Chương 78: Found Family

Streaks of red light tore through the air, all surging toward the Hanging Stone Garden. Shi Dei scoffed and flicked a broad sleeve. The messages halted mid-flight, frozen for a heartbeat, before another dismissive sweep of his arm sent them plunging back down toward the city. Mo Jian, sipping his tea in silence, lifted an eyebrow.

"You aren't going to respond to any of them?" Shi Dei didn't bother turning from the window. He scoffed again.

"No. My silence will be answer enough for the intelligent ones. The foolish don't deserve an answer at all." Mo Jian tilted his head, silently conceding the point. Still staring out over the city, Shi Dei snorted in disgust.

"Look at them," he growled.

"Rats fleeing what they think is a sinking ship. It disgusts me that I spent so much effort protecting them for so long." This time, Mo Jian couldn't stay quiet.

"If someone had challenged a Nascent Soul cultivator where I lived, I would have fled as well. In fact, I'd have done it sooner. The reaction of the common citizenry isn't cowardice, it's common sense." Shi Dei turned on him, annoyance sharp in his eyes. Mo Jian merely raised an eyebrow again.

"Or," he added mildly, "are you going to pretend you wouldn't have left too, if you were in their place?" Shi Dei glowered for a heartbeat longer, then looked away with a huff of disgust. Point made, Mo Jian thought. He doubted Shi Dei would ever grow to like him, given the man's open hostility, but a measure of civility wasn't too much to ask for. Besides, since they were stuck together for a week, they might as well learn how to tolerate one another.

Bai Ning and Lady Yun had gone off together some time ago, mentioning something about visiting the market. Mo Jian hadn't protested. Azure Wall City would remain safe for another week. If Old Devil Fu hadn't swallowed the bait, he would have struck during the night. The absence of any attack was tantamount to acceptance, not just by Fu, but by all the remaining powers of the islands. And that was why Mo Jian sat here, waiting. He was waiting for the second part of his challenge to bear fruit.

He had asked – invited – everyone who wanted to come to watch. Which meant that anyone who dared to attend would be openly declaring their stance against Old Devil Fu. To Fu, that would be a welcome development: everyone he wished to kill, conveniently gathered in one place. He would not oppose it. In fact, and this was the part Mo Jian was counting on, he would likely release anyone he or his forces had captured, driving them toward Azure Wall City along with the rest. So, Mo Jian waited.

Outside, Azure Wall City continued to empty. Long lines formed at the piers and gates as those who could secure passage fled the city. Most cultivators had already left, though die-hard loyalists and those unwilling, or unable, to abandon everything still lingered, clinging to the hope that the coming storm would pass them by. Mo Jian expected that within the day, the city would become a ghost town, hollowed out and deserted.

He felt a twinge of guilt at the thought, at how his actions were causing hardship for so many. But for now, there was no way to set things right. If he won – no, once he won – he would try to help them. And so, he waited. Hours passed. It was near evening on the first day after the challenge, the sun hovering low over the horizon, when the first of his allies arrived. They came aboard a delicate flying boat, its white body and rim overflowing with wisteria blossoms in profuse shades of pink, purple, and indigo.

Only two figures stood upon it, their trail of violet qi instantly familiar to Mo Jian. Not just to him. A streak of green light burst upward from the lower levels of the city, racing to meet the boat before it had even finished descending. Bai Ning had noticed them as well. Mo Jian set his cup down, letting the tight knot of anxiety finally loosen its grip. He had worried, truly and deeply, but they were here. Free and alive. That alone was worth celebrating.

He took to the air, slipping through the vast windows and surging into the open sky beyond. Shi Dei had left him hours ago, and he'd spent the time alone, savoring the dying sun as it washed the waves below in shades of crimson and orange. Far above the city, the air was light and misted with cool dampness, clouds drifting lazily overhead, their undersides glowing with faint amber light. He angled toward the flying boat, which had paused midair for the reunion.

Within seconds, he spotted Bai Zhou and Bai Zing, holding their daughter in a fierce embrace. A smile broke across his face, and he slowed his approach, giving the family a few precious moments to themselves. By the time he landed lightly on the deck, they had separated, though Zing still kept a tight grip on her daughter's hand.

"Senior," Bai Zhou said, folding his hands into a formal salute. Bai Zing echoed the gesture, dipping her head as well. Mo Jian returned the salute, his hands clasped together as he smiled.

