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Message: <blockquote data-quote="xenoflare" data-source="post: 1606279" data-attributes="member: 12431">tangling with tengu10 minutes later, Half Crest Peak's Village, near the Monastery of 4 Dharmas**The whoops and squeals of childish joy diffused slowly as the throng of toddlers dispersed and returned home. Lian looked on contentedly and smiled as he imagined the tongue-lashings their parents would give them for having stayed out so late, and the children’s impossibly plaintive and creative excuses. With a sudden pang of emotion, the monk’s thoughts turned homeward.Father, Mother, I wonder how you are doing now. Please be well! It has been so long since I have last seen you – please forgive this prodigal son’s lack of piety. Elder Brother, Younger Sister, I am very sorry to leave the burden of taking care of our parents to the both of you. It will be the Spring Festival soon – I hope that I will be able to see you again then.The lengthening shadows cast by the setting sun loomed, heralding the coming of night’s passage and the end of yet another day. The harmonious, clear tones of the bells of the Monastery of 4 Dharmas began to toll through the darkening azure sky, signifying the call for the night praying ceremony.Oh, I’ll only take a while to teleport home anyway. I’ll just go home to say hello, I’ve been meaning to do that for 3 months now but that business with the Black Mountain Ancient Demon-Spirit and his eunuch warlock collaborators just took all the time out of my hands. The seniors won’t even miss me for a while, the first 10 minutes of evening prayers are always so boring anyway… The quasi-rebellious thoughts of the young monk were interrupted by the sudden swoosh of 3 very sharp, very quick feather-shaped shuriken that nearly coupled his left foot with the ground in a very painful manner.“What…? These attacks, they’re in the signature style of Wu-Ya Sifu!” From a nearby cryptomeria tree, a guttural squawk emerged, a loud cawing sound, not unlike the calls of crows and ravens. Lian turned quickly to the source of that noise and was rewarded for his efforts by having to dodge another fusillade of shuriken.“Master? Why are you doing this? Where are you?”Foolish disciple! I have been watching you for so long now! You did not even sense my presence until 3 milliseconds into my second attack! If a devil-tiger-spirit was allowed to come so close to you, it would be soaking its body in the bathing pool of your blood now!“Sorry, Master...” Lian awkwardly dodged a razor-sharp dart and was knocked off his feet by a sudden forceful bolt of chi.You’re not yet ripe, my student who revels in folly! Are you so lost in discursive thought, that your awareness is robbed by the bandits of illusion,, that you cannot even concentrate and be part of Akasha? A simple flurrying switch between physical and psychic attacks caught you off-guard – what sort of guardian phoenix are you? I will be the laughing stock of the Spirit Realms when the other 3 hear of this! The harried acolyte concentrated and let go of his grip on Will in an effort to pierce the shroud of the dimming light, and entered the realm of Akasha, the Universal Mindscape.“Grrrh... Om! Celestial Eyes of Prajnaparamita, Be Manifest!”The roaring scream of countless neurons firing in tandem overwhelmed both master and disciple as they met on the chasm-cracked expanse of their combined mental landscapes. As Lian saw the black-swathed figure of his tengu master, he readied a fighting stance to unleash a mental sledgehammer blow that would multiply the force of his strikes by a factor of three.There! I’ve got you now!Suddenly, the raven-man issued a commanding mental shout for Lian to halt.This certainly took you long enough, my puerile child! Cease your attacks! I have invited you here to inform you of an important development, it is much easier to speak here. In the realm of matter, misunderstandings are all too possible. Though I wonder why I bother sometimes, you are so dense that whatever I say will probably be misunderstood anyway…Lian sighed and let the generated chi dissipate back into the Akasha, and prepared for his Master’s inevitable lecture, and wistfully thought of the children and their excuses.A chi blast rocked him off his feet again.You’re distracted! Silly ape! Listen!Sighing, the monk got up, and listened.**2 seconds later, in the Akasha"I have to do what?" -doubt-Yes. You have to travel to the lands of the West to aid Master Yang in his search for the One. Between you and him, he’s more incompetent than you are (which is not that rare for a human, as you're my only disciple, and so you're the only human to have the grace of my tutelage, unlike everyone else), so he’ll need your help."But Master Yang is the disciple of the Grandmaster of the 3 Cliffs himself, and he’s the direct heir of the secret arts devised by the Thirteenth Generation’s Sect Head! And he’s so well-versed in theology and liturgy, whereas I’m not even a fully ordained monk! I’m just a wood-cutting junior acolyte!"Bah! What is this foolish pedigree? Are we training dogs here, for exhibiting at country fairs for yokels and bumpkins? Are you saying that my training for you is not good enough to match up with Master Yang’s? Don’t answer that. From what I’ve seen of you so far, I know what the answer should be."No, Wu-Ya Sifu, this witless disciple meant no disrespect, but… why do I have to go now? Can somebody else be sent in my stead? Maybe the dragon or the tiger..."Squawk! The Grandmaster of 3 Cliffs has already spoken with me at length on this matter. Do not question me any further! Will you mock our relationship as master and student with your disobedience?"No, Sifu, but does it have to be now? My family… I was thinking I would just like to visit them as I haven’t seen them in a very long while." -subdued-You depraved excuse of a monk! Family is of no consequence to you, you have already severed the four bonds of father, mother, brother, and sister when you severed your locks of hair- why wallow in attachment? The world needs the Phoenix now, not a homesick milksop! "Sifu… I’m only human." -plaintive, childlike-Human!? Squawk! Do not profane what it is to be mortal, you half-beaked idiot! You do not mean that you are “only human” – you mean to say that you are “selfish”. The One is also only human, and he left his loved ones behind to vanquish the evils of the world… If the One is not found because of your folly, then where will your –squawk- human family stand in the chaos that follows? Do not do things by halves and waste the whole – is that not what your human elders say, regarding matters of duty and responsibility? What sort of lucid cenobite are you, what sort of worthless disciple are you, that you have forgotten this most fundamental of truths?The tengu’s harsh thoughts pounded relentlessly into the speechless monk’s consciousness."Yes, I’ll go now to the Monastery to prepare, then. But oh Exalted Master of the Black Feather… could you please do me a favour…?"I will take care of your family if that is what you wish, though it irks me that you do not have faith in their ability to take care of themselves, or –squawk- that you do not have faith in my role as your master to anticipate the nature of your request. "I am very much obliged, and very thankful, Sifu."Before you go, young nestling, there are two gifts for you from me that will aid your quest. Do not thank my inexhaustible compassion - that would be acting against propriety, and you will insult my modesty. You will find my gifts for you, outside my shrine. Make sure you sweep the premises properly before you leave, and make sure that there is enough food on the offerings tray for my children and I."Yes, Sifu."Space contracted and time dilated, as both raven and man disappeared in wreaths of shadow and flame to fulfil their roles as demanded by the winds of karma.**</blockquote>

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