The Faces of This Chapter:
Yena: Heir of Fenixia; Divine | Calm, composed, and authoritative when needed, yet approachable.
Miao Miao: Yena's friend| a flower spirit; divine being | Playful yet sharp-witted and fiercely protective.
Jin Yue: Heir of Huliya | Quietly resolute and thoughtful.
Qing Yi: Youngest disciple of the sect | Arrogant, impulsive, and somewhat immature.
Shen Lei: Senior disciple of the sect | Wise, composed, and authoritative.
Yu Chen: Senior disciple of the sect | Responsible, level-headed, and somewhat of a mediator.
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A young woman with a bow in hand, barely out of her teens, emerged from the trees—from the very spot the arrow had been loosed. She walked behind several others dressed in distinct uniforms, clearly marked as disciples of the sect.
As they drew closer…
Miao Miao crossed her arms and muttered, "Tch... Such a warm welcome for guests."
A young man hurried to them —likely the leader of the group. "Please accept our sincerest apologies. That was entirely our fault. Were any of you harmed?"
Another man turned toward the young woman. "You should have been more careful, Qing Yi," he scolded, his voice calm but stern.
The first man stepped forward.
"Let us discuss this later, Yu Chen." He then turned to Yena and added, "I am Shen Lei, and this is Yu Chen. The one beside him is Qing Yi. We offer our sincerest apologies for the conduct of our youngest disciple. Were you harmed in any way?"
Yena offered a respectful bow. "I am Yena. This is Miao Miao, and he is Jin Yue. I am unharmed. Though I must admit, her aim was precise—the shot nearly struck its mark."
Shen Lei nodded, his tone polite. "You appear to be skilled as well. To catch an arrow mid-flight speaks to your observation and ability. May I ask which sect you belong to?"
Jin Yue stepped forward. "We are not currently affiliated with any sect. We seek Master Zhang Haoran. Is he here?"
The disciples exchanged uneasy glances.
Sensing their hesitation, Yena added, "We mean no harm. Jin Yue is a disciple of Master Zhang Haoran. We have come to request an audience with him—and hopefully, to join your sect."
Shen Lei paused, then nodded thoughtfully. "So, you wish to meet Master." He gestured toward the gate. "Very well, I shall guide you to him."
As he stepped forward, Qing Yi blocked his path.
She frowned. "Senior, you're trusting them? Just because they say they mean no harm?"
Yu Chen snapped, "Qing Yi! Mind your words."
Qing Yi muttered, "I didn't intend disrespect towards Senior… I simply don't want any of you getting into trouble."
Yu Chen "Haven't you caused enough for us..."
Noticing the tension, Yena raised her hands gently. "We'll wait outside," she said with calm authority and continued, "Jin Yue has traveled a long way to meet his master. He should go ahead. Miao Miao and I will stay here until his return."
Shen Lei gave a slight bow. "Thank you for your understanding. Mr. Jin Yue, please, follow me. Yu Chen, keep Qing Yi in check."
Qing Yi pouted, while Yu Chen sighed and nodded. Jin Yue, who had been hesitant to leave the girls at first, finally left with Shen Lei after the assurance given by the two.
Just as they left the scene, Qing Yi stepped up beside Yena and quietly snatched the arrow from her hand.
Qing Yi:"Do not blame me for my actions. You were the one who stepped into our sect's boundaries. You were in the wrong to begin with."
Yu Chen responded sternly, "There is no need for further argument. Even if they did trespass, does that justify attacking them without warning?"
Qing Yi: "Senior, I truly did not mean harm…" She hesitated, her shoulders stiffening. "I only wanted to startle."
She then turned to Yena, studying the arrow she had taken. "How did you manage to catch this? You weren't even looking."
Miao Miao chimed in, "You should be thanking her. If not for Yena, you could have injured someone today."
Yu Chen sighed, "This is why we warn her against wielding weapons she can't control. It's not her spirit weapon—it won't respond to her energy as she wishes."
Qing Yi was clearly upset, glanced away.
and Miao Miao tilted her head. "It isn't? I assumed you were practicing with your spirit weapon."
