Night of the Broken Gliph

The hardyhorse coach drove through the charming city streets. It was no less lively than Southary, but it was much more peaceful. All the residents led a happy life; contrary to Southary, they were more reserved. They kept their volume down even when chatting amongst friends and family. This was an eye-opener for Chui Yim. 

The coach finally stopped at an inn. Bak Wun parked the coach while Chor Shing Chit helped Chui Yim into a room and laid him on the bed. Bak Wun then left to look for the medicinal ingredients that Chui Yim needed while Chor Shing Chit kept Chui Yim company. 

“Ah! When will I recover,” Chui Yim muttered, annoyed. He was an active person who trained the past twelve years diligently, and it had now been a month since he was injured. It was no surprise that he was feeling upset. Chui Yim felt like he was disabled. 

Chor Shing Chit remained silent as guilt overtook him.

“Mr Chor. Suddenly, something came to Chui Yim’s mind.

“Don’t address me as Mr Chor.” Chor Shing Chit cut him off. “I know that I didn’t actually teach you much these few years. You can call me big brother Chor, and we can call each other brothers if you don’t mind.” There was a gentle look in Chor Shing Chit’s eyes. It was rare to see such a look. 

You’re already at an advantage to have me call you big brother. Chui Yim thought to himself. Having lived two lives, he was definitely older than Chor Shing Chit. Yet he said nothing and addressed Chor Shing Chit as his big brother. “Big brother Chor, the fight between you and that old dog Chan Shue Gun was great. I’m fascinated by your skill. Can you teach me after I recover?” 

“Oh? A gliphist learning how to fight?” Chor Shing Chit smiled thinly. 

“I heard from principal Bak Wun that you took Chan Shue Gun’s life with just one punch after entering the three-chambered state. A glipihist needs to know self-defence too.”  

“You’re right.” As a teacher, Chor Shing Chit got into character and started to teach Chui Yim slowly. “A truly powerful gliphist doesn’t need gliphers. He himself will have battle skills good enough to protect himself from gliphers. One good example will be the renowned skill, Steps Amongst Fog, of the famed Imperial Sunset Palace. That’s a skill set that even gliphists can pick up as it confuses the enemy with afterimages and illusions. It buys time for gliphists to create their gliphs. I might not know anything about skill sets of a gliphist, but I can teach you some basic fighting skills.”

Chui Yim was elated to hear Chor Shing Chit. He had learnt a lot from Chui Tin on how to become a gliphist, but there was nothing about battle. Now that Chor Shing Chit was willing to teach him actual combat skills, he was over the moon.

“I’ll thank big brother in advance! Oh, and big brother Chor, how did the Fallen Star’s Rod end up with you?” 

Hearing Chui Yim, Chor Shing Chit’s expression changed slightly. “After feeling the weapon’s aura back at the academy, I felt that it suited me well. Thus I bought it when I saw it at auction. It’s a pity it was left behind at Southary.”

Chor Shing Chit had triggered his near-full third chamber with a gliphility during his fight against Chan Shue Gun, and that almost made him lose consciousness. Bak Wun forgot about the weapon while trying to save him. 

“That’s nothing much.” Chui Yim’s mouth twitched. “I’ll make you a better one after I recover.”

Chor Shing Chit only shook his head and remained silent. To him, Chui Yim was already a genius in gliphism; how could he possess knowledge on forging? The youngest grade two metalsmith was thirty years old, and Chan Lai Faat, the only great water-cast master in Southary, was almost a hundred years old. 

Bak Wun came back with an ugly expression on his face. “I’ve found the herbs. You brat… What on earth are these herbs?” 

“The devil mask weed and lampwick flower. What’s wrong with them?” Chui Yim looked at him blankly. 

“A man without money is no man at all! Do you know how much the devil mask weed costs? It’s enough for a grade two gliph weapon! And a lampwick flower costs 40000 silver taels!” Bak Wun sighed loudly while brushing his white, thin hair. “I’m just a primary institution principal! How rich can I be?”

Bak Wun had spent his life savings setting up the Riding Clouds Academy, and the Cultivation Style Pavilion had a high maintenance fee. The academy did receive school fees yearly, but they didn’t make much profit as the school fees were cheap—the main reason why Chui Tin chose this school. 

Chui Yim’s mouth twitched once again. His expression was so annoying that Bak Wun and Chor Shing Chit had to hold in the urge to beat him up.

“So it’s just money, not that serious a matter after all.” He sat up with difficulty and pulled out a banknote from his bag. “Is a hundred thousand silver taels enough?”

Bak Wun and Chor Shing Chit were left speechless due to surprise. This is too much! We are being looked down on with money by a kid! 

Afterwards, Bak Wun prepared the herbs the way Chui Yim wanted. Both herbs were beneficial to one’s vital energy and blood, which was why they cost an arm and a leg. Chui Yim wasn’t to be blamed for not knowing that such gliphic plants were so costly in the market. As the wind and heart chamber were vital to both gliphers and gliphists, one might experience cultivation deviation if anything went wrong with them. Thus, powerful clans and organisations tried to stock up as much of these herbs as they could in case of emergencies, leading to its rarity in the market.  

Perhaps because Chui Yim only went two minutes over his limit, he recovered rapidly after taking the medication. However, what aided his quick recovery the most was due to him practising the Nine Levels Of Heaven’s Flame. Because his heart was weak and his vital energy couldn’t circulate well, Chui Yim wasn’t able to continue practising this style previously. After taking the devil mask weed, lampwick flower and many other herbs, he was able to do so now. From his injury, Chui Yim coincidentally discovered that the cultivation style boosted his recovery. 

Thus he started nursing his own health by circulating the Nine Levels Of Heaven’s Flame, allowing Chui Yim to recover at a shocking speed. After seven days, Chui Yim could already move on his own. His speed of recovery struck Chor Shing Chit and Bak Wun dumb. They couldn’t help but gasp in awe, calling him a monster who was an expert even in the field of medicine…

Despite his fast recovery, it served as a warning for Chui Yim to never go over his limit again. It was only two minutes, yet he was disabled for a month. Luckily, he was familiar with medicine, or Chui Yim predicted that the symptoms might last almost three months.

If I was alone in the wild without Bak Wun and Chor Shing Chit… 

I’d certainly die. 

“Wow! This feels great!” Chui Yim called out happily. Chor Shing Chit and Bak Wun followed behind, exchanging a smile on seeing the “little monster” finally act like a kid.  

“Principal, is it okay for you to leave the school unattended?” Chor Shing Chit asked. 

“It is attended.” Bak Wun replied lazily. “I made a trip back to the academy when you guys were resting back at the cave and passed down my instructions. The Chan Clan only hates Chui Yim, and with the South’s rules, they dare not do anything to my school.” 

“Principal, it seems like you are a person with secrets, huh? You’re only in the one-chambered state, yet you were able to beat a two-chambered glipher up.” Chor Shing Chit stared at Bak Wun with a meaningful look. 

However, the aged Bak Wun only gave him a carefree smile. “Who doesn’t have any secrets? Like you, the disciple of the Chor Clan that was viewed most highly, somehow shows up here in Southary. But I knew everything since day one.” 

“Then why did you still choose to take me in?” Chor Shing Chit asked with a serious tone. 

He knew who I was. And the Chor Clan is a powerful clan in the South. Chor Shing Chit knew well what it meant for Bak Wun to take him in despite knowing his identity. 

“Hehe.” Bak Wun laughed and gave him a playful wink. “You’ll know someday.”