Jin Bao strutted over, his chest puffed out like a peacock displaying its feathers, each step exaggerated as if the ground itself were honored by his presence, his voice laced with mocking condescension.
"Well, well, look who we have here—the 'young master' of the Skyward Lotus Sect, still clutching that wine flask? Tell me, Tian Hao, is the secret to power at the bottom of that jug, or is it just easier to drown your sorrows than face reality?" Jin Bao leaned closer, his grin widening. "Maybe you think if you drink enough, you'll forget last time—flailing around like a drunken crane on ice."
A few of the onlookers gasped, their eyes widening as they glanced at Tian Hao. Among them were disciples from different sects, their varied robes marking affiliations—vibrant greens, deep crimson, and even some in the muted browns of the wandering cultivators. Their expressions ranged from curiosity to wariness, the tension in the courtyard thickening with each word.
Tian Hao's fingers twitched, but he forced himself to stay calm, letting his own smirk rise as he met Jin Bao's gaze.
"Jin Bao, always a pleasure," he replied smoothly, throwing an exaggerated shrug and glancing knowingly at the crowd. "I see you've managed to find… fragrant accommodations—closer to a roost, was it? That yellow's more suited to the poultry markets, really, but then, Golden Feather has always preferred show over skill."
Jin Bao's smirk faltered, but he pressed on, voice dripping with disdain.
"You dare mock the Golden Feather Sect? Keep talking, Tian Hao, while the rest of us actually cultivate and honor the heavenly mandates bestowed upon us. You flaunt your unearned fate, a spoiled child playing at power, squandering the blessings others would kill for. You're nothing but a walking embarrassment to the once-noble Tian name, a blot on what could have been a true legacy."
Tian Hao chuckled, shaking his head. "Ah, Jin Bao, I see you're still making up for your lack of talent with an overabundance of noise. Must be exhausting. You sound like a sect outer disciple boasting beyond his station—so much noise, so little substance."
Jin Bao's face darkened momentarily, but he pressed on, raising his voice. "At least I don't have to hide behind a flask! Or maybe you'd like a rematch? Though I doubt much has changed—humiliation does seem to be your specialty."
Some in the crowd smirked, while others looked away uncomfortably, the tension mounting as Jin Bao's words echoed across the courtyard, each syllable hanging in the air like an unsheathed blade.
Tian Hao sighed theatrically, flashing a lazy smile, waving his hand dismissively as if the idea were beneath him. Inside, a flicker of tension coiled in his chest, a reminder of how much he was expected to prove. It was easier to play the role of indifference, even if it cost him a little of his pride. "Rematch? You mean your feathered dance routine? I'd rather save my strength for something actually challenging."
Jin Bao sneered, his eyes narrowing with a gleam of irritation, his lip curling as though the very sight of Tian Hao offended him. "The Skyward Lotus reputation must be suffering, given who they've sent to represent them. You're a disgrace."
Tian Hao's eyes glinted, his smile not faltering. "Better to stand as I am than be trapped in a gilded cage, Jin Bao. Some of us don't need flashy feathers to prove our worth."
Jin Bao's gaze flicked to Jiuwei, perched indignantly on Tian Hao's shoulder.
"What's this? A pet rat? Or is it some kind of underfed spirit weasel? How fitting—it seems even your 'companions' have… limited potential. Perhaps it's aspiring to be a real beast one day?" Jin Bao's laughter rippled through the courtyard, drawing amused snickers from the onlookers.
Jiuwei's golden eyes narrowed, her fur bristling as she let out a disdainful, almost amused huff. She lifted her head, her voice filled with regal scorn.
"A rat? How pathetically unoriginal, Jin Bao. With wit like that, you must be trying hard to elevate yourself. You'd need a ladder just to reach my shadow." Her tail flicked dismissively. "If I weren't conserving my energy, I'd swat you aside like the insignificant insect you are.""
