A month had passed without anyone really noticing. The ripples of Siu’s victory had long since died down, to the relief of his. The first week's craziness had been chilled by the start of the second week, and seeing how firm his stance was with everyone else, the atmosphere had grown even colder by the beginning of the third week. At first, his name was spoken frequently... Then it became a convenient story for newcomers to repeat when boasting about their generation's potential... but by now it was more about everyone else's frustration with him and the bad reputation he had managed to garner in such a short time, turning his sudden fame into infamy.

  He had become someone, thanks to refusing every approach, who was simply too proud to join any group, too distant to be friendly with anybody, and a boy who now thought himself to be more important than he really was. What had started as admiration for his independence had slowly changed into the kind of envy that grew by every passing day, turning into resentment in some of the others... Especially in those who tried to recruit him but were left hanging, unanswered, their gifts returned, untouched. Vain, smug, conceited, and arrogant were the most common titles he faced, not that he really cared what others actually thought of him.

  For him, life inside the sect was finally simple again. He could wake before dawn, train until his muscles burned and his bones were on the verge of cracking, then soak his body in medicinal baths, and meditate until the evening bells told him to go home to rest. When he was out of CC, he could go, take the job he found easy and proper, finish them, and get back to training... And the results were already showing. His body was finally catching up to the discipline of his mind; now that the quiet had returned, it was all he wanted. He finally felt as if, in another month or two, he would be ready to learn the remaining forms he was too weak to train in, as he had already begun studying the ones Elder Thane listed beside the crane. It was why, every day, he had the chance to practice one of the other forms. And if he can master all of it, he will have the proper foundation to take the next step... Developing a form for his own use. One that is modeled after his needs, coming from his understanding of his own body via learning all the basic fighting styles of the Hollow Song Sect.

  At least, that was his current plan of action.

  Inside the shared dormitory, however, things had changed, too. Lorean’s bed was emptier more often than not, and Tian spent most of his nights away, training or drinking with new companions from the Ember Circle, as he was eventually recruited into the group. Only Neya remained a constant companion, usually cheerful, asking Siu about things she was unsure of, and always ready with food when he returned from training. She was developing a habit that Siu noticed, and the more he looked, the more he realized an issue was growing inside of her that could ruin her future. Then, one evening, Lorean returned early, after missing for more than four days, carrying her folded bedding and a small, undecorated box, her expression somewhere between triumph and relief. Something good had happened, it was easy to tell, and... she didn't wait for the others to start guessing.

  “I’m moving out,” she announced abruptly, breaking the silence as Siu and Neya looked at her, the latter about to ask what was happening.

  "Hm?" Tian grunted from where he sat, “And?”

  "..." Lorean simply ignored him, glancing toward Siu instead. “I found a place for myself, and a friend helped me rent it. But I should still thank you for the opportunity, I guess.”

  "Thank me?" Siu smiled, already guessing she also joined a new party, probably people who would try or had tried to get close to him through his roommates. All three of them were approached, and he knew that only Neya was the one who followed his advice and refused the invitations. “Congratulations,” Siu answered simply, noticing the faint shimmer of a gold pin at her belt, affixed to a letter tucked into her pocket. Ah... He already had a guess who scooped her up... The Golden Scroll Association.

  Of course, he didn’t comment on it, only nodded once when she caught his gaze. For a heartbeat, it looked as if she wanted to explain, to justify her choice, and in the end, her words just spilled out without thinking.

  “It’s nothing personal,” she said quickly, “I just… need better connections if I want to advance. You understand.” She added, furrowing her brows, not really understanding why she suddenly felt like explaining... Why should she explain? Everyone is for themselves in here...

  “I do,” Siu replied, his voice neutral, “Good luck.”

  That was all, and it annoyed Lorean even more. She expected something better... but there was no judgment, no curiosity in his tone. Just the acceptance of someone who had already expected it... Or didn't care... But... Why should he? Shaking her head, unsure whether to feel relieved or insulted, she exhaled, and after gathering her stuff, she just left.

  "Hmm," Tian didn’t even look up. “One less body in the room.”

  “Will you move out, too?” Siu asked, smiling, and Tian just glanced back at him with a half-smile.

  "If I can have the room for myself in the end... then no. It's free after all. I can spend CC on more resources this way."

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  Later that night, when the lamps had been completely extinguished and Tian was already asleep, Neya sat at the table across from Siu, her chin resting on her hands, whispering as they were still talking.

  “Do you think she’ll come back?” she asked, sounding surprisingly saddened that she had left, even if the number of words they exchanged was closer to zero than to a hundred.

  “No,” Siu answered immediately, “And it's normal. The dormitories are for the initiates. It's just... not ideal, not after you reach a certain level.”

  "Oh... Because of... Privacy?" She asked, thinking about it.

  "Something like that." Siu nodded, "When you start developing yourself... You don't want the competition to learn about your secrets."

  "Um... I see..." She murmured, pursing her lips, “She joined one of those groups, didn’t she? I saw the thing in her pocket...”

