Fire in the Ice

The winter air bit deep, crisp and unforgiving. A thin layer of frost coated the training grounds, and each breath curled into the air like ghostly tendrils. Despite the frigid conditions, the Silver Lotus Sect bustled with activity.

For the first time in years, winter was not a season of suffering. The disciples were warm, well-fed, and rested—thanks to Ryl Trading's generous supplies.

In the school area, young disciples huddled around low tables, scratching characters onto paper with frozen fingers. Shen Guang, one of the older students, helped guide the younger ones through their lessons, occasionally glancing at the Ryl Trading workers who had brought parchment and ink from the city.

"You're lucky," one of the traders joked "back home, we don't give ink to kids until they stop eating it."

Near the food storage, Liu Ren, a stocky disciple assigned to oversee the supplies, meticulously counted sacks of rice and dried meat. "We haven't had stores this full in years" he muttered.

"It feels like a cheat." A nearby Ryl Trading merchant, Gan Xiu, grinned and slapped him on the back. "That's what a good trade deal does—makes life easier."

Meanwhile, in the weapon maintenance area, Tao Shen, the blacksmith's apprentice, worked tirelessly to keep the weapons from becoming brittle in the cold. "Damn frost cracks the steel." he muttered, rubbing his hands together. A Ryl Trading artisan, Wei Han, inspected a blade before nodding approvingly.

"Try heating the hilts before practice—it keeps the Qi circulation steady."

Nearby, Jian Bo, the eldest sect member, stood with arms crossed, listening to Meyu explain trade principles. "So you're saying supply and demand dictate pricing? Sounds like a fancy way of saying 'charge people more when they're desperate.'"

Meyu sighed dramatically. "It's called 'market value,' Uncle Bo. You can't just give things away for free—unless you enjoy watching the sect starve."

Jian Bo rubbed his chin. "Still feels underhanded."

Meyu grinned. "That's why you're learning. One day, you might even enjoy making a profit."

Jian Bo snorted. "Unlikely."

Wei Han, still inspecting weapons, chuckled. "Better start now. She's relentless."

While all of this was happening, sparring never took a day off with Layla squaring off against her father in the training yard. Her breath steady despite the chill thanks to the Lotus Veil Breathing. The occasional flicker of Qi Rot intertwined with Gale energy swirled around her like darkened wind thanks to the weeks of training with her father.

"Again!" Lin Wuye commanded, stepping into a stance.

She lunged, the air twisting unnaturally as her Qi surged. Their weapons clashed, and a shockwave rippled outward. Layla felt her strength increasing, her control tightening, but—

CRACK.

The wooden staff in her hands shattered upon impact, splintering into fragments.

Silence.

Jiang whistled. "That's a new one."

Bao snorted. "Didn't even last five minutes."

Layla sighed and was visibly upset looking at the broken weapon. "I need something sturdier."

Meyu, who had been watching this unfold, sighed dramatically and reached into a silk-wrapped package. "Lucky for you, I anticipated your incompetence." She held up a custom-forged weapon made from blackened steel infused with a core to withstand Qi bursts.

Layla raised a brow. "How much?"

Meyu grinned. "For you? A very fair, life-destroying amount."

Jiang muttered "Why does doing business with you feel like making a deal with the underworld?"

Meyu waved a hand dismissively. "Oh please, dear Meilin gets this one for free."

Layla narrowed her eyes. "Really?"

Meyu smirked. "Of course. The catch is—every time you break it, you owe me a favour."

Layla's stomach dropped. "Define favour."

"Oh, you'll know when the time comes." Meyu's grin widened like a predator setting a trap.

Lin Wuye just took a sip of tea and let them argue.

The sparring sessions continued, and Lin Wuye called forth his wife to train with the disciples. Most had never seen her fight, assuming she was only the sect's matriarch.

Then she moved.

A sharp whirl of wind surrounded her as she seamlessly executed Step 2—Rushing Wind. Her strikes were swift, controlled, and precise.

Jiang blinked. "Wait, we just got schooled by a mom."

Bao nodded. "I don't know if I should be impressed or embarrassed."

Amidst the chaos, Zhu Fen, the youngest disciple, stepped forward.

He took a slow breath.

Then, with perfect footwork, he executed Step 1—Whispering Breeze.

Jiang and Bao stared at him.

Lin Wuye nodded in approval. "He's the youngest in sect history to achieve this."

Yuxe Wuye, however, stepped forward, adjusting Zhu Fen's stance slightly. "You did well, but your breathing is uneven. Try again, and this time, let the motion flow naturally."

Jiang folded his arms. "I refuse to accept this."

Bao sighed dramatically. "We're getting old, Jiang. The kid's already surpassing us."

