By the time dawn broke, the Ark had traveled a thousand miles without slowing down, following the vague speck on the horizon that was their monstrous, Tyrant savior.

  When the adrenaline faded, Wu Yulan, Yun Fei, and Zhu Xuelian did not look so heroic anymore. Everyone was exhausted, but especially these three. Moreso, Zhu Xuelian was heavily wounded, but not so much as Lei Yangming who was struggling to keep his life.

  The Frozen Peak Palace disciples all sat next to Lei Yangming, trying to help him recover his vitality by channeling their profound inner arts. During the martial conference almost a year ago, Ren Jinhai was the first to attempt to stop the pointless, bloody grudge match between the Heavenly Mountain Pavilion and the Frozen Peak Palace disciples, where almost everyone involved was heavily injured. Lei Yangming, as the first-ranking representative, finally put an end to pointless bloodshed with his spectacular match against Mu Jingyu.

  Even so, since then the Frozen Peak Palace disciples and the Heavenly Mountain Pavilion disciples still harbored remnants of grudges in their hearts. But after Lei Yangming’s valiant sacrifice, those grudges were dispelled, so the three Frozen Peak Palace disciples tried their best to help him recover.

  For the rest of the trip, they did not encounter any more Sovereigns. Sometimes, they would hear the bestial roar of the Tyrant beast, and though it frightened them every time, by now, everyone had begun to believe that the Tyrant beast was really on their side.

  Everyone processed their close encounter with death differently. After battle, when bravery evaporates, the narrow road is even narrower, and one cannot help but meet one's weakness on it. Though, compared to Wu Yulan and Zhu Xuelian, they were doing a lot better. Maybe because they weren't all alone?

  Zhu Xuelian was resting in the garden, on a bench, when Mu Jingyu came over.

  “Sister Zhu, it looks like Lei Yangming will survive,” she said.

  “That is good. I am glad,” Zhu Xuelian replied.

  “You were also injured, no? Can I treat you?”

  Zhu Xuelian ran her fingers over her broken ribs and winced. “I would like that, but I am afraid you would only be wasting your efforts,” she said. “I am only in the Qi Condensation realm, remember? I can’t recover as quickly as brother Lei.”

  Mu Jingyu frowned. “Yet, you still placed yourself in such danger. Maybe you are the one who forgot what cultivation realm you are in?”

  Zhu Xuelian chuckled, then winced. “Please, Sister Mu, don’t make me laugh. It hurts.”

  Mu Jingyu giggled, then sat down next to Zhu Xuelian, and despite the rejection, began to circulate her internal arts, and channel the raw vitality to Zhu Xuelian.

  Within moments, a cool, soothing feeling filled Zhu Xuelian’s meridians.

  The grade of Mu Jingyu’s internal arts must’ve been really high to produce such pure vitality.

  “Your internal art is very advanced, Sister Mu. I am quite impressed,” Zhu Xuelian said.

  “I am glad you approve, Sister Zhu.”

  “Wu Yulan also cultivates ice. If you learn how to breathe the vitality of nature directly from her, even Sovereign beasts won’t be your equal,” Zhu Xuelian said.

  Hearing those words, Mu Jingyu’s concentration broke, and she opened her eyes. She glanced over her shoulder, toward Wu Yulan, then looked at Zhu Xuelian. At first, she looked skeptical about the prospect of breathing in the vitality of nature directly.

  Nervously, she brushed a stray hair from her face.

  “Sister Zhu, do you also know how to do this…?” she asked.

  Zhu Xuelian nodded. “I do, but at the moment, I can’t circulate that inner art.”

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  Mu Jingyu swallowed, and with a much quieter voice said. “Then… if possible… I’d like to learn from you…”

  “But Wu Yulan could teach you right n—“

  Mu Jingyu shook her head. “I want… if… if you’d like to… I want to learn from you.”

  Zhu Xuelian smiled and took Mu Jingyu’s hand into her own. “Back then, before my duel that started all of this, you tried to give me your sect’s precious inheritance — the Glacier Breaking Sword — even though that would’ve cost you everything,” Zhu Xuelian said. “This Zhu Xuelian is forever grateful to you.”

  Mu Jingyu smiled, but couldn’t meet Zhu Xuelian’s eyes. “Then…?”

  Zhu Xuelian nodded. “I will share with you everything I know about cultivation and the sword.”

  Mu Jingyu looked up, eyes wide. “Even your swordsmanship?”

  “Of course!” Zhu Xuelian replied and winced as the motion of her excitement inflamed her injuries. “We all decided to go on this journey together, to become stronger and seek the Dao, as if we had one will, one mind, and one body. What secrets can there be between such sworn friends?”