"I am glad to see you well. We feared the worst." Bai Zhou nodded, his gaze flicking briefly to his wife. She seemed to understand at once, tugging Bai Ning gently toward the side.

"Give your father and Senior Mo Jian a moment," she said firmly. Bai Ning's indignant protests fell on deaf ears. Mo Jian rubbed the bridge of his nose, a flicker of embarrassment rising, only for it to fade at the sight of Bai Zhou's grave expression.

"Are you and Zing truly all right?" he asked again, only now noticing how gaunt the man had become. Bai Zhou smiled, though the hollowness lingered.

"Well enough, Senior. Compared to what might have happened, we were incomparably lucky." He drew in a slow breath.

"We received your message after the tournament ended and went into hiding as you advised. However, we still needed to warn the sect to disband temporarily and have all members lie low. We were… less careful than we should have been."

"The Golden Dharma Sect has been disbanded?" Mo Jian cut in, incredulous. Bai Zhou blinked in surprise, then gave a weary, sympathetic smile.

"It seemed the best choice at the time. I intended it only as a temporary measure, until this storm passed. But in warning the sect, we exposed ourselves and were captured." His eyes darkened at the memory. A helpless anger swelled in Mo Jian's chest, sharp and useless. At least, from the look of them, Bai Zhou and Bai Zing had not been mistreated.

"What happened?" he asked, unable to find better words. Bai Zhou's smile turned bitter.

"I do not know who they were, only that there were three of them, all Core Formation experts. They threw us into a cell and kept constant watch. Any attempt to use qi was… punished." His hands curled slightly at his sides.

"They answered none of our questions, nor did they explain why we were being held. It was only when your challenge rang across the sky and sea that they released us." He paused.

"I know they received a voice-transmission talisman ordering them to do so, though from whom, I cannot say. I scarcely dare imagine that a Nascent Soul senior would have bothered to act directly against us." Mo Jian nodded, quietly digesting the account. Bai Zhou hesitated, then plunged ahead.

"And on that note, Senior…" He licked his lips, clearly weighing his words before continuing.

"You know I hold you in the utmost respect, but why are you still in the Thousand Shattered Islands? You should have taken Ning'er and left for the mainland by now. Please tell me this wasn't solely to rescue me and Zing." There was an edge of anger in his voice, almost like desperation, and Mo Jian understood it all too well. What kind of father would calmly accept his child risking herself for him?

"I am done fleeing," Mo Jian replied simply. Bai Zhou's mouth opened, alarm flaring across his face, but Mo Jian forestalled him with a raised hand.

"Not out of arrogance or resignation," he continued evenly.

"I have a plan. I issued that challenge with the full intention of seeing it through. Trust me." Bai Zhou looked torn, caught between the urge to argue and his reluctance to offend. At last, his shoulders sagged.

"Of course, Senior. Besides… I doubt any of us could flee now." His gaze swept the empty sky and the tranquil sea beyond.

"They are watching us, no doubt." Mo Jian nodded. He could sense it; the hidden presences lingering just beyond perception. Once, he would not have noticed them at all, but the depth of his spiritual sense had grown after he had used Ye Chen's secret technique. What had once been invisible now stood faintly revealed. He said nothing of it. Instead, he gestured toward the city below, where Bai Ning had already carried her mother away on a paper crane.

"Let's head down. The city is nearly deserted, so we won't have trouble finding a place to settle. And I imagine Bai Ning has quite a lot to tell you." Bai Zhou nodded, his eyes drifting over the abandoned cityscape. It was still a magnificent sight, but in a hollow way, like a grand monument slowly being swallowed by the sands of time. Together, they plunged toward it, leaving the weight of the sky behind. ………………………………………………………… The next day, two more guests arrived.

These were wholly unexpected, and Mo Jian had to double-check the familiar qi signatures to be certain of what he was sensing. He rose into the sky to meet them alone. Monk Chanakya rode serenely upon his enlarged alms bowl, wooden staff resting across his knees, his expression calm as ever. By contrast, Liu Hong made his entrance in unmistakable style. Using his Radiant Horsetail Whisk, he had entwined its strands into a floating mat, upon which he lounged while sipping wine from a gilded goblet.

A translucent monkey perched on his shoulder, chattering excitedly the moment it caught sight of Mo Jian. Liu Hong lifted his goblet in a casual salute, and Mo Jian had to swallow a smile. He clasped his hands in a formal greeting, his gaze moving from the composed monk to the venerable cultivator.

