The two silent words, mouthed with a soft, effeminate smile, were a thunderclap in the quiet sea of Bi Kan’s soul.

  A thousand calculations bloomed and died in his mind in the span of a single heartbeat, each one ending in a cold, hard wall of uncertainty.

  Does he… really know something about me?

  His body remained a statue of polite deference, but his mind was a whirlwind.

  He stood his ground, his gaze unwavering as he met the predatory green eyes of the Junior Elder.

  That can't be. I'm not reckless like before.

  Pia Xin only caught me because I wasn't prepared for his level of perception…

  His hands, which had been tensed at his sides, slowly rose, folding into the formal, respectful gesture of a junior disciple.

  He gave a slight, placid bow.

  "This disciple thanks the Junior Elder for stopping this senior from causing havoc within the outer court!" he announced, his voice steady and clear.

  His sharp eyes lifted, peering at Su Mingzhe from beneath his lowered brow.

  I highly doubt he knows anything tangible. The sword is hidden. The wolf is dormant.

  A cold, analytical calm settled over him, pushing back the initial wave of panic.

  It's more like he's trying to see if I crack. He's probing, hoping I'll reveal something I'm not supposed to.

  A flicker of something dark and primal stirred deep within him.

  Bi Kan’s lips almost curved upwards, a hint of excitement touching the core of his being.

  You really are—

  "You're good," the Junior Elder announced, his voice a soft melody that cut through Bi Kan’s thoughts.

  The smile he offered was genuine, yet held no warmth. "Truly outstanding."

  His attention then shifted, flowing away from Bi Kan as if he were yesterday’s news.

  His gaze landed on the arrogant Inner Disciple, Wei Lingfeng, who was still trembling with a mixture of rage and fear.

  "You almost started a battle against the Outer Disciples," Su Mingzhe mused. "Did you really believe you could win?"

  His predatory eyes drifted down, settling on the blade Wei Lingfeng grasped so tightly.

  "Or is it because that blade isn't simple? There's more to it than meets the eye. How about this Senior Brother takes a look?"

  He grinned, his hand reaching out with a slow, deliberate grace.

  "N-No!"

  Wei Lingfeng leaped back as if stung, his boots scraping against the stone as he escaped the Junior Elder's reach.

  "Oh my," Su Mingzhe sighed, a theatrical look of disappointment on his flawless face. "I let my guard down. I didn't think you'd be able to resist the pressure I was exerting..."

  The air around the Junior Elder grew heavy, suffused with a scent that was both intoxicating and deadly—like blooming nightshade and fresh graves.

  Only two people in the courtyard truly understood its nature.

  Wei Lingfeng, who had heard the chilling rumors that clung to this man’s name like a shroud, and Bi Kan, whose heightened senses screamed a single, primal truth: predator.

  "If you don't back off now, I'll be forced to use it on you!" Wei Lingfeng threatened, his voice strained.

  The sword in his hand pulsed, its silver sheen swallowed by a deep, dark blue aura that shimmered like a captured night sky.

  It's not gathering enough energy, he thought, his mind racing.

  The full potential of this blade cannot be unleashed in daylight… Should I reveal its secrets now? It's better than having it snatched. I'll take my chances!

  An imperceptible smile crossed Su Mingzhe's effeminate face, his lips glistening in the sunlight. "How about we all calm down?"

  "Calm down?" Wei Lingfeng spat. "How can I possibly calm down when you're trying to snatch my prized weapon away!"

  Su Mingzhe let out another soft sigh, this one laced with feigned weariness. "You sure are prideful. Do you really desire to become like your older brother? The Great Wei Tiexuan?"

  A soft chuckle escaped Su Mingzhe’s lips, a sound that struck Wei Lingfeng’s core like a hammer blow.

  "You are far too inferior compared to someone so great, Wei Lingfeng."

  The comparison was a lit match dropped into a barrel of oil.

  Bi Kan watched, his expression unreadable, as the carefully constructed dam of Wei Lingfeng's composure shattered.

  He succeeded.

  Wei Lingfeng’s pristine red eyes blazed with a demonic light. The dark blue aura around his blade spiked violently. Reason was burned away by the white-hot forge of his rage.

  His feet left the ground, propelling him forward in a streak of furious motion.

  Just as the tip of his blade was about to taste the Junior Elder’s flesh, a new figure blurred into existence.

  A powerful kick, solid and unyielding, slammed into Wei Lingfeng’s side, sending him flying through the air.

