Chapter 6: chapter 6 Everything will be okay
He repeated his initial question again;
"Well, is this the object you seek?"
Wang Yan managed to recover herself mental after being distracted by the box. She willed herself to move and with shaky hands, she opened the wooden box. The glow of the Purple Sapphire met her eager eyes and confirmed it was the same as the one embedded in the hilt of her beautiful sword. Her eyes gleamed with excitement as she confirmed that it was in fact what she had been seeking for;
"Indeed it is but…"
Wang Yan's smile turned into a deep frown as soon as she came to realize a rather annoying problem that was the result of the old man's overly cautious nature; a powerful binding spell had been placed on the precious gem which she had come all this way to find. This simply meant that it would practically be impossible to operate till the original owner removed the seal by his command. This was an actual problem as breaking another person's seal was considered to be a real herculean task, talk less of a seal that had been put in place by a master of Xiao Luo's level.
A sudden realization dawned on Wang Yan as soon she came to understand a shocking truth! By the laws that governed this plane, the ownership rights of the Purple Sapphire had been transferred to the peerless master Zhang Jian the very moment Xiao Luo had handed the Purple Sapphire to him. This automatically inferred that the present owner of this jade was now Zhang Jian and not Master Xiao Luo as Wang Yan had previously thought.
Zhang Jian who had been watching her facial expressions knew immediately that something was amiss and proceeded to find out from her;
"But what?"
Wang Yan lifted up her eyes from the box as finally began to understand the real reason why her master had stubbornly refused to disclose the full location of the precious gem throughout that season and also why he had chosen to hand over this treasure to an unknown entity who wasn't affiliated with the Purple Sect or its affairs in anyway.
The Purple Sapphire was still very much valuable and no price or object whatsoever would be sufficient to even consider it an even exchange in the event of a trade, but if she made the best of the situation by bartering it with the favor of powerful being such as the peerless master, it would certainly prove to be a favorable transaction.
The pressing need at had was the imminent threat back at Purple Mountain and the precarious position that the Purple Sect was currently in. There was no doubting the fact that the Purple Sapphire could avert the impending defeat but even at that, on the long term, it wouldn't do much in the way of holding the enemy at bay. Wang Yan's clever mind deduced the fact that if she could somehow manage to gain the backing of a powerful master like Zhang Jian, there was no being that would be reckless enough to engage the Purple Sect in any further trouble for the foreseeable future.
And so, Wang Yan humbly bowed her head, thrust out her arms with the wooden box in her hands so it would be directly in front of Zhang Jian's chest and spoke out loud in her clearest voice;
"Forgive this this young one's rudeness!" she began, "This gem is now yours just as Master Xiao Luo had original intended. It would be a gross misconduct on my part to even consider going against my master's wishes."
Zhang Jian cringed at the mention of the word 'master.' So it was a mentor-mentee relationship after all? He thought to himself as he further reviewed the new piece of information;
"Well it certainly does add up now. The fact that she is a student under Xiao Luo does seem more likely! He had been instructing this young one in the way of calligraphy and painting."
The more Zhang Jian thought on this, the more he saw no reason whatsoever to hold on to such a priceless jade for he had no use for it.
"Have it. It's yours."
He didn't want the humble girl to return back to her home with nothing. As much as Zhang Jian tried, he just couldn't recall any knowledge of any sects in the surrounding area. She seemed to have come a long way and he couldn't bear to think of the troubles she had endured on her journey here. As Wang Yan tried to refuse, she stopped the moment she noticed that the seal on the gem had morphed into a style that was exclusive to her alone.
"Words spell? Had he done that simply by uttering words? Such power!"
The caliber of this kind of spell sent her into deep contemplation for she knew that not even her master could execute something of that nature so deftly and effortlessly. The peerless master definitely exceeded her master's level! So bizarre was it that she found it hard to believe. A mountain was nothing to her master and yet, this master had managed to exceed his level? She took a long while to deliberate before she finally decided she would extract the jade and give back the Soul Box to the peerless master. Zhang Jian stopped her half way before she could fully execute her plan.
"What exactly do you think are you doing?"
Without a shred of doubt in her tone, she answered him curtly;
"I am returning the box to you senior."
Zhang Jian gesticulated as he spoke; "Look around, there is nothing of any real value in my house. A small box wouldn't be missed. I think it's a good container, so you can retain it as yours."