"Friends," Mo Jian said.

"I am gratified to see you here, and equally surprised. I hope you will forgive the discourtesy, but are you not afraid of provoking Old Devil Fu?" Liu Hong spread his arms wide, beaming.

"What's there to be surprised about? When a friend is in danger, of course we come." He flicked a pulse of qi toward Chanakya, an unmistakable attempt at a light elbow to the side. Monk Chanakya, who had been pretending to meditate, jolted and shot him a glare. Then, with an exaggerated roll of his eyes, he sighed.

"Friend Liu Hong is correct, Brother Mo. In times such as these, we must stand together. Besides, there is a debt between that demon and us, one that has yet to be repaid. This is precisely where we intend to be." Mo Jian blinked.

"A debt?" Liu Hong smiled sheepishly and set aside his goblet. The translucent monkey on his shoulder seized the opportunity, leaping down to snatch it. It tested the liquid inside with the tip of its tongue, took an eager gulp, and promptly toppled over, eyes drifting shut in blissful disregard for the world.

"I was getting to that," Liu Hong muttered, shooting his companion a glare. Then he turned back to Mo Jian, his expression sobering.

"Yes. I don't know how much you're aware of Old Devil Fu's recent deeds, but he sank Cloud Veil Ridge beneath the waves. The island is gone." Mo Jian closed his eyes for a brief moment. Memories surfaced: his cave residence, his home, the quiet years he had spent there, before he forced them aside and returned to the present.

"A pity," he said lightly.

"But not entirely unexpected." Liu Hong nodded, though there was nothing light in his gaze.

"And that was not enough for him. The demon vented his rage on the surrounding islands as well. He sank mine, too. I care little for worldly possessions…" His voice faltered.

"But my nephew was there. He could not attend the tournament with me, so he insisted on getting to stay behind at my cave residence, at least. As a treat. I wasn't able to get him out in time." A sick weight settled in Mo Jian's stomach. He closed his eyes for another brief moment. He had known, had suspected, that others would pay the price for his defiance, but not like this. Not so senselessly. He opened his eyes, ready to speak, but Liu Hong cut him off.

"Don't misunderstand me, Mo Jian," Liu Hong said, teeth bared.

"I don't blame you for what happened. No, my fury is reserved for the demon who rampaged through innocent lives without restraint." His qi churned, wild and sharp.

"I know you. More than that, I know you've already fought him once, and lived. If you've issued this challenge, then you must believe you can win. I want to see him die. That is why I am here." By the end of it, Liu Hong was seething, his beard whipping about him in the air, utterly unlike his usual genial self. Mo Jian could only nod, respect and grim admiration settling in his chest. He turned to Monk Chanakya. Chanakya looked no more at peace than Liu Hong had.

"Brother Liu's island was not the only one destroyed. Mine was as well." He paused.

"None of the dead were family, but…" His eyes were rimmed with red, and it was not from tears.

"The Buddha teaches us to release our worldly attachments. If so, then I am a poor monk indeed. Brother Mo, I too wish to see him dead. That is why I came." Mo Jian nodded, the full weight of it pressing down upon him. Chanakya's island had housed a mortal village. He had begged for alms there regularly, the villagers unaware of his identity or power. By the standards of this world, it had been small; perhaps a few hundred thousand souls. A couple of million, at most. And yet… so many dead.

All for nothing more than careless wrath. Mo Jian was no saint. He had taken lives before. But this, this meaningless slaughter, wrought for no purpose beyond rage, kindled a fierce, unforgiving spark in his chest. Old Devil Fu. He had shattered countless lives, torn apart untold families. He needed to die.

"Then we are aligned," he said at last. His voice was calm, but there was iron beneath it.

"Old Devil Fu has crossed a line he cannot step back from. This challenge was never merely about me, but it has become a reckoning all the same." Liu Hong's eyes gleamed.

"Good. I was hoping you'd say that." Chanakya inclined his head, palms pressed together.

"Hatred clouds the mind," he said quietly.

"But righteous resolve is another matter. If evil is allowed to persist unopposed, then mercy itself becomes a sin." Liu Hong snorted, then snatched up his goblet and drained what little remained.

"Enough of this grimness. I brought all my stores of spirit wine and spirit-beast meat with me. We can discuss death and damnation later. Tonight, we feast as though there were no tomorrow." Mo Jian couldn't help but smile this time.

"We feast indeed," he echoed.

