MadFireGod

  Ping! Ping! Ping! Tink! Tink! Tink!

  Jin Shu fired three quick shots from his pellet gun. Li Xue deflected all of them with her sword, her bde moving in a blur of precision.

  In an instant, Jin Shu closed the six-foot gap between them, lunging forward with his knife in a strike as swift and sharp as a ’s sting.

  Li Xue, still rec from the st defle, wasn’t ready to ter. Yet, with an almost impossible twist of her waist, she spun like a ballerina, narrowly dodging the bde.

  Anticipating her movement, Jin Shu raised his pistol, aiming to his right where she spun.

  As Li Xue pleted her turn, she brought her sword down, targeting his extended, gun-wielding arm.

  Ping! Thump!

  A pellet struck her square iernum just as her sword nded a ssh across his arm.

  “Tie!” Fan Biyu decred, rolling her wheelchair forward to call the spar to an end.

  She immediately began advice. “Shu, you extended your arm too far. Keep your stanpad less exposed. Xue, you cultivate in a speed-focused teique. Use that to your advantage.”

  Li Xue tilted her head in fusion. “Am I not already?”

  “You are, but I’m sure you push yourself even faster. Like when you disappear for that split sed—work oending the duration of that speed.”

  Li Xue’s eyes lit up with determination. “I don’t know if I , but I’ll try!”

  As they prepared to resume sparring, Yin’er suddenly flew between them, her tiny wings fluttering furiously.

  “Daddy, I’m hungry~!” she pined, cirg Jin Shu like an impatient little bird.

  Gurgle!

  A loud stomach rumble echoed iraining room. Jin Shu gnced around, curious to discover the culprit. His gaze nded on Li Xue, but she was already busy putting her sword ba the on rack. Turning to Fan Biyu, he noticed a faint blush creeping up her cheeks.

  “Let’s all go have lunch,” Jin Shu said with a soft chuckle.

  ***

  After lunch, Jin Shu returo his workshop, settling into his routihe afternoon light filtered through the room as he focused on drawing a new set of runes on the Nanophone.

  “I’ve nearly perfected these runes,” he muttered to himself. “I don’t know their effects, though. you expin them, Nano?”

  “How would you like them expined?”

  “Gh them one by one.”

  “Uood. Let me start by saying these runes are advanced versions of the first ten you learned.”

  “I did notice the patterns share some simirities.”

  “The one you’re currently w on is the advanced form of the Sharpness ru’s called the Bloodletting rune, and it causes nearly unstoppable bleeding.”

  “Wow, that sounds pretty sinister. Hmm… I could inscribe it on my bullets, but I’ll save that for ter.”

  “ is the Self-Repair rune, an upgrade to the Durability ru allows the inscribed on or object tee its durability slowly by abs Qi.”

  “Oh? That one’s definitely going on my ons. Do you think I could inscribe it on my body… actually, never mind. I have you for that already.”

  “Still, it might be a good idea as a backup pn.”

  “True. What’s ?”

  “This one should i you: the Phantom Step ru partially erases the user’s presence, making them nearly uable by sight or hearing. However, it only works if the item covers the body pletely. Whether it could work in tandem with your cultivation teique is unclear.”

  “Iing. I don’t know if I’ll ealth often, but it ’t hurt to have it.”

  “The advanced form of the Qi Circution rune. Is called the Qi Reservoir ru allows the object to store excess Qi for ter use, ag as a sort of battery.”

  “That one could definitely be useful.”

  “Up is the Rea ruhis one links Explosion ruo cause successive detonations within a set area.”

  “Oh, I could definitely use that for traps. Though this one is not going on my body,” Jin Shu said with a chuckle.

  “The Density Strike rune increases a on’s weight mid-swing, amplifying its impact force.”

  “That’s better suited for heavy ons, which I don’t use,” he replied, brushing the idea aside.

  “The Feather Touch rune is the antithesis of the Density Strike ru nullifies weight entirely, allowing for faster strikes or easier movement.”

  “Same as before—not really my style,” Jin Shu said, dismissing the idea and tug the runes into the back of his mind.

  “These st runes should catch your attention. First, the Wrath ruhis advanced Fme rune creates fire that grows strohe lo burns, feeding off enemy Qi.”

  “That one is very iing,” Jin Shu said, his his mind already processing how he'd use it.

  “Sed is the Gcial ru freezes the ground and enemies within an area, immobilizing them.”

  “Wow. I already think of so many potential uses for that,” he said, mentally adding it to his must-try list.