The thankful Wang Yan bowed in appreciation and said; "I am grateful senior."
Zhang Jian charged her aggressively; "Be sure not this again." The social protocols exhausted him.
Wang Yan impulsively made to marry her fists together but immediately repressed her urge with her will and instead, she simply said; "Okay" and nodded vehemently in agreement to Zhang Jian.
The social convention was not only an honor for elders but was also a severe burden on the members of the younger demographic. So it goes without saying that for her noble master, this type of protocol was unavoidable.
This master had proven yet again to be a true master, as his actions suggested that he loathed the etiquettes that had been put in place for the younger ones to follow. This was a trait she had never seen in a master- never.
Zhang Jian noticed that it wasn't completely in Wang Yan's will to go, it was understandable given the vast distance she must had covered. Such a tiresome journey would definitely take its toll anyone, she had to rest. It would be ungracious of him to keep such a weak girl on her feet.
"Please, have a seat."
He stretched out his hand in hospitality and beckoned her to sit.
Wang Yan found herself fighting the urge to instinctively bow her head as took her seat on a small chair adjacent to the desk.
Immediately, she sensed an extraordinary power in the ink, paper, and ink stone on the table. Her focus shifted quickly as she became enthralled by the master's masterpiece and soon quickly forgot the instruments. She hadn't yet mastered every instrument of the arts yet like the writing brush, the ink stick, rice papers and the ink stone as they were more powerful than her purple sword. Wang Yan was completely astounded.
It was common knowledge that her Purple Sword was a real treasure which her master had worked hard on to perfect for a staggering period of ten years. It was by far the most effective weapon in the Purple Sect at present.
She sighed deeply and willed herself to focus.
So it was no surprise that Zhang Jian had returned the Purple Sapphire to her so freely. What held so much value in her own eyes was apparently less than nothing in the sight of the master? It was indeed ludicrous.
She couldn't help looking down on her own short sidedness. She had been indeed myopic. She felt like the proverbial jester who had displayed her skills to a professional.
Zhang Jian saw just how lost she was in his landscape painting and a thought crossed his otherwise busy mind,
"It appears she in a fellow comrade in the arts as well."
Zhang Jian had resigned to fact that fate had taken away the Old man and had sent him a more favorable replacement in his stead.
"What do you think about my work? It is okay?"
He asked her with a soft smile,
Wang Yan heart burst into flames at the question, "This is far from okay! This is extraordinary!" she thought to herself. But it dawned on her that masters were typically humble so she in turn complied with the modus operandi and replied accordingly in a suave tone;
"Well it's not bad."
Zhang Jian couldn't help but smile. Hers was a reply that sounded genuine compared to the others who had fallen head over heels for his work. "She must really know the arts." He thought. But what he chose to say out loud took a different tone;
"You flatter me."
Wang Yan countered with a logical point;
"I simply spoke the truth." but the truth was she had never felt so pressured. She was still in her feelings when Zhang Jian ambushed her with a proposal;
"Would you like to have it?"
The false front of composure that she had managed to put up for Zhang Jian's sake came crumbling down at the mere thought of her owning such a prime piece of art. She managed to mumble a reply that best showcased her unbelief;
"What? No, no, no,"
The poor girl's face went white and her voice as well as her hands became shaky. How could she ever own such a breathtaking treasure? This particular landscape painting was one of a kind! Because it was the embodiment of a master's charm, it could easily annihilate any enemy and definitely help her attain the next stage. But she knew she was far from being considered as the ideal candidate to own such a potent instrument. It has always been said that there was no glory without hard work and yet the scales had been tipped in her favor without any effort or price. This was almost like a dream, like it was too good to be true.
If Zhang Jian had chosen to take her life in exchange for such a potent and priceless artifact, it still wouldn't be an even exchange. The thing she held dear to her was Master Xiao Luo's gift to her which was the prized purple sword which had been personally forged by his own hands for a full decade. But she doubted that the peerless master would regard it as anything. It was probably less than nothing in his sight.
The full gleam in Wang Yan's eyes betrayed her burning desire for the gift, Zhang Jian saw it. He once again recognized the binding etiquettes that plagued the ancients and knew that even in this very moment, it was hindering Wang Yan from acting out her true thoughts. He cocked his head to the right and asked her plainly;
"Do you want it or not?"
