The declaration of the beast wave ending, along with the peak of winter passing, gave the citizens in the city the push to get out their homes and continue with their lives. Streets plowed by strong spiritual horses are filled with those hawking food, wares and buying said items.
It also gives me the cover to slow down my push through the crowd, some anxiety filling me, but less than how I would've been before fighting the beast wave, as I catch sight of the massive tower built into the wall.
Styled the same as a pagoda, and much larger than the guard towers, it is clearly fit for the commander of the wall, a prestigious position that few but cultivators sent by the Empire and trained by a sect can fill.
It looks undamaged unlike the other towers, but I assume the commander stationed here along with his honour guard helped with that.
Clenching Captain Haoran's token in my hands, I step closer to the guards stationed by the massive doors where soldiers and scholars flow through its gates.
The statue-like gazes of the guards weigh on me as I approach, clearly out of place among other visitors. I cleaned up as best I could, scrubbing the grime off, trimming my brown hair to my neck and tying it back in a small, low ponytail. I regretted doing so but I even shaved off the stubble I was growing, Old Feng called it a barbarous look, especially with my height and broad frame.
At least I can take a sliver of pride that they have to slightly tilt their heads up to look at me. Still, my rough clothes cling too tightly to my shoulders, worn from use and growth I can't afford to dress for, and it marks me as a peasant bar all else.
It's surprisingly simple to present my token, respectfully of course, and get an escort through the building. When we enter the fortress, I'm taken aback, the floor made of a smooth stone I've never seen, walls painted in gold and black, with intricate effigies and paintings on all sides.
I quickly jog over to the guard who didn't stop at my gawking, heading to one of the sets of stairs. We pass go up a few levels, each floor fulfilling some purpose as none look the same until we reach a floor that's quieter than the others.
He leads me down a hall filled with a few soldiers carrying scrolls and we step aside for the few captains that walk by, my bow lower than my escort's, until we reach a non-descript door with a few characters written on it which the soldier knocks on.
A few moments later I hear a familiar voice, "Enter."
Opening the door, I catch sight of Captain Haoran sitting behind a table covered in scrolls and parchment with a brush in hand as he writes.
"Captain Haoran, a boy called Zhan arrived with your personal token requesting an audience with you," my escort says.
That gets the captain to look up, a slight smile on his face when he catches sight of me over the guard's shoulder.
This book's true home is on another platform. Check it out there for the real experience.
"Thank you soldier, let him in and stand by the door, our business should not take too long."
The soldier gives a bow before standing to the side of the door. Taking that as my cue, I walk into the decorated room with the door closing behind me.
Looking around, I can see a few things on display, a sword, a fine vase and various paintings, the largest of which being a portrait of who I can assume is the captain himself, with a woman holding a baby.
"That is a portrait of my wife, Lin, and my beloved daughter Meixue, born shortly before winter began," he says fondly, noticing my gaze. He remains silent for a moment before gesturing to a chair in front of the desk where I sit.
"As I said last week, you impressed me. Not even one of the other conscripts on our section of the wall survived, for that, I believe a more fitting reward is in order. I saw you save many of my men, and they repaid you in turn," he says and sets a heavy bag onto the table, coins clinking within.
"This alone is enough for you to live for a year without work. However, I have another offer that you are free to reject."
I gulp as I eye the bag, but pull my gaze away to the amused captain, "Ah- Um. Offer, sir?"
"Yes. Most of the Empire's might comes from the cultivator's clans and nobles provide, however sects are where our numbers come from. These minor sects within our borders create the soldiers you see. I myself was part of the Azure Tempest Sect as an inner disciple, one step below the core, and far above the outer."
My eyes widen at that, the largest sect in the region where all young men and women wish to go, a fair share of those that I grew up with left for the same sect, with few returning in disappointment and purses empty.
"But if you were in such a prestigious position, why would you leave? That's not to say serving the Empire is a lesser station," I hastily add in.
He chuckles at that, "You are right. I would have stayed but alas, my talent was not enough. I staggered at the fifth stage for two years, and with slow progression to that point, it was decided that I would be better off supporting the Empire due to my age. Thankfully as an inner disciple I was given the rank of captain, though it ended my goals of furthering my cultivation. But it allowed me to meet my Lin and bring Meixue into the world so I am content."
He rolls a scroll over to me, a seal pressed onto it, "That is a letter of recommendation from me to my old sect. Once winter is over, they will start recruitment, and this will allow for the initial screening and entrance fee to be waived and allow you to be tested directly."
My jaw drops at that as I reverently grab a hold of the scroll and gaze upon it, never thinking that I would get a chance to even dream of getting into the sect.
"You will compete against those of similar social standing, merchants and well-off peasants that could afford the fee, but lack the privilege to pass without trial. Act as you did in the beast wave and I can assure you that you will make it. Seize the resources offered, advance to Meridian Creation and you will not be reduced to a faceless soldier, beaten into obedience. Beyond that? It is up to you where your Dao will end up leading you," he says with finality."
I hesitate for a moment, my mind flashes back, remembering the helplessness as the ape monstrous beast almost killed me. The beasts that never stopped. Me, fighting, killing.
With conviction I stand to my feet and deeply bow to Captain Haoran, "I will not fail. I will not stop. I will meet your expectations and go far beyond."
I stare straight at his desk, hearing nothing but our breaths.
"Very well. I expect this may be the last time we meet, I wish you luck Zhan," he says.
I stand, chest out and standing prouder than I remember ever feeling and turn to head out but pause before opening the door.
"Sir. I'm just an orphan, a peasant at that. You could have just sent me off with the money and I would have been happy, but why this?" I ask, honestly curious.
"Practicality mostly," he says as he writes on a scroll. "A recommendation brings substantial wealth if you amount to something within the sect, enough to strengthen my daughter's start to her cultivation path. But beyond that, I see promise in you. You being an orphan and able to reach this stage just reassures my instincts that you will stand firm and succeed, and I truly hope that you do."
Of course he wasn't going to do this without any benefits. Him saying so though reassures me because one of the few things I learnt in this city is that nothing comes free, if there's not a benefit for both sides, that's a sign that things are not as they seem.
"Also, my cousin stayed his hand because of my strength and standing, however you are but a peasant. I humiliated him, and in his eyes, you are the perfect person to punish. It is best for you to leave the city, before his pride gets the better of him and he comes for your head once more."
Giving the captain one last bow, I turn and head out the door. I can feel the tightness in my chest at the thought of his cousin coming for my head, but I smother it beneath my resolve and fix my mind on the path ahead, one that a small scroll in my robes cleared for me.