"Come. I'll introduce you to the others already here. We're all gathered in common cause, after all." The three of them turned as one, becoming streaks of differently colored light as they descended toward the city. Below them, the sea rolled on, vast and indifferent, its depths hiding the shattered islands beneath its surface. ……………………………………………….. Did you know this story is from Royal Road? Read the official version for free and support the author.

If Mo Jian had thought Liu Hong and Chanakya were a surprise, the next day proved him wrong. A wagon cut through the sky, its wheels wreathed in flames. It was sturdy, crafted from toughened spiritual wood and rimmed with Bin Steel, yet even at a glance, it was clear this was no prize vehicle; built for the middle class, neither rich nor poor. This time, it took Mo Jian embarrassingly long to place the qi signature.

It wasn't until he saw Bai Zhou, Bai Zing, and even Bai Ning's eager expressions as they flew up to meet this batch of guests that he realized the truth: The Golden Marrow Sect had come. The Foundation Establishment sect leader, Gang Rong, leaped from the side of the wagon even as it descended. Golden-skinned and laughing, he plummeted toward the city, landing in a crouch on one of the streets. The road buckled beneath his feet, cracking and shattering, and a crater formed in its place.

A nearby house toppled, wooden beams collapsing in on themselves with a loud crash. By the time an exasperated Yan Qixue and Yan Liang had parked the wagon and hurried over, Gang Rong was still laughing, hands planted on his waist. Bai Ning arrived first, excitement practically vibrating from her as she skimmed over on her paper crane. Her parents followed more gracefully, their boat steady but unable to match their daughter's speed.

"Sect leader!" she shouted, waving her hands like a child.

"Sister Qixue! Yan Liang! What are you doing here?" Yan Qixue, beaming and elegant, stepped forward to clasp Bai Ning's hand in a fond greeting, accidentally stepping on her husband's toes as he muttered, "Why am I Yan, but she's Sister?"

"Sister Bai Ning," she said with a teasing smile, stepping back playfully.

"Or should it be Senior now?" Bai Ning waved her hand dismissively, simultaneously dodging Gang Rong's attempt to ruffle her hair. Yan Qixue smiled again.

"As for why we are here, well, why wouldn't we be? Both Liang and I owe our lives to you and your master. Though we can offer little, being mere Qi Condensation cultivators, as soon as we heard of your challenge, we knew we had to come. As for the master," she added, her tone suddenly dry as she side-eyed Gang Rong, "once he found out where we were headed, he insisted on coming along." Bai Zhou and Bai Zing, who had just arrived, caught the last sentence.

Bai Zhou called across the street, loudly, "Are you sure it wasn't because someone told him there would be free food here? That sounds more like him." Gang Rong laughed even harder, while Bai Zhou and Zing openly smiled. Within minutes, the six cultivators were deep in animated conversation. Gang Rong was recounting a story about how he had once tried to court a beautiful woman from the archipelago, only for his back-stabbing friend Bai Zhou to swoop in and win her at the last moment.

"You tried to court my mother?!" Bai Ning's incredulous voice echoed across the rooftops, just as a pulse of qi rolled through the city. Everyone paused. Bai Ning rolled her eyes.

"Master is getting lazy," she said.

"Telling us to come to him instead of coming down to greet our guests." Bai Zing swatted the back of her daughter's head.

"Show some respect. And he's busy refining a talisman. He can't exactly leave in the middle of that, can he?" She turned to Gang Rong and his two sect members.

"Shall we go?" ……………………………………………………… The fourth group to arrive still managed to surprise Mo Jian, though he had always known there was a chance they might appear. There were three of them, arriving together as one: Jin Rong in the lead, with Li Deng and Chi Shen close behind. Mo Jian met them high in the skies above Azure Wall City, exchanging greetings and formal salutations. None of them had changed in any meaningful way.

Jin Rong remained the same stern, straight-backed figure; Li Deng was still a wrinkled old man with laughter etched deep into his face; and Chi Shen continued to project the unflappable air of a handsome young master. Mo Jian's cautious inquiry-"… aren't you worried about the backlash of being seen supporting me?" -was waved aside by all three, each for his own reasons. In fact, they looked faintly offended that he had even thought to ask. Jin Rong spoke first, as blunt and direct as ever.

"There is a debt between us, Brother Mo. You stood with me when my life and my people were in danger. Of course I will stand with you now that it is you who is threatened." His eyes hardened.

