The moment of stunned silence following her rescue stretched, filled only by the whisper of the wind through the ancient trees and the distant, hidden calls of unknown spirit beasts.
The boy's arms were firm around her, a secure cage in the vast, terrifying sky, and now a point of unexpected warmth and contact on the solid ground.
His gaze was locked on hers with an intensity that was both captivating and confusing, his sharp purple eyes wide with a mixture of concern and something else she couldn't quite name.
Mei, her heart still hammering a frantic rhythm from the flight and fall, felt a faint, traitorous heat rise to her own cheeks under his unwavering stare.
Then, as if a spell had been lifted, his expression shifted. The momentary awe evaporated, replaced by the swift, panicked realization of prolonged physical contact.
His eyes darted away from hers, and a deep, crimson blush flooded his cheeks, clashing dramatically with his bright blonde hair.
"Since… since you look alright, you can stand on your own," he declared, his voice a little too loud, a little too brusque, clearly meant to project a cool detachment that his flaming face completely betrayed.
Before Mei could even form a response, she could assure him that she was steady, his arms retracted as if she had burned him.
The world tilted. She let out a small, undignified yelp as the secure support vanished, landing on the soft but unforgiving forest floor with a soft, jarring thud that sent a jolt running up her spine.
She sat there for a second, stunned, her hands sinking into the cool moss as she stared up at the boy who had now turned his back to her completely, his shoulders so stiff they looked carved from stone.
He was trying so hard to pretend the last thirty seconds—the heroic catch, the stunned gaze, the blush—had never happened.
Well! Ai exclaimed, her voice a symphony of indignation within Mei's mind.
That was about as graceful as a dropped sack of potatoes! What a clumsy, brutish way to treat a lady! I expected a little more chivalry from a young man!
Mei pushed down her own surprise and a flicker of irritation. The landing had been humiliating, and her tailbone throbbed faintly.
But an idol must always, always maintain her composure, especially in the face of unexpected rudeness.
She smoothed her expression, the well-practiced mask of serene politeness settling into place.
With a fluid, graceful motion that belied the awkwardness of the situation, she got to her feet, brushing the leaves and dirt from her clothes with deliberate, calm movements.
"I am indeed fine, thank you for your concern," she said, her voice a model of polite gratitude, smooth as silk.
She bowed first to the boy's rigid back, a gesture laced with subtle irony, and then more deeply and sincerely to the older man. "Thank you both for saving my life. I am in your debt."
The man, Liu Xiu, studied her with those calm, discerning eyes that seemed to miss nothing.
He stepped forward, his movements economical and precise, a hand gently raised. "If you will allow me? It is best to be certain of your condition after such an ordeal."
Mei nodded, trusting the quiet authority he emanated. She felt a warm, probing tendril of soul power wash over her, not invasive, but thorough.
It was a strange sensation, like a gentle, internal scan that checked the flow of her energy and the integrity of her body.
It was far more sophisticated than any examination she'd had at Nuoding Academy.
After a moment, he withdrew his power and gave a slow, approving nod.
"No physical injuries beyond a minor shock to the system. Your soul power is stable, if a little depleted from the adrenaline and fear," he confirmed, his voice a low, steadying rumble.
His gaze then grew more serious, the warmth receding to reveal the hardened teacher beneath.
"I am Liu Xiu, a teacher from Thunder Academy. Now, young lady, perhaps you can enlighten us. What is a young child doing alone in the Star Dou Great Forest? This is no place for a casual stroll."
Mei offered a small, reassuring smile, understanding his suspicion. A lone, young support-type spirit master in this lethal environment was a walking anomaly.
"My name is Mei. I'm a student from Nuoding Academy," she began, her tone clear and respectful.
"And you are correct. I was completing a commission with my team in the Nuoding Forest when that hawk attacked us and… took me."
She emphasized the name of her local, far-tamer forest to highlight the vast, terrifying distance she had been carried against her will.
Before she could elaborate further on her team or the nature of their mission, the boy—who had been listening while stubbornly facing away, though his tilted head showed he was hanging on every word—spun around.
A condescending smirk was now plastered on his face, a defensive mask to cover his earlier embarrassment.
