Vessel of Worlds

"So you're all old acquaintances! Heh—then surely you three won't object to the two of us searching the ice valley as well? A valley this size can spare room for two more." Seeing that Andy knew one of the girls—and hearing, moreover, that the girl owed him something of a debt—Hongchen struck while the iron was hot, reckoning the three could hardly refuse outright now.

Sure enough, before the other two could speak, the ice-rooted girl said quickly: "Of course not! With this ice python and Qianqian working together, the odds of finding treasure only improve. Senior Brother Fang, Senior Sister Song—isn't that so?"

"If Junior Sister says so, your senior sister certainly won't object." The late-stage girl was counting on her ice-rooted junior to lead her to treasure, and had no intention of crossing her.

With everyone of one mind, the sword-browed youth—however unwilling—could say nothing more. He forced a smile. "Welcome, welcome! With your help, our chances rise again—how could I refuse?"

"Our thanks to you all!" Andy said with a salute.

"This is Senior Brother Fang Hongzhou, prized disciple of one of our sect's elders. And this is Senior Sister Song Wei, who is closest to me in the sect. Qianqian hasn't yet asked your honored names?" the girl said, looking at Andy.

"My surname is Zhao. Greetings, Fellow Cultivator Fang, Fairy Song," Andy said courteously.

"This humble girl is Hongchen—greetings to you all," Hongchen said, dipping in a graceful half-curtsy.

The Taiyi Sect trio returned the courtesies, and after a round of pleasantries, the group fell to planning the search.

"Group" planning, in truth, meant Qianqian and Andy planning between themselves—one with an ice spiritual root, one with an ice-attribute spirit beast; the other three had little to contribute.

The two late-stage girls bore it easily enough, but the sword-browed youth found it increasingly unendurable. This junior sister of his—coldest and proudest of girls, who rarely spared a kind look for the solicitous brothers and sisters of the sect—was now conferring warmly, intimately, with some rogue cultivator. The contrast bred in him a fierce, involuntary jealousy and loathing toward Andy.

For whatever reason—perhaps because the man's cultivation matched his own while looking a shade younger—he had felt a prickle of displeasure at first sight of Andy, and it had only worsened since.

Only by force of will did he keep the swelling killing intent off his face—and even so, the glances he threw Andy occasionally betrayed a razor edge, faint but real.

With Andy's formidable spiritual sense, so small a tell never escaped his watch. Outwardly he showed nothing—but inwardly he laughed coldly. If the man truly didn't know what was good for him, Andy had a dozen ways to let him teach himself a lesson.

While the sword-browed youth simmered, Andy and Qianqian settled the next move.

"Fellow Cultivator Zhao, Qianqian senses a current of ice-attribute spiritual energy ahead and to the right—but it seems to waver, drifting. What does your spirit beast feel?"

"Mine reports much the same. The ice energy swells and fades—and there's something mixed into it that has actually put my beast on guard."

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"Oh! Qianqian has felt it too. Since entering this valley, the ice energy has thickened greatly, yet something about it has felt subtly strange all along. Now that you say it—the ice energy here truly isn't pure."

"My beast places the source a dozen or so kilometers ahead and to the right. What does the fairy suggest?"

"The direction is right, though I can't fix the distance. Let's work slowly toward it—the closer we come, the clearer the sense will grow."

"Agreed—exactly my thought."

"Senior Brother Fang, Senior Sister Song—we'll search along this line," the girl told the other two.

Guided by Qianqian and the Ice-Wind Python, the five moved slowly toward one side of the valley. The girl paused now and then to read the surrounding fluctuations closely and confer with Andy. Before long, five people and a python stood before a hidden cave mouth.

The cave was a zhang or so wide, slanting downward beyond sight—even probing with spiritual sense found no bottom.

"Qianqian senses it clearly—this cave is breathing out ice-attribute energy far richer than outside," the mid-stage girl said, looking to Andy.

"So does my beast. But the place is not simple—my beast is showing a thread of fear," Andy confirmed with a nod, adding the warning.

The sword-browed youth, long shut out of the conversation, finally spoke. He gave two dry laughs and declared heartily: "Ha! Standing here, never mind our ice-rooted Junior Sister—even I can feel the unusual fluctuations. A cave this deep, still bleeding ice energy this distinct—the treasure we seek is very likely inside. What's a little danger? Since when do Taiyi Sect cultivators cling to life and fear death!"

The words carried a veiled sneer at Andy's cowardice, and the others' brows drew down.

Andy paid it no mind whatsoever—deaf to it entirely.

Hongchen smiled sweetly. "This humble girl has long heard the Taiyi Sect's great name. With one of its experts among us, the venture is surely safe. Fellow Cultivator Fang, please—lead us in. After all, of everyone here, your strength is the mightiest, is it not?"

The sword-browed youth gave a light snort, swept his long sleeve—a fine green jade shield and a fist-sized moonlight stone appeared before him—and strode into the cave.

The Song surnamed girl smiled around at the others, raised her own defensive artifact, and followed several zhang behind.

Then Qianqian, Andy, and Hongchen entered in turn.

A Yellow Heaven Thick Earth Talisman on his body and several flying needles curled in his palm, Andy walked unhurried into the deepening dark—and Hongchen's transmission sounded at his ear:

"Fifth Brother—is this cave truly so dangerous? You made a point of telling me to walk last!"

Andy sent back: "It is. My python is deeply agitated—this is no wholesome place. But the worse the place, the likelier the treasure. The texts say Nine Colds Mystic Nether Water favors deep mountain springs thick with ice energy like this. We have to risk it. Keep some distance behind me. If danger comes, I'll call out—turn at once and flee for the entrance."

"Understood. You be careful too," Hongchen replied. Between comrades of their years and shared perils, thanks and courtesies were needless.

"Mm." Andy answered in a single syllable and said no more, stretching his spiritual sense to its limit into the depths. Before long, a strange expression crossed his face.

After the better part of an hour on foot, the five entered a cavern several dozen zhang across. The cold here pressed heavier still; all five had long since raised protective barriers—without them it would have been unendurable.

And on the cavern's far side opened two more passages, each a zhang wide, each fathomless.

"Two ways—which do we choose?" the Song surnamed girl murmured, turning helpless eyes to Qianqian and Andy.

Qianqian stepped to one passage, closed her eyes, and extended both palms—one up, one down—reading the fine differentials in the ambient power. After a moment she moved to the other passage and repeated the rite.

Presently the ice-rooted girl shook her head. "Both breathe strong ice energy, with no clear difference between them."

Andy summoned the Ice-Wind Python again; it wove through both openings—and Andy, too, shook his head.

"If the passages can't be told apart, then neither can be abandoned. Fortunately we have numbers—we simply split into two parties." The sword-browed youth spoke in ringing tones, plainly accustomed to the decision-maker's role, and pressed on before anyone could respond: "Junior Sister Qianqian and Fellow Cultivator Zhao can each sense fine shifts in ice energy—so you two must separate, one to lead each party!"