"And I have not forgotten that the despicable cretin Hua Duzi dared act so boldly only because Old Devil Fu promised him support. This is as good a time as any to settle that score as well." Li Deng chuckled, his lined face breaking into a genial smile.

"Now, now. What Brother Jin Rong cannot quite bring himself to say is that we are all friends. Naturally we came. A little danger is hardly reason enough to keep any of us away." Jin Rong closed his eyes in what looked like profound exasperation, while Chi Shen gave a small, approving sniff; an expression that seemed to say I refuse to comment on the phrasing, but I agree with the sentiment. Mo Jian found himself genuinely taken aback.

"Brother Li… Lady Ping-?" Mo Jian began, trailing off, uncertain how best to phrase the question. Thankfully, Li Deng shook his head at once.

"No, Ping'er is quite hale. The Prince's miraculous concoction worked exactly as promised. She'll have years yet before mortality catches her." He leaned in closer, lowering his voice as if to share a secret, though the broad grin on his face and the volume of his words betrayed him.

"In fact, she's begun looking for a second wife for me. She's rather cross with me, you see, and has sworn to arrange another marriage so I won't be tempted into further foolishness, in her words." Despite speaking of his own failings, Li Deng looked positively delighted. And why wouldn't he? Mo Jian found himself increasingly curious about the kind of woman Lady Ping must be. She sounded like quite the character. Behind him, Chi Shen shook his head in open dismay.

"The worst part is that Redloam Island now has lines, with hundreds of female cultivators, all queueing for the 'honor.'" He sighed heavily.

"I truly don't understand it. What's so appealing about this old grandfather?" Li Deng laughed again, full-bodied and unbothered, and Mo Jian felt his own lips twitch at the image.

"And you, Brother Chi?" Mo Jian asked, turning to the only one who had yet to offer a reason for coming. Chi Shen snapped open his fan and began fanning himself with effortless elegance.

"What is there to explain? Since everyone is gathering, it was only natural that I came as well. Do I truly need a reason beyond that?" Mo Jian was momentarily speechless. Chi Shen had spoken as though the danger to his life were a trivial afterthought. Even as Li Deng laughed once more, Mo Jian could only shake his head and concede defeat. He offered the three of them another salute, then led them down toward the city.

"Oh?" Li Deng remarked, peering below.

"I sense far more people than I expected. I assumed we would be the only ones present." Mo Jian felt a swell of pride, quickly followed by worry.

"I'm surprised as well. It seems I've made deeper connections than I ever gave myself credit for." Li Deng nodded at his side, while Jin Rong and Chi Shen observed in silence.

"Such is the way of things. Only in adversity do we learn the difference between true friends and fair-weather ones." Then, before the mood could grow too heavy, he turned to Mo Jian with a grin.

"That said, Brother Mo, you also broke your word to me." The teasing lilt in his voice made Mo Jian pause. Unable to recall what promise Li Deng meant, he simply raised an eyebrow. Li Deng, utterly shameless, continued.

"Do you not remember saying you would visit Redloam Island someday to see my library? It has been over a year, and I've seen neither hide nor hair of you." Mo Jian rubbed the back of his head sheepishly.

"Now that you mention it… I do remember saying that. But events became so hectic that I never found the time…" And so they went on, speaking of everything and nothing, descending together into Azure Wall City. ………………………………………………….. The fifth group to arrive was no surprise at all. In fact, Mo Jian had expected them from the beginning. They came on the fifth day, though in staggered arrivals rather than all at once.

The first to appear were two female cultivators; a master and disciple pair, who descended upon Azure Wall City astride a crystalline phoenix. Its musical cry rang out for miles, and Mo Jian was far from the only one to emerge at such a bold announcement. As he rose into the sky to greet them, Bai Ning joined him, her expression split by an irrepressible smile. He understood immediately. Her friend had come. The taller of the two women was clearly the leader, a cultivator in the mid-Core Formation stage.

Her disciple, however, was a familiar face: Yue Shuangyi, one of Bai Ning's teammates from the second round. The girls smiled warmly the moment they saw one another, while Mo Jian and the older woman exchanged formal salutes.

"Well met, Fellow Daoist Mo Jian." The woman smiled and dipped into a bow lower than etiquette required.

"I am Liu Rushi. I've wished to speak with you ever since little Shuangyi told me about you, but circumstances regrettably did not allow it." Mo Jian bowed even deeper, not out of courtesy alone, but because he needed the moment to compose himself. He had seen many beautiful women in his life. Such things came with the territory of cultivation. It could smooth skin, lend luster to hair, sculpt the body, even reshape one's very form.

