On the day before the tea ceremony, Yang found himself donning on a fresh set of robes, making his way towards the teleportation formation.
He hadn’t left his cave residence much since coming to the Crystal Cave and spent the majority of his time cultivating, working extra hours to make up for the months spent primarily on practicing talismans and to reinforce his sudden and uneven increase in cultivation realm.
While his qi capacity and strength had increased, compared to the steady, solid cultivation he had maintained before, it felt unstable, and he had committed himself to consolidating it properly before his ceremony.
It took long periods of cultivation to solidify his realm, especially since he had advanced two minor realms at once. It was during one of these intense cultivation sessions that he finally exhausted the last of his Pink Lotus Tea leaves. His days had otherwise been marked by occasional visits from Senior Brother Zhen Hao and one visit from Senior Brother Xiao Zhan, who had come to inform him that his Spirit Spiral plants had not survived the attempt to transplant them.
Yang had been disappointed but not badly so, as he had already been aware before planting them that moving them was nigh impossible. And considering how they were an obvious tell for the difference in his qi, he was unsure if he would be repeating the experience of growing them.
Senior Brother Xiao Zhan also told him that several of his Senior Brothers already in the sect had wanted to meet him but had been prevented from doing so as Master had decided he needed time to settle and that stabilizing his cultivation was the priority.
The meeting had been postponed to the day before the ceremony, so that the Senior Brothers coming from still traveling could arrive in time to be present.
And finally the day was here.
Yang activated the formation and appeared in the same small cave at the top of the peak and made his way outside.
He started walking towards Master’s cave, where he was supposed to meet everyone.
Last time he took this path, he had been too overwhelmed to pay much attention to anything around him, but this time he had the full presence of mind to enjoy the breathtaking view of the peak.
Soaring Cloud Peak was extraordinary, and it certainly lived up to its name. It reached above the clouds and pierced them, the peak soaring so high that the clouds were not only above him but around and below as well. From what he had learned from Senior Brother Zhen Hao , it was not only the oldest peak in the sect but also the highest. The main reason it remained private rather than serving as one of the sect’s main peaks was its location, too far from the central cluster of peaks for practical use as either a teaching or administrative space.
It took a few minutes to reach the door and he waited to be called in. It took a few seconds before he heard the call, “Come inside.”
Yang passed through the stone door and entered his master's main hall, which looked different from his first visit. The formal arrangements of seats flanking the path to the dais had been replaced by a long table running through the centre of the space, with chairs placed around it on all sides.
Master sat on one side with Senior Brothers Xiao Zhan and Zhan Hao sitting on either side of him.
“Yang, you are here!” Senior Brother Zhen Hao called out boisterously, patting the seat next to him.
Master watched him serenely while Senior Brother Xiao Zhan gave him a small smile.
Yang made his way to the table and gave a bow to Master and his Senior Brothers and was about to go to Senior Brother Zhen Hao's side when Senior Brother Xiao Zhan stopped him.
“No, sit here. I don’t trust Junior Brother Zhen Hao not to ply you with alcohol the day before your tea ceremony.”Yang immediately reversed direction and made a U-turn towards Senior Brother Xiao Zhan instead and settled down in the seat next to him.
Master addressed him. “Chen Yang, there is no need to wait outside. My disciple may enter whenever they wish.”Yang agreed, “I will remember that, Master.” And Master nodded, satisfied.
Yang glanced around the table wondering where the others were when Senior Brother Xiao Zhan said quietly from his left. “They will be here shortly.”
“Are you excited for your tea ceremony?” Senior Brother Zhen Hao asked.
“Nervous.” Yang admitted.“Nervous? Why? It's your day. Over a thousand pairs of eyes would be on you.” Senior Brother Zhen Hao seemed genuinely puzzled by this.
But before Yang could reply, footsteps at the entrance announced a new arrival.
An unfamiliar face wearing an amused expression.
“Have you ever considered,” the newcomer asked as he took a seat next to Senior Brother Zhen Hao, “that not everyone is a peacock, Junior Brother Zhen Hao?”
Senior Brother Zhen Hao made a sympathetic face. “What can I say. Some people are naturally talented and good-looking enough that they fear no amount of eyes on them.” He shook his head gently. “I grieve that you must have never known the feeling.”
Before they could go on, Senior Brother Xiao Zhan interrupted from next to him. “Chen Yang, this is Junior Brother Yuan Shen. Master’s tenth disciple.”“And you are my new Junior Brother.” The stranger—no Senior Brother Yuan Shen said to Yang.