  “And finally, the Tempest Ssh ruhis creates cutting wind bdes, extending the on’s range.”

  Nano stopped its introdu as Jin Shu pleted the final rune, which happeo be the Tempest Ssh.

  “Not bad. I only made ten mistakes—one on each rune,” he muttered to himself. “By tomorrow, I’ll have perfected them.”

  Gurgle!

  His stomach rumbled loudly. “Looks like it’s diime,” he sighed, then shuddered. “And after that, Biyu’s massage therapy.”

  ***

  Later that night, Jin Shu made his way to Fan Biyu’s room, this time with a little tag-along.

  “Yawn~” Yiretched zily from her per his shoulder, baring long, gleaming tiger fangs that glinted dangerously in the moonlight.

  “You could have stayed in our room and slept,” Jin Shu said, gng at her.

  “No! What if Daddy leaves me again?” Yin’er shook her head side to side with fierce determination.

  Jin Shu chuckled softly and rubbed her head. “I’m not going anywhere.”

  Pleased by his reassurance, Yin’er purred happily, nuzzling against his cheek.

  When they reached Biyu’s door, Jin Shu hesitated. Taking a deep breath to steady himself, he ope.

  Inside, Fan Biyu y on the bed, her robe pulled up to reveal her snow-white legs. Jin Shu’s eyes flicked to the sight, aruggled to pull them away.

  “Ahem, are you ready?” he asked, stepping closer to the bed. But even as he reached her side, she didn’t respond. “Biyu?”

  Zzz…

  Leaning closer, he realized her eyes were closed, her chest rising and falling with the slow rhythm of sleep.

  “Oh, she’s asleep.” Jin Shu raised a hand, intending to wake her with a gentle shake, but paused. “Maybe it’s better this way…” he murmured.

  Carefully, he climbed onto the bed and began the massage therapy, his fingers w methodically over her legs.

  “What’s Daddy doing?” Yin’er whispered curiously.

  “I’m helping Biyu’s legs heal,” he whispered back. “You remember when we found her in the forest?”

  “Yin’er ‘members!” she said, nodding so quickly that she made herself slightly dizzy.

  “Well, her legs were broken back then. This massage will help them heal faster. Once she’s better, we go find Mother...” His voice trailed off, and a shadow crossed his face as he thought of his missing mother.

  “Daddy’s mommy is the stro!” Yin’er said fidently, her voice rising a little too loudly.

  Jin Shu’s head snapped up, armed, and he looked at Biyu. His heart skipped a beat when he saw her wide, jade-greearing directly at him, a smirk curling her lips.

  “How long have you been awake?” he asked, his voice barely above a whisper.

  “Since you climbed on the bed,” she replied, her smirk deepening.

  “Oh…”

  Fan Biyu’s smirk widened as she tilted her head, teasing, “What, were you pnning to sneak away after finishing?”

  Jin Shu coughed awkwardly, unsure how to respond. “I just didn’t want to wake you…”

  “Mm-hmm,” she replied, clearly unvihen, with a soft sigh, her expression softened. “Thank you, Jin Shu. Truly.”

  He looked at her, surprised by the genuine gratitude in her voice. For a moment, the room felt quiet, save for the rhythmic purring of Yiill perched on his shoulder.

  Before Jin Shu could respond, Yin’er yawned and flopped onto the bed beside Biyu. “Daddy, let’s sleep here tonight!” she announced boldly, her voice muffled by the bs.

  Fan Biyu raised an eyebrow, her jade eyes glinting with amusement. “Oh? Is that how it is?”

  Jin Shu stammered, his face flushing, “I-I’ll just head bay room!”

  But as he turo leave, Biyu’s voice stopped him. “Jin Shu.”

  He paused, gng back.

  “Don’t push yourself too hard. We’ll find her.” Her gaze was steady, her tone resolute, as if willing him to believe it.

  For a moment, his shoulders rexed. “I know,” he said quietly.

  Jin Shu reached down to retrieve the sn Yin’er, but Biyu pced a gentle hand on his, halting him mid-a. He looked at her questioningly.

  “ you leave her here?” she asked, her tone soft, almost hopeful.

  He hesitated for a moment before nodding. “...Sure. Just brio the training room in the m.”

  Biyu smiled faintly, her jade eyes warm with gratitude. Jin Shu quietly stepped out, closing the door behind him.

  As he walked down the dim moonlit pathway, he felt the weight of everythile heavily on his shoulders once more. His mother’s whereabouts remained a mystery, but ohing was certain—he wouldn’t stop until he found her.