"Please, Elder Shui, enlighten me," Xing Jue said respectfully, bowing slightly. He knew that there was something more to this visit than a simple test of his abilities. There was something else….
"Tell me, Xing Jue," the Second Elder began, stroking his beard thoughtfully, "do you have any idea how highly regarded Xiao Han is within the Main Division?"
Xing Jue shook his head.
"Xiao Han is one of the youngest disciples in our midst," the Second Elder explained, his voice laced with a mixture of pride and amusement. "And one of the most promising, I'd wager. In terms of raw potential, there are few who can match her. However…" he paused, the smile fading from his face, "…in terms of actual strength? She's still…developing. Let's just say that she has a long way to go before she can challenge the top disciples of the Main Division."
Xing Jue took a sharp intake of breath. He hadn't realized that there was such a disparity between Xiao Han and the elite disciples of the Main Division.
"But talent and strength are not the only things that make Xiao Han so…sought after," the Second Elder continued, his tone laced with amusement. "Let's just say that she ticks a lot of boxes for the young men of the Main Division. And the fact that she's chosen you…well, let's just say that it's made you a bit of a celebrity!" He chuckled softly, his eyes twinkling with mirth.
Ah, Xing Jue thought, so that was why the elders were so interested in him! It wasn't just his talent or his connection to Xiao Han's grandfather they were concerned about. It was because their precious Xiao Han had inadvertently stirred up a hornet's nest by choosing him.
And then a grim determination settled over his features. He would not back down. If they wanted a fight, they'd get one. Let them come! He would not abandon Xiao Han! Never!
Not even if he had to fight every single disciple in the Main Division!
"I imagine you're wondering why, despite all of this…attention, none of the Main Division disciples have come looking for you," The Second Elder said, interrupting Xing Jue's train of thought.
Xing Jue nodded hesitantly. It had been on his mind, haunting his dreams. He'd been expecting some kind of retaliation—a duel, a challenge, a prank, anything, really, to put him in his place.
Instead… silence.
It was unnerving.
The Second Elder let out a soft chuckle. "Well, let me tell you why, my boy! It's quite simple, really! They're not here because they can't get past Little Han, of course, but also…because they don't want to stoop to your level." His voice hardened. "Right now, you're beneath their notice, an insignificant ant beneath their gilded boots. They're biding their time, waiting for you to reach the Main Division, waiting for the day they can crush you without tarnishing their reputations! They see it as doing this old man a favor!"
Xing Jue's eyes widened. So, they were waiting for him to advance to the Main Division, where the rules were different, where even Xiao Han's grandfather couldn't protect him. Then they would strike… and they would strike hard.
"And what if…hypothetically… I fail to reach the Main Division?" The thought sent a chill through him. Would they finally leave him in peace if he remained in the Inner Division, forever out of their league, forever unworthy of their attention?
The Second Elder just shook his head. "Let me be blunt, Xing Jue, if you can't even reach the Main Division, you don't deserve to be with Xiao Han!" His voice softened. "She deserves someone who can stand beside her, not cower behind her! And besides, even if you want to remain in the Inner Division, I doubt her grandfather would allow that! He has big plans for his granddaughter! Ambitious plans! Plans that involve powerful allies! Powerful families! Powerful…husbands!"
Xing Jue's stomach twisted. This wasn't about love or happiness or compatibility! This was about power! Political alliances! His worth as a person was directly proportional to how much power he wielded, how much influence he could bring to their union!
"The disciples in the Main Division are a different breed, Xing Jue," the Second Elder continued. "Ruthless. Ambitious. They play a different game than you're used to. And trust me, they don't play nice."
A cold feeling settled in Xing Jue's gut. The Main Division, it seemed, was a viper's nest, a place where one wrong step could cost you everything.
"Xiao Han might be able to shield you for a while…but eventually, her protection won't be enough, her grandfather's indulgences will end. You'll be on your own, surrounded by enemies, your life forfeit the moment you show weakness.
He took a deep breath. "The Main Division is no place for the weak, the timid, the unprepared. If you want to survive there, really survive there, you'll need to become stronger, far stronger than you are now. I'm talking about Martial God level strength, bare minimum. Anything less, and you're dead. Understand?
Xing Jue nodded slowly, his expression grim. He hadn't fully grasped the gravity of the situation until now. It wasn't just about his own survival. It was about protecting Xiao Han, about proving himself worthy of her love.
"Thank you for the warning, Elder Shui, I'll heed your words."
The thought of facing down the entire Main Division, filled with monstrously powerful disciples, was daunting. But he would not be deterred.
He would get stronger. He had to.
The Second Elder studied Xing Jue for a moment, a glimmer of approval in his eyes. This kid had guts. Stupid guts, maybe, but guts nonetheless.
He reached into his sleeve and pulled out a small blue talisman, its surface shimmering with arcane symbols.
"Take this," he said, tossing it to Xing Jue.
"What is it?" Xing Jue asked, catching the talisman gingerly.
"It's called a Thunder Talisman," the Second Elder explained. "Incredibly powerful. Think of it as an insurance policy. A very loud, very destructive, insurance policy. If any of those sanctimonious hypocrites in the Main Division decide they can't wait to get rid of you and try something…unsavory… this will even the odds."
"Thank you, Elder Shui!" Xing Jue exclaimed, bowing deeply. This wasn't just a gift; it was a lifeline. A way to protect himself from those who'd see him dead.
