Calculating Cultivation

“Grilled fish with rice, and lime water,” the server said, putting food down in front of Wen Xue and myself.

“Thank you,” I told the server and they gave a nod before leaving.

“Anything else for you and your son sir?” she asked Wen Xue.

“No,” he replied. I had to contain my chuckle at the face he was making.

“I don’t like this,” Wen Xue said, while cutting his fish up.

“Pretending to be mortals?” I asked him.

“Yes, this feels insulting,” he said, and I smiled at him.

“You read the same reports that I have. And heard the same thing from information brokers,” I added.

“That the floating island is somewhere out there, and travel is banned. But I don’t get the part about pretending to be mortals. I know you said security through obscurity, but this place is not a place I imagined myself staying in,” he said. This inn was decent, certainly upper middle class, but it wasn’t a place a cultivator would normally stay in.

“It’s about avoiding trouble. This area is a bit of a no man’s land. This city is standing but is one of the few not claimed by a sect. Look underneath the situation,” I told him and he frowned while eating some more fish.

“I still don’t get it,” he complained, and I shook my head slightly while enjoying my flavored water.

“There are rouge cultivators and demonic cultivators in this area. Not many beasts with how rocky everything is around this city. To survive it has to import quite a bit. Why are people even here?” I asked.

“Mining. No, the floating island. It is a staging point. But why wasn’t that explained?” he asked.

“The money to be made is from people going to the floating island. That’s the only reason this place exists. If we came here as cultivators, instead of traveling merchants, then we would have a much different reception,” I explained. I had arranged for us to make the last portion of our trip with a wagon with goods.

“I still don’t like it,” he replied.

“We must keep our cultivation hidden, until the right moment and then act. We also need to find a way to the floating island. We will look this evening,” I said.

“Won’t that expose us as cultivators?” he asked.

“Which is why I prepared while purchasing the wagon in the last city,” I countered. Wen Xue slowly nodded. I hadn’t explained everything to him, since he had been mostly contemplative and quiet during our trip out here. Now he needed to step up and focus.

“So, we find a way to the floating island, and then?” he asked.

“Go from there,” I said with a slight grimace. It wasn’t the best plan, and we had contingencies to handle the zombies, but there wasn’t much information about the Floating Island of Death. It floated over this part of the continent, and this was the main stopping point for anyone trying to reach it.

But reaching the floating island was another matter entirely. We finished up our meal and went to our room in the inn. I pulled out dark cloaks and face masks. I also pulled out stilts for myself. “Stilts?” Wen Xue was clearly trying not to laugh as I pulled the dark robe on over my head.

“I am child size. Anyone would spot me in a moment and realize who I am. We can hide our cultivation, but I can’t easily hide my height,” I said with a pout.

“I am not complaining, but it just seems silly,” he replied.

“Perhaps, but I want to avoid being challenged if at all possible. Mysterious people, who are unknown, are always a much bigger risk, than people you can see. Also, it makes it harder for anyone to follow us,” I replied.

“I think you are being paranoid. I won’t argue with you, but this is a bit over the top,” he countered as we both put the masks on our faces.

“An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure. I want to avoid fighting other cultivators and find a way to the floating island,” I replied as I made sure everything was in place. Once I was sure everything was in place, I went over and blew out the candle that was lighting the room.

I then sat back down on my bed. “Now we wait for a bit,” I replied.

“Wait?” Wen Xue said.

“Yes. Just an hour or so. We had a late dinner, but that will give time for everything to start closing up for the night. Then we can go to the information broker in the city,” I said. Wen Xue didn’t complain thankfully, but he also didn’t offer any better ideas. He was going along with my plans for now, but the danger was immense in my mind. The risk of being attacked was quite high.

The Sect Leader had refused to send any members or elders along on this trip when I had asked. The biggest reason was one of benefits and risks. This expedition was highly risky, and he wasn’t about to order someone to tag along. The Cloudy Moon Sect was not a martial sect. If we wanted benefits and resources, we had to secure them ourselves.

