--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

[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.

[eyesofaproxy]

[?

Interesting.]

Well, so's everyone here, so you'll fit right in. Now, are you hungry?

[fuegor]

Works out perfectly for me, then. And I wouldn't say no to a bite to eat.

[He was working through being slightly hung over after all.]

[eyesofaproxy]

This way.

[The rest of Yunkui Summit is eager to meet Lighter, and everyone is really rather friendly and open. Miyabi does ask to spar with him, but Belle assures him that he doesn't have to she's just like that. (No sign of "Eous", though, and Wise mentions taking Eous their dinner since they don't like to be around a lot of people.)

A week or so passes. Things seem to settle down and nothing weird happens. One morning, though, Lighter will find that Wise isn't in his room. Asking around directs him to where Wise is cultivating.

Wise sits in the cave in the forest behind his and Belle's wing, focusing on the array in front of him.]

[fuegor]

[It's a little overwhelming how friendly people are. Sure, others see him, address him as Daozhang but respect is different than friendliness. Plus, well, Lighter was quite the introvert. He's not against a brief, friendly spar with Miyabi but interestingly about it he didn't draw his sword a single time.

Lighter was still on guard, aware that anything could happen at any time and waiting on an update from his many different contacts. In the meanwhile he enjoyed Wise's company hence the desire to find him.

He entered the cave, eyes covered as always but his long hair tied back into a low tail, where Wise sat and tilted his head in idle curiosity.]

There you are. What've you got going here?

[eyesofaproxy]

One moment.

[Wise's eyes are a bright blue again as he studies the array, which is a matching shade of blue. After a moment, the glow vanishes and Wise looks at Lighter. His eyes are still tinged with blue.]

Fairy. The spirit bound to the array.

[fuegor]

I thought I felt a spirit around here. That's pretty impressive. I've been around the block for a while but I don't think I've seen this kind of cultivation before.

[Usually they were all about dispersing, cleansing, moving etc. Not binding long term.]

So, that thing with your eyes...?

[It's got something to do with this Fairy, at least in part.]

[eyesofaproxy]

Oh, you've noticed.

[He stands, stretching.]

My sister and I...we don't cultivate like the rest of Yunkui, at least not entirely. I don't know how to explain Fairy, not really, but we use talismans and arrays more than swords or other weapons. [Belle has her fan and Wise has his throwing knives, but they don't tell people about that.] Physically, we can't handle typical methods of cultivation.

[fuegor]

I see. That'd explain why you both need bodyguards, but being a capable cultivator isn't all about knowing how to fight. Sure, it's a big component, but you probably caught onto those traps a while ago faster than I did.

[And putting aside anything beneath the surface, Wise didn't exactly look like a guy to take to a work-out routine.]

You're sharp, I like that.

[eyesofaproxy]

[He smiles.]

We try. We can actually do a lot with our cultivation methods, though we try to keep most of it quiet. If people knew what Belle and I could do...it'd be Yiling and the Burial Mounds all over again.

[That's centuries old at this point, but when the people involved are immortals history doesn't really die like that.]

[fuegor]

[SNORTS.]

Heavens forbid, huh? I still hear campfire stories about that one.

[The flavor of it is a lot different depending on if it's a straight or queer person reciting the tale, though.]

... You think that's got something to do with why the Exaltists have their eyes on you?

[eyesofaproxy]

Shifu and Immortal Jiang are friends.

[So.]

Probably. We know they want their hands on Fairy, and she's bound to us, so...

[fuegor]

They want you.

["There are precious things on the summit we need."

Lighter didn't fully understand how this worked, but if this spirit Fairy was separated from Wise or Belle that's high risk for a qi deviation.

He'll have more to give to his contacts to be aware of. But he'll only ask as a hypothetical to keep Wise private. Not like it would stand out, Lighter tended to ask out of pocket things a lot.]

Too bad they're not gonna get you.

[eyesofaproxy]

[He smiles again, a little cheeky.]

Going to make sure of that, daozhang?

[fuegor]

I sure am, gongzi.

[He can play the cheeky game too.]

[eyesofaproxy]

[Ignore the pink cheeks, please.]

Good. So can I ask a question?

[fuegor]

Sure, shoot.

[eyesofaproxy]

Why do you wear a blindfold?

[fuegor]

Well... the truth is I get queasy around the sight of blood. It'd be a bad look if Hongse Sanren passed out when trying to quell the resentful spirits of a family being wiped out or something.

[It wasn't entirely a lie!! But not the whole truth either.]

Heh, guess that's pretty surprising to learn from such an established cultivator like me, huh?

[eyesofaproxy]

[There's more, Wise is sure, but he won't press.]

I mean, have you met Hugo?

[Lycaon's...thing.]

[fuegor]

A couple of times. He's an interesting guy, but I've never worked with him directly.

[He can't help feeling like a third wheel, sometimes. But well, not like it's the first time. The Lady Yao's bodyguard hired him for backup once too.]

[eyesofaproxy]

Okay then. You being squeamish is the least weird thing in this area, entirely because Hugo is around.