"Enough with the formalities, boy! My granddaughter seems to think rather highly of you, so there's really no need for such…deference! From now on, you can call me… Shui Lao."
"Shui Lao?" The name felt oddly familiar. It reminded him of someone … why did it remind him of someone? But Xing Jue decided not to press the matter. He'd learned early on that some questions were better left unasked. "Thank you, Shui Lao!"
The Second Elder, now Shui Lao, nodded, a ghost of a smile playing on his lips. "Very well. Now, tell me more about yourself, boy, apart from this whole fiasco. I want to know about the boy who captured my precious granddaughter's heart." He settled back into his chair, his expression a mix of curiosity and amusement.
Interesting times were ahead, he could feel it.
"Work hard, my boy! If you don't reach the Martial God realm, I won't allow you to marry Xiao Han even if you ask on your knees!" Shui Lao said, his voice gruff but his eyes twinkling with amusement. And then, with a slight ripple of displaced air, he vanished, leaving Xing Jue alone in the training hall.
Xing Jue stared at the empty space where the Second Elder had been standing only moments before. Despite his gruff demeanor and thinly veiled threats, Xing Jue could tell that Xiao Han's grandfather cared deeply for his granddaughter. He'd gone above and beyond what was expected of him, especially considering his position within the Heavenly Law Palace.
A wave of gratitude, tinged with a strange sort of protectiveness, washed over Xing Jue. Shui Lao was right, reaching the Martial God realm would not be easy. But he would do it. He had to. For Xiao Han.
In the tranquil serenity of the Xing Manor's backyard, beneath the shade of a willow tree, sat two figures, their laughter mingling with the gentle chirping of birds.
It was a picture of idyllic peace.
"You're…leaving?" Xiao Han asked, her brow furrowed with concern. Her voice, usually so full of life, was subdued, tinged with a note of anxiety she couldn't quite mask.
"Yes," Xing Jue said. "I need to get stronger, and the training methods here at the Soaring Wind Division are no longer enough. I need…a challenge. Something more…" His voice trailed off, the memory of Shui Lao's words echoing in his mind.
Reaching the Martial God realm wouldn't be easy. It would take years of dedicated training, years of pushing himself to the limit and beyond. Years that he and Xiao Han didn't necessarily have.
He had to find another way. A faster way.
His thoughts drifted back to the Soul Eater's Scripture, the forbidden martial arts manual said to be hidden within the depths of the Death Mountains. The thought of the dangers that awaited him there—the deadly traps, the ferocious beasts, the possibility of running into members of the Soul Eater Sect—sent a shiver down his spine.
But it was his only hope.
"How long will you be gone?" Xiao Han whispered, her gaze searching his face.
He reached for her hand, his fingers intertwining with hers. "I don't know," he said honestly. "At least…until I reach the Martial Lord realm.
Xiao Han fell silent, her gaze fixed on their joined hands. She understood Xing Jue's ambitions, his need to prove himself, to become worthy of her in the eyes of the world. And she knew that a large part of his drive stemmed from his desire to protect her, to shield her from those who'd see her harm.
She reached into her robes and pulled out a small, shimmering talisman. It was the talisman her grandfather had given her – a Thunder Talisman—an object of immense power. A life-saver, in the right hands.
Her fingers tightened around it, and then, with a resolute sigh, she pressed it into his hand. "Take it, " she said. "The world outside the Heavenly Law Palace is a dangerous place! And you'll be traveling alone! I won't feel safe knowing you don't have something to defend yourself with."
Xing Jue stared at the talisman in his hand, his heart swelling with emotion. He recognized it immediately. It was identical to the one Shui Lao had given him.
So, that sly old fox had given them both one!
And Xiao Han was willing to part with hers, to give up her own safety for his…
Warmth, as bright and fierce as the sun, bloomed in his chest. This…this was real. This was love. Not the shallow, self-serving affections of the nobles he'd grown up with, but a deep, abiding love that transcended words, a love that burned with the intensity of a thousand suns.
He wanted to tell her about the other talisman, to reassure her that he wouldn't be completely defenseless, that her grandfather had given him one as well.
But something in her expression—a plea, unspoken but clearly felt—stopped him. He'd tell her later, when they were both back safe and sound within the walls of the Heavenly Law Palace, when this whole ordeal was nothing but a bad memory.
Until then, he'd keep his promise. He'd make sure this talisman never left his side.
"Don't worry," he said softly, squeezing her hand. "I'll be careful. I promise."
And he would be. For her. Always for her.
And then, before she could say another word, he'd pulled her into his arms, holding her close, savoring the feel of her against him, the sweet scent of her hair filling his senses.
He'd never let her go.
The next morning, after bidding farewell to his fellow disciples, Xing Jue left the Soaring Wind Division, his heart filled with a mixture of anticipation and trepidation.
He stood for a moment at the foot of Floating Cloud Mountain, his black robes billowing in the wind, the rising sun painting the sky in hues of gold and crimson. He'd decided against wearing his Soaring Wind robes. No need to attract attention to himself, especially if the ruins were indeed connected to the Soul Eater Sect.
After taking a deep breath, he turned north, towards the Death Mountains, towards his destiny.
His first stop, however, wouldn't be the Death Mountains.
He had a promise to keep. A promise he'd made to a dying friend.
A hundred miles north of the Death Mountains lay a small, bustling city. And within that city resided the Bai Clan, a moderately influential martial arts family.
And it was there, within the Bai Clan estate, that Xing Jue hoped to find Bai Yunfei's younger sister.