The second reason was that this expedition, it didn’t matter the level of cultivation a person had. The floating island, was a forbidden zone. That meant anyone under the rank of immortal wasn’t qualified. While having a higher ranked cultivator in the city would be useful for assuring our security, that wouldn’t help with the floating island.

The last reason was one of tradition. Cultivation was mostly a solitary and self-focused endeavor. Getting someone stronger than you to get resources was looked down on. While someone getting their own resources was highly impressive. That was a big reason I had become the Sect Leader’s disciple and had such support so far.

Leaving the inn, we made our way through the dark streets. Someone screamed in the distance. There was shouting in another direction. I took the lead on my stilts while Wen Xue followed behind me. We made our way to where I knew where an information broker for the city was located. Another thing I had taken the time to find out before coming here.

I had been inquiring about the floating island during our trip here, but information was limited. I was repeatedly told, I had to wait until I reached Black Rock City to get answers. There was a tight monopoly kept on the knowledge. It wasn’t worth the insane fees to get secondhand information when we were coming here anyways.

Coming to a stop in front of an old run down weapon’s shop, I pushed open the door to enter. A large man behind the counter gave us looks. “I am here for the back room,” I said and tossed over a pouch of tael. The man easily caught it and put it under the counter.

“Through that door, second room on your right, don’t cause trouble,” he said while gesturing at another door to his side. We went over and opened it. There was a staircase to the second floor. I then went into the second room on the right.

There was a hooded woman, her face completely shadowed by dim candlelight. Some of these information brokers liked their dramatics. Like a fortune teller trying to spice things up with the ambiance. Selling and buying information wasn’t illegal, but it was made out to be something shady most of the time.

“Please, sit,” she said and gestured at the chairs across the table. Wen Xue took a seat, I merely stood behind my chair.

“My apologies, but I dislike sitting,” I replied.

“I know you are wearing stilts. The sound of wood against wood is obvious,” the information broker said, and I let out a sigh and took a seat. “What do you want to know?” she asked.

“How to get to the floating island and any information you have on it,” I said.

“A thousand tael-“ I cut her off by tossing out a rank 1 spirit coin at her. She caught it, and looked at it in surprise, before putting it away. “As I was saying. A thousand tael will get you the basic information package, but you clearly want something better.”

“The best, and most accurate answers,” I replied.

“A rank 3 spirit coin,” she said. I pulled one out and set it on the table. “Alright, well getting up there is complicated. But since you have wealth, the simplest way is to pay Old Hengar for a lift. It is his specialty. A rank 3 spirit coin or spirit stone per person. Flies you right up, and leaves you in one of the safe areas.”

“That is confirmed?” I asked.

“Yes. The man is trustworthy. But you won’t get a return journey from him. He doesn’t do rescues, and there is no way off the floating island other than jumping. A one-way trip. But it is the safest and quickest way, but not the cheapest,” she replied. I nodded at that. Safety and speed were the important factors, not the cost.

“That is fine. Information on the island?” I asked.

“Zombies, traps, ruins. You will die if you go up there. But there are always people,” she replied.

“I meant anything more specific. Like a map?” I asked.

“No map. The zombies work to repair and alter the terrain, reset the traps, put in new traps. That is why it is a forbidden zone. They aren’t the most aware, heck, even a mortal can hide from them easily enough.” I didn’t know that, which was good news. “But once they discover you. Well they will swarm until you are dead, then you turned into a zombie somehow.”

“I was told they have kept their cultivation?” I asked.

“Their body, but not their techniques. No mind you see. Whatever is controlling them, well it uses dead bodies as puppets. And no, I don’t have any idea what is doing that. No one does.”

“What do people find up there?” Wen Xue asked.

“The most valuable items are float crystals. They are scattered about in altars throughout the island. Only a rank 3 treasure, but that is the man thing people recover. Use to make some flying items,” the information broker said. “As for other treasures, well, I hear rumors about rare materials and equipment, but no one shares that information.” She shook her cloaked head before continuing.

“The death rate is far too high. I won’t tell you not to go up there or warn you away. But there is a reason it is a forbidden zone.”

“Where can we find Old Hengar?” I asked.

