Golden Talent

Xuefeng saw two giant apes with heavily muscled torsos, each sporting an additional pair of arms at their flanks. Their pounding fists sent tremors rippling through the earth around Wuying, who danced among them like a swift wind, leaving shallow cuts wherever her daggers flashed. One ape's enraged roar shook the treetops, while the other swung its powerful arms, determined to crush her beneath its relentless blows.

Rank 4 Six-Armed Apes, Ling murmured in Xuefeng's thoughts, an undercurrent of admiration in her cool voice. Xiao Wen is here. If Wuying falters, I'm sure she'll intervene. But pushing Wuying's limits will do her some good.

Xuefeng felt tension coil in his chest as he watched Wuying spin gracefully out of the way, her blades slicing tendons and muscle with startling precision. Her skill was undeniable. So strong, he marveled. I can only hope to fight this smoothly one day.

In time, Ling reassured him. With my guidance, you'll advance quickly.

Xuefeng nodded to himself. Satisfied that Wuying was in full control, he headed toward Xiao Wen, who observed the battle from a short distance. She seemed lost in thought, arms crossed beneath her chest.

"How's she doing?" Xuefeng asked as he arrived, feeling Xiao Wen's judging gaze. 

"She's better than I expected," Xiao Wen replied without sparing him a glance. "Her technique is excellent, and her mastery of Spirit Arts is well above what you typically see out here. If I could take her to the Central Region, she'd grow leaps and bounds."

Xuefeng's heart gave a hard thump. "You want to take her away?"

Xiao Wen shrugged lightly. "Why not? There's an inheritance I know of—perfect for her skillset. She'd have to leave you for a bit, though."

He hesitated, absorbing the idea that Wuying might vanish from his side. Yet, as quickly as dread welled, he realized it would be selfish to hold her back. "If it helps her grow stronger, then yeah… I won't stop her."

"Good," Xiao Wen said, satisfied. Then she shifted topics, turning to Xuefeng with a keen light in her eyes. "So how does your Talent Enhancement ability work, exactly? Do you just touch someone and raise their talent?"

Xuefeng scratched the back of his neck. "I'm actually not totally sure how it works. The first time Ling raised my talent, she did all the work."

At the mention of her name, the golden crystal resting against Xuefeng's bare chest flared. Ling's voice, chill but authoritative, spoke aloud through the necklace. "Xiao Wen, place your hand on the crystal."

Xiao Wen blinked but didn't hesitate, pressing her palm to the softly glowing stone. At once, she felt an unfamiliar current slide through her body—alien energy threading into her dantian, searching her meridians. She exchanged a quick mental warning with Lang, her own Fate Fragment, just in case this was a trap. Still, she allowed Ling inside.

The process was brief. Ling temporarily stepped into Xiao Wen's Spirit then used some of her Spirit Qi to refine it from within. When she exited, the Qi produced by the spirit now gleamed like liquid gold.

"I… I'm a golden talent now?" Xiao Wen murmured in a tone of wonder. Her heart pounded with excitement—and maybe a trace of alarm. No wonder the Thunder Goddess was hunted, she thought. Such a power could reshape entire clans.

"That's it?" Xuefeng asked, remembering the wild phenomenon and lightning tribulation he experienced. "No big show this time?"

Ling's voice drifted across the clearing. "I've regained enough of my strength to control the process, so it no longer triggers a phenomenon. Besides, it's just one rank up compared to six. The Heavens won't be as upset as in your case."

Xuefeng's eyes widened. "Then can you upgrade me, too? Make my talent Golden?"

"Not yet," Ling denied. "As I said, you would definitely trigger another Phenomenon considering your talent was originally low. You're still too early in your cultivation, so you will advance swiftly enough with Black Talent for now."

"What about Wuying? Could we—?"

Before he could finish, a pair of dull thumps echoed through the clearing. His head snapped around just in time to see the two Six-Armed Apes crash to the ground, their severed heads rolling across the bloodied earth. Wuying was already collecting the faintly glowing Spirit Artifacts above their corpses. With a quick flourish, she stowed the massive bodies in her storage ring as well.

Seeing him standing idly with Xiao Wen, Wuying scampered over, her face shining with triumph. Without warning, she latched onto his arm, pressing close. "Did you watch me?" she asked, eyes shining. Her hair was a little sweat-damp, but there wasn't so much as a scratch on her.

