Chún spent almost another two shí crafting the first Cauldron to the Mountain's exacting specifications — he had to follow shapes and lines formed by Essence illusion over the clay, rather than just spinning general shapes with raw Essence as he usually did, while using specific types, amounts and combinations of Essences at various points to form it, heat from the forming structure radiating in slow waves and carrying the faint mineral scent of damp earth.
Once he was done with the Cauldron, which the Mountain pronounced as, "Rough but serviceable", he went over to the fire pit to check the medicine.
The soup had reduced down to a solid jelly-like substance, a faint herbal bitterness lingering in the rising heat. Chún frowned. "This looks like a paste — will it still work for internal injuries?"
"Yes, but now it can be applied to external injuries as well as eaten," explained the Mountain. "Further, the medicinal efficacy has been concentrated in the jelly, so it will need smaller amounts to be effective. Take it away from the heat to cool — the next step is to divide it up into small pills for appropriate dosing."
The silver-haired True Cultivator moved the pot away from the pit onto some of the flat stones he kept around, then had a quick snack of vine fruit and did a few Monkey Dao stances which shook the stiffness out, thinking about his experiences with creating the first Cauldron, the gliding horse, the decocting pots and working with Dao patterns.
There seemed to be a lot more leeway with creating Dao Manifestations when you were working with materials that were lacking complex Dao patterns already — stone, or wood, or the clay he made the pots with. Living things — like himself, trees, plants and animals — were much harder to adjust without causing damage.
But when creating items, even if they did not have Dao to start with, as he added to the Manifestations, the Dao patterns would start to resist as they grew more complex. He had to find a way to anticipate the movement of the pattern as it was built and grow the pattern in a way that allowed that natural movement to push it forward into what it needed to be rather than having to redirect it all the time.
You had to think five or ten steps ahead… like a battle? Keep your focus on what was happening, but always have anticipated responses for the next possible moves of the opponent.
"Ha — even working with Dao patterns is a contest… I guess it is Cultivation after all." Feeling inspired, with that thought in mind he trotted back to his workshop to make the next Cauldron, already sinking into a meditative state.
In a strange half state of awareness and meditative enlightenment, Chún grew the Cauldron out of the remaining prepared clay, following patterns and forms that flowed out through his fingers without really registering what he was doing. Extra clay from previous castings, Metal Essence, Water Essence, Fire Essence, bits of Essence herbs and Essence stones crumbled into the forming shape. Even the two creatures appeared — momentarily flying a complex shape over his head, the shimmering Essence of the pattern sinking into the clay before they vanished back toward the clearing.
Despite being outside the Heaven and Earth Vine clearing, thick Essence mist swirled around the forming shape, brushing faintly against his skin. As the final vents finished under the five Essence types flowing from his fingers, the world flashed with an eye-searing brightness—
—and the Dao itself seemed to seize.
The young teen found himself flung through the air, convulsing despite his tempered body. A skull-shattering explosion battered at his senses as something vast struck, the force of it driving through both Cauldron and cultivator alike, before he hit the ground hard in a cloud of dirt, branches, twigs and leaves, the impact slamming the breath from his chest.
His first thought was that something had gone wrong and the Cauldron had exploded.
"Mountain? What happened?" He pulled himself off the ground, feeling more stunned than hurt.
"See for yourself," his locus' voice seemed to hold a note of astonishment.
The Cauldron sat, seemingly undamaged where he had been sitting. Strange shapes and forms seemed to writhe and shift on it. Walking cautiously closer, Chún saw that the clay was not moving but odd shapes and curves hinted at something just below the surface — patterns not yet fully formed, but already alive with intent.
"I thought it exploded," questioned Chún wonderingly, "it certainly felt like it."
"It was hit with a bolt of Heavenly Lightning — so were you…" the Mountain's 'voice' in the link trailed off with an odd tone.
"That was Tribulation Lightning? Like the stories — wait — the Cauldron Advanced?" asked the young teen in excitement.
"It seems to have absorbed some of it… and yes it has already begun forming its own Dao — that is why it has all those shapes and characters starting to show. You somehow managed to Create a True Dao Treasure," agreed the Mountain solemnly.
"Is it finished, then? Since it already has started to form a Dao?" questioned Chún.
"It still needs a firing, it is still clay, yet. But I will let it decide what to pull in during the firing, with a little guidance - unlike the other Cauldron, where I will weave patterns in myself." The Mountain paused, "Do you remember anything while you were making it?"
"I just knew what was required, I did not know everything I was doing - although I remember all of it. Some seem obvious, looking at it now… other parts, I am not sure I will understand for a long time," the True Cultivator replied slowly, his eyes unfocused as he thought back.