  The newcomer had the same sharp, spiky hair as Lingfeng, but his face was weathered, framed by a short, well-kept beard.

  "Hoho, you truly are a trouble-maker, my nephew!" The man, a Junior Elder named Wei Li, declared with a booming laugh.

  His gaze then shifted, sharpening as it landed on Su Mingzhe. "Brother Su Mingzhe, must you really bully my nephew?"

  Su Mingzhe let out an annoyed groan, taking a step back. "Hmph! I didn't think you'd be near. Weren't you on a special mission?"

  "Haha! I was indeed on a special mission!" Wei Li's laughter was hearty, but in a split second, his expression turned as hard as granite. "But so what? You didn't think I'd resolve it that fast?"

  As the two Junior Elders began to bicker, Bi Kan let out a slow, silent breath he hadn’t realized he was holding. He closed his eyes, calming the storm in his senses.

  If Wei Li hadn't interfered, Su Mingzhe would have goaded him into attacking, then snatched that blade as 'compensation' for assaulting a Junior Elder.

  He would have gained a weapon and leverage against the Wei Family in one move.

  His eyes opened again, his mind now a placid, clear lake. That man is dangerous.

  The commotion had finally drawn a real crowd.

  Outer Disciples pressed in from below, while curious Inner Disciples began to appear on the upper walkways, their murmurs growing from a trickle to a flood.

  "Woah! That's the young prodigy of the Junior Elders!"

  "Legends say that his beauty is truly peerless!" another disciple squealed, pushing forward to get a better look.

  The rising attention was a tide neither elder wished to be caught in.

  "I guess you live today, brother Wei Li," Su Mingzhe proclaimed, planting a hand on his hip.

  The pose elicited a wave of gasps and a few muffled nosebleeds from the crowd.

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  Wei Li scoffed, turning away. "Yeah, right. You're lucky I didn't catch you touching my nephew." He leaped over to Wei Lingfeng's crumpled form, effortlessly hoisting him over his shoulder.

  "We'll clash again, Su Mingzhe." He shot a final glance over his shoulder before his form flickered and vanished into the depths of the sect.

  Su Mingzhe shook his head, fluffing his hair with a dismissive gesture. "Whatever you say, old man."

  His gaze then swept across the spot where Bi Kan had been standing. An exasperated sigh escaped his glistening lips.

  "That brat. He's so elusive… I didn't even sense him leave."

  He pushed his soft brown hair back from his forehead, a thoughtful glint in his green eyes.

  "Even if I was distracted, he shouldn't have slipped away so easily…" A soft chuckle emanated from his chest before he, too, melted back into the shadows, leaving only a bewildered crowd behind.

  His form blurred as he made haste through the Outer Sect, a grey-green specter weaving through the crowds of disciples and mortals with practiced ease.

  "I doubt he'll chase after me, nor will I be able to outrun him," Bi Kan’s breath came in ragged bursts, his chest tight.

  But it wouldn't hurt to be safe. I'll just keep this pace while withholding my Qi output.

  As he took one more hurried step, a sharp, violent cramp seized his leg.

  His feet tangled, and he stumbled, his momentum carrying him forward into an uncontrolled fall.

  His cheek squished against the cold stone pavement. "Ugh!" His hand slammed down, pushing himself up, every muscle screaming in protest.

  "I've forgotten…!"

  The pain wasn't gone. It had never been gone.

  The adrenaline from the confrontation had been a temporary dam, holding back a flood of agony.

  The oppressive spiritual pressure from the Junior Elder had been the final crack in that dam.

  As he tried to rise, a wet, choking cough wracked his body.

  A spray of crimson erupted from his mouth, painting the grey stones in a stark, visceral pattern.

  "I was right…" he rasped, wiping a trickle of blood from his chin. "That manipulation… instigation… it's a technique using his voice. I was only able to resist because of my will…"

  His hand came to rest against his chest, feeling the frantic, stuttering beat of his heart. "But it still damaged me heavily! I pushed myself too much again!"

  His legs shivered as he slowly, painstakingly forced himself to stand, his teeth grinding together with the effort.

  A mortal merchant, seeing his plight, rushed over, placing a steadying hand on his back.

  "Woah there, you cultivators really are something… I can't imagine the pain the lot of you go through just to gain power."

  Bi Kan coughed again, covering his mouth. "This disciple thanks you…"

  His hand reached into his robes, fingers closing around the smooth, cool surface of a single low-grade spirit stone.

  "Here. Your kindness is appreciated." He pressed it into the mortal’s hand before turning to continue his slow, deliberate walk.