Bao patted Zhu Fen's shoulder. "Congrats, kid. Now, let me teach you the most important lesson."

Jiang raised a brow. "Are you actually going to teach him something useful for once?"

Zhu Fen looked up. "What is it?"

Bao smiled. "Always look cool when you fight."

Lin Wuye, watching, smiled. "If she had trained more consistently, she would have reached Step 3 by now."

Yuxe Wuye arched a brow at him. "Are you saying I've been lazy?"

Lin Wuye took a deliberate sip of his tea, clearly choosing his next words carefully. "I'm saying that had you dedicated more time to training—"

Yuxe cut him off, her smile deceptively sweet. "So you're saying I've been lazy."

Bao and Jiang exchanged looks, stepping a few paces back as if avoiding an impending disaster.

Lin Wuye cleared his throat. "I would never use such a word, my dear wife."

Yuxe tapped a finger against her chin and smiled, dangerously. "I see. Then tonight, perhaps you should make dinner."

Lin Wuye froze. "That seems… unnecessary."

She simply hummed, turning her attention back to Zhu Fen. Lin Wuye, defeated, sighed in defeat knowing he has to eat roasted potato tonight.

Jiang whispered to Bao like two girls gossiping about their love life "Master Wuye might be strong, but against his wife? No chance."

Meanwhile, Meyu was "forced" into training alongside the youngest disciples. Layla had personally insisted, much to Meyu's despair. What started as a simple warm-up quickly turned into chaos.

Meyu, with zero martial arts experience but absurd raw strength, accidentally obliterated two training dummies with a single punch.

Jiang and Bao stared.

"I—what?" Jiang sputtered.

Bao looked at the broken remains. "Those dummies are reinforced."

Lin Wuye rubbed his forehead. "This is beyond natural."

The younger disciples, witnessing this, thought it was a fluke. Several challenged her to sparring matches.

She wiped the floor with them.

No technique. No footwork. Just pure brute force.

She shrugged after launching another disciple several feet back. "Atlas made me carry crates twice this size for hours."

Lin Wuye observed her carefully. "If you trained properly, you could become truly formidable."

Meyu dramatically placed a hand over her heart. "And yet, I choose wealth."

Lin Wuye sighed. "Of course you do."

Bao, feeling slightly competitive, challenged her to an arm-wrestling match.

She won. Instantly.

Bao stared at his hand in betrayal. "I—WHAT?!"

Meyu smirked. "Looks like you're not the strongest, Bao."

Jiang, barely holding in his laughter, patted Bao's shoulder. "Maybe we should start selling your humility."

Jiang cracked his knuckles and smirked. "Alright, let me show you how it's done."

Meyu arched a brow. "Oh? You want to lose that badly?"

A group quickly gathered around as Jiang and Meyu sat across from each other, placing their elbows firmly on the trunk of a thick training tree. Disciples whispered among themselves, some placing bets, others just watching in disbelief.

"This won't take long." Jiang said confidently.

"Agreed." Meyu replied with a shark-like grin.

Lin Wuye raised a hand. "Begin."

For a few seconds, nothing happened.

Then, everything happened.

The air tensed as neither moved an inch, their locked hands trembling slightly. The bark under their elbows splintered. A thick trunk should not be reacting this way to an arm wrestle.

Jiang's smirk faltered as he realized something horrifying—he wasn't winning. His physical prowess reached his peak limit and yet it was being rivalled by Meyu.

The disciples watching were frozen in shock.

"They're... even?" Bao mumbled, his voice barely a whisper.

"Impossible!" Lin Wuye muttered.

Zhu Fen, wide-eyed, asked, "Are they breaking it?"

A sharp CRACK echoed as a part of the trunk snapped under the force of their struggle. Jiang's eyes widened. "Alright. Respect."

Meyu grinned. "Likewise."

Then, they both let go at the same time and shake hands as if they had a new found of respect for each other.

The remaining chunk of the splintered trunk collapsed, sending a dull thud through the courtyard and the dust settled.

Bao, still staring at the trunk, whispered, "What the hell just happened?"

Layla sighed in disbelief. "I give up."

A couple days later, we would witness Jiang & Bao's Breakthroughs.

The training intensified, and Jiang faced off against Bao.

Bao, eager to prove himself, channelled Qi into his strikes, increasing his strength. He moved faster, his blows heavier.

Jiang smirked. "Not bad."

Bao lunged, unleashing the Roaring Tempest—Step 4 consistently.

BOOM.

The ground beneath them cracked as the force sent shockwaves across the courtyard.

For the first time, Jiang stumbled back.

Lin Wuye's eyes flickered with interest. "He actually—"

Jiang rolled his shoulders. "Alright, my turn."

Then he moved.

