--Cultivate--

[eyesofaproxy]

[When Wise was very young, or at least younger than he is now, he'd gotten lost in the forest outside Helios. He was only saved by a passing wandering cultivator, and to this day he's wanted to meet the man again to thank him. It doesn't matter that Helios fell and he and Belle moved to Yunkui Summit, he wants to find that man and thank him for what he did that day. He changed the trajectory of Wise's life, he's pretty sure, and he deserves to know that.

Granted, a wandering cultivator isn't why Wise (and Belle) is now the heir to Yunkui Summit, that is entirely because of Yixuan-shifu and their own unique abilities, but all the same. That man inspired Wise to get with Belle to create Phatheon, a nameless somebody who is able to hire people to handle things the larger temples and sects can't or won't.

Right now, though, Wise is not acting in the guise of Phaetheon. Wise is acting in the guise of a very annoyed older brother being strongarmed into going down the mountain for an annual check up, since apparently the doctors are all afraid of coming up the mountain after last year's run-in with Eous the spiritual monster rabbit. Cowards.]

I don't need to go right now, Belle, really.

Yes you do! And because there's bandits on the road, I even hired you a bodyguard!

Belle...

Comments

[fuegor]

Don't worry about it. A job is a job. And I don't mind keeping you company, anyway. As long as I'm here you'll be good.

[And knowing they're a target of the Exaltists, Lighter would rather stay close...

He had the passive thought that he ought to contact Phaethon and his other contacts on their movements. It would keep things safer. Phaethon had a hand in everything and the keepers of Wolfblood Inn, well. Lycaon had loose contact with that one guy. His ex-lover? Who knows.]

[eyesofaproxy]

[The deal between those two is something not even the gods understand.

Wise just nods.]

Well, thank you. Oh, the woman with Belle is a guest from across the sea and Belle's partner Miyabi.

[fuegor]

I see. I've got a feeling with her protecting Belle I won't have to worry so much. And that means I can focus on you the entire time.

[LIGHTER.]

[eyesofaproxy]

[Sir. Sir. Are you even aware of what you are saying?!

Wise just blushes a little more, rubbing the back of his neck.]

Y-yeah. Anyway, your room should be clean. I'll show you, and if you need anything else we can get it taken care of?

[fuegor]

[Nope!]

Sounds like a plan. I'm a pretty simple guy, though. Hell, I sleep on the ground more than I do on the bed so if I have that at least then I'll be right as rain.

[Such is the life of the unaffiliated cultivator. But it was the life he chose for himself. A life he deserved really. Most of the money he got went to other families. Sometimes he'd spend a night or two at the local inn. But he led a simple life.

At the very least upon going deeper inside he finally removed the bamboo hat. He only removed it indoors, so Wise hadn't seen him without it yet. Still, a loose headband and his fringe still mostly covered his eyes. His hair was just allowed to flow more freely.]

[eyesofaproxy]

[Something is wrong with Lighter's eyes. He wonders what.

The room is clean, bright, and open, with lovely round windows and view out into both the yard they came in from and the trees behind. The bed looks fairly new as well.]

If there's anything that'd make you more comfortable, let me know and we'll get it.

[fuegor]

Whoa. This room's pretty fancy, it almost makes me feel a little out of place.

[He knew he wasn't exactly the picture of a refined cultivator and that suited him just fine. He nodded to Wise.]

I'm gonna need a letter set, but besides that I'll let you know.

[...]

Has your Shifu told you anything? [About why they're being guarded, he meant.]

[eyesofaproxy]

Yeah. Exaltists, or something?

[He just wants to know how they found out they were here. They work as Phaethon to keep themselves safe!]

[fuegor]

Yeah, that's right. Don't worry too much about them. I won't let them get anywhere near you.

[Phaethon just happens to be one of Lighter's contacts to make sure he can keep that promise. He can't fail again...

If they want Wise, they'll have to kill Hongse Sanren first.

And the Red Scarf won't go down without taking the Exaltists with him.]

[eyesofaproxy]

Wish I knew why they were after us--oh, right, can you use talismans at all?

[fuegor]

[That got a smile out of him and in response, he pulled a talisman out from each of his gloves, holding both between two fingers of the opposite hand. Wise might also catch that the gloves themselves have the characters for "Fire" written on them.

The talismans themselves are different, one for cleansing and one for banishment.]

I can use more than just talismans. [It's an easy assumption to mean Lighter meant the short sword at his belt, but it would be wrong.]

[eyesofaproxy]

[Ah. The gloves explains the fire the other day.]

As long as you can use them. This wall here--[He pats it]--connects to my room with the right talisman.

[fuegor]

Clever. That's good to know if the need arises that I need to get to you quick.

[or if something else arises hurhurhurhurhur]

[eyesofaproxy]

Yeah, I'll leave a stack with you later. What else...any questions?

[fuegor]

...

[There was... something in the back of Lighter's mind. Now that he has a better, longer look at Wise without them doing a task or running from traps.

Have they met somewhere before...?

Not to mention the matter of Wise's eyes. But that felt like a complicated tale. He was a bodyguard and Wise already disliked the idea of one. He liked Wise, he wouldn't pry.]

Not really, I won't be in your hair too much as long as we're up the mountain.

[eyesofaproxy]

Oh, feel free to go wherever you want, unless there's signs and arrays saying otherwise. We don't limit people, if they can handle the spiritual energy.

[fuegor]

Probably wouldn't be worthy of Hongse Sanren if I couldn't handle all kinds of spiritual energy.

[He's flexing a bit. But he's also saying this aware that he's not trying to qi deviate from sheer recklessness here.]

[eyesofaproxy]

--Hongse Sanren? That's you?

[fuegor]

That's me.

[Said with a smirk and a dramatic adjustment of that titular red scarf of his.]

[eyesofaproxy]

And you're willing to work for shifu?!

[fuegor]

Yeah, why not? She pays well.

[eyesofaproxy]

Because you could probably do anything with how famous you are?! And Yunkui is kind of...obscure?

[fuegor]

[That gets a frown.]

Maybe this'll come as a surprise to you, but I'm not a cultivator for clout. It just happened to come with the territory. A Hongse Sanren existed before me, and a Hongse Sanren will exist after me.

[He took the title seriously, but he wasn't asking for accolades every minute.]

Even that aside, if the pay's good, I'll take a job. If it's not worth it, I don't take it. If I was looking for fame, a larger sect would have pulled me in by now.

[There's a lot left unsaid there. Like losing what could have been one of the more influential cultivation sects because of his failure as a leader. What it took to get to the level he was.

The fact that if a job went intensely against his morals he would never dare to take it. A fact Wise as Phaethon would know well.

The way he spoke wasn't offended necessarily, just a matter of fact correction with his half-blindfold hiding pain in his eyes.]

[eyesofaproxy]

[Again Wise's eyes flash blue for just a moment. He knew this, as Phaethon, but seeing that Lighter gave the same speech as he did when Phaethon first approached him...good. He can be trusted.]

There's just...people who wouldn't do that, you know?

[fuegor]

[A slight breeze moved Lighter's hair enough that the red color in the center of his eyes was visible for a split second.]

I've been told I'm a weird guy sometimes.