Big North
"Previously, I mentioned that my master provided me with everything I needed, to the point where I did not even bother with learning alchemy or forging."
Black Emperor gestured to the spear sitting in the middle of the chamber.
Before, Wuxian had been jumpy and hadn't properly inspected it. Scrutinising it now, he realised that it was a work of art. The main body of the weapon was forged out of some sort of black metal. Icy blue veins ran across its shaft, forming erratic patterns like that of a lightning strike.
Though he had referred to it as a spear, the truth was, that was merely due to its long shaft. The blade itself was short and wide, one half of its tip was curved, while the other side was fanged.
Attached to the fanged side was a long red tassel, made of an unknown material. Undoubtedly, this weapon was a treasure.
"This is the weapon my master forged for me. This type of weapon is known in the immortal world as a 'reclining moon blade', I don't believe it has passed onto the mortal world yet. Just the tassel alone is worth fifty mortal cities." Black Emperor bragged.
Wuxian nodded. Though he was not a weapons expert, his time in the army had shown him many different types of exotic weapons. Polearms were popular amongst officers and soldiers alike- it was unlikely for something like this reclining moon blade to go unused.
"This weapon is what we call an 'artifact', or a 'treasure weapon'." Black Emperor explained. "This one here bears the name 'Dark Edge of the North', or 'Northern Dark Edge'."
"What makes an artifact special?" Wuxian asked.
"You'll see in a second." His master responded. "Big North, come out."
The blade of the weapon tremored, giving off a rattling sound while the tassel danced in the air.
With a 'whoosh', a ghostly figure emerged out of the weapon. It appeared to be a middle-aged man. The ghostly apparition wore a tight-fitting black outfit, silvery-cyan markings running across the whole suit. On his shoulders was a white wolf fur scarf, the remoulded heads of wolves on either side, sitting snugly over his muscular shoulders.
On his back was a dark blue cape. Wuxian couldn't tell if there were any markings or other decors on the cape since the spirit was facing him.
The ghost had white hair, like his master, albeit with an electric blue tinge to it.
'Big North' had an annoyed expression, his eyelids twitching.
"I told you to stop calling me that, little Black." Big North admonished, his nose wrinkling.
Black Emperor turned to Wuxian with a grin. "Ignore Big North's words. He's cold on the outside but soft on the inside."
Looking at the spirit's cold demeanour, Wuxian bowed with a salute. "Junior greets senior."
Big North made a nasal sound, inspecting Wuxian closely. Then, the spirit's eyes widened in surprise.
"A Liang soldier?" He asked, astonished.
Wuxian was surprised as well. To think an artifact spirit like Big North knew about a minor mortal state and could even identify the uniform he was wearing beneath his armour.
"Mn, I was a lieutenant in Liang's expeditionary force against Qin." He replied.
Big North had a strange expression. He seemed to want to say something, but was cut off by Black Emperor.
"Ahem. I should explain a little about Big North and his origins first."
Big North glanced at Black Emperor, deciding to let him continue.
"Artifact spirits have two methods of conception. The first is for a weapon or treasured item to be nurtured. With constant care from a cultivator, after a few hundred years, the weapon might produce a spirit embryo, which eventually develops into an artifact spirit.
The second is exclusive to weapons. After killing many and absorbing the remnant souls of the deceased, a weapon can develop a spirit embryo as well, though the resulting artifact spirit will be bloodthirsty. These spirits are known as 'artifact fiends'.
While an artifact is sometimes known as a treasure sword or sabre, an artifact of the second category is known as a fiend sword or fiend sabre.
Now, the third category is a bit more special. Big North belongs to this group.
This is when a spirit, ghost or a remnant soul inhabits the weapon. Unlike the first two categories, this process is much quicker. Unlike the first two categories, the spirit remains very much its own individual, with its own personality and so on.
Whereas nurtured artifact spirits start off as newborns and develop over time, bound artifact spirits are already mostly developed.
The issue arises when the artifact's master and the bound soul do not work well together. Without cooperation, the two will hinder one another rather than complement each other."
Sensing Black Emperor's intention, Wuxian quickly bowed. "Disciple thanks master for the gift."
Big North was surprised again, but for a different reason.
"Little Black, you took on a disciple?"
Black Emperor scratched his head sheepishly. "Indeed."
Big North shook his head slowly. "Unbelievable… Next, you'll tell me that the Sun is rising from the West."
"Is it really that hard to accept?" Black Emperor asked, feeling slightly hurt.
Big North pointed an accusatory finger. "You ran away from home to elope with a woman. You ditched a master who had poured all his energy and effort into nurturing you for some vixen who you barely even knew."
Black Emperor winced slightly but ultimately remained quiet. On the side, Wuxian listened to the gossip eagerly.
"Worse than that, when that vixen wanted to marry you, you took off again! The dowry was an entire immortal city, even that family which you had feuded with in your youth showed up to the wedding to grant you their well wishes!" Ghostly spittle shot through the air and onto Black Emperor's face, but he did not evade the incoming tirade, silently accepting it.
