Временные трудности / Temporary hardships: Глава 17

Chapter 17, in which the hero learns the shortcomings of his splendor, but shows which beast has the most powerful paws

Camrad_RIP 18.01.24 в 14:37

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Camrad_RIP 18.01.24 в 14:37

"Get out, you ragamuffin!" came an angry voice.

Camrad_RIP 18.01.24 в 14:52

The gates of the manor where Blacksmith Gong lived had not even opened. Xing took a look at his clothes, but nothing was loose or torn, and he was still dressed properly. It seemed even in the middle of nowhere, the concept of decent clothing was very different from that of the countryside.

Camrad_RIP 18.01.24 в 14:54

Xing shrugged his shoulders and knocked on the gate again. He had plenty of time because he no longer had to work in the fields or at the forge from morning to night. He knew exactly what to do in his spare time and was never bored. After the third time, the gate opened, and Xing jumped back before he could even tell them his name or that he had come to be an apprentice. The point of a spear struck the spot where he had been standing a moment earlier. If not for Xing's agility, it could have wounded or killed him. With a final glint of its tip, the spear was gone, the gate slammed shut, and the deadbolt rattled on the other side.

Camrad_RIP 18.01.24 в 14:55

Xing decided to knock again, but his qi vision told him that a guard was climbing the wall, about to either throw a spear or fire a bow.

Camrad_RIP 18.01.24 в 14:56

//"A prudent man always knows when to retreat," he thought and ran off toward the Forest of a Dozen Steps. No one chased him, and Xing easily obtained food by picking herbs and collecting grubs and then managed to feast on the food by knocking down an overconfident crow with a stone.

Camrad_RIP 18.01.24 в 14:57

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Camrad_RIP 18.01.24 в 14:38

The next day, he came again. Again, he announces his desire to become an apprentice of the famous blacksmith Gong Buntao. Once again, an attack followed, this time not only with a spear but also with several arrows, two of which Xing caught in mid-air. He was certainly a reasonable man, but it would be foolish to come all this way and just walk away. Besides, he wasn't risking anything, and the fact that someone living in the forest would find him unbearable and ill-mannered was something Xing could live with.

Camrad_RIP 18.01.24 в 15:02

Regularly, as he had once done in the field, he approached the gate, amplified his voice with qi, and announced his desire to become a disciple. When the inevitable attack came, he would repel it and then retreat towards the forest, where he would train, forage for food, and wash in a deep stream.

Camrad_RIP 18.01.24 в 15:03

If the blacksmith or his men went anywhere, he would throw himself at the horses' feet, escape the attacks of the furious guards again, and return to the edge of the forest. The Blacksmith Buntao could afford a very good guard, whose blows were no match for the pitifully helpless attacks of the brigands. These guards possessed, albeit only a little, even qi! So Xing used their kind of services to train. This angered them immensely, and while at first, they held back, trying to intimidate and drive them away, in time they began to beat him with full force.

Camrad_RIP 18.01.24 в 15:06

The trio of guards were particularly angry when he snuck in, joining a lavish procession of some important guest who had come to the blacksmith to order weapons - then all three chased Xing, leaving the blacksmith defenseless, all the way to the edge of the forest.

Camrad_RIP 18.01.24 в 15:07

As time went on, Xing began to diversify his requests. The shouting and knocking at the gate had become commonplace, so he began throwing stones wrapped in broad burdock leaves on which he had written in calligraphy using the juice of the berries to ask for apprenticeship. To keep the blacksmith and the guards from getting bored, he threw logs of trees he had piled over the wall and burned the messages with qi.

Camrad_RIP 18.01.24 в 15:32

//"Only the carp that perseveres in trying time after time will be able to climb the waterfall."

Camrad_RIP 18.01.24 в 15:33

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Camrad_RIP 18.01.24 в 14:38

Time stretched into a familiar routine. Xing pestered the blacksmith and the guards, ran away, practiced, and peered cautiously into the depths of the Forest no deeper than a dozen paces. He would get food and sleep, sprawled on the ground or on a bed of twigs and brushwood, as he had once done when he was hiking with his master. And the next day, he would start all over again. He didn't count the days because the time spent here was not wasted - the qi of nature in the area was very dense, so he could train perfectly without anyone distracting him. Time flew by quickly as the hot summer turned to autumn, the nights grew colder, and the leaves on the trees turned yellow and purple. Xing was already thinking of preparing for winter and planning a foray into the depths of the forest, but suddenly, the gates of the manor opened, and the blacksmith Gong Buntao himself came out to the road.