  "W-Wow! I thank you, Cultivator of the Jade Pathways sect!" the man called after him, bowing deeply as Bi Kan’s form descended the pathway.

  Each step was a negotiation with his own failing body.

  He moved slowly, carefully, so as not to rupture something vital. But his mind, unbound by physical limits, was racing.

  Su Mingzhe, a feminine Junior Elder… what does he know?

  The question spun, creating a vortex of possibilities. He can't possibly know my main secrets. The sword, the wolf… that's highly unlikely.

  It is probable that he knows about my alchemy skills, since Pia Xin, a Junior Elder, did catch me. He took another shuffling step and halted, spitting another gout of blood onto the path.

  No, that can't be it. I'm not as careless as before. I've put in arrays, made the extra steps…

  He stared up at the high sun, its light a searing glare in his aching eyes.

  "Maybe he acknowledged that I'm not someone so simple…" Bi Kan shook his head, dismissing the thought and continuing his pained walk.

  "I shouldn't focus on that. It won't help. What I'm worried about is Xia's reputation."

  His fists clenched, the knuckles straining against the skin. "Xia is talented, she's strong, but that Inner Disciple holds such a peculiar blade. A trump card."

  "I can't let him get near Xia. Ever." His hand came to rest against his throbbing head. "No, Xia's the type of person to get into trouble. She's not Lin, who can be watched over."

  Bi Kan closed his eyes, his consciousness dipping into the Soul Sea for a fleeting moment, his gaze brushing past the dented furnace stored there.

  He returned to the waking world, a new resolve hardening his features.

  "I need her to break through to Body Tempering as soon as possible. That way, she'll be safe. Strong, even."

  A small, genuine smile touched his lips, a brief light in the grim set of his face. "She'll be amazing. I can already imagine the ruckus she'll create for the Inner Court."

  A fresh, gnawing thought wormed its way into his head, and he let out a low groan.

  "Hopefully she won't make too many enemies. They'll come after me too, which makes it less easy to be in plain sight."

  By the time Bi Kan limped his way back to the small butcher's village, the celebratory air had evaporated, replaced by the familiar, rhythmic thud of cleavers and the scent of raw meat. Dai was hauling a side of boar over his shoulder, his muscles straining with the effort. "Phew, feast's over," he grunted, dropping the carcass onto a large wooden block. "Time to get back to work."

  "Why did you guys have a feast earlier? Do you usually eat so big in the morning?" Bi Kan asked, his voice flat as he walked up to the large man.

  Dai let out a booming laugh that shook his entire frame, gesturing with his chin towards a corner of the village where Ying Xia was loudly instructing a group of children on the proper way to sharpen a hunting knife.

  "No, no. That girl over there is the reason we're having such big meals every morning since she's gotten here."

  He then pointed with a blood-stained finger to a group of young boys and girls, their faces set in serious concentration as they worked, butchering smaller animals with a surprising efficiency.

  "She inspires them a lot, since she always brings in a big haul."

  A soft sigh escaped Bi Kan's lips. "She really does shine that bright, huh? You can even get infected by it."

  WHACK!

  Dai’s heavy hand smacked squarely against Bi Kan’s back, sending a jolt of pain through his already abused body. "She sure does! But cut her some slack, Bi Kan."

  Bi Kan stumbled forward, groaning. "Ugh, have most of you forgotten I'm still in pain? Recovering?"

  He crossed his arms, glaring. Dai just let out another unapologetic laugh, which made Bi Kan's eye twitch.

  Just as he was about to lash out, he felt a small, insistent tug on the hem of his robes.

  "Huh? Oh, Lin. How are you holding up?"

  Lin’s blank, serious eyes stared up at him. She crossed her small arms, her brow furrowed in a perfect imitation of an upset elder. "I still haven't been able to absorb Qi yet, Big Brother."

  Bi Kan nodded, scratching his head.

  "That's why today, I'll force my way into absorbing it." She pulled out the small, potent Qi Sensing pill he had given her, its surface gleaming in the morning light.

  Before she could even bring it to her lips, Bi Kan’s hand shot out, his fingers wrapping gently but firmly around her wrist. He let out a long sigh. "Lin, not yet. You still haven't entered the realm of cultivators."

  "But it's been days since I've been seeing these small lights surrounding me!" she complained, trying to pull her wrist free. "It's like they're mocking me! I want to grasp them, absorb their power, and save Big Brother like he saved me back then!"

