The next day passed in a blur.

  Like Lei and Rhee, Ishin was preoccupied with preparing for his departure to the Crimson Abyss Sect. His meager belongings made packing a short affair—less than an hour after his morning workout and breakfast, everything he owned was neatly tucked away. Yet despite having little to carry, the process stretched across the day. Time was spent not on belongings, but on people—on farewells, lingering conversations, and quiet moments with those who had marked his journey.

  His first visit was to Physician Hou, whom he found tending to a stack of handwritten notes inside the school’s infirmary. Word of Elder Zhou’s offer had clearly spread. The Physician didn’t look surprised to see him—only mildly amused, as if waiting for this farewell.

  “I heard you’re headed to the Crimson Abyss Sect,” Hou said, not looking up from his work.

  “I am,” Ishin confirmed. “I wanted to thank you for everything.”

  Physician Hou finally glanced at him, his sharp eyes measuring and calm. “You’ll be fighting. A lot. That sect doesn’t invite cultivators unless they expect you to bleed for them.”

  “I assumed as much,” Ishin said with a small smile.

  The Physician gave him a short lesson on emergency casualty care—where to press, how to stitch quickly, what herbs could be eaten raw to clot wounds. It wasn’t long, but it was practical and useful. Ishin absorbed it with quiet intensity.

  Despite the grim warning, he left feeling energized. A place that values martial prowess… it’s where I belong. I need the strength to face the Void Wraith Sect. I need power that can cut through shadows.

  His next stop was one of the inner ponds. There, surrounded by willows and smooth jade stones, he found Master Guoqiang and Disciple Ouyang Xue seated in meditation. Their qi rippled faintly across the surface of the pond, disrupting the stillness with disciplined power.

  Both stirred when he approached.

  “We heard,” Master Guoqiang said, rising smoothly to his feet. “Congratulations.”

  Xue echoed the sentiment, though her voice lacked conviction. She tried to smile but failed to mask the sorrow in her eyes.

  “I came to thank you both,” Ishin said. “Truly. I wouldn’t be where I am without the Eight Oaths Resolve School.”

  Master Guoqiang nodded. “Remember your foundation, but do not cling to it. You’ll grow beyond us now.”

  “I’ll visit again, if I return.”

  Xue’s lips pressed into a line. “It’s a nice sentiment,” she said quietly. “But you won’t.”

  He didn’t argue.

  Before leaving, Guoqiang offered one final piece of guidance. “When you reach the Adept Realm, consider aspecting your second chakra to water qi. With your control, it will complement lightning well.”

  “I’ll remember that.”

  The pond behind them rippled again as the wind picked up, and Ishin bowed deeply to them both before turning away.

  He found Bo by accident—or rather, Bo found him. It was evening, and Ishin had taken his meal in quiet solitude at the dining hall, slowly working through a bowl of rice porridge with charred eel strips. The warmth of the dish did little to comfort him as he looked around the room that had, over the past two months, come to feel like home.

  Bo dropped into the seat across from him, eyeing the bowl with distaste.

  “That looks awful,” he said.

  Ishin laughed through a mouthful. “Tastes better than it looks.”

  “I’m glad I caught you,” Bo continued. “I was looking earlier but you vanished.”

  “I thought the same about you.”

  “I just got back. I spent the morning at the Righteous Mantle Sect and then met with Elder Cho from the Radiant Spear Sect over lunch.”

  Right. He mentioned the invitations yesterday… I forgot.

  “How’d it go?” Ishin asked, genuinely curious.

  Bo’s expression lit up, subtle but unmistakable. “Both made good offers. Elder Rea from the Righteous Mantle Sect tried to appeal to my roots—told me I could still serve the city while staying close to family. I won’t lie, it was tempting.”

  “But?” Ishin leaned forward.

  Bo held his gaze. “Elder Cho made it bigger. He said I’d be serving the entire province—not hiding behind walls but confronting evil head-on. There’s a new bandit lord rising near Three Ring City. Rumors of a demonic sect. That’s the kind of battle I became a martial cultivator for.”

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  The fire in Bo’s voice surprised him. Ishin had never seen his friend so animated.

  “So you chose the Radiant Spear Sect,” Ishin said.

  “I did.” Bo exhaled slowly. “He offered me an outer sect position. I accepted before I even realized it. We leave in five days for Bird Shadow City.”

  “Sounds like it suits you.” Ishin smiled. “You’ll make a difference.”

  Bo nodded, then added, “Funny thing—I saw Dong Jing at Elder Cho’s residence.”

  “The one from the Red Burning Comet School?”

  “That’s him.”

  “Think he’ll join?”

  “Maybe. I heard a rumor about him pursuing a member of the Kurai Clan, but who knows. If he does join, at least I’ll know someone.”

  “You could come with us,” Ishin offered. “I’m sure Elder Zhou would accept you.”

  Bo raised a hand. “No. Your path is the Crimson Abyss Sect. Mine is the Radiant Spear. I’m happy for you all. But I’m also happy for myself.”