“He is cultivating in a backroom here. You can depart whenever you wish to,” the information broker said. We had already stocked up on supplies, so I wasn’t concerned. I turned towards Wen Xue.

“I think we are set?” I asked him.

“Um, yes.” I could hear his nervousness, now that things were becoming real, but there was no other option but to press forward.

“What about other groups and the safe landing spot?” I asked the information broker.

“Hmm, I don’t know of anyone else going up recently, but there are other methods. The most common one is from Mount Atlas. People use the hanging ropes to climb up or down. Very risky. Lots of fighting with that method. There is another cultivator in the city that gives lifts, but I don’t know their schedule.”

“As for safe spots, well the floating island has trees and shrubs around the outside, then a wall. The zombies tend not to go outside the wall unless they are chasing a person or doing a patrol.”

“What about a tunnel from underneath?” Wen Xue asked. That was a good question.

“The rock is hard to break and is drawn back to the island if broken. Once far enough away, the rock loses the properties of the floating island. If it needs more rocks, it swoops in low and the nearby terrain is pulled into the floating island. Mount Atlas used to be much taller in the past.”

“That isn’t common knowledge,” I said.

“It isn’t important. But it is interesting. Consider it part of what you paid for. Hmm, well I do have some advice,” she finally said but was then silent.

“Useful advice?” I asked.

“Possibly. It is just a rumor, but it might have some truth to it. Another rank 3 spirit coin,” she said.

“That is ridiculous,” Wen Xue expressed the outrage I was feeling.

“It isn’t. I am the best in this city, but if I just share things with anyone, well I won’t stay the best. An advantage is only an advantage if only a few people have it. And your earlier payment was the fee to learn about Old Hengar and the basic stuff,” she replied. I pulled out another rank 3 spirit coin and set it down next to the first one on the table between us.

“Clouds. The floating island goes up and down and tends to avoid the clouds. But the few successes have always occurred when it has been cloudy. The zombies don’t do well with the moisture, and the clouds conceal a person. The problem is, you can’t see that well either and inside the buildings, no clouds, more zombies,” she explained. That was useful information. I gave her a nod at that.

“What about animals? Do the zombies chase them?” I asked.

“Sometimes. It depends. They will always go after humans before animals. So, you can’t use them as decoys. Also, the floating island can go way up. If it does that, everything will freeze, and it will become hard to breathe. Doesn’t impact the zombies,” she said.

“Can they be killed?” I asked.

“No. They pull themselves back togeather for the most part. There have been efforts to kill them or toss them off, but they are pulled back onto the floating island, just like the material it is made out of. And don’t ask me how it floats or does what it does.”

So super zombies, like I had heard before. Decapitations wouldn’t work. Neither would fire. “Alright, we will be back tomorrow night to leave and ask any more questions we might have,” I told the information broker.

“That will be two more rank 3 spirit coins, one for each of you, to be taken up,” she said.

“That is fine. There are some further preparations I want to make,” I replied.

“Suit yourself. You paid the fee, not much else about the floating island.” I looked over at Wen Xue who shook his cloaked head. I considered the question I had in my head for a moment for a moment. I had an idea, and someone had to have tried this already.

“What about setting up a hanging base or campsite, off the side?” I asked.

“Good idea. Some people do that. Others sleep in the trees. The risk of a hanging camp is being cut by other people. There are people up there. Trying to get anything from the zombies. Many of them won’t hesitate to sabotage others. There are no rules. A hanging campsite is easily found.” I winced at that.

“Thank you,” that is all, I replied and stood up. Wen Xue followed me out and we returned to the inn. We got out of our cloaks and I took off the stilts.

“They didn’t work,” he said.

“They did. People were watching. Why do you think we took a loop back to the inn and doubled back?”

“I thought you got lost,” Wen Xue said with a chuckle.

“I wish. People are watching the information brokers. What do you think?” I asked.

“Risky. We didn’t plan for the other cultivators. We can hide, but they are probably hiding as well, with techniques,” he said, and I nodded at this.

“Most likely. But we have no other option. We go up there, and take things carefully. Very carefully. At least with my spatial rings, we will have food for a while. We might need more,” I said with a frown.

