Hardcore: Qi Worlds Chapter 49: Dawnharbour 2

 "Is the academy a part of the temple or separate?" Benzhi asked the grey-robed Adept as they walked.

 "The academy deals with training and the temple is for the trained. They have different leaders but we are all practitioners of the arts of qi," the Adept answered.

 "Ah, sorry to be rude, I am Benzhi, what is your name?" Benzhi asked.

 "I am Song Tu," he answered, "just call me Song or Adept Song if we are in front of the Grandmaster."

 "Ah, so you work for him?" Benzhi asked.

 "I am an Adept in the Temple, I study, practice, train, raid the tower, but most of the time complete tasks for the Masters and Grandmasters at the temple," Song replied.

  "What is the qi manipulation required to become an Adept?" Benzhi asked, not wanting to be rude, but getting a gauge for Song's expertise. 

 "Thirty," Song replied, "otherwise you are stuck at Novice or worse, Acolyte."

 A Master or Grandmaster required fifty qi manipulation and an Adept required thirty. Benzhi was beginning to get a handle on their levels. How it related to him was another matter, he had made so much progress since he checked his stats on Basal and the last time he had tried he was unable. However, that had all changed when he entered QW9. Now the status screen had even more information and he didn't even ask about the Aids yet.

 "What is an Aid?" Benzhi asked, peppering Song for information as they walked.

 Song stopped walking. Turned to face Benzhi and stared. "You do not know what an aid is and you are going to teach at the Academy?"

 "Yes," Benzhi answered, Huineng chuckled behind them, Benzhi said, "keep moving we are on a mission!" Benzhi jokingly flourished indicating Song to keep moving forward.

 "An aid is a combat move, or skill, which is usually a segment of the forms. When selected you automatically complete the move." Song stated.

 Huineng laughed his ass off.

 "So," when Huineng settled down, somewhat, he asked, "this is one of the advances for QW9?"

 "Yes," answered Song, looking glum now.

 "I guess we will be able to witness first hand at the Academy," Benzhi answered.

 They walked mostly in silence for the rest of the trip. Benzhi looking at the sights, the most impressive of which was a gigantic tower reaching into the sky. It was the tower that Song referred to when talking about raiding as one of his activities.

  As they arrived Benzhi had to ask him about the tower, even though he was quite glum after Huineng's mocking laughter. "What is in the tower?" Benzhi asked finally.

 Song looked at him seriously, "it is a proving ground and a place to hone your combat skills. Follow me up these stairs and we will enter the foyer to the Chancellor Tetsuo's office."

 After a few minutes of waiting, Benzhi and Huineng were ushered into the Chancellor's office. Song said his goodbyes and informed them he would be back just before dawn and they better be ready.

  "Welcome young master and old one," Chancellor Tetsuo greeted them as he stood and bowed.

  The Chancellor was wearing purple robes, similar to the Grandmaster, however, his had gold trim. He was in his mid-fifties, by his look, he had black hair with streaks of grey. The Chancellor looked very fit for his five and a half foot frame. 

 "Do I know you?" Huineng asked.

 "No, but I do know of you founder, I trained and worked for years trying to get into the QWP as an adept. Finally making it when they opened the doors wide for the QW8 and 9 worlds. And now I finally get to meet you, not only that, you are my subordinate of sorts," Tetsuo laughed, it wasn't malicious but it wasn't kind either.

   "I am glad you are happy. As am I. Have you received orders from QWP regarding us?" Huineng asked, giving nothing away.

 Tetsuo nodded, "Indeed I have and I have problems with certain elements. But we will find a way to make it work."

 Benzhi and Huineng just waited, offering nothing.

 "The prime directive of the Chancellor of this Academy is an authentic experience for our guests. This includes training and setting tests, for the Novices, in the tower or ruins. Out of three hundred Novices, thirty are talents sent in by QWP, whose role it is to add to this experience, assist the guests as well as achieve Adept level by the end of three years at the most. The other two hundred and seventy students are guests, either VIPs themselves or people the VIPs have purchased Avatars for. I would like to inform you these Avatars cost one million USD. This is on top of service fees and other costs."