Bao barely had time to react before a single step sent a force equivalent to Step 3—Gale's Kiss. Jiang used the Step 1 - Whispering Breeze.

Bao was sent flying.

Jiang dusted off his sleeves. "Adaptation. Keep up."

Lin Wuye folded his arms. "You've changed the Gale's form."

Meyu, watching, grinned. "How about we call it 'Gale's Bitchslap?'"

Jiang glared. "I will end you."

Ignoring the banter, Layla tightened her grip around her new weapon, feeling its weight settle in her hands. This time, when she stepped forward, there was no hesitation—only focus.

She lunged at Lin Wuye, her blade slicing through the air with a controlled whoosh. Their weapons clashed, but instead of breaking apart like before, her sword absorbed the Qi flow effortlessly. The fusion of Gale and Qi Rot no longer sputtered unpredictably but instead flowed in sync.

Lin Wuye nodded approvingly. "Much better."

Layla could feel it—her balance between power and control was stabilizing. She adjusted her stance, testing the footwork of Step 2—Rushing Wind. The movement came naturally, almost as if her body had been waiting for this breakthrough.

Jiang, watching from the sidelines, muttered, "She's catching up too fast."

Bao, still sore from earlier, crossed his arms. "I don't want to talk about it."

Meyu, ever opportunistic, chimed in. "If she unlocks Step 2, I'm raising the price on her next weapon upgrade."

Layla shot her a glare mid-swing. "You wouldn't dare."

Meyu smug back in retaliation. "Oh, I definitely would."

Lin Wuye, sensing her growing control, took a step back and gestured toward Bao. "Enough sparring with me. Face Bao next."

Layla's grip tightened slightly. Bao's raw strength and deep Qi reserves had always made him a formidable opponent. But she wasn't the same as before—she had survived Shen Mu, endured near death, clawed her way back stronger with weeks of hard dedicated training and hard labour.

She exhaled, nodding. "Alright."

Bao grinned, rolling his shoulders. "Try to last more than a few minutes."

The match began with Bao launching forward, his strikes heavy, deliberate. Layla, adapting quickly, dodged with newfound agility, weaving between his attacks. Her Qi Rot and Gale fusion surged, letting her strikes land with an intensity that caught even Bao off guard.

The ground beneath them cracked with every clash. Layla met Bao's blows, not just blocking but countering, redirecting force where she could. Every dodge, every strike—it was controlled, measured, nothing like the desperate fight she had fought against Shen Mu.

Bao huffed, smirking as he rubbed a faint bruise forming on his arm. "Not bad."

Layla smirked back. "I'm not done."

She pushed forward, the air around them swirling violently. Her footwork mirrored Step 2—Rushing Wind, her body reacting instinctively. For a moment, she was keeping up, their blows even.

But Bao had more experience. More Qi reserves. More techniques.

He caught her blade mid-swing, pivoted, and with a well-placed sweep, sent her tumbling onto the frozen ground.

Layla coughed, propped herself up, and let out a breathless laugh. "Alright, alright. You win."

Bao extended a hand, pulling her up with a grin. "You did better than I expected."

Jiang whistled. "That was almost an upset."

Lin Wuye folded his arms, nodding in approval. "You're close. Keep refining it, and Step 2 will be yours soon."

Layla wiped the sweat from her brow, heart still pounding. She had lost, but she wasn't frustrated. She was getting there.

Meyu, watching from the sidelines, crossed her arms and gave an exaggerated nod of approval, followed by an even more exaggerated double-handed clap. "Magnificent. Brilliant. Truly a performance worthy of second place."

Layla groaned. "I swear to the heavens, Meyu—"

Bao, still catching his breath, chuckled. "Hey, I think that was a genuine compliment."

Jiang smirked. "Doubt it. She probably just saw another business opportunity."

A couple days has passed and the routine stayed the same but this nightfall was different.

The entire sect—about 40 Silver Lotus members and 60 Ryl Trading workers—gathered for a rare occasion: a winter feast.

Large iron pots of thick stew bubbled over roaring fires, filled with dried venison, root vegetables, and grains. Flatbreads and dumplings steamed beside them, a luxury even during easier times. The food was simple but hearty, meant to sustain them through the cold. Barrels of warmed spiced wine and tea were passed around, keeping spirits high.

The scent of well-earned abundance filled the air, mingling with the sounds of chatter and laughter.Jiang, tearing into a dumpling, sighed in satisfaction. "I don't think I've ever eaten this well for so long in winter.''

Bao, gulping down a bowl of stew, smirked. "Makes me wonder what all those past years were for."

Zhu Fen, barely able to sit still, leaned forward. "Senior Jiang, do you think if I train hard enough, I'll be able to eat like this every winter?"

