Mage And Wolf
Chapter 78

Chapter 78: Chapter 78

"Wait" A pleasant female voice calls from deeper inside the Sect.

"Even if he is a Devil Cultivator, one as mighty as Po’En, especially an immortal cultivator who brings one of our own back must be met with hospitality. Won’t you join me in my chambers for refreshments? The day is hot for a walk."

She then turns to the young Elder holding me "Bring the girl to the infirmary, I can sense her cultivation is damaged"

He turns me by the shoulders and marches me away without a word. Not even attempting to carry the wounded maiden? What a douche.

"If you say anything about what really happened I’ll kill your family. Don’t think I can’t, my Uncle is the sect master" he sneers at me and pushes me roughly towards the infirmary doors.

"Now go get treated and don’t you ever run from me again. I have you now and you’ll belong to me forever."

I should have picked a more painful way to kill this guy.

A young medic is assigned to check my body for physical injury and change me into the white robes the sect uses to denote injuries requiring special treatment.

All is well, of course I’m not visibly injured. Even before cultivating, a Lycan heals faster than that. That is, until she gets to my pierced nipples and her face turns bright red.

"I’m sorry, I didn’t know you were that sort of cultivator. I mean, there’s lots here but, you’re from the mystic side" she stammers, flustered.

I wink "How about we keep this our little secret, yes?" she nods her head rapidly.

"Good girl" I pat her head. I hope she doesn’t know the person I’m duplicating well. I learned nothing of her personality for this mission. Major oversight on my part.

I quickly get dressed in the white robes and the assistant gives her report on my physical condition to the head of the infirmary.

"Looks like it’s just the cultivation damage then. Don’t worry dear, you’ll make it all up in time, your fundamentals are better than fine" I notice the assistant blushes again, after the words ’better than fine’.

Being supposedly injured in the soul, I’m quarantined to the infirmary for the night. A dozen teenage girls come to visit, all very concerned about me and I use a prepared story about going to the woods for inspiration to breakthrough and getting injured. It seems to calm them all down.

Hours of assurances later, it’s just me and the assistant left in the infirmary. Even the Elder has left the building, her scent is faint.

"Uh, I know we said secret, but everyone is gone and uh" the assistant tries to form a question.

"Go ahead and ask, nobody will know"

"Do the piercings really make them as sensitive as everyone in the dual cultivation side says?"

Oh this naughty girl. "Yes, more than you’d expect" I whisper, thinking of the first day when they were rubbing on my dress at the grand opening.

""Thanks, I wanted them, but what if someone sees in the baths? They’ll tell my mother"

"Who’s your mother?"

"The head nurse. She says no piercings ever, not even my ears, and no boys until I’m 25."

"Then I’d advise you, as a friend, to listen. She could beat us both up at the same time."

The girl laughs "You give good advice"

I’m about to reply when a piecing shriek and an alarm ring through the sect.

A flash of peach and black streaks through the door and the lady Elder from the gate and Elder Po are in the infirmary. Both wear only their outer robes, untied.

"Good score Elder Po"

"No time for that, you’ve got to go. The sect master knows his nephew Wu Yong intended to have you by any means necessary. He was just found dead with a drugged acolyte crying under him and the Sect Master is on the warpath looking for a possible culprit."

I laugh at the sad irony that he appears to have died trying to repeat the actions that got him assassinated in the first place. Though the Acolyte might just be crying because he died.

"So that really is how your cultivation got injured. We’ll tell the sect master you were expelled in shame when you returned and The Shadowed Blade Sect will surely take you in.

"Thank you for your hospitality Elder. If you travel to the Shadowed Blade I will make a point to come visit with you" I clasp my hands and bow formally.

Elder Po grabs me and we’re out in a flash, headed home.

"I was all ready to protect you when things went wrong. Why did he die so early?"

"He must have used an ability to get somewhere extra private with the Acolyte, they’re in the dual cultivation area of the sect." I shrug, unsure.

"Though it’s possible the drug wasn’t for mutual enjoyment and there was a struggle. I didn’t think he’d go after another while his last victim and so called beloved was recovering in the infirmary, at great risk of spilling his secrets."

"We’ll call this a success of sorts. They’re so sure you didn’t do it that they actually sent you home for your own protection"

"Let the real one know what happened, because she’s on the hook for hospitality if that Elder actually shows up here."

Elder Po goes looking for the real transfer disciple, and I let the spell fall, walking through the Acolyte courtyards towards the outer sect areas. It’s relaxing out here, the breeze flows through the trees, the aura of the cultivators is less intense, the feeling of intense competition is gone. If I’d been born in a world like this, I’d have likely enjoyed my time as an acolyte.

Maybe I’ll stop off at the big baths once I get to the Outer Sect. They’re gender segregated, and always busy, so they must be pretty good.

My mind is still in the clouds when I reach the gate and find 6 hostile faces in acolyte robes blocking the way.

"You’ve got to pay the toll to come through the gates. Even if you are The Young Miss" The biggest one sneers, his buddies egging him on.

"So Young Miss is the name they settled on?" I ask with interest.

"It’s not finalized, names aren’t chosen until there’s unanimous agreement among the Elders" one of the actual gate guards says, uninterested in the power games of the acolytes not even admitted as outer sect disciples yet.

"Well, that could take a while, they’re pretty opinionated" I joke.

"Quit fooling around and empty your ring" the big guy sounds properly annoyed now.

"Yeah, you see, that’s just not going to happen." I give him the bad news.

"Elder Po isn’t here to cover for you this time. Everyone, disciple or not, owes us 5 stones for protection if they want to enter, and you haven’t turned over your monthly rent yet."

"Monthly rent? To unwashed mongrels like you? Don’t make me gag."

They look like they’re pretty ready for a fight.

I draw my saber and focus on low output, intensely painful flames for my flaming sword ability. I’m just about to activate it when Elder Po shows up with a disapproving look.

"You weren’t about to kill those acolytes just now were you?" They all look confused at his allegation that I was about to kill them, when clearly they are all as strong or stronger in cultivation level than I am and were about to rob me.

"Certainly not. They just wanted a friendly sparring match, right boys?"

"Is that so? Set another date, we’ve no time to play today. Good afternoon young acolytes, and best of luck on your upcoming admittance trials."