# Chapter 88: On Our First Meeting, I Saw You Bare
Regarding Song Qifang's request for the Purple Qi from the East Sword Canon, Jiang Wang reported the matter to Dong A. Not in order to lodge a complaint, but because he had gone against the Vice Dean's wishes — Dong A had to be informed. Otherwise, were Song Qifang to employ some scheme behind his back, it would be more than Jiang Wang could bear.
Of course, Song Qifang might not do such a thing. He had spent many years at the Fenglin City Dao Academy, and his reputation had always been excellent. His request for the sword canon could even be seen as done out of consideration for the Academy.
But the gap between the two sides in strength and standing was far too wide. Jiang Wang had to make preparations, to guard against trouble before it arose.
Dong A, upon hearing it, merely raised his brows. "A decrepit old man — there is no need to mind him."
Jiang Wang clicked his tongue inwardly. The Dean really was direct... Yet this was not something he was qualified to respond to.
Dong A went on, "How has your cultivation been faring lately?"
"I should be able to complete the construction of my second Dao Spiral by mid-next-month."
"Not bad." Dong A nodded. "The further into Dao Spiral construction you go, the faster it becomes. Before the Heaven-Earth Gate is seen, cultivation is mostly a matter of patient polishing. From the Wandering-Meridian Realm up to the Zhou Heavenly Circulation Realm, the only true pass is the building of the minor Zhou Heavenly circulation. That is no hardship for you. So by the time you reach the Zhou Heavenly Circulation Realm, you ought to begin deliberating now on which Dao art to engrave inside the Tongtian Palace. Understand this — the first instantaneous Dao art a cultivator engraves at the Zhou Heavenly Circulation Realm is of utmost importance to every practitioner. It is not a matter of the mightier the better; you must find the one most suited to you."
"Your disciple understands."
Dong A pondered for a moment, then added, "Should something like what happened in Wangjiang City occur again, report to me in advance. As long as you are reasonable and justified, the Fenglin City Dao Academy will never abandon its own disciples. Remember — your senior brother Zhu may not be able to shield you. But this Academy can."
Jiang Wang felt a warmth surge in his chest. Under Dong A, he truly experienced an affection that was at once fatherly and teacherly.
But Dong A gave him no chance to express his gratitude. Having spoken, he waved his hand. "Go on, then."
...
Late in the night, Jiang Wang started awake from his sleep.
Wrapping his clothes about him and taking up his sword, he stepped into the courtyard.
The black-veiled woman was simply watching him with a smile. Even in the bitter cold of winter she was dressed thinly, as if a careless moment might carry her away upon the wind.
"Remember the three things you promised me?" she asked.
Her voice wound softly through the darkness, light as a feather.
Jiang Wang was taken aback. "Now? Today?"
By now the hour of Zi had already passed; it was already the eleventh day of the Winter Month. This was the day of the Commandery Academy Grand Selection.
The three commandery academies were the most direct reservoir of cultivators for the National Dao Academy. Those like Lin Zhengren, who obtained his National Dao Academy slot through the Three-City Dao Debate, counted as recommendees. And those like Zhu Weiwo, who had received a direct missive from the National Dao Academy, counted as special admissions. Both were in the minority.
The joint examination that the three commandery academies held once every five years was the broadest path into the National Dao Academy, admitting a hundred cultivators each round. All students of the Fenglin City Dao Academy who had cultivated for five years or more had registered for this Grand Selection — Li Jianqiu included. After the trip to Sanshan City, their bond had grown closer, and today Jiang Wang had meant to see him off.
The black-veiled woman said gently, "The first task. It is today."
Jiang Wang considered for a moment, then turned back into the house. "Wait a moment."
He left a note for An'an, telling her that something urgent had come up and he had to go out. If he did not return in time to collect her, she was to go and find Ling He. In truth, An'an no longer gave much cause for worry these days; when Jiang Wang could not get away, Tang Dun very often took on the task of ferrying her to and from school. In his own words, he had to do something for his master to feel at ease. And since both of them were receiving martial guidance from Jiang Wang, they could just about count as "senior and junior fellow disciples," so they had grown quite familiar.
Jiang Wang closed the door behind him a second time. The black-veiled woman had already drifted up onto the rooftop, and was receding into the moonlight.
Jiang Wang lifted his body and gave chase. The silhouette ahead moved with a graceful, languid grace, ever seeming within reach, yet ever keeping a film of distance between them.
"Miss, how shall I address you?" Jiang Wang asked as he moved swiftly along at about four body-lengths behind.
"Didn't I tell you? Call me elder sister." The voice came floating back, too lovely to be quite real.
