Forge of Destiny Nov Chapter 74: Night on the Lake

Chapter 74: Night on the Lake

The body of the flute was made of a dark wood she did not recognize, etched with lines filled with powdered silver. It was the finest instrunt she had ever held, perfectly proportioned and free of imperfections. But the mouthpiece still felt familiar, and the sound held a personal note that was hard to quantify.

Even remade, it was still her flute. Ling Qi left the market that day feeling light, as if a weight had been lifted from her shoulders.

However, Ling Qi had little ti to luxuriate in her satisfaction. She had promised both izhen and herself that she would see the girl’s recent successes in cultivation celebrated. She had taken care of the funding, thanks to her hunts with Han Jian and the others, and she had taken care of the set up with a little advice from Cui. Now, the most difficult part remained; she had to convince izhen to follow her out into the wilderness.

Ling Qi wasn’t going to fail though, not with the effort she had put into arranging the celebration. Her opportunity ca late in the week when izhen finally erged from seclusion. Her friend had changed subtly since last she saw her; izhen’s hair was a few centiters longer and her movents even more graceful and flowing. The little patches of white scales on her neck and the back of her hands had beco less noticeable or perhaps, her complexion had beco even more unnaturally white. Bai izhen looked more and more like so spirit princess from a story.

Her friend had seed a bit off balance from her recent breakthrough so it was easier than usual to get izhen to follow along under the premise of Ling Qi needing to show her sothing. It wasn’t even a lie really.

As they descended the mountain, it beca harder to convince izhen to keep following her, and Ling Qi couldn’t exactly force her now fully third realm friend along. Ling Qi wasn’t about to give up at this point though, despite her friend’s increasing irritation at Ling Qi’s non-answers.

Soon enough, they approached the little lake Ling Qi had found.

“This is growing absurd,” Bai izhen grumbled, seeming to practically float above the root-tangled ground with her smooth movents. “You can at least tell

why this is so important, can you not, Ling Qi?”

“I told you that we’re just about there,” Ling Qi responded with a grin. “Please. It’s just up ahead.”

“I still do not see why we needed to co imdiately after my breakthrough,” her companion said cooly. “Could this not have waited? I barely had the ti to bathe.”

“Nope!” Ling Qi said brightly as she stepped out past the treeline to the shore of the little lake. “Because you would have beco busy again. I told you we were going to celebrate your breakthrough, didn’t I?”

izhen blinked as she stepped out of the forest as well, her white gown drifting a bit in the breeze. Ling Qi watched as she scanned the rippling waters, made rosy by the light of the setting sun. Her gaze soon drifted to the shore where a small boat was tied to a sapling. “What is this?”

“Cui told

you missed swimming,” Ling Qi responded. “And the fishing too. Said you liked stuff fresh. So I figured I could find a place where we could relax for the afternoon since you wouldn’t like an actual party. I even practiced with the boat and made an offering to the lake spirit of the lake. You don’t need to worry about anything.” Getting nets and fishing line rated for grade one beasts had been a little pricey, more than the boat really. The boat had just been a pain to transport.

Bai izhen stared at her and then looked back to the lake, expression unreadable. Ling Qi shifted from foot to foot nervously as the silence stretched. Had Cui steered her wrong? Ling Qi had thought it wouldn’t be a problem now that they could talk properly.

Then izhen raised her sleeve to cover her mouth and made a soft sound, her shoulders shaking. At first, Ling Qi was nonplussed, but it quickly beca clear that her friend was laughing. The sound was almost giggly with a sibilant quality to it, although her mind rebelled a bit at applying that term to Bai izhen.

“What – did Cui lie to ? We don’t have to do this,” Ling Qi said, looking away. “I just... I wanted to do sothing nice for you.”

“It is fine,” izhen said, lowering her billowy sleeve, a small smile on her lips. “It is just – I have not done sothing so childish in years. Only Cui would suggest such a thing.”

“So, it’s a no go?” Ling Qi asked, frowning. She had spent a lot of ti looking for a nice isolated place too, figuring izhen would like so privacy to go swimming.