Yang gave a bow to this new Senior Brother as he greeted him. “I am Chen Yang, Senior Brother.”
“Well met. Chen Yang. I look forward to getting to know you.” Senior Brother Yuan Shen offered Yang a smile.“Where are the rest of them?” Master asked.Senior Brother Yuan Shen's smile turned mischievous. “Oh, a few of them are getting beaten up by Senior Brother Yun Xi . The rest are betting on the outcome.”
Suddenly, Senior Brother Xiao Zhan's thunderous voice echoed through all directions as he used some technique to amplify his voice over the peak. “Enough. Come to Master’s hall at once.”
Yang looked wide-eyed.
Senior Brother Yuan Shen caught his expression from across the table. “First time seeing this face of Senior Brother Xiao Zhan , Junior Brother Yang? Don’t worry, nightmares courtesy of Senior Brother Xiao Zhan are a rite of passage. You will get your turn soon enough.”Senior Brother Zhen Hao let out a snicker, “Oh, Yang has already had his turn.”
“Oh, really.” Senior Brother Yuan Shen turned a scolding expression to Senior Brother Xiao Zhan as he wagged a finger at him as if he were a naughty child. “Senior Brother, Poor Junior Brother Yang hasn’t even been formally accepted yet, and you are already scaring him.”
Senior Brother Yuan Shen shook his head theatrically as if greatly disappointed while Senior Brother Xiao Zhan returned him a deadpan look.
Master watched quietly with amusement clear on his face.
“Oh, he did it even before Master met Chen Yang,” added Senior Brother Zhen Hao cheerfully.
Senior Brother Yuan Shen's eyebrows rose. “You are improving, my most respected Senior Brother.” Senior Brother Yuan Shen said to Senior Brother Xiao Zhan admiringly as he gave a mocking bow that managed to convey the opposite of respect.
There was a commotion at the door before anyone could continue as a dozen or more accurately nine disciples came in together, some still looking disheveled, consistent with Senior Brother Yuan Shen's description of their previous activity.
Yang instinctively moved to stand and was stopped by a light pressure from Senior Brother Xiao Zhan's hand on his knee.
He stayed seated as all of them found empty seats and settled in. The one who ended up in the chair next to him gave Yang a warm, easy smile.Master looked over the now full table. “This is Chen Yang, my thirteenth and last disciple.”
Before turning to Yang. “Chen Yang, these are all your Senior Brothers.”
Every head at the table turned towards him. Nods and greetings came from all directions, and Yang returned them as best as he could, though the opportunity for any individual introductions dissolved immediately as the hall erupted with the sound of over a dozen people as they all spoke to each other and over each other.
The comments came from every direction.
From, “Congratulations, Zhen Hao. You finally escaped the fate of being the youngest.”
To offensive ones like. “I would have thought Master got perfection with me and there was nothing left to further improve upon.”
This last remark produced immediate chaos. Half the table took offence at the implication that they were something to be improved upon, and the other half were offended at being called essentially redundant. Yang even saw Senior Brother Xiao Zhan's face twitch at that particular remark, though he did not say anything, content to let the resulting verbal reckoning unfold without his assistance.
“Enough,” Master called out in an even voice. “Calm down before your youngest Junior Brother regrets his decision to join our peak.”
The noise subsided, but the pointed looks and the teasing smiles did not; the voices dropped to an acceptable level.
Senior Brother Xiao Zhan waved a hand, and suddenly the table gave an audible creak under the sudden weight of the dishes appearing across its surface.
He passed an empty bowl to Yang along with a pair of chopsticks and told him to fill it.Yang filled it with rice and added a few pieces of fried shrimp. The Senior Brother beside him reached across and used the serving chopsticks to place a small fish, half the size of his palm, into his bowl. “Try this, Junior Brother. Senior Brother Qing An brought it from the Starry Sea.”Yang thanked him and picked it up with his chopsticks. It was extraordinary.Someone further down the table turned to the one who had been named. “Junior Brother Qing An, you were at the Starry Sea? How did you get back so quickly for Junior Brother Yang's tea ceremony?”The slim-figured man who was apparently Senior Brother Qing An, sitting towards the far end of the table, glanced over and told him. “It was hardly quick. Master told me to return for Junior Brother's tea ceremony over two years ago.”
The table went quiet as almost every eye went towards the head of the table.