 Benzhi gaped, one million for a lump, holy. These people paid a lot to play what was essentially a game to them. Albeit this place had time dilation and was the most realistic game by a hundredfold, but still. 

 "These guests play by the rules, mostly, and even they cannot graduate to Novice L2, Novice L3 or Adept without completing the necessary test, that is their ultimate goal when at the Academy, the training is partly to equip them with skills and tools and partly for the experience. So you see my dilemma, if I make you a teacher, which is at least an Adept and usually a Master, without completing the test then it undermines the experience. And they will know you have not done it, there is a system-wide announcement when it is completed naming the achievers."

 "Can't you just say we completed the tests when QW9 was first opened before they arrived?" Huineng asked.

 Tetsuo looked thoughtful, "I could but there would be sceptics, remember what my prime directive is, I do not wish to do anything to cause a complaint. It is hard enough as it is."

 "It is not a problem," Benzhi stated, "when the first task is completed, before we take up teaching, we will complete the tests to master level."

 "But you don't even know what they are!" Tetsuo exclaimed.

 Everything Benzhi had seen so far suggested they were not too difficult, this place was Qi World easy mode, not Hardcore in the least compared to Basal.

 "I don't have to complete the tests, I am not teaching, I am here as Benzhi's chaperone," Huineng announced.

 "That is true, you are not teaching, you can fulfil the role of an aide, however, if you want to wear a masters robes, you will have to pass the tests" Tetsuo replied.

 "Is that like a servant?" Benzhi beamed.

 "No it is a teachers aide, which will suit his real role perfectly, except he cannot give you advice in front of guests, not blatantly, but it will be helpful if he stops you blundering as well," Tetsuo said.

 "Is there one of the Talents, assigned to Benzhi's class, that can show us around today and to our quarters?" Huineng asked.

  "All the Talents are assigned to Benzhi's class and if they are failing he is to remove them and focus on the best prospects," Tetsuo said glumly.

  "Oh and anyone else? From outside the academy?" Huineng asked.

 "Yes, there will be another class at the Temple open for all with Adept and above ranking," Tetsuo stated.

 "So basically anyone who is not a guest is taking the class initially?" Huineng asked.

 "I doubt many will volunteer from the Temple," Tetsuo speculated.

 "So no guests, just QWP people?" Benzhi asked.

 "Yes, but as a Teacher, you will brush with guests, so the danger is not zero. And of course, if a guest requests to be in your class, we would have to have a good reason to deny them," Tetsuo explained.

 'What kind of hell have I got myself into?' Benzhi thought to himself.

 "Back to my original question, have you arranged an escort for us?" Huineng asked.

 "No, I didn't know when you would be here, I only got this document a few hours ago as well. And I am not finished with you. You will need to adhere to the dress code when teaching, training or doing anything on the grounds actually. You also need to pick a house and do not pick Tiger it already has too many. Actually," Tetsuo thumped down a thick manual on his desk, "if you are a teacher here you will need to adhere to all the rules. Take this and read it before you start classes. I have already highlighted the most important aspects, but that doesn't mean you can ignore the rest."

 Benzhi clapped his hands and reached for the thick rulebook, "I am excited," he said sarcastically. He wondered if they have a rule that prevented him going around barefoot? 'Of course, they would' he corrected himself.

After muddling around, discussing nonsense and generally being afraid of his own students for another hour the Chancellor finally found them an escort. 

 "This is our hardest working Talent, she reads, trains and barely socialises, so she is the ideal role model for you," the Chancellor informed them. He indicated a lanky girl with messy black hair and reading glasses, she was buried in a book in the library it seemed to be on ancient forms no longer in practice.

 "Anastasia, Anastasia..," Chancellor Tetsuo called to her and she finally looked up, "I need you to do something for the Academy dear. It is a heavy burden, but I know you are up to the task."

 'Heavy burden?', thought Benzhi, Tetsuo was shy of making his black book. He wasn't evil enough, but he was sure rude and condescending.