  Ishin respected that. “Have you said goodbye to the others?”

  “I found Rhee earlier. She was… stressed. Something’s going on with her family. It’s weighing on her.”

  No doubt. I’ll ask later.

  “I’ll tell Lei the same, but please—look after her.”

  Ishin was surprised by the request, but nodded. “I will. And I’ll make sure Lei does too. Someone has to keep him from getting too distracted.”

  Bo chuckled. “Good. Speaking of, Lei invited me out for a final round of drinks.”

  “Just you?” Ishin blinked.

  “Don’t be hurt. He told me to invite you and Rhee. She wisely declined. You should too.” Bo paled. “He doesn’t stop until we’re twelve drinks in. I’m not built like him.”

  Ishin winced. “Enjoy. Have one for me though.”

  Bo groaned. “You’ll owe me a dozen back at your new sect.”

  “I hope we meet again soon.”

  Bo clapped a hand to his shoulder. “Next time, we’ll both be inner sect disciples.”

  With that, Bo turned and walked away, leaving Ishin alone with his thoughts.

  He finished his meal in silence, then found a quiet courtyard and cultivated beneath the fading sun. The lightning qi was sparse as always, barely enough to tingle beneath his skin. He found himself wishing for storms. Maybe the Crimson Abyss Sect will have more of them. He hoped so.

  That night, he returned to the Reprieve Barracks one final time.

  Morning came with silver skies and cool wind. Ishin dressed in his new sect robes—black with crimson trim, the sigil of the Crimson Abyss stitched across the chest. He wore them with pride. As he ate breakfast with his spear at his side, others in the dining hall glanced his way with a mix of curiosity and respect. He let them look.

  Let them see what I’ve earned.

  Meal finished, belongings packed, Ishin walked toward the northern quarter—toward the Kurai Estate. He didn’t wait for Rhee. They had agreed on the meeting time and place the day before, and besides, they'd be traveling together for the foreseeable future. The thought warmed him.

  However, it only took ten minutes for him to realize just how large the Northern Quarter truly was. He’d never been this deep into its streets. Fortunately, a pair of city guards recognized him from the tournament. Flattered by the attention, they eagerly pointed him toward the estate.

  Nearly two hours later, Ishin finally arrived.

  The estate’s outer gate stood before him—a massive pale-yellow arch flanked by tall alabaster walls, twenty-five feet high. The gate was fortified but elegant, decorated with gold trim and the crest of the Kurai Clan etched in shimmering black ink. The whole thing radiated wealth, power, and legacy.

  To his surprise, Rhee was already there.

  She sat against the wall near the gate, legs folded beneath her, a polished hemp pack resting at her side. She too wore the sect robes, but her face was drawn. Her expression was distant—tired.

  “Good morning,” Ishin said as he approached.

  Rhee looked up. Her smile was faint. “Good morning, Ishin.”

  He placed his pack beside hers and rested his spear against the iron wall. “You got here early.”

  “There wasn’t much reason to delay.”

  Ishin slowly lowered himself beside her. “Want to talk about it?”

  “Not really.” Her voice was soft. “If it’s alright, I’d like to wait in silence.”

  He nodded. “Okay.”

  They sat together in quiet companionship. Ishin began cultivating, but kept half his attention on her in case she changed her mind. She didn’t.

  Eventually, a loud rustle of footsteps broke the stillness. Lei approached, pack slung over one shoulder—twice the size of Ishin’s. His gait was sluggish, and his face flushed pink.

  “Well, good morning, friends!” he announced, voice too cheerful.

  He’s definitely hung over.

  “Good morning, Brother Lei,” Rhee greeted.

  “Glad you made it,” Ishin added.

  Lei let his pack thud to the ground. “Slept in a little. Fun night with Bo. You both missed out.”

  “Next time,” Ishin said with a smirk.

  “Are you alright to travel?” Rhee asked.

  “Absolutely,” Lei said, then hiccupped.

  Rhee dug into her pack and produced a small wooden gourd. “Here. Drink this. It should help.”

  He took it eagerly and drank in deep gulps, then sighed in relief. “You’re the best, Rhee.”

  She glanced at the gourd. “Keep it.”

  Lei beamed. “You’re really the best.”

  I owe Bo for saving me from that. Ishin chuckled inwardly. Poor bastard’s probably still asleep on a rooftop somewhere.

  “How do you think we’re getting there?” Lei asked.

  “Sky chariot,” Rhee replied. “It’s the only way. Any other method would take years.”

  Sky chariot...

  Ishin had seen them from afar, gliding silently across the sky like divine carriages. Now he’d get to fly in one.

  The gate groaned open, creaking on thick hinges. All three rose and stepped back to see who approached.

  Elder Zhou emerged, flanked by three other cultivators in Crimson Abyss Sect robes. None of them Ishin recognized.

  “Good,” Elder Zhou said with a nod. “You’re all here. Let’s get going.”