Camrad_RIP 18.01.24 в 15:38

"Xing Duo!" He shouted. "You are persistent and persevering. This is one of the qualities of a true blacksmith, so I am willing to listen to your request!"

Camrad_RIP 18.01.24 в 15:57

Xing rejoiced, stopped hiding his qi, and jumped out of his hiding place a few steps away from Buntao. The blacksmith flinched.

Camrad_RIP 19.01.24 в 15:16

"How did you manage... Ahem!"

Camrad_RIP 19.01.24 в 15:16

Xing, who'd missed socializing during the wait, wanted to talk about the bastard master whose qi gaze had seen everything in the neighborhood and how he'd tried to hide from that gaze. To escape and eat something. About trying to escape the endless torment that his past life had turned into. About after becoming Feng, he practiced every day, perfecting his ways of hiding from other people's gazes. But it would be foolish to spill this train of thought to his future mentor, for then the chance of never getting that mentor would be greatly increased.

Camrad_RIP 19.01.24 в 15:18

"This unworthy Xing Duo asks you, honorable Master Gong Buntao, to take him on as a disciple," he said, bowing at the waist. "Try my skill!"

Camrad_RIP 19.01.24 в 15:19

The blacksmith's gaze softened, and he made a gesture with his hand, inviting him inside. Master Buntao led him into the smithy, a large room filled not only with the usual bellows and anvil but also with many devices and appliances that Xing had no idea what they were for.

Camrad_RIP 19.01.24 в 15:20

"You said "skill," the blacksmith grumbled. "That's a serious word, and it's not something you just throw around. Show me you can do. You can use anything you see."

Camrad_RIP 19.01.24 в 15:21

Xing nodded, gathered the tools he needed from the shelves and tables, walked to the crucible, and began pumping the bellows. He decided to demonstrate everything he had learned from Yi, keeping only his elemental skills to himself. The bellows hummed, the hammer clattered, and soon Xing held out the blade of a long knife to the blacksmith, which only needed a hilt and scabbard to complete.

Camrad_RIP 19.01.24 в 15:22

"Not bad. You're persistent and diligent, and you know the basics," Buntao admitted. "But it is not enough. A lot of respectable families send their heirs to me, but I've turned them all down. And if I take you now, people will start asking, what did the blacksmith Gong find in this child? And I don't have the answer to that question."

Camrad_RIP 19.01.24 в 15:24

Xing frowned. It seemed by clinging to his pathetic secrets, he had cut off his path to an apprenticeship. He should have shown what he could do right away, and maybe then.....

Camrad_RIP 19.01.24 в 15:26

"I'd really like to help you find that answer," he said. "I can try again..."

Camrad_RIP 19.01.24 в 15:27

"No need!" cut the blacksmith short. "I've already seen the main point, and you can't change my mind. And I'm not interested in your skills because if you could do anything to impress me, you wouldn't need a tutor. I'm interested in your talents!"

Camrad_RIP 19.01.24 в 15:32

Xing's ears perked up. It didn't sound like a rejection, but rather a new challenge. It was more like a new challenge, one of those tasks that almost every hero was given by his mysterious mentor, subjecting him to a host of deadly threats.

Camrad_RIP 19.01.24 в 15:33

"Bring me a branch of Purple Oak and Rainbow Iron ore from the Forest of a Dozen Steps," the blacksmith did not disappoint, "make a hammer out of them, and then I will take you on as my apprentice, I give you my word!"

Camrad_RIP 19.01.24 в 15:34

"I'll get it, Master Buntao," Xing bowed.

Camrad_RIP 19.01.24 в 15:34

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Camrad_RIP 18.01.24 в 14:38

The Forest of a Dozen Steps wasn't as scary as the guard said, but it wasn't as harmless as even the most foolish would call it. The abundance of qi in the forest caused changes in the bushes and trees, making the beasts and birds stronger, more resilient, and, therefore, more dangerous. A dozen Steps proved to be an exaggeration the first time someone tried to eat him only on the fourth or fifth dozen. Xing spent about a month every day in the forest, studying the paths and habits of the beasts, looking for anything resembling a purple oak among the trees, but he found nothing. There were plenty of purple trees, and he found many oaks, but none of them differed from the usual ones, except for a slightly stronger qi. Only after almost despairing and reaching the center of the forest did Xing find a huge, mighty giant, distinguished by its rich red bark and the dark purple hue of its rounded leaves. Only such a tree could be that Purple Oak. Xing shrieked with joy, and it seemed to be louder than it should have been.