“You have enough food and water, for a month,” Wen Xue said and I nodded.

“I do. That is with careful rationing. Also, Digestive Cleansing Pills and refillable water bottles. But food is the main limitation. I am thinking we each get a large pack, maybe two, to take with us. We hide the packs away from our landing spot, not too far, since it will be a pain to move with them. But as backup,” I replied.

“You are thinking of staying there even longer to observe,” Wen Xue worked out and I nodded at that.

“Exactly. With packs of food brought along, we could have enough for three months each with careful rationing. Would need to buy more Digestive Cleaning Pills, but it would be worthwhile. Take our time and observe the zombie’s movements and patterns. Scout things out,” I replied.

“And getting down?” he asked.

“I have a rope. Climb down when the floating island gets near Mount Atlas.”

“The big risk are the zombies, once they spot a person, they don’t give up chasing them. But what if someone swings off the edge of the island?”

“You are thinking more rope and setting up points we can run to?” I asked and he nodded.

“Yes. We can’t run back to whatever hiding spot we are using. Better to take a chance, and hope the zombies give up the chase and don’t pursue down a rope,” he said.

“They can climb, we know that much. And the ones made from the corpses of strong cultivators have strong bodies. A rope might just be a dead end. Three ropes, spread out. Push them all off, climb down one, swing to another, and then the third. And maybe cut them off at the top?” I suggested.

“The spacing would be important. It would be a last resort. I can’t believe we are really doing this,” Wen Xue let out a nervous chuckle.

“This is what it takes,” I replied. He had mentioned that he wasn’t going to hide out waiting for the end in the fourth stage. He wanted to seize his future. That was why he was even bothering to come with me.

We chatted on the journey to Black Rock City. While he tended to be quiet, you could only travel so much with a person, before they began talking about themselves. Wen Xue was from a rich merchant family that ran its own caravan. The oldest child, and quite book smart. He had worked hard to cultivate enough motes to join a sect.

The Cloudy Moon Sect had been his first choice, due to the more relaxed atmosphere than the more martial sects. He was a researcher at heart. But one thing his research told him was that he was screwed unless he took a big risk to get past the first bottleneck in the fourth stage. Waiting around and cultivating was useful, but it wouldn’t help him long term.

That was why he had asked to join me. I had success in the past and he wanted to be part of that. Putting his life on the line to get resources. I could respect that determination. He was incredibly nervous though. The death rate for these kinds of expeditions was insanely high.

While cultivators knew that, everyone thought they would be the ones to survive. I personally hated being forced into doing this. I didn’t want life threatening adventures. I wanted to cultivate peacefully and do research. But my path of cultivation was one of my own making. I had no other option, otherwise my cultivation would be impossible.

Without null metal, there was no chance I would ever finish the third stage of Meridian Attunement before my death. It just wasn’t possible. For me, this adventure was do or die.

“I know I have said it before, thanks for bringing me. I wouldn’t have ever thought of information brokers. Even if some of your ideas seem a bit silly,” he replied while giving a look at the stilts and cloaks.

“Better to use them regardless, even when we go back. I am worried more about the other cultivators, more than the mystery island and the zombies,” I muttered.

“Really? That seems, backwards,” Wen Xue replied. I shook my head at that statement.

“Whatever is controlling the zombies and flying that island, has been doing it for millennia. It is probably some super formation, or rare artifact in the center of the island.” I had worked on AI in my past life on Earth. Looking at how they could be used for traffic light control. The zombies sounded a lot like something being controlled by a cultivation type AI.

I couldn’t say all this, without issues, and had to phrase it a different way. “It is repeating things most likely. Or has set instructions it follows. Do A, then B. If X happens, then respond with Z. If the thing controlling the floating island and the zombies was actually intelligent, it wouldn’t just keep doing the same thing over and over.”

Wen Xue put a hand under his chin and looked thoughtful at my statement. “You want to work out that pattern in depth. Over the three months. Why hasn’t anyone else done this?” he asked.

