CHAPTER 138: TEAMING UP.

The air outside the maze carried a different weight. After hours of silence, tension, and the constant gnaw of danger at their heels, the open expanse seemed almost unreal. The sky stretched wide and pale, washed with the faint blush of a setting sun, and the breeze that passed carried the mingled scents of dust, sweat, and the faint sweetness of roasted skewers drifting from makeshift stalls nearby.

Feng Jiao Xue dragged Mo Tianze toward a quieter corner, away from the thickest clusters of contestants who were either boasting loudly about their victory or nursing hidden injuries under lowered gazes. She preferred distance. Noise unsettled her too many voices, too many unknown hands reaching close, but she allowed Tianze to follow without resistance, the boy’s fox ears twitching lightly as if to catch every sound in the restless crowd.

She leaned against a rough stone pillar, arms folded, eyes cold and steady as she swept her gaze across the gathering. Contestants had dropped to the ground in messy circles, some collapsing with exhaustion, others whispering plans in hushed tones. A few eyed their competitors warily, calculating, measuring, never forgetting that this was only a lull, not peace.

Beside her, Mo Tianze shifted on his feet, clearly restless but unwilling to disturb her thoughts. His tail swayed softly, brushing against the ground with the absent rhythm of a heartbeat. When he finally spoke, his voice was as gentle as sunlight filtering through leaves.

"Jiao Xue, I think there are shops there." His bright eyes turned toward the row of small stalls, where steaming buns and glistening skewers were exchanged for coins. "Do you want me to buy you something to eat or drink?"

His tone was warm, friendly, hopeful in that small way that always tugged at her guarded heart.

Feng Jiao Xue didn’t answer immediately. She had grown too used to silence, silence was safer, silence carried fewer regrets. But the boy’s earnest gaze remained fixed on her, and eventually she shifted her attention back to him.

"Jiao Xue?" he repeated carefully.

Her lips quirked. "Not calling me sister anymore?"

The faint tease laced through her usually cold voice startled him more than a blade might have. Mo Tianze’s ears flicked upright, then flattened, and he looked at her like a small animal caught stealing grain.

"I mean, uhm..." He stumbled over his words, his hands fidgeting as his tail fluffed nervously behind him. His whole posture screamed flustered, his sunshine aura cracking into bashful confusion.

Feng Jiao Xue watched him with the stillness of a predator, though this time not to strike. Something in his unguarded panic amused her, softened her edges. A spark of warmth flickered in her chest where shadows had long taken root.

Her lips curved upward, faint but unmistakable, her eyes glinting knowingly as she reached out. With a motion so natural it surprised even her, she patted his head. His snowy fox ears twitched beneath her hand, impossibly soft, like fresh winter fur.

"Just call me Jiao Xue from now on." Her voice lowered, the cool tone brushed with something tender, something she rarely allowed to slip through. "I like my name on your lips."

Mo Tianze froze, wide-eyed, his cheeks blooming a shade of rose that stood out even beneath the dusky light. For a moment, he looked utterly lost, and then utterly found, like a boy clutching a secret too precious to share.

"...Jiao Xue," he whispered, testing the sound as if it were forbidden.

The syllables rolled from his lips clumsy yet reverent, and Feng Jiao Xue’s gaze softened imperceptibly, though she quickly masked it again. Her hand slipped back to her side, leaving his ears flicking in the lingering ghost of her touch.

Silence lingered between them, but it was no longer heavy. It was threaded with something quieter, warmer, like a promise neither of them spoke aloud.

Around them, the crowd bustled, shouts, laughter, the clatter of coins, the sizzle of food but in that little secluded corner, the world narrowed until it was only the two of them.

Mo Tianze rocked on his heels, still crimson, but his lips curved into a bright smile that rivaled the fading sun. "Then... let me bring you something, Jiao Xue. You’ve hardly eaten since we entered the maze."

Feng Jiao Xue tilted her head, her cold gaze tracing the boy’s eager face. Truthfully, she was wary of the people here and just letting Mo Tianze go off on his own but she does need to consolidate more of her Dou Qi and observe more. Plus... she doesn’t want to just always keep him by her side.

"...Fine," she said at last, turning her eyes back to the crowd. "But don’t wander too far."

His ears perked up instantly, tail wagging once, betraying his delight. He gave a small nod, then hurried toward the stalls with light steps, almost bouncing. She watched his retreating figure for a moment longer than she intended, her chest quiet but unsettled with an emotion she did not wish to name.

When she tore her gaze away, it landed back on the contestants. The ones boasting, the ones brooding, the ones hiding wounds, predators and prey waiting for the next bell to toll. Yet, unlike them, she did not feel the same weight of anticipation clawing at her ribs.

Because for the first time in a long time, in the lull before the storm, Feng Jiao Xue found herself watching not only her enemies, but the boy who had unknowingly slipped past her defenses.

"Jiao Xue." A melodious voice called from behind, sharp enough to cut through the restless murmurs of the crowd.

Feng Jiao Xue’s body reacted before her thoughts could, shoulders tensing, gaze narrowing as she turned abruptly, prepared to fend off whoever dared approach her so familiarly. Yet when her eyes fell on the figure, the chill that rose in her spine ebbed into something almost pleasant. Very few have earned her respect in this world and despite Huang Jin De’s warning, this woman have managed to earn it.

"Lu Qing Yue," she spoke in greeting, her voice cool but carrying a trace of rare warmth. "Long time no see."

The young woman stood tall, her presence as striking as she remembered. Sleek black hair framed delicate features that seemed carved from jade, and her calm, piercing gaze carried the sharpness of a blade hidden beneath silken sheaths.

