— Hey, um... shouldn't we head back now? — Guang Ai remarked, though she refused to leave the lake like the others. — He said he'd come back for an answer today—won't that be around dawn?

  The other girls shuddered at Wu Xue's words — What if he comes here after seeing that we're not at the training center?

  Letting out a deep sigh, laden with pure, dense qi, the small amount she hadn't been able to absorb, Gao Yao blinked three times before reacquainting herself with the situation. She noticed the sunrise in the distance, which meant a lot of time had passed.

  Our decision... She clenched her fist, feeling her strength grow noticeably. To think cultivation could be so easy. Reaching a new stage after barely understanding a technique he considered "irrelevant" and advancing even further during a simple bath... I suppose "strange" doesn't even fit this anymore, or maybe it never did.

  She sighed.

  She turned to the others around her — Do you all want to leave now?

  Such a simple question seemed to carry so much meaning. It was odd. Was she just talking about the bath? If so, the unanimous answer was no. And if she meant the other question, the answer would be the same. After experiencing such things, none of them would be able to return to cultivating with the city's simplistic techniques. They all wanted more. They wanted to grow so much that not even the city walls or the beasts would be able to restrain them.

  Gao Yao stood up, surprising everyone. She used a random towel to dry off and put on the rest of her clothes.

  — Are you really leaving? — Wu Xue asked, anxiously.

  — No, but I'd rather not be seen like this when he comes looking for us. Or are you also not getting dressed to prevent that from happening?

  The others looked at each other and then ran over to where their clothes were on the sandy ground.

  — But... if we get dressed, we won't be able to go back in the water, — someone pointed out, leaving everyone thoughtful.

  And though they faced the same dilemma about whether or not to return to the training center, and arrived at the same conclusion as the girls, the boys didn't have this problem. They hadn't bothered to get dressed in the first place, so there was nothing to worry about.

  Feeling the day break and the fresh morning breeze on his skin, Noah flew with Ting in his arms toward He Rui's room; his hair streamed back and his clothes fluttered in the wind.

  Ting glanced at the lodgings ahead and commented with a slight sarcastic tone, — That doesn't seem like a 'training center' to me, or are you already that close? Have you even visited her room already?

  — Should I pretend I'm avoiding the question, or are you truly jealous now? — she sighed, rolling her eyes as she looked at the commotion below, where the dark ground stood out from its surroundings. — Ah, I shouldn't have asked?

  Suddenly striking him with open palms, Ting covered Noah's eyes, nearly making them crash onto one of the rooms below.

  — Close your eyes! — she exclaimed in a low voice. Noah had been looking at her most of the time, so she was sure he hadn't seen what was happening below yet.

  She slipped from his arms and turned him around.

  — Stay like that, — she commanded, serious. — I'm not joking this time.

  — Alright, but can you explain what the problem is?

  — There's a girl- — Ting turned to Noah after seeing the young woman's skin shine as the sun hit it. It reminded her of something. The change in color, the appearance, everything was too similar to be a coincidence. Swallowing hard, Ting refused to believe it. — Just don't look, understand?

  As she approached the scorched earth, she frowned at the system interface.

  Did you know...?

  Her refusal became pointless the clearer the scene before her grew. Except for the coloration, the scales covering the girl's body were identical to Noah's own.

  The answer took a while to come.

  [Yes.]

  Then why the hell wasn't this in the information you gave us?!

  Her foot hesitated midair and, as an involuntary reflex, her clenched fist relaxed. A powerful and unfamiliar energy invaded her body, keeping her from getting closer.

  Lightning...

  That's why no one had helped He Rui yet.

  [Because, at first, you would be against it, Ting.]

  [However... it is necessary.]

  Necessary?! Who gave you the right to decide that?! These are our lives, so stop treating us like puppets!

  The force she used was so great that blood trickled from her lips.

  Noah moved when he noticed, but didn't leave his spot — Are you alright..?