“Patience most likely. Or they have and then got away. People have come back from the floating island with some good stuff.” Null metal being some of those things that had been brought back. “Realistically, longer would be better.”

“Three months is already a long time. But I see your point. The hardest part is supplies. I am sorry, I don’t have a spatial ring of my own,” he said a bit morosely.

“Don’t worry about it. Your main job will be to work out the traps. All the good stuff will be in the buildings and we will need to disable them quickly,” I replied.

“I will do my best. But getting close and working out the arrays won’t be simple if we have to hide,” he replied.

“There is a technique, that I think will help,” I told him.

“Really?” he asked and I nodded. “You are only in the third stage. What technique could you have?”

“It is a secret, but it should help with the arrays. Regardless, we need to get settled into a safe spot where we can observe as much as possible. A tall tree. But other cultivators might be in it. This won’t be simple,” I said while trying to think of any other good hiding spots.

“As a starting point that sounds good,” Wen Xue said. After that there wasn’t much more to discuss and we fell asleep.

The following day we slept in quite late, had a good meal, and then purchased four packs worth of food and more pills. It was a bit expensive, but I wasn’t worried about the cost. And I had us use the cart we had brought with us, to put the food in. Not appearing as cultivators was important in my mind.

That night we went back to the information broker, in disguise and with packs. Thankfully no one bothered us. People in cloaks, late a night, were not people to be bothered lightly. Only a cultivator would take that risk, and Black Rock City had a rank 8 cultivator in charge as the City Lord. The biggest warlord or bandit of the area. As long as people paid their taxes, they wanted things to be calm.

Starting a fight with unknown cultivators inside the city was a huge risk. That was why being mysterious was important in my mind. Wearing our sect robes would let people know we were disciples for sure. But hiding like we were, even if it was only a one percent chance, the risk of us being dangerous cultivators was too high. Criminals wanted soft targets, and over the millennia, the stupidity had been weeded out.

Entering the weapon’s shop again, the same large man was behind the counter. “We are here for Old Hengar,” I said.

“He is expecting you. Courtyard out back, that door,” the man said pointing at another door to his other side compared to the one that led upstairs. “Just go through the backroom, straight, and into the courtyard.” I nodded at this and we went into the courtyard.

An old man was sitting on a bench stroking a long white beard, and smoking from an elaborate pipe. There was also a large sword next to him. I pulled off my hood and hopped my off stilts.

“Junior greets senior,” I said with a bow of my head. With my special sight, I could tell this man was an elder. Most likely rank 5 maybe 6. Wen Xue copied me greeting. I wasn’t about to call him Old Hengar to his face.

“Two of you and those packs to the Floating Island of Death. Three rank 3 spirit coins,” he said.

“Pardon me senior, but I thought it was one per person,” I replied, and he nodded.

“Normally, but that weight costs extra. Like another person,” he added. I pulled out three rank 3 spirit coins from a pouch. I wasn’t going to reveal my spatial items so easily. I then handed them over. He gave me an intense look. I began to get worried for a moment that he would attack and kill us, but in the end he just shook his head.

“Get younger every year. But mark my words. This trip is death. That island is death. You will die. Those zombies don’t play games. They might not have any brains, but whatever is controlling them isn’t stupid and they are fast. Once they spot you, they will swarm, no escape,” he said and then got a thoughtful look. “Well, you could always jump. But they will jump after you.”

“What? They would do that?” Wen Xue asked worriedly.

“Of course. Getting off is the real trick. The island will pull things, and people back. And since you are using my services, you aren’t strong enough to fly away on your own. That means climbing down. It will be rough. Or if you see me drop someone off, you can flag me down, and I will pick you up. Same price for transport back. I don’t pick up people getting chased, though,” he said.

“That is fine. Any other advice?” I asked.

“Not really. People hide in the trees. Some have tried digging in the ground. Hanging off the side of the island. Eventually the zombies will find you. Don’t underestimate their senses. The more powerful ones tend to stay in the middle of the island inside the buildings, but that doesn’t always happen. Occasionally a more powerful one will go on patrol to find people. Once it does, you are dead,” he replied and shook his head.