"Hah!" Yu Tianxin scoffed, crossing his arms over his chest in a gesture of supreme superiority.
"So you were caught by a mere fifteen-hundred-year soul beast? You and your team must be pretty weak, then." His eyes swept over her, dismissively taking in her non-martial appearance.
Mei's smile remained fixed, a perfect curve of politeness, though a tiny, almost imperceptible twitch appeared at its corner.
He's really trying my patience, she thought, the well of her professional courtesy beginning to strain.
First, he drops me, now, he insults me and my team?
"I was caught off guard," she explained, her tone still deliberately light and pleasant, though a core of steel was beginning to form within it.
"And, I am a support-type spirit master. My skills are meant to aid and empower my allies, not for direct combat or escaping from an aerial grab."
Yu Tianxin seemed to latch onto this new information with glee, as if he had finally found a solid point to criticize.
"How stupid can you be?!" he exclaimed, his voice rising with condescending triumph.
"A support spirit master, venturing into a soul beast forest without a dedicated personal guard? That's not bravery; it's just asking to become a meal! It's a basic principle of survival!" He said it as if he were explaining something to a very small, very slow child.
The polite smile on Mei's face became a fraction tighter, her eyes narrowing just a slit.
The spark of genuine anger that had been simmering now flared into a proper flame.
This arrogant boy wasn't just rude; he was willfully ignoring her explanations to make himself feel superior.
"If you would stop rudely interrupting me," she said, her voice gaining a subtle, sharp edge that hadn't been there before, the kind of tone she might use to chastise a heckler in a crowd,
"I was about to explain that I was with a fully experienced team, which included a defense-type spirit master whose specific role was to protect me. The situation was unprecedented."
The boy's eyes widened, caught completely off guard by the firm reprimand delivered with a still-smiling face.
The direct accusation of rudeness, spoken so calmly, seemed to strike a nerve. A flush of mingled anger and shame crept back up his neck.
"R-rude?! You—!" he stammered, pointing a finger at her, momentarily speechless as he searched for a sufficiently cutting retort.
Liu Xiu, who had been observing the exchange with a look of weary amusement, decided it was time to intervene before his charge said something truly regrettable.
He placed a calming, heavy hand on Yu Tianxin's shoulder.
"Young Master," he said, his tone placating but firm, brooking no argument.
"Perhaps it is time to step back and introduce yourself properly. I believe the young lady meant no harm, and her point is valid. It must have been a profoundly jarring experience—first kidnapped by a spirit beast, carried leagues away from home, and then… unceremoniously dropped in a forest full of strangers."
He shot a mild, but pointedly exasperated look at his student, his gaze flicking meaningfully to the spot where Mei had landed.
Yu Tianxin visibly composed himself, shaking off his teacher's hand with a huff.
He drew himself up to his full height, puffing out his chest in a gesture of immense pride that was meant to overshadow his previous flustered state.
He cleared his throat, the picture of nobility.
"Ahem. Very well. I am Yu Tianxin," he announced, his voice dripping with pride.
"The Second Young Master of the Lightning Tyrant Blue Dragon Sect. One of the top three sects on the continent." He paused dramatically, expecting to see awe, perhaps even admiration, on Mei's face.
He was waiting for the gasps, the stuttered apologies, the fawning admiration that usually followed such a revelation.
Instead, he was met with her same, politely curious smile. It made him falter a bit, and a heat was starting to build up.
Lightning Tyrant Blue Dragon Sect? Ai mused internally, her tone dripping with sarcasm.
What a mouthful. Is the name meant to be intimidating, or is it just desperately trying to be impressive?
It sounds like something a child would make up for a storytelling game.
It fits the draconic nature, Luminous chimed in, his tone clinically unimpressed.
So often they are like this: arrogant, believing their mere presence is a blessing upon the world, their bloodline the summit of creation.
It is a tiresome and common trait among the dragon bloodline.
Mei's smile softened into something almost playful, a glint of mischief appearing in her mesmerizing pink eyes.
She decided to play a card she knew, from her previous life, could often deflate over-inflated egos: casual, familiar association with their peers.
"Nice to meet you, Yu Tianxin," she said, as if he'd merely told her his name was Zhang or Li.
She tilted her head slightly.
