Xiao Wen Advice

High atop the Xiao Clan's estate, Xiao Yiying and her husband, Xiao Feng, stood on a wide veranda overlooking a private training ground. Their daughter, Tianshi, was little more than a pale blur against the sky, her lithe figure leaping into the air again and again. Each time, she conjured small, pillowy clouds beneath her feet—only for them to dissolve, sending her plummeting back down with a soft thud.

"Look at how hard she's working," Xiao Yiying murmured, concern threading her voice. "She cares about that boy more than she cares about herself."

Xiao Feng's eyes glinted. "We'll see if she actually masters Heavenly Steps. I already sent Wen to check on him. If the boy is fine… I suppose I can allow them to meet."

He recalled all too well the day Tianshi had come to them in tears, begging them not to harm this "Xuefeng." The moment she heard she'd be allowed to see him again if she mastered Heavenly Steps, she threw herself headlong into training, sleeping barely a few hours a night for the past week.

Below, Tianshi dragged in ragged breaths, hands braced on her knees. Sweat beaded on her forehead as she stood in the courtyard, battered from countless falls.

"Why is it so hard?" she whispered, jaw clenched. The technique demanded razor-sharp control over her Qi, forming tiny clouds beneath her feet to traverse the open air. While it didn't consume much Spirit Qi, it devoured her stamina, and she didn't have any supernatural regeneration like Xuefeng did.

Yet she refused to give up. Sucking in a breath, Tianshi forced herself upright again. "One more time!" she cried, vaulting off the ground. Wispy clouds materialized beneath her feet, letting her take ten fleeting steps across the sky before they melted away and she tumbled earthward.

Again. Again. And yet again.

Up on the veranda, Xiao Feng gave a short nod, pride warring with worry in his expression. "If she can achieve the same mastery over air that Wen has with her flames, she'll be nearly unbeatable at her level."

Xiao Yiying's gaze lingered on Tianshi's exhausted form. "I want to see this Xuefeng for myself. If he's as important as she claims, then we owe it to her."

Xiao Feng exhaled slowly, ceding to his wife's gentle insistence. "Very well. Once Wen returns with a report, we'll pay that boy a visit."

***

Meanwhile, far away in the wilderness…

Xuefeng emerged from the lake with the slow, deliberate steps of someone still half-lost in the cool embrace of the water. Droplets ran from his hair and down his bare shoulders, the chill raising goosebumps across his skin. Yet the cold felt like a blessing, washing away the residue of battle and rekindling a bit of his drained vitality.

"Still tired," he murmured, rolling one shoulder until it gave a satisfying pop. "But I can't complain. Feels good to be clean again."

By the shore, Wuying hunched over a makeshift grill, carefully slicing generous slabs of the Metal Bear's meat. Despite the lingering coppery tang of fresh blood, her motions were quick and assured, each cut precise. From the corner of his eye, Xuefeng noticed Xiao Wen was nowhere to be seen.

"Where'd she go?" he asked, glancing around the clearing.

As if on cue, Xiao Wen emerged from the forest, her expression knowing—like she was privy to secrets no one else could grasp. "I'm back," she announced, halting in front of him with an outstretched hand. "Show it to me."

"Show what?" he asked, momentarily confused.

"Your sword, genius," she said, rolling her eyes. "Those black flames feel… familiar."

He retrieved the Black Flames Slayer from his dantian, feeling the sword's presence flare at his call. "Are you sure you can handle it? I had to win it over first."

A faint smile played at the corners of Xiao Wen's mouth. "Trust me. It won't be a problem." Without hesitation, she curled her fingers around the hilt. In an instant, the blade's dark flames exploded outward, bathing the nearby grass in flickering shadows. Heat surged against Xuefeng's face, forcing him to take a step back. Then, just as abruptly, the inferno coiled inward, settling around Xiao Wen like an obedient pet.

"Just as I suspected," she murmured, giving the sword an experimental twirl before handing it back. "It came from the Central Region—a notorious piece, too. About twenty years ago, the man who wielded this killed a lot of people. He was powerful enough to evade every attempt on his life, until my father stepped in. After that, the guy disappeared. Now we know where he ran off to."

Xuefeng absorbed the story in silence, returning the sword to his dantian. He couldn't maintain it outside without a decent reserve of Spirit Qi. "So, you're not really Manager Wu's niece," he said, meeting Xiao Wen's gaze. "You're from the Central Region. Who are you, really?"

Wuying joined them, laying three thick steaks by the fire. "Yes," she said evenly. "You're far too strong to be some random relative from around here."

Xiao Wen shrugged, not a hint of shame in her face. "You caught me. I was sent from the Trade Union's headquarters to assess whether an alliance with your clan was worthwhile. Didn't Manager Wu mention she formed that contract based on your group's success?"

Wuying's eyes narrowed—she knew that wasn't the whole truth, but she had no proof. Meanwhile, Xuefeng merely inclined his head in acceptance.

"All right," Xuefeng said. "So how do I measure up so far?"

"You've got promise," Xiao Wen allowed, her tone begrudgingly complimentary. "But there's still plenty of room to improve. Well," she added, "I can't hold it against you—you only started cultivating recently."

"Yeah," Xuefeng sighed, thinking of the brutal fight with the Metal Bear. "I plan to keep training during this mission… maybe I can close some gaps."

A sudden growl erupted from his stomach, breaking the tension. Xiao Wen laughed, and even Wuying smiled despite herself.

"Someone's hungry," Xiao Wen teased. "Why don't you focus on recovering your Spirit Qi? We'll handle dinner."

Feeling only slightly embarrassed, Xuefeng nodded gratefully and stepped away from the fire. Sitting cross-legged, he set out several spirit stones, their faint luminescence glinting in the gloom, and began channeling the energy into himself.

Left alone, the two women worked in a comfortable hush. Wuying stacked logs for a fire, while Xiao Wen, ever-prepared, produced a grilling stone from her ring, along with a small arsenal of seasonings. Together, they kindled a blaze, the orange glow flickering off their faces. Soon the thick steaks sizzled on the hot stone, filling the air with the savory aroma of roasting meat.

Eventually, the silence grew too heavy for Xiao Wen's taste. She cut a glance at Wuying. "So," she began, keeping her voice low enough so as not to disturb Xuefeng, "what are your plans? After all of this?"

Wuying poked at the fire with a stick, sparks spiraling upward. "I will naturally stay with Xuefeng," she said, as though it were the simplest truth in the world.

"What if another woman gets between you?" Xiao Wen asked bluntly. "Someone strong enough to make him forget you?"

Wuying's grip on the stick tightened. "Then… as long as he still wants me, I'll stay by his side." Determination hardened her voice.

Xiao Wen's brow rose. "You realize he's… different, don't you? He's going to progress faster than most cultivators. Soon enough, he might leave you in the dust. In both stage and strength."

Wuying's eyes flickered with doubt. Deep down, she knew there was merit in Xiao Wen's words. "I—I know," she admitted softly.

"You have two choices," Xiao Wen continued. "You can either push yourself until you match his pace, or you can watch him disappear into a realm far beyond yours. Think about it. Unless you plan to drag him down." She turned the steaks with an air of finality, letting the hiss of sizzling fat fill the silence.

Wuying silently watched Xuefeng's still form across the clearing, a tangle of worry and resolve coiling in her heart. She would keep up with him, no matter what. There was no other option if she wanted to remain by his side—if she wanted to be more than a memory.