Neither of them had ever expressed the slightest interest in cultivation before. I could hardly wrap my mind around the sight of them practicing martial arts so diligently, especially not in Elder Ming’s courtyard.
This wasn’t the return I had imagined, and yet, it was just another reminder of how much things had changed while I was away.
And clearly, I wasn’t the only one who had been changing.
“What the hell?” I blurted out.
Both of them turned toward , their faces lighting up in unison. In a flash, they rushed at with surprising speed, faster than I could react. Lan-Yin reached first, her arms wrapping around in a tight hug.
“Kai! You’re back!” she exclaid, her voice brimming with joy.
The force of her hug almost knocked off balance, and I quickly noticed how much stronger she felt. Gone was the delicate, refined aura she used to carry. Now, her hair was tied in a practical bun, her shoulders broad and defined, and her grip was strong—far more than I rembered.
Before I could comnt, Wang Jun barreled into next, laughing as he tackled to the ground. “Kai, you bastard! You didn’t even tell us you were coming!”
I grunted under his weight. Wang Jun had always been big, but now he was even more robust, his fra solid as a mountain. The roundness that used to soften his features was gone, replaced by hard lines and a square jaw. He looked like a completely different man.
“Okay, okay! You two are gonna crush at this rate!” I gasped, trying to wiggle free from their combined weight.
They both scrambled to their feet, helping up with wide smiles plastered on their faces. As I stood, brushing off the dirt from my robes, I couldn’t help but take a mont to admire how much they’d changed. Wang Jun’s physique had sharpened into sothing more than just raw muscle—he moved with a deliberate grace that hadn’t been there before. And Lan-Yin, who had once carried herself with a delicate air, now exuded strength and confidence, her muscles toned and firm.
“You two look... different,” I said, still catching my breath. “When did this happen?”
Before either of them could answer, a familiar voice spoke up behind .
“Kai, it’s been so ti.”
I turned quickly to see Elder Ming standing at the threshold of the courtyard, watching us with a warm, knowing smile. His presence was the sa as I rembered—calm, steady, and wise—but there was sothing about seeing him now, after all I’d been through, that stirred sothing deep within .
Elder Ming wasn’t just the village head to ; he was my first ntor, the one who had put on the right path when I didn’t know where to turn. Without his guidance, I wasn’t sure I’d be standing here today.
Without thinking, I stepped forward and bowed deeply, my voice quiet but filled with emotion. “Elder Ming... I’m back.”
There was a long pause, and when I finally straightened, I found Elder Ming’s eyes had softened, his gaze resting on with a mixture of pride and affection. “It’s good to see you’ve returned safely, Kai. You’ve co a long way since you left, but I can see that your journey isn’t finished yet.”
I smiled. “No, it’s not. But I owe much of it to you.”
Elder Ming’s expression didn’t change, but his eyes twinkled with quiet amusent. “I simply pointed you in the right direction. The rest was up to you.”
He stepped closer, placing a hand on my shoulder, and I felt a sense of peace settle over . This was the man who had given my start, and standing before him now, I realized just how far I had co.
Wang Jun’s voice broke the mont, full of playful energy. “You’re not the only one who’s changed, Kai. I an, look at you!”
Lan-Yin nodded in agreent, her eyes wide with amazent. “You look different too. Stronger. It’s like... you carry yourself differently now.”
I blinked, caught off guard by their words. I hadn’t really thought about how much I had changed since I left. Hard to notice when I saw myself everyday.
“I don’t know,” I said, rubbing the back of my neck awkwardly. “I think you two have changed more than I have.”
If you spot this story on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation.
Wang Jun laughed, shaking his head. “Not a chance, Kai. You’re not the sa guy who left the village. We can see it.”
Lan-Yin smiled warmly. “It’s true. You’ve grown, in more ways than one.”
I glanced down at myself, suddenly aware of the lean muscle I’d developed from the training, the callouses on my hands, the way I stood a little taller, a little straighter. They were right—I wasn’t the sa.
Elder Ming looked between the three of us, a small, satisfied smile on his face. “Now, I think that’s enough training for today. You two can resu tomorrow.”
Wang Jun and Lan-Yin both bowed to him, and as they straightened, the blacksmith grinned. “Guess that ans we can catch up with Kai now.”
I couldn’t help but smile back, still processing everything. “You’ll have to explain to how this all started,” I said, glancing between the two of them. “The last ti I left, you were both still... well, you.”
He chuckled, looking at his betrothed with an amused smile. “It started after that conversation we had. Rember? About using qi for things other than cultivation?”
I did rember. After learning the Crimson Lotus Purification technique, I had gone on rambling about the potential of the Heavenly interface; how it could help them in their respective careers. I didn't think it would unfold like this.
Lan-Yin nodded, her eyes bright. “That’s when it clicked for us. We realized we didn’t have to give up everything to cultivate. We did it just like you, doing it side by side with our regular lives. Elder Ming's help was crucial, and we started training, bit by bit. It certainly wasn't easy, the first month or so."
I winced. I still rember the first ti I trained with him. I thought I was going to die.
She continued, “But it’s worth it. I’ve never felt better! I can run your shop, help at the Soaring Swallow, and still have the energy to train without feeling completely drained. It's like my body’s finally caught up with everything my mind wanted to do.”
“How about you both co to the shop later? I’ll introduce you to a friend of mine, Lan Sheng. He’s waiting there now. But…” I trailed off, trying to hide my amusent, “I’ll save the other introductions as a surprise.”
Lan-Yin raised an eyebrow. “A surprise?”
I nodded. “You’ll see.”
As we began walking back toward the village center, they pelted with questions, most of them revolving around the Gauntlet and my travels.