"I did not need to talk to you - you were pulling information and patterns directly from the link and pushing others back. It was… we were really linked for a while," said the Mountain wistfully, "I hope when you get stronger, we will be able to communicate like that permanently."
Chún felt sad and awkward all of a sudden. "I am sorry, Friend."
"Do not be. It shows there is still a lot to look forward to. Put the Cauldron on the drying shelves please," the Mountain responded cheerfully.
"OK." Moving over to the Cauldron that seemed a lot bigger than it ought to be considering it had started out as a clay ball the size of his head, he lifted it and was immediately astonished by its weight. It seemed to weigh many, many times its size, the strain biting into his arms despite his tempered body.
"Mountain… there is a problem," he grunted. Incredibly the Cauldron seemed to be getting heavier the longer he held it.
"Oh. Well it is official - you have - created a Legendary Cauldron. They always test the people who try to lift them." The Mountain's 'voice' was incongruously happy.
"It will not… it will be… too heavy… for the shelf…" gasped the young teen as he staggered towards the drying pit.
"Oh, it will stay light for me, unless something goes wrong during the firing. It is only making itself heavier to see if you are worthy." The Mountain sounded slightly worried.
Chún grumbled and channelled his Essence to strengthen his bones and muscles, lifting the Cauldron easily, then growled in frustration as it instantly doubled in weight "Then... it should wait... until - after - it has been... fired. It might be... damaged… if I drop it... now!"
The weight in his arms suddenly decreased and Chún had to fight not to fling the Cauldron into the air as his arms were suddenly pushing upward with too much force. Thankfully, he managed to control his muscles and marched quickly over to the drying shelf, placing the Cauldron on it where it seemed to radiate smugness.
"This is going to be more trouble than it is worth, I know it," he grumbled, "I am not even an alchemist. What would I do with a Legendary Cauldron."
"The Cauldron and I will teach you. You may never become a world level alchemist but you will be able to make the medicines and elixirs you need," reassured the mountain, "Eventually - once the Cauldron grows beyond your abilities - you can place the 'Ancient Legendary Cauldron' in a 'Fortunate Encounter' designed for Alchemists!"
"I might do that straight away," muttered the teen, glaring at the Cauldron that seemed to shrink back in alarm.
"It is too low level now to pass for an Ancient Treasure yet. If a Consumer found it now, unless they were very discerning or a complete novice who did not know anything, they would probably dismiss it as trash," the Mountain evaluated, "enough teasing the Cauldron, let it dry. You have medicine to finish."
Standing next to the fire pit in the Heaven and Earth Vine clearing, Chún manipulated the medicine in the pot in front of him, the faint herbal bitterness still lingering in the warm air. With the Mountain's instruction, he used Air Essence to divide the now solid jelly like substance into equal portions, the mass stretching and clinging slightly before separating cleanly, then a wrapping of Air, Earth and Life Essence with a touch of Water, moulded the pieces into perfect spheres and added a thin, hard covering that protected the medicine inside.
"Is this Pill Formation?" asked Chún dubiously, "it seems a little…"
"You can think of it as a small cheat," said the Mountain, "we are using pure Essence to shape and protect the medicine - a real pill should form its own protective seal."
The teen nodded. "Thank you for explaining."
It only took a couple of ke to finish the process resulting in several dozen spheres which he put into a few empty fu pots. He squatted on his heels and looked at the results of his labours. "Not much to look at, are they?" he said quietly, listening to the everyday jungle noises around him and enjoying the feel of the noon crow-light soaking into his skin.
"Well, you can always give one to a customer for free as a demonstration," suggested the Mountain, "but the demand might get very high once people realise how effective they are."
"I thought you said this was a low level medicine?" Chún said suspiciously.
"It is… for True Cultivators or Consumers above Mortal Level. But civilians will have all but the most serious injuries healed. Same for Mortal Level Consumers, though the effects will decrease the higher their rank. Consumers in the low Earth ranks should still feel some effect, but only minor injuries will heal" admitted his locus.
"You realise you have basically described anyone who is likely to be in the village on Market Day?" The teen sighed, "I am either not going to sell any at all, or rapidly run out. I better make a few more batches just in case."
"You can do that some other time, right now, you have some training to do," replied his locus, "I have managed to convince our resident guard to help you learn a new Movement Dao."
