The sect had seen a flood of Seekers at every level. She formed the Council of Admissions from herself, Tim and Hanna, to avoid the destruction of the Sect’s culture.
They set a firm policy on max growth in each section per year. The funding as a silver seal covered more but the culture didn’t.
-*-
Tim: what is your honest opinion on Women becoming swordswomen?
Elder Candidate: I think they’ve earned that right?
Lucille: what do you think woman still shouldn’t be doing?
Candidate: I think the Monastic and pugilist communities should keep their all male status.
Hanna: what is your Dao, as it pertains to the sect?
Candidate: The sword protects life as it takes life. I stand against the enemy of my family.
^^
We added 2 elders, but over a 1000 outer sect members. Construction and outfitting in the surrounding region were pulled in to start producing our new Silver seal quality sect.
We promoted internally where we could but our leaders grew by 500% over the next 2 years, representing this new group was a seasoned 80 year veteran coming over from the Rose blossom sect, as head of Grace and Gratitude the program all members had to follow not just the fan wielders.
It was toned back but stiffened in other ways from the Rose Blossom. Less persuasion, more elite esprit de corps and discipline. We were a graceful sect of emperor’s favor but still his.
That process of shifting values was still undergoing as we filtered our students into a new tier. Core sect.
Our competitors in the silver seal competition in 8 years would be drawn from this level.
—<#
Anna was just as new to the current grounds of the Graceful Sword and Fan sect as the Imperial Guard detachment who surrounded her.
They were headed to the new Amphitheater for sect wide speakers and events. This was a proper sect in full now. Sect members were still waiting in line as the delegation passed through.
She had worn the Emperor’s favorite of her outfits. He was still 15, but they were friends. She felt a strong desire to protect and represent the Emperor well.
It was amazing to see the multitudes that had come from their sect idea, and a lot of hard work.
They met Lucille and the three team executives at the center of the amphitheater.
“Good to see you Anna.”
“Welcome Emeritus.”
“Thank you, it’s exciting to see what you’ve done with the sect. The Emperor sends his warmest regards.”
Motioning to her two Duty sergeants, they pass the perfectly white cases to her.
“The sword of my Youth, say hi Aida.”
Drawing out her first sword, she let it hover in the air where Aida stood on blade’s edge.
Drawing the second, “Markus, James come out.”
“Leopold,”
Her trainer and captain of the detachment stepped away from the rest.
“Brute force is useful,”
Leopold prepared an overwhelming attack, one so powerful the audience hushed.
Anna took the Emperor’s sword, stepped cleanly to the side of the attack, and in towards Leopold’s heart.
“But telegraphing a powerful attack gives you the option to avoid it.”
“Movement on attack, movement on defense is key.”
Leopold adjusted his attack, taking the same flexible movement. Strike, deflecting, movement press and strike again.
“Your advanced powers should smoothly go together with your combat style. I cannot fight like Leopold.”
Leopold strikes, his sword sprouting flame in each moment, in order to neutralize the waters. Anna strikes in long motions in which water bubbles out.
“Learn to deal with opponents who are stronger than you, I hope you don’t have to face Divine power, but Leopold are you ready?”
“Yes, milady.”
She weaves an attack where Aida piloted her sword to add extra strikes, while she struck with Mark and James’ sword.
He kept his distance, deflecting and seeking opportunities to strike.
“Next,” said Leopold.
With one sword again, she brought the divinity back into the waters, overwhelming Leopold’s Fire. Leopold stayed further back, taking a minor wound to his shoulder.
“Against stronger opponents, hold on until help arrives. Against weaker opponents, remove all openings. Demonstrate your quality not just your main strike.
If you have to risk your life, with no help coming, then look for an opening or unusual approach.
They stood at ready positions again, and now Leopold fired the cultivators gun. Anna dodged away.
“Didn’t take a chance on an attack you don’t recognize.”
“Thank you Leopold. Now, thank his Imperial highness, that one greater than I has graced your presence. We really can’t even fully spar at my level yet alone his without damaging sect grounds, but we can demonstrate our styles a bit. I imagine Chief Swordmaster Tim would recognize my style has changed, and so will yours as you ascend, but beginning with Humility and Grace you can find a solid starting point.
Are you willing, Steven?”
This new Divine favor cultivator landed from above.