  Mu Jingyu’s smile grew even larger, yet remained just as shy. “This Mu Jingyu feels very fortunate to have crossed paths with you, and whatever happens tomorrow, there won’t be any regrets.”

  “If you don’t lie down and rest, Lei Yangming, I won’t forgive you!!” Yuan Qiuyue’s shout drew Zhu Xuelian’s attention.

  Despite the protests of the angry Frozen Peak Palace disciples, Lei Yangming used his spear to slowly drag his half-dead corpse over to Mu Jingyu and Zhu Xuelian, collapsing to his knees several steps away.

  This prompted the two angry Frozen Peak Palace disciples to try to help him to his feet, rather than to force him to rest. They also stared at Zhu Xuelian with half-expectant stares.

  “Brother Lei…” Mu Jingyu whispered.

  “I… Lei Yangming… have been a fool my entire life,” he spoke, forcing his tone to remain even and show no hint of the pain he was experiencing. “You opened my eyes… to the unfairness… and the selfishness of my sect…”

  “Brother Lei… there is no need to—“ Zhu Xuelian began, but Lei Yangming continued.

  “When those beasts attacked… it was all I could do to protect… my brother Ren… but also…” Without finishing his sentence, he looked at Mu Jingyu and the other disciples that have begun to slowly gather around Lei Yangming.

  “If it weren’t for you… and Wu Yulan… and Yun Fei… I… and everyone here…”

  Everyone nodded to his words.

  Zhu Xuelian lowered her eyes and chewed on her bottom lip. “Brother Lei… this… really…”

  “I owe this life to you,” Lei Yangming said and cupped his fist to Zhu Xuelian. He almost collapsed right there, had the others not caught him, and helped keep him steady.

  This time, Zhu Xuelian was speechless and embarrassed. She couldn’t look at Lei Yangming.

  “I know I have… no right to ask… as I already owe such a large… debt to you…” Lei Yangming continued. “But I also… want to become stronger. I always thought… I was strong… but yesterday… I realized… this couldn’t be further… from the truth. A Qi… Condensation cultivator… saved my — Lei Yangming’s! — life…”

  No one expected Zhu Xuelian to have such a weakness, though they didn’t seem displeased at all. Seeing her blushing cheeks at the praise of Lei Yangming, she seemed completely different than before. Who'd have thought that this monster was shy and couldn't handle praise?

  “Brother Lei… you are exaggerating…” Zhu Xuelian whispered.

  “I want to… protect my friends…” Lei Yangming spoke before the pain cut him off.

  Though Lei Yangming never specifically worded the request, his meaning was clear.

  Sun Yongzheng cupped his fist and bowed. “This Sun Yongzheng would also like to show his gratitude. You have shown me the shape of the sword I want to wield, once, and I hope, in the future, you will help me find it again.”

  Sun Yongzheng was the only True Disciple of the Galaxy Sword sect who achieved that prestigious position while in the Foundation Establishment realm. On the day he joined the sect, he challenged a late-stage Core Formation cultivator, and won, earning him the tenth rank, and a promotion into the True Disciples shortly after. When he met Zhu Xuelian, he said that he was stuck in the Foundation Establishment realm for five years, because his sword lacked something.

  After witnessing Zhu Xuelian at the Conference, shortly after, he must’ve found the sword he sought because he became a Core Formation cultivator.

  For Sun Yongzheng — the disciple with the highest status — to lower his head like this, it was more clear a sign to everyone that this was the right thing to do than anything else.

  Everyone cupped their fist and bowed to Zhu Xuelian.

  “It is my fortune to be able to travel with Zhu Xuelian; despite the dangers and risks, I am certain more than ever that I walk a righteous path, and that it leads to the apex,” Tian Li said. “I want to become strong like you, so I don’t embarrass Elder Qin when I meet her again, one day!”

  “You…” Zhu Xuelian whispered, blushing so brightly that her entire cheeks and neck were red.

  Wu Yulan smiled mischievously. “This Yulan is helpless on her own, so she hopes big sister will take care of her…”

  At this, Zhu Xuelian glared at Wu Yulan, causing everyone to chuckle.

  “You too, Yulan?!” Zhu Xuelian protested, covering her cheeks. “There’s no need for this… didn’t we all say we would go on a journey together and seek the Dao? We will share hardships and treasures. We will face dangers and opportunities. We will all become stronger, and none of us will be weaker than the other. Maybe then, we will be able to enjoy the life of peace and friendship that we earn here!”

  Everyone’s hearts soared. Perhaps it was because they spent their lives in sects with their competitive environments that they were worried, but hearing Zhu Xuelian’s words, they began to regard the future in a hopeful manner, free from the tyranny of the shadow of Sovereign’s wings.