 "This gentleman, yes bear with me," the Chancellor said while indicating Benzhi, "is here to take on a special teaching role after he passes the tests. And this gentleman will be his aid, he will probably take the test as well, I can't imagine him wearing yellow."

 "What do the colours mean?" Benzhi asked.

 "Anastasia will explain, she is assigned to you for a week, then I will find another escort if one is needed. I do not have time for your never-ending questions," The Chancellor announced and promptly left.

 "Our never-ending questions? He was the one going on about nothing for a couple of hours," Benzhi said to no one in particular after the Chancellor departed.

 Anastasia stood quietly, closing her book and sighing.   

 "Where to first?" She asked. Although you would expect from her looks that she was a shy bookworm she stood straight and proud and looked Benzhi in the eye.

 "You are in white robes, what does that mean and the rest of the colours relationship to ranks, I am dying to know now," Benzhi asked. 

 "White is for Novices," Anastasia rattled off a dozen or so colours with ranks and illustrated sub-schools and minimum requirements.

  "Hang on, if an Enlightened wears white robes and a Novice wears white robes, isn't that confusing for people?" Benzhi asked.

 "I don't think anyone would confuse an Enlightened for a novice," Anastasia replied, "I do not know if there is anyone of that rank in the temple anyway."

 "Are there any Dragons?" Benzhi asked. Huineng laughed.

 "No," Anastasia said, "but it would be great to be one wouldn't it?"

 "I may know one," Benzhi replied thinking of Mother and her amazing qi manipulation when creating the Alpine Forest.

 "Really?" Anastasia interest was peaked.

 "No, I was just bragging to a pretty girl," he replied.

  Anastasia did not look impressed. "Where too?" she asked coolly.

 "Our rooms?" Benzhi answered.

 "For Master teachers or Adept teachers?" Anastasia asked.

 "Well neither yet, so perhaps Adept teachers," Benzhi replied.

 Anastasia nodded, leading the way through a maze of corridors. Benzhi wondered why a place newly built would be created with such confusing floor plans. 'Oh, yeah, entertainment authenticity,' he realised.

 "These are the Adept teacher dorms, let's find a double room that is empty," Anastasia said.

  "Isn't this a bit close to the student dorms?" Benzhi said they had walked down a few flights past three levels of student dorms to arrive on the ground floor where the Teachers dorms were.

 "I think that is the point," Anastasia said, "if you want better accommodation best to pass the test to Master level."

 "Why is everyone here obsessed with rank?" Benzhi asked.

 "I am not," Anastasia replied flatly, "but I understand why you think that. The Academy and Temple are run on the ranking system, the higher rank you are the better your accommodation, role and status are. The competition and status appeal to a certain type of person and that type, seem to dominate Dawnharbour."

  "So how are you different?" Benzhi asked.

 "I am here to learn," Anastasia replied seriously.

 "Good," Benzhi said, "and thank you, we will be fine now, I will leave you to your studies."

 "When should I come collect you? When is the first class?" Anastasia asked.

 "Um you see, it will be after I finish with my first patient, that could take one to four days, who knows?" Benzhi replied.

 "Patient?" She asked.

 "Have you not been told?" Benzhi asked.

 "I don't think the students know yet since the Chancellor only received his orders a few hours ago," Huineng added.

 "Oh yeah, well, I have learned to qi heal somewhat. My role is to qi heal people on a waiting list first and then train more adepts in the art, ensuring I am not alone with the skill," Benzhi stated.

 Anastasia became animated and intensely interested, "Qi healing? That is.. that is...amazing."

 "I will come back every few hours to check to see if you need me," she said.

 "Hang on," Benzhi said, "that is far too much, how about once at midday and once at early evening each day and if desperate, we will look for you in the library."

 "It's no trouble," she said earnestly now. After Benzhi mentioned qi healing her attitude towards him changed dramatically. He noticed a leather yin-yang symbol hanging on her chest from a leather cord around her neck. Benzhi engaged qi sight and looked at her qi core.  She was talented, very talented at least the same level as Gisael and Reyas.

 "What is your background, Anastasia?" now Benzhi was interested in her.