"Since you're a member of one of the three great sects, you must be good friends with Ning Rongrong, right? She's the young mistress of the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect."
The effect was instantaneous and deeply satisfying. Both Yu Tianxin and Liu Xiu stared at her, caught completely by surprise.
Liu Xiu's eyebrows rose a fraction.
For a commoner soul master from a backwater academy to not only know the name of the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Clan's young mistress—a figure whose identity was well-known but not a common household name among the lower ranks—but to say it with such casual, almost familiar ease was… unheard of.
Yu Tianxin's proud posture deflated slightly. The truth was, even with his lofty status, his interactions with the notoriously clever, sheltered, and sharp-tongued Ning Rongrong had been brief, formal, and entirely supervised at large sect gatherings.
To claim any kind of friendship would be a blatant, easily exposed exaggeration.
The young mistress of the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Clan was in a league of her own.
"I… that is to say…" he stammered, a strained, utterly unconvincing smile pulling at his lips as he tried to reclaim his composure.
He waved a hand airily, a gesture that failed to convey nonchalance.
"Our sects move in the same circles, of course. Our fathers have dealings. But I wouldn't say we are… close. She keeps to herself."
He looked away, unable to hold Mei's perceptive gaze, a faint blush of chagrin dusting his cheeks again at being so effectively taken down a peg.
This time, Ai didn't miss the tell-tale sign of his embarrassment. Her smile turned genuine, a small, knowing glint in her eyes.
She had successfully turned the tables, and his reaction was more revealing than any boastful answer could have been.
Oh my, Ai cooed to herself, watching the exchange with sheer delight.
He's not just arrogant. He's a full-blown tsundere! All bluster and insults on the outside, but flustered and blushing on the inside when his pride gets pricked! This is getting very interesting. Keep it up, Mei! He's already wrapped around your little finger and doesn't even know it!
Liu Xiu, sensing the shift in dynamics and the need to return to practicalities, cleared his throat.
"That is all well and good," he said, steering the conversation back on course.
"But it does not change our current situation. Mei, you are now deep within the Star Dou Great Forest, separated from your team, with no supplies and no way to know the direction back to Nuoding City. That is, assuming you even know which direction the hawk flew."
The reality of her situation came crashing back.
Mei's smile faded, replaced by a look of sober concern.
She looked around at the towering trees, the dense, shadowy undergrowth, and listened to the mysterious, echoing calls of the forest. She was utterly, completely lost.
"I… I don't know," she admitted, her voice soft. "Everything was a blur. I don't know which way is home." The confession laid bare her vulnerability.
Yu Tianxin, hearing the sudden shift in her tone, glanced back at her.
Seeing the genuine worry on her face, he felt defensive and wanted to help Mei calm down.
The Second Young Master of the Lightning Tyrant Blue Dragon Sect might be arrogant, but he wasn't cruel. Leaving a stranded support spirit master to die was not in his code.
"Well, you can't stay here," he stated, his voice less sharp now.
"It's not safe. Even the periphery has thousand-year beasts prowling at night." He looked at Liu Xiu. "Teacher Liu?"
Liu Xiu nodded, his decision made. "We will escort you to the edge of the forest. From there, you can find your bearings or seek a caravan to the nearest town. It is the only logical course of action."
Mei felt a wave of profound relief wash over her.
"Thank you," she said, and this time the gratitude was deep and heartfelt, devoid of any previous tension.
"I would be incredibly grateful."
Yu Tianxin gave a curt nod, avoiding her eyes but not turning away. "Just don't slow us down," he muttered, though the bite was gone from his words, replaced by a gruff acceptance of his role as a protector.
As Liu Xiu began to lead the way, orienting himself with an unseen internal compass, Mei fell into step behind him, with Yu Tianxin taking up the rear, his presence a silent, watchful guard.
The forest, which had seemed so menacing moments before, now felt a little less terrifying.
And as she walked, she couldn't help but replay the entire encounter in her mind, the blushing, stuttering, arrogant boy who had saved her, dropped her, insulted her, and was now, grudgingly, ensuring her safety.
A Lightning Tyrant Blue Dragon, huh? Mei thought, a small, private smile touching her lips. More like a flustered little lizard.
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