Jiang gave him a solemn nod. "Kid, that's the true martial arts dream."

Zhao Lihua, one of the elders and senior disciples, chuckled as she refilled her tea. "It's strange, isn't it? We've spent years thinking winter had to be endured. Now, it feels almost… easy."

Elden Jian Bo, the eldest sect member, sighed, stirring his drink. "That's the power of a well-placed deal. Hard work alone doesn't always cut it—sometimes, you have to be smart."

Gan Xiu, a Ryl Trading merchant, grinned. "And you lot are finally learning that."

As the night deepened, the conversation shifted towards training progress.

Jiang leaned back, glancing at the disciples. "Honestly? The sect's never been stronger. Even the younger ones are catching up."

Bao nodded. "Yeah, have you seen them? The new batch of disciples are almost as toned as I was a year ago."

Zhao Lihua smirked. "Which means, compared to Jiang, they're still years behind."

Jiang took a sip of his drink and let out a sass in his tone. "Naturally."

Zhu Fen, still energetic, beamed. "And I learned Step 1!"

Yuxe Wuye, amused, ruffled the boy's hair. "Yes, and if you keep up, you'll surpass these two before they know it."

Bao scowled. "I refuse to be surpassed by an eleven-year-old."

Meyu, lounging beside them, tilted her head. "That reminds me. Since you're all so strong now, surely you won't mind putting that strength to good use?" she says as she rubs her hands, which reminds them of Atlas antics.

Jiang sighed. "Here we go."

Meyu dramatically stood, clearing her throat. "Ladies. Gentlemen. Disciples. Business partners. I have a vision."

Everyone looked at her at once.

Undeterred, she unfurled a large parchment, revealing detailed plans for monetizing the sect.

"Now that our disciples are educated in both martial arts and mathematics, we are uniquely positioned to open the sect to outsiders—for a reasonable fee, of course."

Jiang pinched the bridge of his nose. "We're not selling our techniques. I told you this Meyu"

Meyu waved a hand. "Obviously. We teach visitors a 'simplified' version, call it something fancy like 'Warrior's Breathing Method,' and boom—instant revenue stream."

Lin Wuye frowned. "The sect's history—"

"Will remain intact." Meyu interrupted smoothly. "We just package it better."

Bao snorted. "Sounds like a scam."

Meyu gasped. "It's called 'marketing,' Bao. Think about it."

Jian Bo, ever the practical one since learning under Meyu, rubbed his chin. "And what about trade?"

Meyu smirked. "Well, now that you mention it—premium sect weapons, hand-forged by our best blacksmiths, inscribed with a fancy Silver Lotus emblem. Exclusive, powerful, expensive."

Jiang shook his head. "We don't have an emblem."

Meyu immediately pulled out a sketch. "We do now."

The parchment revealed an intricate emblem—a stylized silver lotus in full bloom, its petals edged with fine calligraphy strokes resembling flowing wind. Behind it, a curving blade intertwined with a gust of air, symbolizing both the sect's martial prowess and its connection to the elements. At the bottom, in elegant script, was the motto: 'Strength in Flow, Wisdom in Balance.'

Jiang narrowed his eyes. "Did you just design this?"

Meyu smirked. "I designed it weeks ago in preparation for your eventual surrender to us."

Layla, sipping her tea, sighed. "You already planned this, didn't you?"

Meyu grinned. "I had backups in case you refused."

Gan Xiu, impressed, raised a drink. "I like this one."

Zhao Lihua crossed her arms. "So let me get this straight. You want us to turn Silver Lotus into an attraction, train outsiders just enough to make them feel accomplished, and sell our name for profit?"

Meyu smiled. "Yes."

Silence for a few agonizing moments.

Then, to Meyu's absolute delight, the disciples—who had been learning math and business—actually understood the value.

One disciple hesitantly raised a hand. "If we do this… does that mean we'll have extra funding for repairs and new training grounds?"

Meyu beamed. "Yes, my dear, intelligent student."

Another disciple nodded. "And better food supplies?"

"Absolutely."

A third asked, "And we… wouldn't have to rely on donations?"

"Bingo."

Lin Wuye, realizing he was losing this battle, rubbed his forehead. "I can't believe they're agreeing."

Meyu threw her arms wide. "It's called progress, Master Lin!"

Jiang groaned, slumping into his seat. "I need another drink."

Layla exhaled. "Fine. Fine! But if we do this, we do it right."

Meyu raised her cup in victory. "Oh, you'll love it. Trust me."

Yuxe Wuye sighed. "I don't."

Zhao Lihua muttered, "I'm scared."

Bao stared at Meyu. "Why do I feel like we just made a deal with Atlas himself?"

Meyu's smile widened. "Because you did."