."It was like he had dropped an Ardent Light Rune in the middle of the students. Almost everyone turned their head to look at Xun.Maybe I confused them a bit too much."Anyways, I just want some time alone," Xun said. Like he expected, his conversational tactics had accomplished all his goals, and he wasn't followed as he walked away. He dragged his half-broken body to an empty area on the mountain and looked out at the view below.The five stone stairs wound around the mountain like snakes. Dots of white and gray clouds drifted around the Thunder Path, sparking. It was peaceful, almost beautiful. Deadly things were like that. Beauty often concealed danger.I don't know why I've been given this second chance. I don't know how, either. But I'm not going to make the mistakes I did before. This time, I'll make sure that I make it to eternity. Whatever the cost.Yifan stared after him, seeming as if she wanted to say something. But she couldn't seem to find the right words. Perhaps it was the strange things that Xun had said, or maybe the fact that she was now a disciple and he was a laborer."Disciples, it's time to leave," Elder Pi's voice boomed across the mountain.Underneath his feet was a grey-colored cloud. It was far larger than Elder He's, but also much less intricate. The sides seemed solid, but the students who stepped onto the cloud staggered as their feet sunk into the swirling mist.Finally, Yifan seemed to have made up her mind on. She called out to Xun."An… Xun, I promise I'll help you once I get to the sect. I'll find a way to help you repair your spirit channels. Remember our promise. I'll come find you."Xun nodded without turning around. In his mind, he hoped that once she realized the heavy cost it took to repair a person's spirit channels, she'd give up on the friendship.Although they were both about to be cultivators, most sect laborers in Xun's time were glorified mortals; stronger than the average person but weighed down by chores and tasks assigned to them. Most were unable to find the time or the energy to pursue cultivation in earnest.More than that, he knew the cost it would take to repair his spirit channels wasn't something the average cultivator could bear. In his past life, one of his favorite children had an accident that hurt their talent. Even with damage to their channels much less severe than his own, Xun had spent a fortune to heal everything back to normal. Even if the Nine Thunders Sect was inclined to be so generous, he was unsure if they could bear the cost.Soon, everyone had boarded the cloud with Elder Pi."Zeran, if you don't mind, could you take the laborers to the sect? I want to make sure that the outer disciples arrive on time. I'm sure that everyone else is waiting.""Of course.""Good, I'll see you at the sect.""Safe flight."After a quick check to make sure that all the outer disciples were present and no laborers had snuck aboard, Elder Pi poured his zhen into the cloud and the group flew off toward the main sect mountain.The young woman rolled her shoulders back as Elder Pi disappeared in the distance. She still kept her right hand tucked in her dress, but now smiled at the remaining students.Sensing her kindness, the soon-to-be laborers edged closer."Senior Sister Zeran, how are we going to the sect?" One of the remaining students, a lean-looking boy, gathered his courage and spoke up."We'll walk."