67.ii Wake to Sagehood; Increase Sevenfold

Sun Ritsu

It’s true, Dear Traveler. Sun Ritsu was wholly unconscious, but we’re going to cover what was happening in his immediate environment anyway.

Like I said before, Our hero adopted a seated crouch, balancing on one end of his staff. His arms were folded and his head was slumped forward. His staff did not wobble in the slightest.

The Golden-Hooped Rod of Compliance was doing all the work, if you ask me. All Ritsu had to do was hope that Bodhi had hit him hard enough to last through the whole round. He could wake up at any time, and without his Radiant State, there’s no way he could stand a chance balancing on his own.

Just a few yards away was Sun Zhaoling, staying aloft in a similar position, but this time with his head held high. Next to him was Sun Tie Quan, who was perched on the end of his staff like it was a stool. On his right was Sun Terra, gripping her ringed staff with unglamoured feet and one hand. She gazed out at the audience like she was catching the view from the top of a mountain peak.

At the moment, only four out of the six contestants had chosen to use buffs. Zhaoling and Terra had opted out of this, choosing to rely on their own strengths, skill, sheer will and determination.

Sun Chop had his paralysis juice. Sun Liu held on to a second staff, positioning it horizontally over her chest to help maintain her balance. Sun Ritsu had his… whatever you want to call it. And Sun Tie Quan was getting some kind of buff from the point of contact of his staff. It’s not clear what effect that going blue haze was having on Blueforce at the moment.

“Listen here, Barefoot,” Blueforce said loud enough for his former classmate to hear, “it’s got to be me and you at the end of this. I won’t accept anything else.”

The only movement Zhaoling made were his eyes, which glanced sideways at Blueforce.

“Where is this coming from, Tie Quan?”

“We can’t let Spark down! He was supposed to be here with us!” The muscles in Blueforce’s neck squeezed and contracted as he got himself worked up.

Zhaoling noticed this and gave a lighthearted huff.

“Your sense of camaraderie flares up at the strangest times. Hold your passion for the final stretch, my friend. This game has barely begun. And don’t count out our competition. Things may not play out the way you see them in your daydreams.”

Blueforce took a look at the rest of the players and sniffed. Aside from Sun Terra, it was clear that he didn’t see anyone else as fair competition. But the blue-haired sun clone respected Sun Zhaoling enough to go quiet.

When Blueforce had regained his focus, Zhaoling’s eyes shifted over to Sun Ritsu. Close assessment played over his otherwise unreadable features. During the interim, Zhaoling had seen Ritsu huddled up with his team. It would seem that he had a shaolin monk on his side. As well as a dragon and lastly, a common sun clone of ordinary rank.

Sun Zhaoling quickly realized that it was only through the help of Nebula’s Parting that he could see the dragon. Everyone else probably only saw the curse. As a pilgrim of the Frog Province, there was not much that had sparked Zhaoling’s deep curiosity since he left. He was very sure that no one – not even Ritsu himself – could tell how distracted he was by the Fry Cook Hero. There were few things that could break Zhaoling’s focus, but this sun clone who kept strange, powerful company was definitely one of them.

And then… there was that other thing. Zhaoling sensed it from the first time he met Sun Ritsu way back when there were over a hundred sun clones in this arena.

Something about Ritsu’s staff wasn’t normal. Nebula’s Parting wasn’t powerful enough to show him the whole truth, but it revealed enough to worry Zhaoling and make him wonder if he had trained hard enough for this.

You’re on your path to become a sage and Sun Ritsu is just one of many tests. Treat him as one and you will not fail.

The Barefoot Sun slowly shut his eyes on the Fry Cook Hero and drew back into himself. Yes, he had his own daydreams. One of him becoming a Sage without the help of holy peaches or the sweet immortal wine they produced.

One of him becoming a role model – a shining beacon for all that came after him. A new breed of monkey king.

Equal to Heaven. Yes.

So he blocked Sun Ritsu out of his mind and focused on the only one on that field who had achieved the next step in Zhaoling’s journey.

Sun Terra, the Earthbound Sage.

When Zhaoling opened his eyes, he found that Sun Terra was leaning slightly forward and making eye contact with him from down the line.

Oh, this was good, Dear Traveler. This was so good. Because she knew as well as Zhaoling.

If you want to get to Sagehood, then you better pay attention and learn from a real Sage.