Ch1 : Aka how to date someone who has everything,
Liu Li-Tai had been struggling with the question of where to take his partner for their anniversary, and what they would do. Zhou Jinhai was an easy man to get along with. He rarely asked for anything, he was terribly self-sufficient, and seemed to be in need of nothing in particular. Liu Li-Tai had been watching the man for a while, trying to figure out if he was perhaps in need of anything practical. But the sect provided almost everything a cultivator required; living space, clothing, food, money, and cultivation aides. Zhou Jinhai already had a first class spiritual weapon, his sword Quiyue, despite being of common birth. But that was to be expected of a sword prodigy.
Eventually the day had come and Liu Li-Tai still hadn't come across a suitable plan. So, he went with plan B; winging it. He knew Zhou Jinhai would be in the training grounds at this time of day and thus Liu Li-Tai was on his way across the mountain's flank to where the arena had been set up. Situated on a secondary slope, well away form the sect's main complex it consisted of a massive walled arena protected by an even larger array. Unlike most arrays, it was not a defensive circle to keep intruders out, but to keep qi blasts and sword glares in. Pushing open one of the heavy, fortified wooden doors, Liu Li-Tai slipped inside, the door swinging shut with a resounding thud behind him.
The array over head was active, a shimmering blue-green dome that was barely visible. Only when a stray blast struck it, would the translucent construction flair brightly for a brief moment. Below, in the middle of the wide open space, a single solitary figure danced. Every movement was supremely graceful, emphasised by the elegantly flowing robes of white and pale green that seemed to billow and sway as if in slow motion. The shimmering flash of a silver blade flickered back and forth, perfectly controlled as it formed intricate patterns in the air. The tall, elegant body moved with liquid grace as he ducked and thrust, spun and parried his invisible enemies, creating an effect like the afterimage of a sword glare that lanced out from the blade with each controlled movement. Despite the visual effect, there was no qi imbued in the attacks. It was simply the shock wave from each powerful strike as the very air was forced to move before the blade. Such was the physical strength of a peek core-formation cultivator.
Liu Li-Tai was content to wait for Zhou Jinhai to finish his sword meditation. Unlike most disciples -for both were still inner disciples who had yet to finalise their training and become full Liu cultivators - Zhou Jinhai didn't meditate in the traditional lotus pose, quietly somewhere out of the way. No, his partner was a sword prodigy, and had refined his own version of Moving Cultivation in the form of his sword meditation. Moving Cultivation was rarely done by disciples, no matter how talented, as the level of concentration and control over their body they needed while their mind was deep within their center was not easily taught.
Smiling to himself as he watched the other man leap and spin, Liu Li-Tai could only be content. His lover was special, and he, Liu Li-Tai, had claimed him for himself.
Not a single blast was sent out to test the barrier, which would have indicated a lack of fine control. Instead, only the shimmering waves of pressure repeatedly rolled across the arena forming intricate patterns as they criss-crossed like ripples on a lake. Zhou Jinhai's eyes were closed as he bounded across the tops of the tall bamboo poles the disciples typically used for balance training. The fluttering of cloth like a butterflies wings as he shot high into the air, almost reaching the top of the shimmering dome before landing back at his starting position with a soft thump and puff of dust. His sword spun, flashing in the sunlight as it was slid back into the sheath at his waist. Then finally dark eyes opened, moving to regard Liu Li-Tai, as a small, demure smile formed on the flushed peach blossom of his lips.
"A-Yu." He greeted, not even breathing heavily as he turned and clasped his hands before him in welcome. "Sorry, were you waiting long?" Dropping his left hand to rest lightly on the silver pommel of his sword, he folded his right behind his back as he started to make his way over to Liu Li-Tai, who grinned broadly as he moved away from the arena doors and strode to meet his partner, ignoring the typical martial bow in favour of draping an arm around Zhou Jinhai's shoulders and giving him a sloppy kiss on the cheek.
"You forgot again, didn't you." He accused without heat, too happy to mind. After all, Zhou Jinhai's dedication was one of the things that had made Liu Li-Tai fall in love with his fellow disciple all those years ago. Laughing at the faint colour that appeared on Zhou Jinhai's cheeks he shook his head in mock-disappointment. "You know it's the same date every year, right?" Though he didn't give his companion time to apologise as he wound his arm through Zhou Jinhai's and dragged him back to the door and out the area.