"Half of the immortal world was looking forward to the wedding! Do you know how much I bragged to Big South and Little West about being the only one amongst the three of us with a married master? Did you know that I was looking forward to teaching your offspring in the future?
I was about to become Uncle North, but you ran away! On your wedding day! Now look at you, neither man nor ghost, neither alive nor dead, hiding away in this tiny, cramped little cave!"
Big North's angry rant slowly ended, with the spirit huffing in a rage. The chamber gradually quietened down, becoming awkwardly silent.
Wuxian suddenly noticed a problem.
"Master… may I ask you something?"
"What?" Came Black Emperor's sharp response.
"According to Big North's words, you have no offspring, correct?"
His master nodded. "Yes, what's your point?"
Wuxian pointed to himself.
"You said that you were my ancestor. Was that a lie?"
Black Emperor turned red. "Uh, well, technically, all humans are related to some degree. So being older than you by many thousands of years, I could be counted as your ancestor."
Big North couldn't take it any further. With a gust of wind, he delivered a backhand slap to Black Emperor's face, sending his ghostly form spiralling through the air.
Wuxian's brain short-circuited momentarily before he chased after his airborne master.
It didn't take long for him to catch up to his master who landed face-first on the ground.
"Leave me alone, I need to do some self-reflection. Go and chat with Big North."
"Okay. Enjoy your self-reflection, master." He said, bowing. Then, he ran back over to the centre of the chamber, where Big North was sitting in mid air.
"Uh, greetings senior North. Master says that he's doing some self-reflection."
Big North sighed, eyes shut. "Let him do what he wants. Come, cultivate with me."
Wuxian obeyed, deploying a cultivation cushion from his interspatial ring and sitting down.
He had already been circulating the Nine Revolutions Earthfire technique passively but with an active focus it could be circulated up to three times as fast.
The junior and senior sat side by side, eyes shut, in awkward silence.
Wuxian cleared his throat. "Uh, I did not know that artifact spirits could cultivate, senior North."
"Figures. Little Black, uh, your master, was always very bad at teaching others."
Big North took in a breath of air, replenishing his inner qi.
"I might as well explain the purpose of a treasured weapon, then, since you master most likely hasn't even considered teaching you this yet."
Wuxian nodded, listening keenly.
"As you've mentioned, artifact spirits like myself are able to cultivate. However, unlike living humans, we do not nourish ourselves, but the weapon that hosts us instead, improving its qualities.
As a true remnant spirit, with nothing left of myself other than my memories and my personality, I do not have dantians, nor do I have meridians.
This means that whenever I wish to execute any technique, I require a supply of qi from my user. When I absorb qi like you do, it merely goes into the weapon, nourishing its spirit metals. Without any dantians, I cannot store or utilise the spirit qi myself."
"But since you do not have meridians, how do you cast any spells?" Wuxian asked.
"Mn. Well, the weapon I reside in has artificial meridians carved into it. Though there are not as many as there are in the human body, there are enough to cast a few specific mystic arts." He explained.
The conversation descended back into silence.
After a while, Big North took the initiative to speak.
"Junior, you do not strike me as particularly foolish or impulsive. Why did you accept Little Black as your master? I hope it is no offence to you when I say that even the lowest of lone cultivators would have been a better teacher, despite the fewer resources."
For such a topic, where his master was most certainly listening in on both his thoughts and words, Wuxian was stuck. The slander of one's master was a serious offence in the mortal world and no doubt in the immortal world too.
In the end, he decided to tell the truth. He gained nothing from lying- he might as well be honest.
"To be frank with you, I did not have much choice in the matter. To be completely honest, my life has long since been out of my own control- I owe many debts to master."
Wuxian hesitated momentarily before continuing.
"But despite his unreliability and lacklustre teaching, master has also provided me with much more. Though he truly does score terribly as a teacher, the goodwill he has shown me is undeniable.
He is my master in this life. If we meet again in the next, our relationship will no doubt be the same."
There was no response. Raising his head and looking up, he saw Big North wearing an uncharacteristic big smile.
"Excellent." He chuckled. "In that regard, I am similar to you. I did not have much choice in acknowledging him as my master either. But he grows on you."
Then Big North's expression suddenly became serious. He lowered himself and gave a full martial salute to Wuxian.
"And now, I will be passed on from master to disciple. From today on, you will be my master*. I will do my best to aid you on your journey to understand the Dao. Should you one day find that I am no longer fit to be your companion spirit, I give you full permission to crush my soul orb and find a better replacement."
Wuxian sat there in shock. To think that Big North was also such an emotional and loyal person as well. Furthermore, such a display of emotion felt excessive- he did not think he deserved it at all.
Wuxian stood. He reached over, attempting to raise Big North up, only to find that his hands passed through the latter's body.
"Please rise, senior, Junior does not deserve your bow."
After a few moments, Big North stood straight. He gestured for Wuxian to be quiet, pointing to the corner of the chamber.
Following his gaze, Wuxian caught sight of his master sitting in the corner, facing the wall. Black Emperor's arms were raised, covering his face with his sleeves.
*This is not referring to the other meaning of master (shifu), but (zhu) or (zhugong) instead. This is more like a lord who keeps retainers.