  Ting wiped the blood off — Yes, just stay there.

  He sensed her harsh tone and did as asked, even though he was worried and confused. The sound of lightning crackling on the ground made him uneasy and, strangely, worried. About Ting? Not only her. He Rui also appeared in his mind, and maybe that was the real issue.

  Approaching one of the nearby attendants, Ting asked — What happened to her? — as she continued to ignore the calls from the system. Completely useless now, she wished she could get rid of it if possible. Maybe it was just the anger talking. Maybe, but even knowing that, she wouldn't refuse if given a chance.

  The genuine version of this novel can be found on another site. Support the author by reading it there.

  — W-We don't know. Everything was fine. Yesterday, Lian Lian said she was just cultivating, but today... she exploded.

  Trying to take another step, Ting realized it would be hard to walk there, and He Rui was too far away to be pulled out of the mark's reach: Ting's telekinesis, at the Qi Condensation stage, still wasn't strong enough over such distance.

  Something leapt from her spatial pouch and stopped before her, floating in the air—a shining sword with a blade so sharp it glowed. Everyone around gaped, some forgetting about He Rui's situation as they stared at the sword. But Ting paid no attention. She stepped onto the blade and climbed until she was beyond the reach of the electricity. At this height, she started to approach. Yet, each extra centimeter closer to the girl, the pale purple energy intensified.

  Is the energy continuously emanating from her, or is it just that this is where it all started, making it stronger here?

  Stretching out her hand toward He Rui, she lifted her from the ground. Then she froze. She couldn't ignore the message flashing in front of her eyes.

  [I wasn't the one who decided this, Ting, and I also don't know the reason right now.]

  [But as I said, it's necessary.]

  [Even if I don't know the reason, I'm sure he has one for this decision.]

  "He"...?

  Her control faltered, and she nearly dropped He Rui. But she managed to raise her eyebrows along with the girl's limp body, sighing lightly.

  Who is "he"? Are you talking about a being from higher realms? ...Your creator...?

  Seeing that the system had stopped responding for some reason, Ting ignored it and refocused on getting the girl out of there.

  — Thank you, miss! — one of the maids gripped her hands suddenly, in tears with a runny nose, — Thank you, I-

  — What are you doing, Lin Lian? Let go of the lady! — cried an older servant, bowing along with the girl. — I apologize, miss. Please-

  — It's alright, don't worry. Let's take care of her first, okay? Do you have any clothes to cover her with?

  — Y-Yes, of course. I'll get some right away-

  — No, forget it.

  Lin Lian paused, confused. Looking back, she saw Ting pulling a set of her own clothes from the pouch at her waist.

  — Put this on her.

  Hesitant and some fearful, they had to comply. But when they finally looked at He Rui again, both shivered. That appearance wasn't human. It couldn't be. That was not the same He Rui they knew.

  The old woman drew back and Lin Lian froze, both speechless. They looked away, silently searching for help, but no words came. No sound emerged. In the end, their gaze fixed on Ting who, with her finger to her lips, asked for silence without a word. She helped dress He Rui because her body was surrounded, even if weakly, by the energy moving across the ground.

  Ting understood the terror of the two, though she did not share it. Her discomfort came from something else, something she could not discuss now. That's why she picked up He Rui and climbed back onto her flying sword, saying, — Let's go. — her voice cold, leaving Noah behind.

  He watched her fly off, weighed down by a heavy, strange air.

  How is she doing that...? He wanted to ask, but now was not the time. In fact, he didn't even have time to spare.

  Turning to the equally confused servants, Noah asked for a moment alone with the two of them. He led them to a nearby alley and explained the reason for the change. It was a secret, naturally.

  The two etched it into their minds that they could not speak of something so important, even if they suspected perhaps that strange young man was just feeding them a story, and that the real reason was something else.

  Lin Lian sighed as Noah left, relieved that she wasn't the one in such a situation. Still, looking at Ting in the distance, she wondered if that was actually a good thing.

