Mage And Wolf
Chapter 91

Chapter 91: Chapter 91

When I get back to the hotel I’m met by the entire contingent from High River Sect, including their Guardian and a shame faced Elder Song.

"Congratulations on your win Lady Katrina. Or should we call you Young Miss of the Shadowed Blade Sect?"

"Both work fine, as both are my name" I smile trying to break the tension.

"Why don’t we discuss this inside?" Elder Song suggests.

"I’m not bringing my girls in there, it’s no place for a wholesome young lady" she snorts.

Guess she’s not a fan of the dual cultivators robes.

"Then at your hotel?" I suggest.

"We’re in with the Shining Fist Sect and another small light sect, but I don’t think it should be a problem."

The disciples all laugh at her answer. "I’m sure the Shining Fist Disciples will be on their best behavior." They assure their Elder and Song hides a smile.

I make a quick stop off upstairs to get dressed in a clean set of combat garb and we head out. With my coat on, the Mark of the Death God is covered, as is the Divine Pact mark on my arm. I think I look pretty respectable anyhow.

"Why don’t you wear the robes of your Sect? Are you not fully initiated?" The Guardian asks, likely knowing what’s necessary to join the Shadowed Blade.

"Personal Disciples of our Elders aren’t required to wear the robes, though she does inside the Sect. This is her casual wear for mingling in society." Elder Song explains on my behalf.

We enter the tavern inside the hotel where the High River Sect is staying and my eyes immediately dart to a group consoling a bandaged and crying companion. He must have lost badly, poor guy.

Then I realize it’s the Shining Fist Sect, they only had one man fighting today. I didn’t maul him that badly, did I?

"I tell you, asking forgiveness and trying again for a date won’t work." one of the man’s friends says.

"Just give up, that lovely little girl is a Demon Cultivator" the Elder’s deep voice cuts them off.

"Thank you for the compliment Elder" I greet him "It’s not every day someone calls me lovely."

"You? It’s you? The chef girl that High River Sect has been going on about?"

"Sorry to confuse everyone, I was just having a bit of fun cooking before people got too afraid to try my meals. You know how weird they can get around members of the so called Evil Sects."

"Apologize to our friend" one of the disciples shouts before his Elder sets him down and silences him with a glare.

He’s got a right to be angry. I might have clawed him a bit more than necessary, and scared him a bit more than that.

I pull a regeneration pill from my medical supplies. It’s one of the training attempts, the quality is low, but it’s still a tier 3 pill, it’ll heal him without scarring.

"Peace offering" I say holding his jaw and forcing the pill down his throat. His friends are on edge, but all the Elders recognized the pill on my walk over.

"He’ll be healed in a minute I’m certain. Her pill is currently leading the outer sect alchemy rankings. What did you make for them anyways?"

Elder Song cuts me off before I can answer "The Blissful Song pill, a concoction of my own creation" he says proudly.

The High River Elder looks at him suspiciously "so she really is your disciple, spending her days in your book filled pagoda?"

"Yes and no. She’s spending most of her time with Elder Ming in the Alchemy labs, or Elder Po on the training grounds. We only get to spend time together to scheme in my library and drink tea."

Even the bartender laughs at his heartbroken tone.

"I’ll make more time for you, I promise Elder Song." I say, patting him on the back like you would a crying child.

"Tell me disciple, did you get excommunicated for insulting the Emperor or something? I just can’t see you two as Demon Cultivators of a notorious evil sect. You’re more like practical jokers or wandering comedians."

"Elder Song is better known as the Dark Librarian" The High River Guardian informs him, making his eyes widen. "Technically he did insult the Emperor, but he was already excommunicated"

"Tell me that story later. Better yet, include it when we do the Inscription teaching"

You’ve got a deal, it’s too funny to put in words."

"I owe you an explanation Guardian, and all my dear friends of the High River Sect" I pause, trying to come up with something that won’t make them hate me.

"When we met, I left out a few details. Like that the Pagoda was in the woods inside a Sect, and that they were Demon Cultivators. But the rest was honest. I greatly enjoy your company, and I like cooking for everyone. The sect didn’t ask me to enter that, I chose it to pass the time."

"So you’re not going to kill us? Aren’t Shadowed Blade disciples all murderers?"

"Funny story that." Elder Song tells her. "Indeed, all full disciples of the sect have killed. But the deaths that got her accepted were 3 trainees taking their initiation exam. She was the target they were to assassinate."