  "Yes," He nodded, smiling, noticing that at least Neya was learning to pick up on the clues pretty fast, “Golden Scroll... And as far as I know, they are dealing with secrets, so be careful what you share with Lorean the next time you meet with her.”

  "Ah..." Neya frowned as she thought about it.

  "Don't blame her. It's just another job, just like taking down the slips and works posted by the sect and the other disciples."

  "I..." Neya fell silent for a while, then asked in a smaller voice, “Siu... Will you move out too one day?”

  “Yes.” The answer came without hesitation, and that alone made her shoulders slump, and of course, Siu noticed it... and it was the root of the issue he noticed. Neya was slowly but surely nurturing total dependence on him... Which was not ideal. Asking for advice is one thing... but she, by now, never made a decision for herself without his input, or she began outright asking him to choose for her. It was turning into something that could end up crippling her future.

  “It’s not a bad thing,” he added after a moment of thinking, deciding to do something about it before it was too late. “We get this place to help us start, but it's a crutch. We need to learn to stand on our two feet and work it out by ourselves, or we won't amount to anything... We have hundreds of Outer Disciples. Why is it then that we only have half of that number amongst the Inner Disciples? And even fewer amongst Core Disciples...? I think you can understand it, too, Neya.”

  “I do…” she murmured, staring at the tabletop. “Still feels… lonely, though. I thought when we were given the room, that we would be... You know, a team.”

  "Sadly, that's not how this works," Siu exhaled slowly, then leaned forward, resting his elbows on the table, making sure she was looking him in the eye as he spoke. “Neya, listen to me. We are, at the moment, only standing in the entryway of our possible future home. Whoever you meet may be nothing more than a passerby... A guest who is leaving. You won't know... So, you must take your next steps and walk forward until you reach the point where you meet those who are truly living in this house. Of this Sect. If you spend your life waiting for them to come out and greet you, to make you feel safe and hold your hand, you’ll never become more than a decoration in someone else’s house.”

  "S-Siu?" She blinked, surprised by the sharpness in his tone and the intensity of his gaze.

  "Just listen." He continued, “You’ve got heart and courage, but if you keep depending on people, on me, you’ll only ever be useful as a lackey or a cultivation partner... and you know what that means in a Sect. You are not as naive as some others may think.”

  "C-cultivation... partner?!" Her cheeks flushed crimson, almost yelping out, holding her mouth shut, looking at Tian's figure, who just kept sleeping. Probably. “I...! I didn’t mean...!”

  “I know,” he smiled at her gently, “But I need you to understand this, Neya. I helped you because I genuinely think that being in this room, in this Sect, we are comrades. I even think that we can be friends. But... That will only work when both sides can stand on their own. Sadly, that's the truth, because our enemies will always target the weaker to get to the stronger more easily. Just look at what Nue did to you... to get to me. This will only keep up and worsen in the future, and even if you don't mind it, I do. Because I would put your life in danger... Do you get what I am trying to say here...?”

  "Y-yes..." She swallowed hard and nodded, her eyes somewhat watery, but she didn't start crying, holding it back, “So... Um... what should I do?”

  “Stop asking questions like this." He added, making her shrink back.

  "Hauh..."

  "For now, start small,” he continued, “Keep the job I found you, but take another on your own, without asking me about it. Don’t wait for me to fix your schedule either!" he smiled at her, "Buy your own resources next time, not mine, your debt is considered done and dusted. Manage your own training, too. The more you rely on yourself, the stronger your foundation becomes, and then... but only then, can I start helping you again. Or maybe, you will help me if the situation warrants it.”

  "Haaah..." Neya looked unconvinced, but she was listening, looking a bit crestfallen. “You make it sound easy.”

  “It isn’t, I know.” he nodded. “But you have to decide for yourself. Will you be my friend or my cultivation partner? Pick one.”

  "Pervert...!" She laughed a little despite herself, blushing, shaking her head, “You really don’t know how to sugarcoat things, do you?”

  “I told you before,” he leaned back, half-smiling. “I’m not a nice person to my enemies. I’d rather not be gentle to my friends either, if it’ll hold them back. I want to see you flourish, Neya. Same for that stubborn idiot,” he pointed behind his back, towards Tian, "Even though he joined a pack, I think he knows what he is doing. He just realized he can't catch up to me on his own, so he is using others... The guy is a smart wolf."

  "And here I am, leeching off your kindness..." Neya nodded, thoughtful, her earlier disappointment replaced by something... else. A sudden resolve that Siu caught in her eyes as she stood up, stretching. “Alright then. I’ll try. But if I starve or land in a bad situation... It’s your fault.”

  “Deal,” he nodded, looking at her, "Don't worry. I will still be your friend, so I'll help out when I realize that you can't handle it on your own. Just... Try not to walk into a trap again, headfirst, hm?"

  "Don't worry," She playfully cupped her hands, "I think I learned a lot already."

  When she finally went to bed, Siu remained sitting in the dark, listening to the faint song of the cicadas outside, speaking to himself after a momentary pause.

  "Don't get used to me complimenting you."

  The only answer was a muffled groan and Tian shifting his position on his bed, continuing to sleep…