There were many different floors with different purposes, one of them was a massive warehouse filled with resources packed away in crates or stacked meters high, another was essentially one giant workshop were the sounds of sawing and hammering echoed throughout; The two of them eventually reached the floor they were aiming for, Shu He followed behind Bai Lian who was still hugging Little Xue while humming lightly, the little duck kept asking for help but Shu He just shrugged his shoulders, he didn't have it in him to ask Bai Lian to let her go when she looked cheerful.
As they rose up the last steps of the staircase the smell of grass ticked Shu He's nose along with a cool draft that was absent on the previous floors, this floor was a wide-open area filled with grass, flora, and small critters, it was like a giant park area for relaxation.
'Seems similar to the sanctuary, just on a smaller scale' Shu He looked around, there were many people sitting about here and there performing leisurely tasks like reading books, meditating, sleeping or such, it seemed like a floor dedicated to relaxation.
"Is your Senior Brother on this floor?" He asked Bai Lian who was currently looking off Into the distance, she seemed to have found what she was looking for as she pointed "Yeah, he's over there! Let's go!".
Shu He looked in the direction she pointed, he could barely make out a small gathering in the distance, it was nearly a kilometre away so he couldn't see too well, so he used his territory to get a better look.
"Wait, that's…" He murmured, seeing just who exactly it was they were going to see, a small smile crept up on his face as he followed Bai Lian, all it took was a leisurely few minutes of walk before they were before the crowd, tens of disciples were all sat in silence looking the same way, not a single noise was made from them.
"Let's wait, we need to keep silent" Bai Lian let go of Little Xue as she whispered and sat down gracefully. Little Xue happily hopped down before running to Shu He and nuzzling into his clothes making him silently laugh while holding his finger over his lip "I know" he replied, taking a set as well, Little Xue then hopped on his lap and got comfortable.
The two of them began to watch the spectacle that the others were, a short distance away a singular figure stood with a small knife in hand, their eyes fixated on a block in front of them, it was of made of purple wood and was currently half shaped, its finished form not quite recognisable yet.
*Swish*
A single swift movement and a fine shaving drifted off into the wind, the man's eyes shifted as his muscles adjusted before his hand arced once more creating a deep groove, each move was carefully calculated but filled with vigour and heart, every stroke contained everything this man had as the wood was carefully shaped one slice at a time.
This sight… was familiar to Shu He, he had once witnessed a very similar scene, a aged man sat carefully carving away for hours on end, tens of different carvings sat around him, yet nothing but dissatisfaction was seated on his face.
But the man who was before him now was entirely different, with each movement sweat flicked off his body as it sparkled with effort, his face adorned with an almost demonic smile and eyes enraptured by the object of his obsession.
His bronze hair tinged with white flipped freely as his exposed upper body showed off his chiselled form, it was clear that many among the audience female or not weren't here solely for his show of skills.
"Senior Brother's skills are truly breathtaking… I hear he hasn't even been in the sect for long, yet he's earned that admiration of all craftsmen" Bai Lian murmured next to him, her eyes were one of the ones fixated on the sculpture in progress.
'Senior Brother huh…' Shu He couldn't help but smile awkwardly, he felt that just 'Senior' was more accurate. "He's definitely changed a lot since back then…" he murmured. The figure in question was, of course, Yun Jiang, or Old Yun, one of the other members of Shu He's entourage that came from Green-Gate Village, and the oldest of the three by far.
The fact that he had joined the Crafting Division wasn't unknown to Shu He, however he hadn't heard exactly what he had been doing here, nor about his popularity; But seeing him now, Shu He felt it was natural, Yun Jiang was a craftsman with decades of experience under his belt, a true hidden master of the mortal craft; Now that he had dipped his toes in to this world of immortal crafting he was like a fish with wings.
They continued to watch in silence as more and more crowded around, the sculpture was becoming more and more visible, it was possible to guess the final product, or rather it was already passable as one, it would be considered a high-quality sculpture if released into the market.
But it was clear Yun Jiang wasn't done, he paused for a few minutes as he caught his breath, taking in his work as he primed the knife, his Qi surged as the audience felt an odd aura wash over them, it was faint, almost like a thing veil of mist, most noticed nothing.
'What is this?' Shu He couldn't help but frown, even with his Territory he couldn't see anything unusual, what he felt didn't feel dangerous or threatening, but it was unsettling to him being unable to identify it.
The next few minutes was filled with the sound of carving and laboured breathing, Yun Jiang cut the sculpture with non-stop strikes like a mad man, it was like he wanted to finish it even if it was the last thing he would achieve in his lifetime.
And then it was over.
Yun Jiang stumbled back as it caught his breath, sweat dripping down his skin as he stored his sculpting knife carefully in a bag tied to his waist. He then carefully examined the sculpture before placing his hands together as if he was praying.
A moment of silence passed.
He turned to face the crowd and a look a surprise became plastered on his face "Oh, I didn't think I'd attracted such a crowd, you'll have to forgive me I was quite in my work".
"You did nothing wrong Senior Brother; we were all enraptured by your art!" Someone called out.