I laugh "trio of fools smelled so bad I had them spotted before they even left the tree line"

The girls look a bit horrified, but the guys from Shining Fist are laughing and pointing at one of their friends.

"You can’t just laugh and point guys, you’ve got to share"

"Our Sect has a monthly stealth trial. The winner gets cultivation resources" he begins. Shadowed Blade does that too, not that I’ve needed to compete. I just steal pills from every random recipe Elder Ming has me make.

"Our boy here was 20 meters from completing the trial, past the last Elder on guard when he let out a fart so loud and so vile he made himself gag and run out of the room as the Elder ran in to check the noise. Broke his own nose when the door hit him in the face."

It’s decided, that guy is never going to live that down.

"Now that’s quality comedy right there" I laugh.

"Do you have relaxation time inside the Shadowed Blade Sect?" one of the High River Disciples asks me "It just doesn’t sound like a place a lady can ever drop her guard. With all those killers and kidnappers around it must be scary, right?"

Elder Song is laughing so hard he’s in tears, but I’m doing my very best to ignore him.

"I live in an Elder’s pagoda. Nobody in their right mind would break in there while I’m relaxing. But honestly, for most it’s just work. They aren’t on the hunt for someone to kidnap or kill all day every day, they just do it for money."

"Trying to make an evil sect sound respectable?" The Shining Fist Elder asks.

Elder Song had to take a seat he’s laughing so hard.

"I mean, yeah, they all evil cultivators. But they’re not always bad people. Take Elder Ming for example. She devotes her days to alchemy, makes the finest of healing pills, has tea with the ladies every afternoon. It’s all very mundane. As long as you ignore the forbidden recipes that get made now and then."

"Stop, stop you’re killing me!" Elder Song laughs.

"The Sect has agreed this girl isn’t allowed to judge what is evil. The disciples are terrified of her because she punctured a man’s dantian and stripped his cultivation the very first day she arrived. So she’s never even had the bullying from higher ranks that every other new disciple gets."

All the light sect Cultivators look horrified.

"What? he was really rude. You’d understand if you were there" I insist

"She makes cursed pills for fun and cultivates the curse" Elder Song adds.

"It’s effective. Are you trying to make me look bad?" I glare at him and he laughs pointing at my eyes.

"See, pure evil in a bubbly, adorable, little package" he chortles and I glare at him.

Everyone else is torn between laughing at his antics and being horrified at the things he says.

"It’s hard being small I tell you" I inform the other disciples with sadness in my voice. "Nobody takes you seriously, the Elders tease you and treat you like a child. It’s a rough life"

Both other Elders have had to sit down and sip tea to stop laughing.

Finally The High River Guardian asks "Elder Ming, is she a tall burly woman, big scar on her face? Should be nearly an immortal by now?"

"She healed the scar" Elder Song says. "She is in the Nascent Soul stage of Immortality already too."

"So she did survive" The Guardian sighs "When she was young, she was in a light sect near High River. I’ll not tell her story, but it’s widely assumed she was executed for her crimes"

"Elder Song mentioned puncturing the dantian to strip a portion of the cultivation" The Shining Fist Elder begins.

"Stop right there, for your own good" Elder Song cuts him off. "It’s a forbidden technique even most of the evil sects do not allow knowledge of."

" It’s best you forget you ever heard of it." The Guardian agrees.

"Exactly right Nanny Vitale. Forgive my wayward thoughts?" The Guardian nods her forgiveness.

"Nanny? Are you not a sect Elder or Guardian?" I ask confused.

"High River Sect is much like a childhood long finishing school for well born ladies of cultivation families. She looks after us, serves as our teacher and Governess as well as Elder." one disciple says.

"We join the sect as small children, groups of 10 grow up together, like a class in school maybe? When their charges are very young, they truly are Nannies. We’ll be together until our 20th birthday when we join another sect or meet our arranged husband". Another elaborates.

The remainder of the night is spent with the High River and Shining Fist members discussing early years for sect members and applicants, while I try not to spill too many background details of my own. Fortunately, they don’t really want to know the Inner workings of an evil sect and are happy with anecdotes and happy memories of childhood.

Night has fallen, so it’s time for the young ladies of the High River Sect to retire for the evening.

"Pleasure spending time with you ladies. You know where to contact me should you ever need" Nanny Vitale shoos us out the door and we start the long walk back to our hotel.

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