Three swords swung at Anna in formation, burning with Divine lightning. She dashed back, and golden water resisted the lightning, just barely. Aida positioned the second sword to block and attack as Anna did the same. Thunder flashed and rain fell,
The battle drifted away from swords in one moment as water and lightning clashed, in the next moment swords met, and intense collisions forced Anna back.
She almost drew more power then but she stopped.
Three lightning bolts struck Steven, not harming him but lifting he into the sky.
“Let your sword arts and Fan arts soar. Headmaster Lucille?”
“Actually, I am the Sect’s High Chsmpion now. We have formalized your prior role. I’ve handed off chief administrator duties to a very well trained leader and staff, and I’ve been going on those same missions you once did.”
“Great! Of course I’m free to join in any new wars, but I’ve become part of the Emperor’s team of champions on international missions. I’m actually the junior member of that team. In addition to Steven, there’s a Senior Divine Cultivator who is in the late stages of Divine cultivation. She’s our last response on these missions. At her level, the saber fight seems overrun by sheer power, becoming something new once again.
I’ll hold back Aida and stick to Elemental water.”
Lucille’s fan now had sharp dagger points at the end of each segment of the fan.
<>
Lucille leapt and weaved her body around to avoid strikes, but wasn’t able to get an opportunity to get close. Rose petals became thorny and ripped into the waters coming off Anna’s sword, but her basics were even better now.
The thrown daggers she released, and Anna adjusted, Lucille pushed away her sisters sword with her fan, always possessing poise until the next surprise.
She folded the fan down to submit. Parts of the fan were in danger from mighty waters.
“Thank you. All of you, Sword cultivators as well, would do well to learn from your Champion’s style,” Anna said
With business-like efficiency Anna and her group left after the demonstration. She was used to battling Tim and putting heavy pressure on him. The fan just didn’t suit her requirements anymore, but how could she turn away from it?”
Lucille went up to the stage. “I hope that’s an encouragement as we set the new higher standard for our sect.”
—()—
“She fought inspired, knowing my limitations and working against my surprises.”
Hanna feinted with the sword, bursting in with fan as they sparred.
“I’m still missing something,” Lucille said.
<>
Tim spent a few minutes evaluating each Core sect swordsman or women. There were more men in the lower ranks, but about 50-50 at core.
“Your psychology is hurting. Be confident but humble. The arrogant mind assumes her enemy can’t stop an attack. The sworder assumes he can.”
“More support from your lower body, you’re putting too much stress on your hands and arms.”
<>
Anna, Steven and Arielle stood with the Emperor and his senior guards. Leopold merged into his staff as well for the international meeting at the Island of Four Emperors.
Daimon had grown into an affinity for staff cultivation, which reached the elemental stage early.
The powers of Divine Wind could spring forth from his Staff, but his Staff cultivation, apart from its power source, was at the opening stage.
Arielle used Divine fire, Steven lightning. Leopold was a master of Wind.
The emperors made their greetings, and Anna stood back with the others. Once they went into the meeting hall, the cultivators gathered.
“A new one for the Emperor of Bronze I see.”
“Arielle, arena 1?” Asked one of the other Senior cultivators.
“Come on, we’ll watch the lower end spars, I’ll tell you about what we do here while our Emperor is in talking with the others over these days,” Steven said.
Two of the junior cultivators started sparring in arena 4 and Anna and Steven watched.
“We spar and practice with our peers from the other nations. Arielle and Joseph are the two strongest cultivators of all 12 of us so they are sparring. You’ll have a chance to learn and test yourself in the last arena. Each arena provides more protection from powerful abilities than the last. Arena 4 isn’t much more than arenas back home
Arena 1 can contain astounding amounts of power without leaking damage.
We also go on missions to acquaint ourselves with the group. We’ll meet up with our leaders later and socialize as well.”
*
As the second most junior of the 12, Jacob was nonetheless significantly more advanced in cultivation and fighting than Anna.
“Develop beyond the single body, single sword mindset!”
Jacob disappeared and his peculiar sword style, using fencing rapiers, appeared all around him.
Multiple rapiers deflecting her attempts and exploding the divine waters. His element seemed to be metal, and it gave him the power to form more and more rapiers.
She tried to parry every rapier, giving full force to her natural ability but she was still stuck in her old habits. Start again. It was good that she was humbled.
Start again.
Just for a moment her consciousness occupied more, the water surged between her two swords, and gave her full control and power over both.
He was toying with her thought.