"Then thank you for the compliments! This work here… let's see… I'll call it 'Ascension', I was inspired by the many disciples I've seen since I've come here working hard to overcome their failures!" He bowed "I'll leave this one here for anyone to see".
"Really? You're so generous Senior Brother!" The crowd went and cheered.
"I can feel the true meaning of your work just by looking at it, your skill has improved once more Senior Brother!" Someone said, along with many other compliments.
"Thank you, thank you, but please I must be on my way, I'm exhausted so please let me go; Feel free to enjoy this sculpture as much as you want" Yun Jiang waved off the disciples that were closing in to him as he weaved away.
"Please rest well, Senior Brother!" A female disciple almost squealed, causing Yun Jiang's step to hasten, eventually he left their view as he entered a small forest area.
"Let's go Shu He, we can't lose him if you want to ask him a favour" Bai Lian tugged the sleeve of Shu He who was currently stuck staring at the sculpture. The subject was simple, it was a carp climbing a waterfall, yet it was so well sculpted that even though it was made with a unique purple tinted wood, it felt lifelike as if the carp would begin moving to struggle against the flowing water at any second, it wasn't just that, he could feel the struggle the carp was undergoing and the will to overcome its predicament. It wasn't a mere inspiration, he could feel something pushing him to understanding, something far deeper.
"Shu He?" Bai Lian called out to him once more. "Huh? Oh, sorry, yeah we should go" Shu He snapped out of his trance; The two of them gave chase while ignoring the crowd going wild over the sculpture.
…
Yun Jiang was sat on a bench next to a small pond, tiny fish swam in patterns while the gentle chirping of birds created a relaxing atmosphere, he was completely slack with his head hanging off the back of the bench as his eyes were closed shut.
"Not bad… not bad…" he murmured to himself as he enjoyed the silence.
"Can't handle crowds, old man?" A sudden voice stirred him from his relaxation as he sat up and turned his head to see who it was, he then grinned when he saw who it was "You brat, do I look old to you?".
Shu He waltzed over and took a seat next to him "You'll always be old to me, no matter how young you look" he said as he flashed a cheeky grin.
"Hah" Yun Jiang laughed "Well, it's true that crowds are too much of a bother, but I can't work on a sculpture a cramped environment so that stuff always happens… it's a pain" he sighed.
"That's natural, you skills seem to have gotten even better, I was surprised to hear you become the 'Senior Brother' of this division" Shu He remarked "Especially with your reputation down 'there'".
Yun Jiang shrugged "Different Division, different people" he then hung his head slightly "I do prefer the work ethic of the Forging Division though, even if they give me weird names". He then frowned slightly as he looked to the side "By the way… what's with this weird chicken?" he said, pointing at Little Xue who was staring at him from the side.
"Quack?!" [Chicken?!] she said, with as much shock on her face as a duck could have.
"She's a duck; This is little Xue, my new partner" Shu He introduced her, inciting an odd frown from Yun Jiang. "You've got a duck as a partner… you sure are odd, Shu He". It was then that Bai Lian who had came slightly after Shu He made her presence known.
"It's been a while Senior Brother Yun" She bowed in greeting. "Well if it isn't the little lass! Oh sorry, Bai Lian, right? It has been a little while, what brought you to me today?".
"So you knew each-other?" Shu He couldn't help but ask, thinking it was a small world.
"I could say the same thing" Bai Lian replied, lightly puffing her cheeks "If you told me you knew Senior Brother it would have been easier to introduce myself".
"Now, now, isn't a good thing we all know each-other?" He looked at Shu He "My teacher took notice of her when she joined a little while back and got me to show her around, she's good with her pretty little hands".
"Senior Brother that… could be taken the wrong way" Bai Lian looked at him with shock.
"Really? Sorry ahahahaha, but really she's got some skill, that's why I know her" He shook off the accusations before turning to Bai Lian "And me and little Shu here came from the same village, that's why we know each-other".
"What? Really? There was such a connection?" Bai Lian looked between with wide-eyed "I've heard people theorising where you came from with such skill, to think it was the same place as Shu He…" she meekly looked at Shu He "That may explain it…" she murmured.
"By the way, why did you come to visit me anyway? Need your sword fixing?" Yun Jiang asked Shu He.
"I do have something to ask of you about my sword later, but right now I want to see the Crafting Division Elder".
"Elder? My teacher? Why?" Yun Jiang couldn't help but ask, a hint of curiosity sparkled in his eyes.
"I want to ask him about making some clothes out of Memory Thread for this little one here" Shu He patted Little Xue's bobbing head as he spoke "I have a letter from my division's Elder for him as well".
"Memory Thread… how unique, pity I can't do that yet…" Yun Jian said with regret "Okay, I was just going to see him, so you can come along with me!" he stood up, slightly stumbling before stretching out and yawning.
"Are you sure you don't want to rest a bit more?" Bai Lian said out of concern.
"It's fine! If I laid down any longer I'd fall in to a deep sleep ahahahaha" He said before wandering off.
And so, the three (Plus a duck) of them set off to find the Division Elder.