"'Elder sister,' after all, is far too general — it cannot point to one so particular and so specific as you." Jiang Wang replied with special sincerity, and special confidence as well. He had gone out of his way to ask Zhao Rucheng exactly this question before, and Zhao Rucheng had taught him this answer.
"Oh?" The black-veiled woman deliberately paused, waiting until Jiang Wang had caught up to her side before she turned her head and shot him a glance that was half reproachful, half delighted. "Who taught you to say that?"
"No, no." Jiang Wang looked off to the side. "I made it up myself."
"When a man lies, he usually averts his gaze, and dares not look me in the eye."
I don't dare look at you? Jiang Wang thought, and deliberately turned his head to look at her, with a steadfast gaze.
"Sometimes, to cover up a guilty conscience, one turns all the more stubborn and unyielding."
I'd best just shut up. Jiang Wang thought.
"Hehe." The woman changed tack. "Since on our very first meeting, I already saw your bare body..."
As Jiang Wang's face unexpectedly reddened, she went on, "The lotus on your back. So — just call me White Lotus."
"Very well, Miss White Lotus." Jiang Wang felt a weight lift from his shoulders, and resolved that if he could avoid talking, he would.
But he asked again soon enough. "What are we going to do?"
"You'll know when we get there," said White Lotus, who had tossed off a name and an answer in equal measure.
"Then... where are we headed?"
"You'll know when we get there."
"..."
The journey passed in silence.
White Lotus seemed intent on testing the limits of Jiang Wang's speed; after leaving Fenglin City she kept accelerating, and only eased up once Jiang Wang began to show obvious strain.
The sky gradually changed hue, and the scenery receding along the roadside changed with it.
Jiang Wang could not help but ask, "Are we going to Sanshan City?"
"You'll know when we get there." White Lotus seemed to enjoy teasing him; having said it, she laughed at her own joke.
Jiang Wang could only swallow his belly full of questions and bury his head, following along.
By the time White Lotus finally stopped, the sun was already high in the sky.
Looking at the towering peak before him, and hearing the faint roars of beasts, an ill feeling rose in Jiang Wang. "What business do you have on Jade Scales Peak?"
White Lotus looked at him, amusement in her eyes. "Rest easy. I will do nothing that violates your principles, and nothing that sends you to your death."
"So then — what exactly is the matter?"
"Come up with me first."
"Wait? We're climbing Jade Scales Peak? With all those fierce beasts up there — just the two of us?"
White Lotus seemed prepared for this. She crouched down and slipped into a rocky cave, and after a moment emerged holding two animal pelts. She draped one over her own shoulders, and tossed the other to Jiang Wang.
"Put it on."
It was roughly a tiger pelt. The texture was pleasant, but it did not seem to have been treated very carefully, and carried a raw, gamey smell.
"Putting it on — to what end? To play at being a fierce beast?" Jiang Wang found everything about today somewhat absurd.
"Didn't you ask me how we're getting up Jade Scales Peak?" White Lotus had wrapped her whole body in the enormous pelt — fox, perhaps, or something else, with a lovely pattern — and walked past him. "This is the answer."
"No, that's not..." Jiang Wang's head ached. "You mean to say that just by wearing an animal pelt, a fierce beast would take you for one of its own kind?"
"Fierce beasts have no wits. Did you not know that?"
"That's as may be, but..."
"Too absurd, is it? To think that against such a fearsome pack of beasts, one could slip in by such a simple, simple trick? Sometimes what defeats us is not the hardship of reality, but the hardship of our thinking."
White Lotus took out a jar of medicinal salve, smoothed some over her hand, then dabbed out a little more and gestured for Jiang Wang to offer his hand, smearing a bit onto the back of it.
"Added to that, this salve that masks the scent — a single dab is enough to keep the beasts from scenting us," she explained as she applied it.
Her fingers were very cold, yet carried a subtle, pliable warmth, circling a few slow turns over the back of his hand before withdrawing.
"In short — difficulties have their solutions, but there is no healing a fool." She concluded at last.
"I keep getting the feeling you're calling me a fool..." Jiang Wang grumbled, draping the tiger pelt over himself.
It was at that moment that his gaze froze.
It came to rest on a cave mouth in the distance, where, all shadowy and indistinct, a few Killer Rock Bees were buzzing in and out. Yet he distinctly remembered how, not long ago, the Sanshan City Lord Dou Yuemei had wiped out these very fierce beasts to the last.
"These Killer Rock Bees... weren't they killed off completely?" Jiang Wang asked.
In his voice there was a thread of panic he had not himself detected.
"What do you think?" said White Lotus, in a voice that was neither quite a laugh nor quite not.