The winter days were passing quietly in the manor.

Su Kang devoted himself entirely to his body cultivation. He gave up on other paths for now. Every night, he would sit in the cold, crisp air of his courtyard. He drew in the faint, sharp threads of Astral Qi. The progress was slow. But he was making progress.

Bai Yunxi practiced her Qi cultivation daily. She was seen more often outside her secluded courtyard, often in the company of Su Hua. Sometimes they talked over tea in her courtyard, or sometimes in the inner chambers. Some clan members grew curious about Su Hua’s new, beautiful friend, but they did not ask questions about her.

Yue Mei remained in her own seclusion, focused on her practice. Sometimes, she would have tea with Su Ting in her courtyard.

A new fire has been lit in Su Jiao. He had immersed himself in the art of talismans, focusing on their practical uses in combat. He would test his new ideas on Su Ting, then return to his courtyard to refine them further. Su Ting and Su Jiao now practiced on their own, though Su Kang would still visit to offer guidance.

This was the new daily life of the Su Manor.

—

Far to the north, within the sprawling domain of the Cloud Sword Sect, the week of trials had ended. The results were brutal.

More than a third of the cultivators who had arrived with hope in their eyes had failed to gather the required fee. Some had been grievously injured. Some had lost their lives. Their journeys had ended before they had truly begun. A handful of the more promising failures were given a chance to join the Cloud Sword Sect. Their journey to the warfront was over.

Li Fang and his group stood waiting in a vast, open plaza. They had succeeded, but not without cost. Heng Tian sat on a nearby stone bench, his face pale, a chaotic flicker of Qi occasionally pulsing around his arm. The Gold-Skinned Vipers had been more numerous and powerful than they had assumed. They had gathered the required spirit stones from selling the beasts' materials, but it had come at a price.

Before them, a truly massive spiritual boat floated silently in a docking array. Its hull was carved from a dark, lustrous wood that shimmered with a faint light. It looked majestic. Intricate arrays were engraved across its body, with spiritual jewels glowing with a soft, contained power. To operate such a vessel required an immense amount of spiritual Qi. It was a true symbol of a powerful sect's resources.

Slowly, the groups of successful cultivators began to board. A middle-aged man in the sect's gray and blue robes stood at the boarding ramp, directing the flow. He assigned quarters to each group. Those from prominent families were given luxurious suites. The rogue cultivators were herded into cramped, shared rooms. This was the way of the world.

When it was Li Fang's group's turn, the man glanced at them. He noted Li Fang's calm presence and the unstable Qi around Heng Tian. "Medium courtyard, second deck," he said, handing a jade token to Li Fang.

Li Fang took the token without a word. They boarded the ship and found their quarters. It was a small, self-contained courtyard with a central common room and several smaller, private rooms branching off from it. The space was simple. It was good enough.

Sometime later, as they were settling in, a knock came at the main door of their courtyard.

"Hmm? Let me see." Mingyu's sharp eyes flickered towards the door. "Maybe it's someone from a neighboring courtyard." He stood and walked over to open it.

Standing in the corridor was a young man dressed in lavish, embroidered white robes, a fan held loosely in his hand. He was flanked by two attendants. His smile was smooth, his gaze confident as it swept over Mingyu, clearly dismissing him, before moving past to scan the room and finally landing on Shang Yu.

Mingyu's brow furrowed, but he maintained a neutral expression. "Greetings. May I help you?"

The young man's gaze returned to Mingyu, a hint of impatience in his eyes. He gave a cursory nod. "I am Zhao Feng of the Azure Mountain Sect."

"Mingyu," he replied simply. "What is your purpose for visiting?"

Zhao Feng's gaze shifted past Mingyu's shoulder again, locking onto Shang Yu. He ignored the question.

"Lady Shang Yu," he began, his voice pleasant and carrying into the room. "I couldn't help but notice you earlier. A simple courtyard on the second deck is hardly suitable for a lady of your grace." He gestured down the corridor with his fan. "I have a spacious suite on the upper deck, where the spiritual Qi is much purer. There is more than enough room. I would be honored if you would join my group." He paused, letting his offer sink in. "The warfront will be dangerous," he added, his smile unwavering. "I am a disciple of the Azure Mountain Sect in Heng State. It would be beneficial for you to travel with a strong party."

Li Fang's expression darkened instantly. The man's intentions were clear. He was interested in Shang Yu and saw the rest of them as air. Hot anger began to rise in his chest. Just as he was about to step forward, he heard a sharp voice in his mind.

"Brother Fang, don't do anything!" It was Mingyu's Qi voice transmission. "Let Lady Shang handle this. We should not escalate the situation. Think twice before doing doing anything."

Li Fang froze. He looked at Mingyu, who still stood calmly in the doorway. He thought of Mingyu's words. He thought of Heng Tian, sitting in the corner, his Qi still unstable. Li Fang had charged ahead during the mission. He was confident in his own power, but the unexpected situation had left his team members vulnerable. Heng Tian had barely survived. Half a breath later, and he would have died. Li Fang took a deep, calming breath, forcing the anger down.

Mingyu, watching from the corner of his eye, was tense. He worried if Li Fang would listen. Finally, he breathed an internal sigh of relief as he saw Li Fang give a single, almost imperceptible nod. He then turned his full attention back to Shang Yu, moving out of the way.

Shang Yu stepped forward as she looked at Zhao Feng, her expression calm and composed. She gave a slight, graceful bow. "Young Master Zhao is too kind," she said, her voice clear and cool. "But I am comfortable here with my companions. I must decline your generous offer."

Zhao Feng's smile did not falter, though a flicker of surprise crossed his eyes. He had expected her to be eager. He gave a small nod. "It's a pity then… But the offer stands, should you change your mind." With another polite smile, he turned and left with his attendants.

The moment the door slid shut, Ling'er let out an indignant huff. "The nerve of that guy! Who does he think he is?"

"He's a disciple of the Azure Mountain Sect," Mingyu stated, his tone devoid of emotion. "He might have collected information about us before visiting like this. He thinks he's better than us, and in this setting, he's probably right."

"Still, that was incredibly rude," Hu Jianhong added, his honest face creased with a frown.

“Remember our end goal is the Heavenly Sword Sect,” Mingyu said, his voice low and serious. “But before that, we need to survive this war. We need to be more cautious in our approach now.”

“Having another Core Formation realm cultivator would have been better,” Hu Jianhong sighed, his gaze drifting towards Heng Tian.

“It would have been,” Mingyu agreed. “But now we have to get used to it. I don't think this Zhao Feng will do anything big during the travel, but later…” He let the implication hang in the air.

Every decision, every reaction, had consequences for the people who had placed their trust in Li Fang. He had to think more deeply.

"We will be cautious," Li Fang finally said, his voice steady. The group fell silent, surprised by his calm, measured response. "From now on, if you leave the courtyard, go in groups of at least two. We will avoid him and his people as much as we can. We are here to get to the warfront, not to make enemies.”

Mingyu nodded, a small, approving smile on his face. "Brother Li is right."

Li Fang looked at each of his companions, his expression serious. "Our goal is to survive, grow stronger, and earn our place in the Heavenly Sword Sect. Nothing else matters. Don't let pride or anger distract us from that. Understood?”

Mingyu's last words were aimed at Li Fang as he looked at him deeply.

Li Fang met his gaze. "Don't worry," he said, a quiet promise in his voice. "I won't take any action on this ship."