“Co on, Kai,” Wang Jun prodded. “Tell us how the Grand Alchemy Gauntlet went. Did you win?”
I paused, taking a breath. The Gauntlet was a subject that had once made my chest tighten with frustration, but now... well, it still stung, but I’d co to terms with it. Sowhat.
“No,” I said, though this ti I allowed a small, comfortable smile to appear on my face. “I didn’t win. I lost in the final round.”
Wang Jun and Lan-Yin exchanged glances, surprised by how casually I said it.
“But,” I continued, puffing up my chest and flipping my hair back, “I only lost by a razor-thin margin. The heavens themselves wept at the injustice of it all!” I flourished my hands dramatically, trying to get a rise out of them.
Wang Jun laughed out loud, shaking his head. “There it is. The Kai we know.”
Lan-Yin chuckled, her eyes twinkling. “So close, huh?”
I dropped the act with a chuckle of my own. “Still, I learned a lot. It wasn’t the victory I wanted, but it was the loss I needed, I think.” As I said the words, I realized I was more at peace with it than I’d ever been. Even if a small part of still ached at the mory, I was moving past it, slowly but surely.
The blacksmith clapped on the back. “Well, win or lose, you’ve done more than we could’ve imagined. We’re proud of you, Kai.”
Lan-Yin nodded in agreent. “And we’re even prouder that you’re back.”
The warmth in their words caught off guard. I had spent so long pushing myself to be stronger, to prove sothing, that I hadn’t realized how much support I had from the people I cared about. It was a grounding feeling.
“I missed you both,” I said softly. “It’s good to be back.”
We continued down the path together, and I couldn’t help but feel like, despite everything, this was exactly where I was ant to be right now—ho, with the people who had helped shape .
And soon enough, they were going to et the rest of my family. Windy was sure to leave an impression.
As we walked, I couldn’t help but notice the little things—Wang Jun’s hand finding its way to the small of Lan-Yin’s back, the soft smile she gave him in return.
I suppose I'd have to prepare to be called 'Uncle Kai' soon.
When we arrived, Lan Sheng was already outside, leaning against the cart with his usual easygoing deanor. He straightened up when he saw us, smiling. "These your friends?"
The two imdiately noticed him and exchanged respectful bows. “Greetings, senior,” Wang Jun said, his tone polite and formal.
Lan Sheng waved them off with a chuckle. “No need for all that. I’m just a friend of Kai’s.”
As they relaxed, I couldn’t help but grin, holding back the surprise I had in store. Before I could say more, a distinct hissing filled the air, and Windy slithered up from behind the second-class disciple. His white scales glead in the light as he flicked his tongue, surveying the newcors.
They jumped back, eyes wide with shock. “What in the—?!”
I held up a hand, suppressing a laugh. “Relax, relax! That’s Windy. He’s... well, technically my spirit beast now.”
Lan-Yin's eyes narrowed as she took a step forward, staring at the serpent. “That’s your pet?!”
"Not a pet, my companion!"
At that mont, Tianyi fluttered out from the cart, her shimring wings glowing faintly as she perched on my shoulder. Lan-Yin smiled at the butterfly, obviously more comfortable with her.
“Tianyi,” She greeted softly. “Good to see you again.”
Wang Jun, however, was still eyeing Windy with skepticism. “You brought back a snake? It's not gonna swallow up one of the kids in the village, right?”
I couldn’t help but laugh this ti. “He won’t. Windy’s harmless... mostly. Found him as an egg after a spirit beast attack in Qingmu. Been taking care of him ever since.”
He crossed his arms, still looking uncertain but curious. “You really co back with all sorts of surprises.”
“You’ve got no idea,” I said, amusent in my voice. I wasn't even getting started.
As their initial shock faded, their gazes softened. Lan-Yin still gave Windy a cautious glance, but Tianyi’s presence reassured them, especially since they’d t her before. I turned my attention to the garden, catching sight of the plants that had thrived in my absence. The Moonlit Grace Lily I’d planted was blooming beautifully, its petals glowing under the light. Seeing it alive and well brought a sense of calm over .
The sight reminded of the Golden Bamboo seeds I had tucked away, waiting for the right ti to plant. I’d need to expand the garden for them, and now that I had the funds from the Azure Silk Trading Company’s advance, I could finally afford to expand and add a greenhouse!
I turned back to my friends, smiling. “Seems like the garden’s been doing well without . Thank you for taking care of them.”
Lan-Yin closed her eyes, waving off. “It was no trouble at all. The guide you left us made it easy. Elder Ming and I worked on it together, and everything’s been thriving.”
I nodded, feeling a strange sense of nostalgia wash over as I gazed at my small shop. The air inside was warm, filled with the faint scent of herbs and dried flowers.
For a mont, I stood there in the quiet, letting it sink in. I was finally back ho.
The nostalgia hit harder than I expected, mories flooding back from my idle days here, keeping up my shop. This was where I found my footing.
Lan Sheng’s voice brought out of my reverie. “Well, now that you’re back, what’s the plan?”
"How about we all sit down for a grand al together? You’ll all be graced with the privilege of hearing about my many glorious exploits in Crescent Bay City."
The second-class disciple leaned casually against the door fra, clearly amused. "Oh? You an the tales of you narrowly avoiding getting yourself in trouble every other day? Poor Feng Wu had a headache telling of all you did."
"Nonsense!"
"Alright, alright," Wang Jun said, clapping on the back. "You’ve convinced . Let’s go eat and hear about your ‘legendary’ trip."
With everyone in good spirits, we made our way out of the shop, the laughter lingering in the air. As we headed towards a al together, the warmth of ho and the joy of being surrounded by my closest friends settled into my heart.
Reviews
All reviews (0)