Only those who overindulged – like the original Mo Jian – or those who cared little for appearances – like the present one – failed to benefit from such advantages. He was accustomed, then, to jade beauties. And yet, Liu Rushi made his mouth go dry and heat rush to his cheeks with a single glance. Part of it was her beauty: porcelain-pale skin, hair the color of living flame tumbling in artfully disheveled waves, smoky eyes and full, inviting lips.

Her figure was unabashedly voluptuous, leaving little to the imagination. But the rest, perhaps the greater part, was her attire. Her robes were gossamer-thin, clinging as though by sheer will. Her chest lay fully bared to the air, and had she bent even a fraction lower, Mo Jian would have seen far more than propriety allowed. The lower half was not merely slit, but deliberately cut away, exposing long, toned legs down to delicate feet encased in crystalline sandals.

Paired with her low, sultry voice, it was little wonder Mo Jian found himself struggling to decide where to look, or whether he dared to look at all. Thankfully, he was spared from making a fool of himself by Bai Ning and Yue Shuangyi. The two were so wrapped up in each other that they scarcely noticed their respective masters.

"Sister Yue, you came!" Bai Ning exclaimed. Her joy was so plain that Mo Jian doubted anyone could have missed it. She must have been deeply worried about what the friends she'd made at the tournament would think of her, after the revelation of the False Core Pill. Yue Shuangyi, still the very embodiment of an icy beauty, smiled faintly.

"Of course I did. And I would have arrived sooner, if not for those two fools." Her tone turned sharply exasperated, as though merely recalling the matter drained her patience. Bai Ning brightened further.

"Oh? Li Kang and Chen Zhuhe are with you as well?" Yue Shuangyi rolled her eyes.

"That great fool Li Kang announced to his entire sect that he was heading to Azure Wall City after your master's declaration, loudly, and with no sense whatsoever. Naturally, the leaders of the Seven Light Enclosure heard about it and threw him into a cell to 'cool off.'" She drew a breath, clearly restraining herself.

"And then the other fool, Chen Zhuhe, instead of doing the sensible thing, managed to get himself caught and imprisoned while trying to rescue him." She growled softly.

"Do you have any idea how much time we wasted breaking them out and evading the sect's pursuit? Far too much." Bai Ning giggled, clapping a hand over her mouth when Yue Shuangyi shot her a betrayed look.

"Sorry, sorry-it's just-" Before she could finish, a shout rang out behind them. All four turned. Yue Shuangyi looked resigned, her master mildly amused, as two stragglers struggled to catch up from the distance. They were, of course, none other than Li Kang and Chen Zhuhe, barreling toward them atop a massive flying bead. Li Kang waved enthusiastically with both hands, while Chen Zhuhe's bald head gleamed as though freshly polished in the sunlight.

Bai Ning returned the wild waving with exuberant cheers of her own, and Mo Jian offered Liu Rushi a faintly apologetic smile.

"Shall we head down? I can introduce you to the others, and let the juniors properly catch up." Liu Rushi gasped theatrically and pressed a hand to her ample chest. Mo Jian's gaze followed the motion before he could stop himself; he wrenched his eyes away a heartbeat later.

"So forward, Brother Mo," she breathed.

"Already eager to go down?" The innuendo was unmistakable. Mo Jian flushed scarlet. Liu Rushi laughed openly, clearly delighted. Bai Ning glanced over, still half-focused on her approaching friends, and thankfully seemed to miss the exchange. Before Mo Jian could recover enough to respond, Liu Rushi waved a dainty arm, her sleeveless robes fluttering.

"My apologies. I so rarely get the chance to tease anyone like this. The circles I usually move in are seldom so… innocent." Just like that, they descended toward Azure Wall City, laughter and teasing trailing behind them as the sun sank lower, its fading light glinting off the crystalline phoenix and the silent streets below, where many disparate fates were quietly converging. ………………………………………………………………… On the sixth day, Mo Jian waited by the window from sunrise to sunset, expecting a particular person to arrive.

No one did. When the sun finally sank beneath the horizon, Bai Ning entered the room. She hesitated, as if uncertain how to address his silent vigil, but chose not to mention it. Instead, she invited him to join a bonfire.