"Of course," Xuefeng said, patting her hair with a proud grin. "Your moves were amazing. I have a lot to learn."

Wuying hummed contentedly, relishing his praise. Across from them, Xiao Wen looked on, amusement tugging at her lips. She's so fierce in battle, yet she turns meek as a kitten when he's around. Unbelievable.

If you really want to upgrade her talent, you know… we could do that the next time you two are… intimate, Ling suggested slyly in Xuefeng's mind.

He almost choked, eyes darting away, but then gave it a second thought. That's actually not a bad—

I was kidding, Ling cut him off, her voice colored with distant amusement. You're such a pervert.

Xuefeng could only sigh inwardly, shaken by how different Ling seemed now that she possessed more of her memories.

***

The Red Flower Pavilion was awash in crimson glow: plush draperies of embroidered silk, flickering lanterns that cast long, dancing shadows on the walls, and the faint aroma of opium and incense clinging to the still, humid air. At the far end of a corridor lined with closed doors, a servant in modest gray robes came to a halt before a lacquered panel inlaid with gold. His heart hammered in his chest, but he knew better than to linger. He raised his fist and knocked, knuckles rapping hollowly on the polished wood.

"Crown Prince, I have a great piece of news for you!" he called, his voice trembling despite his efforts to sound steady.

A harsh, muffled shout answered from within. "What do you want? Enter!"

He slid the door open, bracing himself for whatever scene might greet him. Still, he wasn't prepared for the sight that awaited: Zhen Ping, the Crown Prince himself, stood at the edge of a wide, luxurious bed, his tunic shoved open to reveal the flush of his chest. Bent before him was a woman, her filmy undergarments pushed aside, tears streaking her cheeks. Zhen Ping was rutting against her with a viciousness that stole any semblance of intimacy.

"You think you can ignore me, over and over again?" he spat, punctuating each accusation with a loud smack of his palm across her bare skin.

"You'll see," smack—"in the future, you'll be mine. Only mine." Smack.

The woman choked on her sobs, trying to brace herself against the mattress as the Crown Prince's anger rained down in violent slaps. Her back was already mottled red, her hair plastered to her tearstained face. She wanted to beg, to plead for mercy, but her words caught in her throat.

Desperate to end this ugly display, the servant took a trembling breath and raised his voice. "Crown Prince, I have information about Liu Xuefeng!"

Zhen Ping's head snapped up, eyes narrowing. The words hit him like a jolt of lightning. He shoved the woman to the side—hard enough that she toppled off the bed, landing on the floor with a dull thud and a gasp of pain.

"What did you say?" Zhen Ping barked, his breath coming in ragged puffs. "Report immediately! Did he finally leave his clan?"

The servant, forcing himself to keep his gaze averted from the bruised woman sprawled on the carpet, cleared his throat. "Yes, Your Highness. He's near the Moon Lake Forest, on a mission with that servant girl—Wuying—to hunt a Rank 4 Nightmare."

A moment of charged silence followed. Zhen Ping reached for his azure robe, shrugging it on with a practiced, dismissive motion. A grin spread across his thin lips, dark satisfaction gleaming in his eyes.

"Perfect. I've been waiting for this." He clapped the servant on the shoulder with a startling fellowship. "Enjoy this beauty as a reward," he said with a sneer, as though handing over a broken toy he no longer wanted. Then, like a foul wind, he stalked out, slamming the door behind him.

For a heartbeat, the only sound in the room was the woman's ragged breathing. Then she dragged herself up onto one elbow, tears dripping from her chin. Seeing the servant—Sun Guo—still there, she staggered forward and collapsed into his arms. "Sun Guo…" she sobbed, voice hitching on every syllable. The robe he wore fell on her shoulders, covering the bruises across her naked body.

Sun Guo held her close, his own lips pressed into a grim line. He stared at the closed door, hatred churning like acid in his gut. If not for his father's colossal gambling debts—and the twisted arrangement that forced him into Zhen Ping's service—he would have defied the prince long ago.

"I'm sorry," he whispered, gently hugging the woman's trembling form into his chest. "He'll pay for what he's done. I swear, one day… he'll pay."