“Perhaps just this once as an indulgence. It would be a sha to reject your efforts,” the pale girl said after a mont’s pause, the humor fading from her voice. “You said you knew how to use the boat? I’m afraid the ones I am familiar with were powered by qi in one form or another.”

Ling Qi nodded, her smile returning. “Yeah, it took a little practice, but I can probably manage not to tip us over.” She was glad that izhen was fine with this; she had feared her friend would reject the idea. “So don’t worry. After all, this one is powered by Qi too.”

Bai izhen gave her a flat look. “That was terrible.”

Well, yeah, it was. It had sounded better in her head.

Ling Qi smiled sheepishly and headed down to the shore, followed by her friend. They spent the rest of the afternoon out on the lake. It was relaxing, even if izhen had to show her how to not tangle herself up with the line. It was a little more difficult to coax izhen out into the water, but after Ling Qi dove in, stripped to the bottommost layer of her gown, the other girl had reluctantly followed.

Ling Qi envied her friend’s grace in the water, but she supposed it was to be expected given the geography of her ho, Thousand Lakes. Besides, izhen wasn’t so ethereal and elegant once Ling Qi had a chance to ss with her a bit. Even the proud and elegant girl could not help but retaliate against her splashes and horseplay.

On the other hand, Ling Qi found the fishing dull, but she didn’t mind doing it for her friend. It was a little disturbing to watch her friend swallow a still wriggling fish whole and hear its bones crunching as they were crushed in her throat. But Ling Qi kept her reaction to the unsettling sight from her face, choosing to be pleased instead. She had a feeling that izhen had only eaten in front of her because izhen had montarily forgotten herself after playing around.

Her friend’s dietary oddity aside, Ling Qi had a lot of fun splashing around in the water and relaxing with her back against the other girl’s in the boat. Eventually, the sun sunk all the way below the horizon, and they settled the boat back on the shore, sitting side by side with their legs dangling in the water.

“Thank you, Ling Qi. This was nice,” Bai izhen said quietly, her hand resting atop Ling Qi’s. Her snow white skin looked even more ethereal now, damp under the light of the half moon above.

“Not a problem, Bai izhen,” she replied. “You’ve done a lot for . You still do. I’m just glad that we’re friends.”

“As am I,” izhen said quietly. “... I would not be averse to you calling

by na in private.”

Ling Qi blinked then smiled. That was kind of a big deal for a noble like Bai izhen, right? “Sure thing. You can do the sa with .”

“Would you turn this way for a mont then, Qi?” izhen asked quietly.

Curious, Ling Qi did so, turning her eyes away from the stars to look at her friend, who was leaning forward and...

izhen’s lips were cool and dry and had a faint coppery taste. The blood from the fish earlier, she supposed. It only lasted a few seconds before she felt izhen pulling away, removing her hand and drawing her legs up to her chest.

“My apologies. That was deeply inappropriate. I hope you can forgive ,” izhen said softly, looking out across the lake.

Ling Qi’s first response was an odd, slightly strangled sound. Her second attempt was a bit better. “I – You- I an, it’s fine, I guess?” The statent sounded like a question to her own ears. “I just- I don’t- You’re a girl,” she said inarticulately, blushing hotly as she turned away. If it had been anyone else that kissed her, Ling Qi would have scread or slapped them or probably worse if she had a knife on her. She didn’t know what to do.

“I know,” izhen said plainly. “It will not happen again. I can only ask that you forgive my... poor impulse control. Grandfather always said I was too emotional. I am sorry. I didn’t an to ruin things with you.”

“No, it’s... Don’t worry about it,” Ling Qi muttered. She was a little angry; she didn’t like being taken advantage of like that, but it was izhen, her best friend. “I guess it’s my fault too for pulling you out here when you were tired. Sorry, izhen.”

Her friend humd softly, giving her a worried look. Ling Qi managed to smile, hoping they could just ignore the whole awkward mont. izhen seed to relax at her reaction. “Yes, I apologize again. Perhaps we should head ho. A few hours of sleep might do

well.”

And so, on that unsettling note, the night ended.