 "I am from Eastern Russia, I was visiting relatives in Harbin when the Chinese army came through and did some mandatory testing for all citizens from the age of ten to thirty. I was pushed through with the crowds of teenagers, and it was easier just to be tested than to try and insist I wasn't Chinese. The only problem was, of all the hundreds of thousands of people they tested in Harbin, I was one of ten they sequestered. I was scared shitless thinking I had done something wrong. But when they explained to me that I would be part of some top secret program researching qi I became intrigued. It was the most exciting thing to ever happen to me. They didn't even care that I was not Chinese. After I signed a thousand papers I joined the program and after six months of training on earth here I am." She rattled the story off rapidly.

 Huineng laughed, "she sounds as stupid as you."

 Benzhi glared at Huineng, "fortunately for you I am as stupid as I am."

 "Touche," Huineng replied.

  "Let's chat some more tomorrow evening, even if unfinished I will need rest, we should be back an hour after sunset," Benzhi said.

 "Yes, I will be here, I want to learn and between you and me, either I am lacking, or the Academy is not the best teacher," Anastasia said.

 Benzhi leaned close to the dishevelled white-robed girl and said seriously, "I have already measured you, and trust me, you are not lacking."

 Anastasi did not blush or misconstrue for a thinly veiled sexual advance. She bowed and left without a word, determinedly marching back to the library.

 Benzhi and Huineng arrived at the Temple the next morning at dawn and were ushered into the Land Core room. It was on the same level as Grandmaster Huan's office, the Land Core was embedded into a massive disc carved in the image of yin-yang. 

 Benzhi wondered if it was ironic that a place that seemed so out of balance had yin-yang as its Core. Viewing the Core under qi sight he could see the streams and its immense size, however, it was not larger than the combined size of the Land Cores in the Alpine Forest. So much for primitive, he chuckled to himself.

 Grandmaster Huan was watching everything carefully. He had been merged with the Land Core when Benzhi arrived with Huineng and their guide.

 "I cannot express how uncomfortable I am with this accommodation. I will stay for your entire first session and if anything is amiss, well, let's just say, nothing better be amiss. I have reviewed all the settings and taken note. Access the Qi Core's energy but do not touch one setting, this is your first and final warning," Grandmaster Huan was both nervous and venomous at the same time.

 Benzhi approached the Core, closed his eyes again and reached out with qi sight and his core. He merged with the Land Core and was stunned by the HUD display. Tables, numbers, sliders and buttons...it was like a damn computer strategy game. Where the Alpine Forest was all feeling and intuition, this thing was a monstrosity of control. 'Was it a good thing?' he thought. It didn't feel good to his gut. It felt that it was corrupted, altered into this, it was not merely a visualisation of what was inherently within.

  There were settings for harvesting qi from the inhabitants, there were settings for what was a shield, a force shield? Settings for the domain, size, shape, a whitelist for allowed portals. There were settings for the tower, the ruins, hell even the temperature could be set. There was a full page on time, this is where they altered the time flow. Benzhi resisted touching any settings, part of him wanted to just to spite the Grandmaster, but it was not necessary. In this state, Benzhi could not draw qi from the Core. So he swept away the HUD, swept everything away and just felt the Core.

  "Benzhi, Seneschal Cain is here," Grandmaster Huan announced in a neutral tone.

  Benzhi opened his eyes and saw the Seneschal standing a few meters behind him. He did not look old but this was his avatar. He too wore purple robes with gold trim. He looked like he was in his forties or fifties, tall, with long dark hair and piercing eyes.

 "Get the Seneschal a chair," Huineng said to no one. The Grandmaster ran off to grab a chair. Huineng chuckled.

  After the Seneschal sat Benzhi introduced himself, "I am Benzhi and I will attempt to qi heal you using the Land Core's Qi. Qi healing uses far more qi than I possess, especially if it requires considerable regrowth and repair. May I ask what your illness is."

 "I have a tumour in the left side of my frontal lobe," Seneschal Cain informed Benzhi.

 Benzhi died inside. 

Chapter end