"Resident…?" Chún's voice trailed off as a sudden movement revealed the Silver Snake rising up out of the grass on the other side of the fire pit, the forest around them falling deathly still, with only the breeze and the stream running through the clearing making any sound. No longer the tiny reptile he had brought into the clearing, the Essence Beast rose slowly to twice his height, its main body as big around as a washtub, its scales catching the crow-light in dull shifting bands.
"My, how big you have grown. How are you even staying on the ledge with the Silver Sapling anymore," complimented the teen, with more than a little trepidation.
"I have been enlarging the ledge to match the tree's growth and there is a decent sized grotto behind the ledge now, that the sapling's guardian lives in. The Silver Tree really is too big to be considered a sapling anymore either," answered the Mountain.
"OK. I guess I should go up and look at the Silver Tree some day," replied Chún in embarrassment. "What am I supposed to do?" he asked, watching the snake carefully.
His locus sent a gentle jolt through the link, "Focus on the movement of his Essence, as he moves - watch his Dao patterns, like you did with the Monkeys."
Chún blinked, reflexively rubbing the top of his head, to lessen the effects of his locus 's gentle 'swat'. "Nèige… sorry, wait, why am I rubbing, when I was not hit?"
Following his friend's 'reminder', he sank solidly into Essence sight, the faint coolness of the ground rising through his feet as he focused on the snake's shifting patterns as it moved and twisted sinuously.
The Dao patterns of the snake were slow and deliberate, yet constantly shifting even while at rest — an illusion of stillness layered over continuous motion. Repeatedly the Mountain 'woke' him from a fascination that made him lose his thoughts.
There was a coldness to the patterns — like an interlocked series of puzzles that shifted slowly in a confusing manner, which made it very hard to follow. Unlike the Monkey Dao that was hot, quick and never ceasing, full of long, fast, twitchy movements, the Snake Dao hid its movement behind layers of stillness, obscurity and misdirection.
Somewhere Chún found himself shifting his own patterns to match, which helped him avoid the fascination problem. He mirrored the silver snake's movements — movement within movement, coiled, quiet, never quite solid…
… and then there was a sudden click in his Essence Sense—
—not as something new appearing, but as something that had always been present finally aligning.
The hidden layers of the pattern did not change — they resolved.
The strike had always been there.
The sudden realisation sent him staggering, as the fully assembled pattern revealed itself as a lightning-fast strike, so fast that even as it appeared it was already dissolving and reforming again.
The Snake Dao pattern made the twitches and fast movements of the Monkey Dao seem clumsy and exposed by comparison.
He saw that somehow, parts of his Dao had become the answers to the puzzles that completed the striking pattern. IIt did not merely attack him — it incorporated him, consuming the weaknesses in his pattern to complete itself.
It was not striking at him.
It was striking through him.
He realised, he was on the ground, his body spasming from multiple impacts, feeling like he had been hit by a falling tree again and again, the breath driven from his chest.
"Oh. I forgot to mention." There was a quiet amusement that flowed down the link from his friend, "Unlike the monkeys, there is no way for you to watch snakes fighting. They would be insulted if you tried. So for you to learn to fight and move like a snake properly, Shé Yin will spar with you."
The Mountain paused and then continued. "As part of this agreement, he promises to keep his mouth closed. You are not to use weapons or Essence to attack with - other than to move your body - until you can fight correctly bare handed."
Chún looked up at the snake which loomed above him. "This is going to hurt…"
Shé Yin's slow bobbing of its head in a clear affirmative made him grimace. He bowed respectfully.
"Honoured Shé Yin, may this junior ask questions?"
The Snake regarded him without moving. "He says, yes, but stupid questions get strikes," relayed the Mountain.
Chún winced. "Senior, your patterns are like puzzles that do not complete until the strike. And the answers are parts of my… your prey's Dao. How can I make my Dao like this? My Dao is not hidden."
The Snake was still. "He says… he thinks you will learn. He says… it is a good question. He also says… many humans hide their intentions better than snakes until they strike," answered Chún's locus slowly, "He thinks… practice will help. But, hiding is not the best word… more, match your prey… become part of the prey… then the prey comes to your mouth... all that is left is the strike."
Chún frowned. "I do not understand - but I will learn." He looked up, earnestly, "Senior, your patterns are slow and deliberate before the strike. How can I make my Dao be so still and yet still move? Is it also only practice that teaches this?"
A flash of movement was his only warning.
This time he saw it—
—or thought he did.
The strike existed only for a single instant between stillnesses, a gap between moments—
—and then he was airborne again.
The Mountain's laughter was clear as it passed on the message. "Stupid... question time... is over. Time for practice…"
Chún looked up at the clear sky, the packed earth pressing against his back.
"I was right. It hurts. Damn."