Camrad_RIP 19.01.24 в 15:38

A long, skittish body of a horse-sized scaly creature with two tails and a powerful, strongly extended toothy jaw emerged from the bushes. As with the river monster and the wolf leader, Xing felt nothing, only being able to dodge, thanks to his alertness and readiness to repel the attack. In the forest, Qi's eyesight was already failing frequently, as the abundance of natural energy hid any wildlife. This was what made the forest such a great place for training.

Camrad_RIP 19.01.24 в 15:45

Xing didn't engage in battle, relying on the speed of his legs and the power of his qi. He ran with his heels blazing, transforming his qi into Fire to put up a fire barrier or Tree to block and obstruct the pursuer's path. If it wasn't for the wolf skin clothes, Xing would have been left naked as he made his way through the bushes, tree crowns, and dense undergrowth. But as it was, he had to endure many branches with leaves as sharp as the best knives whipping at his face.

Camrad_RIP 19.01.24 в 15:47

The creature was very stubborn and chased him almost to the edge of the forest, and only when it came across the border, marked by a string of pillars filled with strong qi, finally fell behind.

Camrad_RIP 19.01.24 в 15:52

Xing made his next attempt the next day. Carefully hiding his energy and straining his senses to the limit, he reached the oak tree without encountering a single forest creature. The problem came where he hadn't expected it to: the tree wasn't going to give in to his efforts. No matter how hard he tried. No matter how he strengthened his hands with chi, he could not break off even a small twig, not even enough for a flyswatter, let alone the hilt of a hammer! His fiddling attracted another creature, this time something big and furry but with an equally huge mouth. So Xing had to run again, looping around and making it difficult for one pursuer and then for a pack of different beasts to get away. Once again, when he reached the edge of the forest, it was as if the pursuit had been cut off with a knife.

Camrad_RIP 19.01.24 в 15:54

Going to Master Buntao was a sign of failure. Xing had enough money, so he ran to Zhumen and equipped himself. And on his next trip to Oak, he picked up an axe made of the best iron he could buy in this not-so-small town. The result exceeded all expectations.

Camrad_RIP 19.01.24 в 15:55

The axe forged by the city's best blacksmith, Zhumen, "almost the same as Buntao's, only cheaper," came down on the branch with all the force of Xing's qi-enhanced hands. The sounds of the blows echoed throughout the forest. And when the hilt finally failed and cracked, the blade was so dull that it should have been forged into a new one instead of sharpened. A dozen beasts, their furry, muscular bodies glowing with energy, took the knock as an invitation to a delicious meal. Fortunately, the beasts could not climb trees. Unfortunately, the oak stood in the center of the large clearing as if to keep out other trees and bushes, which meant that Xing couldn't escape by jumping from branch to branch. Xing had to hide in the Oak tree, having a serious fight with two raven-like birds, but much bigger and fiercer. Xing only by some miracle got the upper hand and remained unharmed. The razor-sharp beaks could not pierce the skin of the wolf leader. And he did not feel himself victorious, being battered and covered from head to toe with acrid bird droppings. Fortunately, the fight with the birds had interested the beasts enough to gather on one side of the tree so that Xing could break through and escape.

Camrad_RIP 19.01.24 в 15:09

The next day, he returned more prepared. So he wouldn't have to spend the whole night washing his trusty wolf armor, he put on another layer of clothes made from the skins of killed forest animals. More birds were waiting in the oak tree, but this time, in addition to his new axe, Xing had also brought his spear. The fight was brief, and the length of the weapon helped a lot, so soon, he was able to make another attempt to get a branch. Again the clatter of the axe attracted a new beast, but Xing only stuck his butt out at them and slapped his buttocks a few times. Whether the beasts in the Forest of a Dozen Steps were smarter than their normal relatives or just reacted to the movement of their unreachable prey, they roared loudly when they saw the taunt.