"A bonfire?" Mo Jian repeated, incredulous. It wasn't only that they had an entire city to themselves, making such a thing feel unnecessary. Bonfires also held little appeal for cultivators; none of them needed the warmth or light of a simple fire, and those who wished to stargaze usually preferred the open sky to a stretch of sand. Bai Ning only nodded, unbothered.

"We convinced everyone it was a good idea. Sect Leader Gang Rong is grilling the last of Senior Liu Hong's spirit-beast meat, and Senior Chi Shen has opened a cask of his famous Red Silk Corrosive Wine. It's almost a festival out there. You should come, master, it would reassure the others." Mo Jian considered her words for a moment, then nodded. The reasoning was sound. He also suspected there was more to it than she said.

No matter how confident the others appeared, no matter how resolute their words, the risk before them was immense. He had shared none of his deepest secrets with them; doubt, in such circumstances, was only natural. Spending the evening together, then, was not such a poor way to pass the time. Mo Jian followed Bai Ning out of the quiet building and down toward the shore. The bonfire had been lit on the wide stretch of beach just beyond the city, where pale sand met the dark, whispering sea. It was no small flame.

Someone, almost certainly Gang Rong, had stacked whole driftwood trunks together, feeding them with a careless abundance that sent sparks spiraling high into the night. The fire roared and crackled, its light painting the beach in gold and ember-red, chasing away the cool breath of the ocean. Around it, the gathered cultivators had shed much of their usual gravity. Gang Rong stood nearest the flames, bare-armed and laughing, a skewer of spirit-beast meat held over the fire as fat hissed and dripped.

Each turn of the skewer released a rich, mouthwatering aroma that mingled with salt air and smoke. Liu Hong lounged nearby on a flat rock, already deep into his wine, his gilded goblet refilled again and again from Chi Shen's opened cask. The Red Silk Corrosive Wine glowed faintly even in the firelight, its surface shimmering like liquid sunset. The translucent monkey perched atop Liu Hong's shoulder had long since abandoned dignity, sprawled on its back and hiccupping softly.

Chi Shen himself reclined with elegant ease, fan half-open, looking as though he were attending a garden banquet rather than sitting barefoot on the sand. He sipped sparingly, offering dry commentary that sent ripples of laughter through those within earshot. Jin Rong sat a short distance away, posture straight even now, but the stiffness had eased from his shoulders. He listened more than he spoke, though when he did, his words were met with respectful attention and quiet amusement.

Monk Chanakya sat cross-legged near the edge of the firelight, staff laid beside him. Though his expression remained serene, there was warmth in his eyes as he accepted a simple skewer of roasted meat, after some good-natured ribbing about whether it truly violated his vows. Li Deng sat close to him, chuckling and telling stories far too long and far too embellished, his laughter booming over the sound of the waves.

Nearby, Bai Zhou and Bai Zing watched over the younger cultivators with relaxed smiles, content to let Bai Ning take center stage. She flitted from group to group like a spark herself, laughing loudly as she reunited Li Kang and Chen Zhuhe with Yue Shuangyi. Li Kang was already animatedly recounting his "heroic escape," arms flailing wildly, while Chen Zhuhe sat beside him, nodding gravely as though the entire debacle had been a carefully planned stratagem.

Yue Shuangyi listened with arms folded and a faint, long-suffering smile tugging at her lips. Liu Rushi reclined on a smooth piece of driftwood, firelight dancing across her pale skin and crimson hair. She laughed freely, teasing Gang Rong without mercy and scandalizing him in equal measure. Mo Jian caught more than one man stealing glances in her direction, only to quickly look away when she noticed and smiled knowingly. Above them, the night sky stretched vast and clear.

Stars glittered in impossible numbers, reflected faintly in the gentle waves rolling onto shore. Occasionally, embers drifted upward to join them, burning briefly before fading into nothing. Hours passed as Mo Jian joined in the warmth of the gathering. They ate and drank and talked, but spoke of nothing heavy, more content with stories, jokes, and the shared merriment of friends.

Li Deng, animated as ever, recounted a tale of hunting a rank-five Mauler Whale as a fledgling Foundation Establishment cultivator, clearly exaggerating every moment.

"… and with one swing of my sword, I drove off the dragon intent on stealing my prize and brought the elusive whale low. Oh, how it roared and thrashed and screamed! But, of course, it was no match for me. When I showed it my sword, it obediently allowed me to slice its core away, knowing it had been bested…" Mo Jian smiled faintly at the story, though the more he listened, the more sure he was that the whole thing was an embellishment, but then felt a sudden, familiar jolt of qi.