Lu Qing Yue gave a small nod, neither smile nor frown touching her lips. "I didn’t think I’d see you again. You have gotten stronger."

Her tone was matter-of-fact, not praise. Her eyes, clear as frosted glass, did not bother to hide their weight as they swept over Jiao Xue, measuring, appraising, acknowledging the growth of someone once her equal.

Feng Jiao Xue did not flinch beneath that gaze. Her own sharp eyes returned the favor, tracing the calm poise of the woman before her, searching for cracks, for signs of change.

"So have you," she said evenly.

When they had first crossed paths years ago, Lu Qing Yue had been like a glacier, magnificent, cold, and bristling with razor-sharp shards of ice that cut anyone who dared draw too close. But now, the edges had been concealed. She carried herself not with brittle sharpness but with the grace of polished beauty still dangerous, but alluring, drawing others in before the frostbite.

Lu Qing Yue’s lips curved, not quite a smile but a flicker of acknowledgment. "Since it is fate that we have met again, do you want to team up?"

Direct, cutting through the haze of formalities. That was Lu Qing Yue, serious, low in emotional nuance, but never one to waste time.

Feng Jiao Xue arched a brow. She let silence hang between them as she cast her gaze across the open ground. Small clusters of cultivators had begun to form, cautious alliances drawn out of necessity. Those with powerful sect backgrounds huddled together, their symbols glinting proudly on their robes. Independent magicians and unaffiliated cultivators lingered along the edges, resting or trying to mask their unease.

Perhaps those with connections know more than she do.

The maze had been an individual test of endurance, but the shifting atmosphere spoke of larger trials to come. Numbers, balance, and trust, even temporary, would matter.

"My pleasure," Feng Jiao Xue said at last, her tone carrying both caution and acceptance.

Before Lu Qing Yue could respond, a male voice carried over from nearby.

"Then mind if I join your team?"

A figure rose from where he had been quietly resting a short distance away. His movements were deliberate, neither hurried nor hesitant. He placed his sword at his side before approaching, hands held loosely behind his back as if to show he meant no threat.

"Jiang Li," he introduced himself, inclining his head politely. "Indigo cultivator. Do you mind? It seems everyone is forming groups already."

Feng Jiao Xue’s eyes narrowed, studying him as instinct dictated.

Plain cultivator robes, the fabric patched in a few places though well-kept. A single bronze space ring gleamed faintly on his right hand, low-grade, unassuming. At his waist hung a sword, simple in make but carefully sharpened, without decorative engravings or sect insignias. His boots carried dust from long roads rather than sect courtyards, and his expression held neither arrogance nor desperation.

A wandering cultivator.

Experience carved men like him, years spent surviving without the backing of powerful sects or wealthy clans. Their strength came from necessity, their resourcefulness forged in blood and solitude. They lacked influence, not skill.

Feng Jiao Xue’s gaze flicked to Lu Qing Yue. The other woman met her eyes calmly, unbothered.

"We would need to make up for numbers," Lu Qing Yue said quietly, not to Jiang Li but to Feng Jiao Xue, her voice level as though stating a fact on the weather.

Feng Jiao Xue’s frown deepened slightly understanding the hidden meaning. Numbers were important, but strangers always carried risk. Trust was a currency far more valuable than strength, and she had spent too many years walking alone to give it freely.

Before she could voice her deliberation, another voice broke in.

"The more the merrier, right?"

Her head turned sharply. Mo Tianze was walking back toward them, his arms laden with cups of steaming drinks and small parcels of snacks wrapped neatly in paper. His snowy tail swayed as he balanced the load, his fox ears perked with faint awkwardness as his eyes flicked between the group.

Golden eyes met hers, clear and unwavering despite his reluctance.

For a fraction of a second, Feng Jiao Xue faltered. Those eyes, bright, earnest, untarnished by suspicion, slipped past her hardened defenses like sunlight piercing fog. Before she realized it, she was nodding, a quiet agreement escaping her lips before her thoughts caught up.

"...Very well."

Jiang Li’s expression softened almost imperceptibly in gratitude, though he said nothing more. He settled back on his heels, giving them space without pressing closer than needed.

Lu Qing Yue gave the smallest tilt of her chin, acceptance in her silence.

Meanwhile, Mo Tianze approached carefully, setting the drinks and snacks down on a flat rock nearby. "Here, sweet buns, roasted skewers, and tea." His voice carried a quiet cheer, as though he wanted to lighten the solemn mood.

Feng Jiao Xue glanced at him, her usual coldness tempered by the warmth curling faintly in her chest. Without meaning to, she reached for the cup nearest to her, fingers brushing his briefly. His ears twitched, his cheeks pinking in quiet embarrassment, but he smiled all the same.

She sipped the tea. It was hot, slightly bitter with a hint of floral sweetness, a balance she liked more than she wanted to admit.

Around them, the square bustled with noise, clattering voices, merchants hawking food, the shuffle of groups forming alliances. Yet in that small circle, four figures now stood: a cold assassin-turned-cultivator, a warm-hearted fox boy, a glacial beauty, and a seasoned wanderer.

"Is it just the two of you?" Lu Qing Yue asked after secretly assessing Mo Tianze’s strength and threat level to herself. Something Feng Jiao Xue didn’t miss but decided to keep silent about.

"Mhmn" Feng Jiao Xue nodded while Mo Tianze observed the newcomers too.

"We would need 2 more" Lu Qing Yue told them seriously. "The next challenge will have something to do with groups" She revealed making the other three look at her.

"I dont know much but it’s a hidden secret amongst those who knows cultivators or magicians thag have already passed the tests." She informed the others in a low voice.