“Come on. Gotta let the other juniors spar here too.”
*
She worked with the Chief administration to create a position of Chief Socialite, giving the top Cultivator position to Tim or Ryan, a newer elder recruit who was the most advanced of the new bunch in Graceful Sword and Fan.
The Chief Socialite would be filled by the most socially charismatic cultivator, judged by Fan sect standards, but anyone could obtain it.
Many of the recruits from Fan sects had already started events where they invited Paraan city elites, and soon the city was inviting notables of the most prestigious sect that dominated their city’s economy.
Lucille had told them she was off-limits before when she became highest cultivator, but now she found invites easy. Rejoining society after the years focused down to a sect’s boundaries helped her.
Even her cultivation was improving again.
It wasn’t just Paraan locals, but influencers from the region showed up, especially once one of the sect founders attended.
She kept up her chats with Anna and filled people in when Anna let her.
“My sister is with the Conclave of Four Emperors. She says she is still the most junior of all of them in that crowd.”
“Why didn’t you move the sect closer to the Capital city when you gained Silver seal status.”
The mayor spoke up, “We were confident we could serve our distinguished sect’s new needs and enough people poured into the city to help construct the new compound.”
Lucille spoke up, “we think a sect should remember its roots, these leaves and branches started with the root, which is our unique philosophy and also this city.”
**^
Daimon was planning a complex military operation with the three other emperors. The Jade Falcon empire had been attacked by the Divine Dragon, a sect that had reached Empire status on its own. Now they feared the Divine Dragon was getting ready to strike again.
The four emperors had agreed to work together to either destroy or severely weaken the sect.
The upshot for her was more time training with Jacob.
She learned to express her sword spirits into the increasing abstract battle landscape. And now could bring 5 swords to bear, one each for her three spirits, and the 2 physical swords.,
She could only briefly control all 5 fully effectively.
The day after the announcement about a longer stay, the 12 of them went on their first adventure.
“Many Grand Duchies and Kingdoms exist without a Divine cultivator. They often call for aid in their internal disputes or when fighting monsters or even evil cultivators.”
She never realized so many smaller nations existed.
Arielle and Joseph went ahead to gather a conclave of small nations.
“I own several hundred rapiers, I only use the best 20 or so. Get some real swords for your spirits, and then go nuts from there. You have to have some serious money saved up.”
“I put a lot into founding a sect with my sister. I’ll see what I can find when we get back.”
“Only Divine capable swords will work. Remember that.”
**
Representatives of all Sects were called to the capital, as well as all strong members of Bronze, Silver and Gold seal sects. The Emperor declared war on a very powerful nation-level sect, as required by their treaty obligations to Jade Falcon empire.
The Imperial Army was calling up all its reservists as well.
The sight of such forces astonished Tim when he lead them into the silver seal formation. Their sect was a smaller rectangle in an ordered group of Silver seal sects. The bronze seals to their left, and gold to their right.
The regular sects gathered all together, containing only a tithe of three elders per sect.
The Official in charge of Proclamations stood beside the general of the Imperial army and three others. One of them was Anna.
“The advance on the Divine Dragon sect must me made with more coordination than our normal approach. General Sang will lead the Imperial army’s advance, as a blocking force. The Sects will lead the charge.
All Sect members who are below manifestation, please report to the army for the duration of this war.”
Most sects didn’t bring any juniors, but a few did, and a trickle of cultivators left for the army.
“Representatives from His Imperial majesty’s sects, and His Writ of the Bronze Seal sects shall follow Consort Ohnani’s command. While she is still exploring the Divine Waters of Lake Myleh, she is quite capable. Her sword techniques have expanded from two to five swords already.”
Lucille was interested in seeing the latest evolution of her sister’s power.
“ His Imperial Majesty’s Writ of the Silver Seal Sect shall follow Cultivator Deveroux. The lightning cloud of swords shall guide you.”
“His Imperial Majesty’s Writ of the Gold Seal Sect shall follow Cultivator Od’assan. For the first time, our last and most powerful cultivator shall charge forth with all of her powers rather than staying in reserve.”
“His Imperial Majesty reminds you to observe the honor and safety codes. If a battle breaks out between Divine cultivators, those of the Opening stage and below should keep their distance and seek advantage in another way. Be prepared to divide your sect forces by stage.”
“There are hundreds of miles to reach out target, so we will provide a flight beacon for each of the 4 groups.”
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