Camrad_RIP 19.01.24 в 15:12

Expectedly, the second axe didn't damage wood either. Xing tried to strengthen it with qi to increase its strength and sharpness. But the tool didn't last long. After a few blows, the blade, unable to contain his energy, split apart at the next blow, leaving a shallow scratch on the branch, which also healed right before his eyes. It turned out that the plan to bring a thousand axes and fill them with qi until the branch was cut off was completely untenable. And all the other methods Xing could think of could not produce any results.

Camrad_RIP 19.01.24 в 15:13

The feelings of anger, hopelessness, and despair were so overwhelming that Xing cracked his forehead against the trunk without thinking to clear his head with pain. He submitted his Qi completely unconsciously, as he had already done it every day for several years. And indeed, he had succeeded. The pain sobered him up. It left a shallow indentation on the trunk that could withstand the sharpest metal, but it did not straighten immediately. Xing rejoiced. He put as much qi in his hands as he could and began to hammer on the unfortunate branch. Even though the result appeared, Xing quickly realized it would not work. His fists would leave dents, and he needed something sharp that could cut through the heavy-duty wood rather than trying to push it in.

Camrad_RIP 19.01.24 в 15:15

"I have qi. That's enough," he said aloud to the prowling beast below.

Camrad_RIP 19.01.24 в 14:59

He remembered his training with his master, what he had said about the right weapon, and how he could create a blade just from qi, but it would be much heavier. Xing grinned: it was exactly the kind of "heavier" he needed. After the fight with the brigands, he felt like a wizened carp who thought he could do anything. Now, reality had shown him the real limits of his strength. If he wanted to catch up with his master in more than a dozen dozen cycles, he would have to train even harder. Xing released qi from his finger, attempting to form a blade. The result was so pathetic that even the snarling beast below barked and laughed. Xing didn't get upset in the slightest. He saw another area in which his skills were insufficient and most importantly, a direction in which he could improve.

Camrad_RIP 19.01.24 в 15:06

It took several days for the miserable, pointy blob of qi coming out of his hand to turn into something remotely resembling a sharp blade. Xing placed it against the branch and pounded it with his other hand like a hammer. The cut on the oak branch was deep enough for the purple resin to emerge, thick and seemingly desirable to the beasts circling below. The beasts howled and roared, and other individuals he had not seen before began to flock to the tree. And for whom the height of the tree did not seem to be an obstacle.

Camrad_RIP 19.01.24 в 14:57

"Not so fast!" he shouted, greeting the first guest.

Camrad_RIP 19.01.24 в 14:55

A hammer hand struck the nose of the flexible body that had jumped onto the oak, and a blade hand stabbed into its furry side. The creature, remotely resembling a tiger, had not expected this, so it flew downward, meowing shrilly. Xing glanced at the fleshy carcass with regret and began to chop the branch again, looking down and around.

Camrad_RIP 19.01.24 в 14:56

To avoid wasting time, he settled on the branches of this oak tree, collecting rainwater and morning dew from the leaves. He made short forays to catch and eat, roasting without salt one of the beasts with a qi. But even so, the branch would not yield. It took a lot of qi to create and hold a blade of internal energy, so when it disintegrated, all he had to do was watch helplessly as the hard-won cut almost healed before his eyes. Xing tried the elemental transformations - Oak was reluctant to Fire, Wood had little effect on it, and the other elements had no effect at all.

Camrad_RIP 19.01.24 в 14:54

All Xing had to do was train to increase his strength and qi reserves, shit down from the branches to show the circling beasts whose territory it was, and brush his mouth and teeth with purple resin, which not only removed unpleasant plaque and freshened his breath, but also gave him strength.

Camrad_RIP 19.01.24 в 11:10

Xing didn't count the number of times the beasts had climbed the tree, hoping to devour him. He learned to stay awake, replacing sleep with deep meditation, which restored his strength, gave him vigor, and, most importantly, allowed him to train and improve the circulation of internal energy. Xing even experienced the hope that he would soon make a breakthrough, advancing to the Qi Condensation stage and then onward to Foundation Establishment and Core Formation. But alas, no matter how much Qi he shoved into himself and no matter how much miraculous oak resin he ate, the bottleneck that had been extolled in so many books and crystals was never felt.

Camrad_RIP 19.01.24 в 11:21