Ning Feng massaged her legs, her lower calves still hurting from the cut and tender. The salve from the doctor has brought about miracles, causing the wound to be mostly healed but still it felt a bit weird. They also said she would remain more sensitive where the cuts had been due to them being so deep. Apparently it had been a miracle they had not cut her bone and a blessing that the scyte had been so sharp in one. 

It did not bother herslightly but it was not a ctastrophy all she needed to make sure of was that they were well guarded. A bit of fortified leather would do the trick.

A smile hushed over her face as she finished her massage and fell back on her bed.

The day with Yin had been exciting and conversation over food later even more so. Re-telling all the things that happened the last year, but also exhausting. They told Yin about being the last generation of Shrek, joining the school that had formerly belonged to Liu Erlong, about their battles and achievements. Their new spirit Arena badges, Tang San even holding a gold one now. 

Which caused her to grumble she needed to catch up, since hers was still at chopper. 

About their new spirit abilities and teased Oscar who was so in love with Rong Rong, Who showed off her newly gained knife skills. At this point she had gotten pretty good at using throwing knifes. 

Yin had told them about the stairs and her red-level exam.

Which caused the Grandmaster to choke on his drink and Flender to have half a stroke. Then she explained that she would usually not have been allowed to leave Poseidon Island, and he was a special case before she teased Dai Mubai and let drop that she was now Level 52, causing all of them to sighn. 

Especially Dai Mubai ended up groaning and cursing; he had been so sure he caught up at this point. 

Feng giggled. Yes, she had missed it. Something creaked as her foot hit the bed from all her excitement. 

She stopped moving so she wouldn't make a fool out of herself. Grabbing her teddy, she hugged it. 

It was amazing being here, seeing Yin again, being where she was. Her mind wandered to Gu Rong. She had asked Rong Rong to give him a letter that she would have to delay their oncce a month sparring, after all, she had no other way of contacting him than through her classmate. Rong Rong, who was aware of a silent agreement between her and Gu Rong, had taken the letter and promised to deliver it. 

Who would have guessed that a few years back? 

Something in the room creaked again. She sat up, still hugging her teddy. Looking around, there was no one there. 

"Huh?" 

Then she fell back on her bed. 

"Hello." A familiar voice said, and she was up and standing, hissing a bit from the pain searing in her calves at the sudden movement.

Then she stared at him. "Xie Yue." She whispered. 

The one who had helped her after her run-in with Lucy, Hu Lienas brother, their opponent. 

"I wanted to see how you are doing," he said, and she tilted her head. 

"A-And y-you come t-though the w-window?" She asked and nodded at the window, her hand wandering into the back pocket of her teddy. 

"It is not like I can come through the front door...and I prefer for my sister and especially Lucy not to notice." He explained. 

"S-So you a-are here w-without anyone k-knowing?" She was startled. "W-Why?" 

"I do not know..." he said and sighed. "...maybe I just did not want to stay there and do less than I should when I can change something." 

"O-oh." She said her hand slowly grabbed one of her small throwing knives. 

"You have nothing to fear." He said, looking at her teddy. "Truly." He raised his hands. "I mean no harm." 

Ning Feng was not entirely sure why she had done it. Or why she was doing anything like it, and then she took her hand out of the teddy and pointed to the chair. "S-Sit down." She said, and he settled on the chair. He was sitting extremely straight. 

"Thank you." He said, and she settled on the bed, still hugging her teddy. 

"Your legs?" He asked, and she took the hem of her pants and drew them upwards. Turning the lower leg.

The thin cut was still there, covered beneath the ointment she had just applied. "I n-need to bandage i-it, but other t-than that, fine." She said. "T-there will be n-no scars. J-Just a l-little tender i-in the f-future." 

He sighed and then slumped lightly forward. "Alright, thank you." Feng rolled her pants back down he continued. "I am truly happy it caused no permanent harm," and then took something out of his pocket, took it up, and then walked over to her, handing it to her. "Here, take it. It will help with the injury." 

She took it, and for a second, their hands touched. Ning Feng jerked back, and so did he before stepping back. "I am sorry." 

"Don't," She told him before putting the salve into the back pocket of Teddy. "Y-You have n-no reason to." 

"I do. I have watched many things happen and did nothing about it." He folded his hands behind his back. "And I am your enemy." 

"No," she said and stood up. "Not e-enemy...opponent, r-rival. No enemy." 

"You might be the only one to think so." 

Feng shrugged. She cared little about what others thought in general, and she really didn't consider him or anyone from Spirit Hall an enemy, except Lucy, merely an opponent or a rival. 

"We will see each other in the ring then." He said and then stepped towards the window. 

"U-until then," She hesitated a moment before pausing. 

You need to interact more with people outside your comfort zone. 

Gu Rong spoke in her head and in many other variants, as well as from the Grandmaster and others. She should try if she didn't give it a try. 

"W-would you like t-to visit a-again? O-or maybe g-go drink a-a cup of tea or c-coffee? S-Someday?" She asked. 

He stopped. "Are you serious?" He asked, and she nodded.

"W-We will b-be here f-for a while a-at some point." She said and then smiled at him.

"In that case. Yes. I'd like to." He said and smiled bitterly before leaving through the window. "Goodbye." 

Xie Yue vanished like he had appeared, and Feng hugged Teddy before settling on the bed, taking a deep breath, and falling backward into the bed. 

Well, one would see where this would lead, but she liked Xie Yue...maybe they could be friends?