  Bi Kan’s expression softened. He patted her head, the gesture a little heavier than intended, making her look down. "You already saved me, Lin. You saved me first, remember? You and Dai did. I repaid the favor, and I'll do much more."

  He crouched, bringing his face level with hers, his tired eyes meeting her blank ones. "But you have to be patient. Even your Big Sis Xia took some time before she could absorb them." Then again, he thought wryly, she took a long time because she was too excited to actually meditate.

  He rose back to his full height. "Promise me you won't consume that pill just yet, Lin."

  She looked down, her shoulders slumping in a reluctant nod. Dai placed a gentle hand on her shoulder. "Come on. Listen to Bi Kan, he's right you know? A really smart boy."

  Lin looked back up at Bi Kan, a flicker of her usual pragmatism in her eyes. "As long as Big Brother promises to give me lots of pills as well when I finally enter that realm."

  Bi Kan nodded. A rare, soft smile touched Lin's face before she turned and ran off to haul more supplies for the butcher shop.

  He let out a final breath of relief before turning and heading towards the familiar solitude of the small hut.

  Bi Kan pushed the door open, the groan of old wood a fitting soundtrack for the ache in his bones.

  He didn't bother with a chair, simply laying down on the rough-spun sheets of the bed.

  A thought was all it took. The dented, soot-stained furnace materialized from the void of his Soul Sea, landing on the wooden floor with a solid, metallic thud.

  "There," he murmured, his eyes closing for a brief moment. "Good as new."

  The door didn't creak open this time. It snapped, slamming against the interior wall with a loud crack.

  A familiar voice, brimming with an energy he couldn't hope to match, resonated from the outside.

  "Finally, you're back. Took you long enough."

  Ying Xia strode into the hut, planting a hand on her hip as she loomed over him. "You got your furnace?"

  Bi Kan nodded, not bothering to sit up. "Yeah. Not only that, I came across an Inner Disciple. Said he was looking for you, probably for a duel."

  He cracked open an eye, glaring up at her. "You've been causing too much trouble."

  She puffed out her chest, waving a dismissive hand. "Ehh, so what? I'll destroy them anyways. I'll reach Body Tempering Realm soon."

  Bi Kan's body slumped further into the bed, a hand rising to massage his throbbing forehead. "You really are a piece of work, Xia."

  A small, wicked grin spread across her face. "So, are you going to be making me pills? Seeing as you were in a hurry to grab the furnace!"

  She grasped her chest, her expression shifting into one of theatrical appreciation. "Oh! My Bi Kan! You truly care for me!"

  With a groan, Bi Kan pushed himself into a sitting position. He ignored her, his hands moving with a practiced slowness as he set up a small, almost invisible array around the furnace to dampen the alchemical scent.

  The movement jostled his injured core, and another wet cough wracked his frame.

  He brushed at his mouth with the back of his hand, not bothering to hide the fresh smear of blood.

  "Shut up," he rasped. "Have you forgotten that I need to make pain relief pills?"

  Xia's teasing demeanor vanished, her eyes locking onto the crimson stain on his robes. "You're coughing up blood?"

  He nodded, his expression grim. "Yes. Just a small altercation, but don't worry, it's not severe." He turned back to the furnace, his focus absolute.

  "That's why I'm going to create two pain relief pills. One for me, and one for Mi Shui's little brother."

  Reaching into his robes, his consciousness dipped into his Soul Sea. He pulled out the worn, brown burlap sack she had given him days ago.

  "The herbs you gave me the other day. They just so happened to be really great at enhancing Pain Relief Pills."

  Ying Xia crossed her arms, watching him with a newfound seriousness. "You and your boundless robes. You could almost fit an elephant in there."

  Bi Kan gulped, choosing to ignore her comment as he cleared his throat.

  My Qi is… not potent right now. I hope it doesn't affect the refinement that much…

  "Okay," he said, his voice low. "It's time."

  His hand trembled slightly as he measured out the ingredients, his movements lacking their usual machine-like precision.

  He tossed them into the furnace, then brought out a small, low-grade talisman, activating it with a flicker of his own weakened Qi.

  A controlled, magical flame sparked to life beneath the cauldron.

  Ying Xia raised an eyebrow. "Hey, are you sure it won't explode? You don't look to be in peak shape."

  Bi Kan just brushed her off with a dismissive wave of his hand.

  I don't like relying on luck too much, he thought, his palms growing slick with sweat.

  I'm not particularly lucky… and I've probably cashed it all out by now.

  But still… I'll be in your care.

  His trembling hand came to rest on the warm metal of the furnace.

  Lady Luck!