Of course she wanted it! But social convention dictated that she play hard ball. Her face betrayed her yet again as her cheeks turned bright red, she still didn't speak a word. The astute Zhang Jian understood it all just by looking at the young girl in simple apparel. She probably came from a simple background, she preferred to toss to the side what little dignity she had just so she could redeem her master's precious gift. It had definitely been a hard knock life for her.
As Zhang Jian watched her, he played out in his head, the scenes that had linked the destinies of Xiao Luo and Wang Yan. In his mind eye, he saw how the old man had adopted the young girl and brought her up as his own, only to have the vultures of his household descend on her after his departure from this world because she wasn't of his bloodline. And having no one or anything, she had waded through tumultuous waters, trudged on willfully through mountains and valleys, and journeyed a thousand miles just so she could redeem her master's treasure. In retrospect, he realized that she must have been told that his calligraphy and painting weren't sold and bought in the traditional sense, but that he bartered them for items of reasonable value. He reasoned that she was abashed because she had nothing of value to barter with. He smiled as he pinched his nose and said to her;
"You know, I feel like we have been predestined to be friends. I will gladly do you a solid this time. Next time we come across each other in the future, I hope you will return the favor."
The young girl's eyes flipped open at his words. They sounded unbelievable a d yet rang with the bells of truth. She cautiously asked just to be on the safe side;
"Do you really mean it?"
"How can I play with you this way young girl?"
Of course! How could a peerless master of his status descend so low as to indulge in joking around with a lowly learner like herself? It was preposterous to begin with. She chided herself mentally and willed herself to focus.
"Just hold on a bit. I still have to rough out the edges. It'll just be a minute."
While he was still speaking, he reached for his brush and began to adjust the parts he felt needed a little touch up. After dabbing here and there, he managed to complete it to his taste. Wang Yan all the while simply stared at him with awe as she watched the peerless master go at with the finesse and grace of an extraordinary master. It was a real sight to behold for she had never seen such skill. Zhang Jian carefully weaved his way across the rice paper with tremendous gracefulness. Soon enough, the end result emerged and it was even more stunning than the previous version.
Littered across the paper were green hills, sparkling coruscating waters and bright summer clouds. Zhang Jian somehow managed to include a string of words that read;
"Greener and steeper hills stand beyond the mountains. Taller and grander buildings sit outside the palaces."
This was poetry and art at its finest and the qi that resonated from it was overwhelmingly astounding! It was nothing like she had ever perceived before. Its energy signature was unique! Wang Yan was quick to notice the rising temperature of her blood within her. It felt like her entire being was being cooked within as the tempo of her heart beat increased by the second.
"Could it really be that I will gain ownership of a remarkable piece such as this?"
It felt so unreal to her.
"Oh, and regarding your master… "
He paused to organize his words to suit the metaphors that his thoughts were embalmed in; there was never a right way to bring up the subject of death. For in ancient times, it was considered inappropriate to simply blurt out the word 'death' for it was said to bring ill luck and bad fortune. Zhang Jian struggled to find the right way to put it.
Wang Yan's face fell into despair the moment she heard him mention her master. It was true that her master had disappeared for close to a month now and no one, not even herself had been able to get hold of him during that period. This was the leeway that the demonic hosts had found and tried to have a field day with the Purple Sect. The master's sudden disappearance was nothing strange as it had become a habit of his to simply up and leave. She knew that her master was bound to return home sooner or later but she just couldn't wrap her head around the fact why it was so impossible to reach him at a desperate time such as this.
Zhang Jian immediately caught on to the young girl's grief and consoled her.
"Relax, everything will be okay."
Wang Yan took his words literally and assumed he was passing on a message; "Master Xiao still lives?" she thought to herself. Feeling emboldened by Zhang Jian's encouraging words, she spoke;
"I will not forget your graciousness to me. Rest assured that I definitely pay you back."
Zhang Jian simply smiled and packaged the splendid painting for her. She gingerly received it and went down on one knee.
"I hope we meet again." And with that she dashed off promising she would surely return his favor. Zhang Jian smiled at the young girl, he hadn't even gotten the chance to offer some tea.
Cerberus gingerly watched the young girl leave with a smirk on his face for a while and then went back to sleep.
Gifts
-- Gift
received Weekly Power Status
-- Power
Ranking 
-- Power
stone