Mage And Wolf
Chapter 87

Chapter 87: Chapter 87

"That my dear, is a refining stature. It purifies the bodies and minds of anyone in its vicinity, cleansing meridians, removing impurities and even reversing the effects of aging. The one who cultivates near it will advance at the absolute perfect rate for their talent, as no impurities ever enter their body to hinder them." Elder Song explains.

"Now that is a good thing." I blurt like a fool.

"This seems like too good of a trade for the pill. What’s the catch?"

"It’s just a minor catch. I want to relocate my Sect and I want you to help me do it."

"I’m just a disciple, what makes you think I have that capability?" I ask in confusion and she holds up a photo. A photo of me, with my hood up fortunately, beside Hui’Jin, Jurgen and the Ramirez Brothers standing by the Toyota.

"I know what you are and where you’re from. We want to move our Sect to your world. Dual Cultivators have a hard time here, we’re often attacked, and the light sects that don’t attack treat us terribly you see"

"So you want to go through the portal to take shelter in Arcana? There’s still plenty of prejudice against dual cultivators there"

"But a city protected by the God of Death? Who would dare attack that? We could move in, cultivate in peace, recruit willing beautiful people to join us. It would be like heaven."

"You know about the strength limit at peak Fortification?"

"The limit is weakening. Within a decade it will be a true Mortal Realm world and cultivators won’t have to move somewhere like this mixed world until they become Immortals."

That is something I did not know. I guess our protection couldn’t last forever.

"Most of my sect had defected somewhere safer. The strongest disciple we have left is around your strength, with two low Core Formation Elders"

"I didn’t know things are that bad." Sect Master Sun cuts in. "Would you live to take shelter with the Shadowed Blade until our disciple can move you off world? It could be some time before she is finished her training."

"That might be best. The portal we used to get that intelligence was forcibly closed. I didn’t even know the one who made the pill I need to get back at the Divine Fist was the one until I got close and saw the robes in detail"

The Elders look confused "The mages of my world forcibly close any unstable portal that might lead somewhere dangerous. The one I came through would have been forcibly closed eventually, but we needed some herbs from this side, and I was caught while finishing my mission."

"You did finish it though. Very nice throw, the box made it right through the portal" Elder Po comments.

Elder Song looks like he’s met an actual deity. "Mages can close portals? what do you want for this information? I must have it!" Oh yeah, he is a Mage type cultivator too. He just rarely casts spells now that he’s comfortable.

"I’ll trade you a portal closing circle to study in exchange for inscription knowledge." I tease him, knowing he’ll go for it.

Cultivators here use inscriptions to make wards or buffs. They’re not spells, no runes or circles in sight, just writing on paper. If I can master that ability it will help me a lot, and give me the sort of well rounded abilities that a High Priestess should have.

One single way to kill enemies is hardly befitting of the Death God.

"You’ve got a deal Young Miss. We can do the memory spell after the competition."

Thank you Elder Song, I’ll give the circle to you now". I’ve got one in my storage anyhow, just in case Hui’Jin needed one in a hurry while we were on vacation. In fact, there’s a bunch of stuff in here I don’t remember packing.

I’ll sort that later.

"Gather your Sect for a visit to The Shadowed Blade" Sect Master Sun instructs her. "Where are they now?"

She looks a bit ashamed "We’re all in this very hotel. The Sect is barely 20 now, and we’ve lost our headquarters to the Divine Fist, who labeled us Demon Cultivators after one of our disciples called their Sect Master a fat old pig."

Sect Master Sun and all the Elders laugh at this "Have you seen him? The description is perfect in both appearance and attitude" Elder Ming chokes out.

"They’re powerful though, so we’ll have to be careful going home." Elder Po adds.

"Hey Elders, I have an idea. Sect Master Becky wanted the pill for revenge right? Likely to make the Sect Master shame himself publicly?" she nods along at my assessment of her intentions.

"Elder Song, how about you run your pill experiment in the middle of their compound outside the city tonight? I’m certain it would gather a great deal of information and embarrass them to no end when their disciples are too exhausted to fight tomorrow"

His eyes light up with mischief. "I’m going to add a mild paralytic to the experiment. We don’t want them getting loose and harming anyone"

"Sect Master Becky, will this satisfy our deal?"

Sect Master Sun cuts in "Remember that the God of Death takes agreements very seriously, so say if it’s not enough."

"It will be enough if it works" Becky nods.

"Who is in the first group to fight? Who is up later today?" Elder Po calls to the disciples in the common room.

"30 minute warning will sound in a few minutes, first group get ready" He’s back in business mode.

Fortunately for me, I’m in one of the later groups and our single knockout preliminary won’t start until the day after tomorrow. 3 days of preliminaries, then another day of semi finals, Round Robin style to pick the winner of smaller groups, then a single knockout final on the 5th day to close the Outer Disciples portion of the competition.

"Alright, how are we going to get that pill into their camp?" Sect Master Becky asks, when a Gold robed Divine Fist Elder bursts in, a very bedraggled High River Sect disciple in tow and starts asking the disciples downstairs where to find me.

I double check that in back in normal clothes, in my chef cultivator persona, and signal Elder Song to come out with me.

"I am Katrina, winner of the cooking challenge. How might I assist you, Noble Elder of the Divine Fist?" I greet the man and give the High River disciple a sympathetic look.

Noticing the direction of my gaze he drops her to the floor. "Greetings Master Chef. I have looked all over, only to find you bunked in a hotel of such unsavory characters." He looks around the hotel lobby in mild disgust and I notice many transparent robes flirting with black robed disciples.

"The Divine Fist would ask your services tonight to prepare a feast in honor of our impending victory. As you may know, we have won this competition 12 years in a row and we intend to make it 13"

"Certainly Elder. There is a nominal fee of course, and you’ll need to provide the base of the courses, as I did not pack for a feast. But beyond that, I would be highly honored to cook for your mighty and noble sect."

The Elders aren’t even trying to hide the fact they’re laughing at my performance. But the Divine Fist Elder thinks they’re laughing at him.

"Just wait you Devil cultivators, we will show you the true path. Now, if you’d come with me please young lady, we shall prepare anything you need."

He loops my arm through his and escorts me out, leaving the unfortunate disciple from High River Sect to be helped to her feet by Elder Song as we disappear into the distance. I hope Song can keep up his act, High River is a light sect and I don’t want them spoiling my plan. A simple grudge might not outweigh their disdain of Devil Cultivators.

Their camp is surprisingly large and well stocked, set up on 10 acres outside the city limits. My guide introduces himself as Elder Han, head of the kitchens as he leads me to the storehouse.

Away from those he views as evil, he’s actually quite pleasant. We go over the guest list, 300 of their members have come to compete or watch. Their Sect supposedly has over ten thousand full disciples in total. The largest and strongest on this continent.

Braised magical beast pork and the same devil goat mutton stew that won me the cooking competition will be the main dishes, with pumpkin pie and vanilla whipped cow beast cream for a dessert. There’s simply not time to make a thousand cream puffs.

Cooking starts right away, with mystic cultivators brought over and huge potion cauldrons requisitioned to make the stew as I did for the cooking competition.

My black flames cause some consternation, but after explaining that an attack ability is the only fire I can use, given the isolated upbringing of my cover persona, they understand and blame Elder Song for not teaching me a more suitable fire ability.

The entire time we’re cooking I’m paranoid that someone will notice my cultivation, but they all feel safe here, nobody is really checking for enemies in the camp. Much less weak enemies in the levels of the outer sect.