Yu Chen shook his head. "Just a simple bow. We use normal weapons during training to hone our accuracy—so when it's time to use our spirit weapons, we can channel our energy precisely."
Miao Miao nodded thoughtfully.
After a moment of silence, Yu Chen asked, "You said you're here to join the sect. By the way you handled that arrow, I assumed you were a magic practitioner."
Qing Yi narrowed her eyes. "That's what I've been saying."
Yu Chen muttered to her quietly, "Don't say anything more."
Yena smiled faintly. "I've trained over the years... but my cultivation level isn't high. Would that be a problem to join your sect?"
Yu Chen shook his head. "No, it won't. Anyone with determination to work hard is welcome." He hesitated a moment, then asked, "May I ask your cultivation levels?"
Miao Miao: "I am at thirty-five."
Yu Chen nodded, impressed. "Thirty-five? That's more than many disciples who've trained for years."
He glanced at Yena, awaiting her response.
Yena:"I am at twenty-three."
Yu Chen was taken aback—he had expected her to be at least thirty. But he quickly composed himself.
"That's alright. With enough training, your cultivation level will rise. Our Master looks for disciples who have the strength and will to work hard—not just high levels. You might have a chance."
Qing Yi:"Senior, you shouldn't give her false hope. She hasn't even trained formally. How could someone like her enter our sect? No offense, but I don't think she has any skills worth proving."
Miao Miao curled her fingers into fists, her thoughts sharp ["What's the problem with this arrogant little commoner? How dare she speak to a divine like that?"].
Yena, sensing Miao Miao's frustration, gently held her balled fist. Miao Miao slowly relaxed, regaining her composure. She then added coolly, "She's far better than you realize. Her martial prowess rivals that of many trained practitioners."
Qing Yi scoffed. "Tch... Easy to say when it's coming from your own mouth. How exactly do you plan to prove that?"
Miao Miao's tone sharpened as she narrowed her eyes. "And how exactly do you expect us to prove it? By attacking unarmed strangers like you did?"
Yena reached out to calm Miao Miao again—only for Qing Yi to interrupt.
Qing Yi stepped closer. "I said it earlier—your actions were the cause of this. If you truly want an apology... fine. I'll apologize and acknowledge you as someone worthy of our sect. But only if one of you defeats me."
Yu Chen looked alarmed. "Enough, Qing Yi! How can you propose that? You're a magic practitioner. They aren't—yet!"
Qing Yi countered with a shrug, "I'm not forcing them. They can accept my challenge or forfeit. But they'll have to prove themselves sooner or later. Before the Headmaster kicks them out, let me help them out."
Yu Chen was about to scold her again, but Miao Miao raised her hand.
"I accept." Her voice was calm but edged with disdain. "You're clearly arrogant. Let me help you fix that. I'll bring you back down to earth."
Yu Chen called out to Yena, caught between the fierce gazes of the two. He silently asked, "Can you not persuade Miao Miao to stand down? I know Qing Yi—she's young and impulsive. She won't yield."
Yena remained composed, her voice calm yet firm. "It is Miao Miao's decision. As her friend, I cannot ask her to retreat. You understand this is no longer a matter of strength—it is one of pride. The pride we hold as practitioners. I believe it would be wiser to delay this until Master Zhang and the senior disciples return."
Yu Chen sighed, his shoulders sinking as he understood the weight of the situation. "That is the problem. Even if they arrive, they cannot intervene. Both the challenger and the challenged have agreed to this. Unless there is a serious breach of conduct, the rules do not allow a duel to be nullified—especially one declared as friendly."
Yena paused, considering the situation carefully. "I shall try to reason with Miao Miao, but I will not ask her to concede. If you find it appropriate… perhaps a word with Qing Yi might help. She is your junior, after all."
Yu Chen gave a nod and turned to Qing Yi, asking her to withdraw the challenge—but she remained adamant. Both he and Yena tried to calm the situation, but it became clear their efforts were futile.
With a resigned sigh, Yu Chen signaled to another disciple. "Inform the Headmaster about the duel."
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