He scanned the crowd, but no one else seemed to have noticed it. Slowly, he rose, waving off Yan Liang's curious glance – the Qi Condensation cultivator was seated nearest to him, with his wife leaning against his shoulder as they both hung on Li Deng's tale – and stretched, trying not to betray the faint tension prickling along his spine. Stepping to the edge of the fire, he lifted off with quiet grace, the warmth and laughter of the bonfire falling away behind him.

The luminescent walls of Azure Wall City shimmered faintly blue in the night as he crossed half the island, until he found her. Fan Mei hovered silently in the air, her gaze fixed on the star-speckled sky above. When she turned at his approach, shadows flickered across her face, caught in the glow of the city lights below. Mo Jian stopped half a li away, unsure what to say. He had waited for this moment, and now that she was here, his mind went blank. Words failed him.

Thankfully, Fan Mei did not seem hindered by the silence. She drifted a little closer, leaving the shadows behind, stepping fully into the light. Her face was the same as before: sharp and handsome rather than conventionally pretty, with eyebrows like finely drawn ink strokes. But her usual calm composure had vanished. She looked anxious, worried… and, dare he think it, guilty.

"Brother Mo," she said, her voice trembling, "I cannot express how relieved I am that you and Bai Ning are safe and whole. And-" Her body bowed deeply, almost folding in half as her voice cracked.

"I offer my sincerest apologies. If only I had not given you that pill, none of this would have happened." Mo Jian extended a hand, his telekinesis gently catching her halfway into the bow, lifting her with ease. He straightened her with a wry smile.

"I refuse to accept it," he said softly.

"You have nothing to apologize for, Sister Fan Mei. Taking that pill was Bai Ning's choice, and allowing it to happen was mine. Do not blame yourself. You have stood by us through every trial. And, here you are now, despite how this may affect your standing with Ancestor Qing." Fan Mei straightened, her gaze locking onto his, searching for the truth behind his words. Only when she saw the unwavering conviction in his eyes did she relax, slumping softly in his hold.

"That… thank you, Brother Mo," she murmured.

"These past days have been… difficult. I burned through all my favors, and I suspect all the forbearance Lord Qing had for me, arguing for him to intercede on your behalf. He was… not best pleased with my words, nor my insistence." A faint smile flickered across her lips, though it carried none of its usual warmth.

"I fear I have no relationship left with him anymore. He made it clear that if I dared to leave, I would be as good as dead to him. Thankfully… Zetian's spite helped me this time. She was so eager to see me ruined that she made no commotion when I left. Otherwise… Lord Qing might have tried to stop me." Her words spilled out in a rush, as if she could not stop herself once she began. Mo Jian's gaze softened, and he closed the distance to gently place a hand on her shoulder.

"You've done more than enough, Sister Fan Mei. To go so far for us…" He let the silence stretch for a beat, then continued with quiet certainty.

"Don't worry. You know about my 'luck.' Have faith. This nightmare ends the day after tomorrow. I intend to win, and then settle the score with everyone else, once and for all. We'll make sure Ancestor Qing regrets letting you go, for the rest of his life." Some of the life returned to Fan Mei's face, and she let out a soft, almost shy chuckle.

"How bold," she said, lips twitching.

"Fine, I believe you. And that's why I came. No matter the outcome, I intend to stand alongside you and Bai Ning in the coming fight. And," she added, glancing past him with a raised eyebrow, "it seems I am not the only one. Just how many people have come, Brother Mo?" Mo Jian smiled, taking her hand and guiding her toward the bonfire.

"A surprising number. And with you here, the group is complete." Together, they descended, the soft glow and loud crackle of the flames growing brighter below, casting dancing shadows across the assembled cultivators. Laughter and chatter washed over them as they landed, mingling with the scent of sizzling spirit meat and the sharp tang of Red Silk Corrosive Wine. Faces turned toward them with welcoming smiles, the warmth of camaraderie spreading like firelight across the night.

Mo Jian allowed himself a quiet moment, watching the scene; the friends, the allies, the unexpected bonds forged in danger, gathered together under the vast, star-strewn sky. For now, at least, they could rest, laugh, and simply be. The day after tomorrow, the reckoning would come. But tonight, hope burned as brightly as the bonfire before them. The night held them in its embrace, warm, alive, and fleetingly perfect.