  Flying through the skies... If I'd been injured while gathering the bones, would I have been chosen and also been able to do that someday..?

  She shook her head as she smiled. Dreaming costs nothing, but it wouldn't bring her anything either.

  I hope you'll be alright, He Rui... I know you'll make it.

  Noah felt the gazes that made him look down. He saw the heavy smile and, a bit farther, old Andrew limping closer, short of breath. Was it envy or desire? Or maybe self-doubt? In the end, Noah noticed that Lin Lian's smile, after all, had something different, perhaps genuine.

  He quietly approached Ting, leaving the room's repair to the servants.

  — Did something happen..?

  There was no answer. On the contrary, Ting increased the distance between them.

  The wind swept the area and the clouds hovered above, both as quiet as the two of them. However, what most bothered Noah wasn't that Ting was ignoring him, but the way her gaze shifted each time he looked at her. What was that relief? The lightness at seeing He Rui was okay? Why should that matter, when all he could think of was that maybe Ting was angry about something?

  Keeping his distance, he followed her to the hut.

  Ting went in, leaving the sword outside, and the door slammed shut behind her. Noah didn't dare go in. Something was definitely wrong. But he couldn't even imagine the cause. If it were just about He Rui-

  Then it hit him.

  Those scales on her body...?

  No way, Noah couldn't make sense of it.

  Does she have a half-dragon bloodline too? Is that so common here?

  His mind screamed the obvious answer, rejecting his foolish assumption.

  Mere moments after entering the hut, Ting returned, her steps heavy. She stopped in front of him. Her eyes seemed to burn with something beyond mere anger. She clicked her tongue as she stored the sword and walked off toward the forest. Each step marked the ground she crossed.

  Her steps were endless, and so were her clenched fists. Noah could no longer hear her footsteps, so he stopped her, making her pause. Staring into her moist eyes, he hesitated — Is the problem... the scales? — he asked, uncertain, not knowing what it really meant.

  The answer came to him after a long pause, in a not-so-clear whisper — You're connected.

  Ting sniffled before continuing — That's why you were worried about her, because you shared your bloodline with her. — After a deep sigh, she let out a weak, short laugh.

  "Connected?" Noah couldn't tell how far that extended. Thoughts? Emotions? Where does it end? Maybe with one's life? What would he have to do to break the connection? Kill her-

  — This is something done between Dao companions when one partner's bloodline is much lower than the other's, — Ting continued, interrupting his train of thought. — It's not common, because if either partner changes their mind along the way, there's only one way to break the bond...

  She didn't finish the sentence, considering it obvious.

  Death... Noah guessed in his mind and, inside, considered the possibility for a brief moment, which didn't go far.

  — But you won't do that... We won't. — She sighed, squatting as she gave into the tremors that wracked her legs. — She's not to blame for what happened. It will be as difficult for her to live with this as it will for us.

  Coming closer, Noah asked, — This connection... how will it affect us? You...

  — I'm not going anywhere, — Ting declared, — just like you or her. From now on, there's no more 'us' meaning just you and me, but the three of us. That's what will have to happen if this is going to work, because you two won't be able to stay apart for long from now on.

  Noah was still trying to digest everything that had been said when Ting stood, pushing his hands aside and turning back to the hut.

  — I'll explain everything when she wakes up, so, in the meantime, go get some herbs to make more of that blood-tonic pill.

  — To make more...? Why?

  — I'm not going to compete with anyone, Noah. If we're going to do this, it'll be only as equals. — She looked at him from afar, without tears or any strong emotion. — Of course, if you don't want this, I won't force you. The choice is yours. After all, the bloodlines are yours.

  Noah knew he should say something, but couldn't put his thoughts into words. Are you sure? That seemed to be the most important question of all, because even with everything she said, Ting didn't seem happy or confident. She seemed to be the one trying to convince herself, struggling to accept what her own words meant.

  — And don't rush back, Noah... I need some time now.