She glanced at him, her gaze pitying. "It takes a special kind of idiot to provoke what they can't possibly comprehend. Keep clucking, little bird. Perhaps one day, you'll manage to be more than a loudmouth with feathers."
Jin Bao's eyes narrowed, his face briefly flushing as Jiuwei's words struck him, the scorn biting deeper than he cared to admit. He tried to mask it, turning back to Tian Hao with a sly grin spreading across his face.
"Hiding behind a spirit animal now, Tian Hao? I guess when one's courage falters, even a rat looks like a worthy shield." He sneered, his voice dripping with disdain. "You're nothing more than a pesky burr clinging to the edges of something greater—annoying, insignificant, and desperately trying to matter."
Tian Hao's eyes narrowed, the mockery in his voice hardening. "Better to be a thorn in your side than a parrot in gilded robes, squawking like it's the emperor of the heavens but with all the ferocity of a songbird pecking at breadcrumbs. You mistake patience for weakness, Jin Bao, but I promise you, even a lotus has roots that can pierce armor."
Jin Bao's face flushed with anger, and he leaned in, voice dropping. "You think wit alone will save you? I am Jin Bao, Golden Feather disciple. You? Nothing but a wasted name and talent, with a foundation as shaky as a reed in the wind. Your meridians must be as weak as your spirit—unable to handle the true weight of cultivation. You're nothing but an empty vessel, Tian Hao."
Lin Mei, seeing the rising fury in Jin Bao's eyes, stepped forward, her tone steely. She couldn't stand by and let things escalate—whether out of protective instinct for Tian Hao or simply to prevent a needless confrontation that could damage their sect's reputation, she knew she had to act.
"We don't want trouble, Jin Bao. Surely a 'master' like you has better uses for his time than picking fights over old insults?"
A hush fell over the courtyard, the air growing thick with a breathless stillness, murmurs of surprise rippling like a breeze through the crowd as they watched Lin Mei intervene.
Jin Bao sneered. "Perhaps Skyward Lotus teaches humility after all." He smirked, sizing her up with cold contempt. "Though, maybe it's you who needs protection… just a pretty 'flower vase,' after all—an ornament, not a true cultivator. Defending such 'companions' must be a heavy burden."
Tian Hao stepped forward before Lin Mei could react, drawing Jin Bao's gaze back to himself.
"Oh, our burdens aren't so heavy," he replied, flashing a sardonic grin. "Though I'm sure your ancestors will be pleased to hear their feathered legacy's kept busy scratching around in the barnyard, clucking with the chickens and squabbling over the leftover feed. Tell them we're planning a feast. Feathers make lovely showpieces—if they're plucked."
Jin Bao's forced smile froze as Tian Hao's words hit home. The onlookers exchanged glances, some stifling gasps, others whispering among themselves, their eyes wide as they sensed the tension shifting.
He leaned in, voice a dangerous whisper. "Keep pretending, Tian Hao, but we both know you're just a spoiled child, a trinket meant to distract. When the time comes, you'll run back to your little sect, tail between your legs."
"Oh, I might," Tian Hao replied, his voice just as quiet. "I'll run back to my sect, Jin Bao. Not a gilded coop." His gaze held steady, the faintest trace of a smile still on his lips.
"Let us put an end to your wit—I will bury you here in your own droppings." Jin Bao gestured towards his fellow Golden Feather sect disciples. "I'm challenging you to a duel, and not merely a formal one," He sneered. "I mean a true test of skill—to the death. Either you and your… pet rat run away back to the garbage heaps where you clearly belong, or perhaps I should simply—".
Before Jin Bao could say more, before their conflict escalated into something more violent than a sharp word, Tian Shou returned, and with him, a forced calm. His robes, adorned with the emblem of the Skyward Lotus Sect, were slightly disheveled, and there were dark circles under his eyes.
Despite his fatigue, his presence radiated authority, the jade token of his station glinting faintly at his waist.