The silence that enveloped them as they walked was thick and palpable, broken only by the symphony of the wild. Leaves rustled in a gentle breeze, creating a whispering canopy high above.
Small, unseen creatures scurried through the undergrowth, their movements a soft patter against the earth.
The air was cool and carried the rich, damp scent of loam and decaying leaves.
Liu Xiu, walking a pace ahead with a measured, confident stride, was the first to break the silence.
His voice, when he spoke, was calm and conversational, carefully crafted to put her at ease while satisfying his own keen curiosity.
"So, Miss Mei," he began, not looking back but ensuring his voice carried clearly.
"That was quite a remarkable display of knowledge back there. It is not every day one meets a young soul master from a provincial academy who knows the name of the young mistress of the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect."
He let the statement hang, a subtle invitation for her to elaborate.
When she didn't immediately answer, he smoothly transitioned to a related, and perhaps less intrusive, topic.
"I am also curious about your spirit. You mentioned you are a support type. What form does it take? Perhaps I can offer some advice for your cultivation path. I may not look scholarly," he said with a slight, self-deprecating gesture to his practical traveler's robes, "but at Thunder Academy, I have guided many support-type soul masters. Understanding the nuances of different supportive spirits is a specialty of mine."
From behind her, Yu Tianxin's attention sharpens. His earlier blustering persona was set aside, replaced by a quiet, focused intensity.
The Second Young Master was listening, his pride momentarily subsumed by genuine curiosity about the girl.
Mei considered her response carefully. Liu Xiu's question was a natural one, and his offer of advice was generous. And she might think it wouldn't be a complete loss.
"My spirit is called Starlight Stage," she said, her voice clear and melodic in the quiet forest.
Liu Xiu slowed his pace slightly, a sign of his interest. "Starlight Stage? I can't say I have heard of it. A tool spirit, I assume?"
"Yes," Mei confirmed. "It manifests as a circular platform of silvery light, with motes of light that drift upwards like tiny stars."
"And its abilities?" Liu Xiu's tone was that of a dedicated teacher now, analytical and engaged.
"My first spirit skill, Melodic Rhythm, boosts the attack and speed of my allies within the domain," Mei explained.
She chose her next words with care, deciding to reveal the second skill but not its name, keeping one card close to her chest.
"And my second spirit skill... it places a mental burden on enemies within the domain, disorienting and confusing them the longer they remain inside. And as long as I continue to perform, the skills will continue to be active."
This time, Liu Xiu came to a complete stop, turning to face her, his expression one of profound shock. Behind him, Yu Tianxin's eyes had widened, his earlier feigned disinterest completely forgotten.
"A domain... that provides a compound buff to allies and a compound debuff to enemies? Simultaneously?" Liu Xiu breathed, his scholarly mind racing through the implications.
"And you're already a Spirit Grandmaster? That is... that is unheard of. Such talents are typically the hallmark of top-tier tool spirits at much higher levels. May I ask how old you are, miss?" He asked in awe and curiosity.
"I'm 8 years old," Mei said casually.
Before Liu Xiu could react, Yu Tianxin, unable to contain himself, stepped forward, his previous arrogance replaced by blunt astonishment.
"You're only 8, how can that be !!" He exclaimed in surprise. For Yu Tianxin, this revelation had shattered his understanding of the world.
He was considered a genius in his sect with an innate level 7 and reached level 23 by 11 years old was already a testament to his hard work.
But here stood a girl who was 3 years younger than him, but had already reached level 20. To say he wasn't jealous would be a lie.
"How can that be.." He trailed off, the unspoken words hanging in the air.
It seems you broke him. Ai said in Mei's mind.
Liu Xiu, recovering from his surprise, pressed on, his original question still unanswered but now framed in a new light.
"You're truly a talented one, Miss Mei. It's almost unheard of for an 8-year-old to be a Spirit Grand Master."
Mei looked confused, not knowing that she was considered extremely talented. "Is it really unheard of?".
This reply made Liu Xiu explain the common sense. "Of course, being a Spirit Grandmaster at the age of 10 is rare and can be considered talented," Mei looks surprised at this revelation," the youngest titled douluo was said to have reached level 20 at the age of 13."
This knowledge made Mei think about the shocked expression when people know her age and spirit level. I really should learn more common sense.
Though the thought of being called talented made Mei very happy. She remembered how, during her early years, she joined the company in her last life.
They always say she was very talented, and then as the years passed…..
Mei quickly snapped out.
"This changes things," Liu Xiu murmured, more to himself than to them. His gaze grew distant, calculating.
"A talent like yours... Nuoding Academy cannot possibly provide the resources or protection you require. It would be like storing a priceless jewel in a wooden shack."
He glanced at Yu Tianxin, who was still staring at Mei, his expression a tumultuous mix of envy, awe, and frustration.
Yu Tianxin finally found his voice, though it was uncharacteristically quiet. "Your... your innate soul power?" he asked, the question forced out, as if he had to know the full measure of the gap between them.
Mei, following the common sense she was just learning, simply said, "It was judged to be quite high."
That vague answer seemed to both satisfy and torment Yu Tianxin further. He looked away, his jaw tight. The silence that returned was different from before.
The revelation of Mei's spirit had fundamentally altered the group's dynamic.
As they continued along the increasingly defined path, Yu Tianxin found himself in a peculiar internal conflict. He maintained his position a few steps behind her, his hands clasped behind his back in a pose of casual detachment.
But his sharp purple eyes were no longer scanning the forest for threats with their previous diligence; instead, they kept tracing the lines of Mei's figure, the graceful way she moved, the cascade of her pink hair.
He noted how she carried herself. It was utterly unlike the simpering manners of the young noblewomen he was accustomed to, or the rough-and-tumble bearing of most common-born spirit masters.
After another period of walking, the trees began to thin, and the quality of the light changed, becoming brighter and more direct. The oppressive, ancient feeling of the deep forest started to recede.
"We are nearing the periphery," Liu Xiu announced. "The trading town of Hongye is just a few more li to the east. You will be safe there."
Relief flooded through Mei. The immediate danger was passing.
But Yu Tianxin was wrestling with how to engage her again without appearing eager, before she goes back.
His first attempts at conversation had been a disaster. He couldn't simply start asking polite questions; that would be an admission of his changed perspective, a move he wasn't ready to make.
After several minutes of silent internal debate, he saw his opportunity. Mei subtly shifted her path to avoid a gnarled root, her movement fluid like a dancer's.
"Hmph," he grunted, the sound meant to be dismissive but coming out slightly strained.
"So, this 'Starlight Stage.' You rely on your teammates to stand in one spot for it to be effective, correct? It seems... restrictive."
He phrased it as a criticism though his true intention was to get her to talk more about her spirit's mechanics.
Mei glanced over her shoulder, her pink eyes catching the dappled light. Her smile was patient, as if humoring a child.
"Performing doesn't mean staying in a single place, Young Master Yu. The size of the domain will grow with my cultivation."
Her answer was calm and reasoned, utterly deflating his attempted critique.
Yu Tianxin felt his ears grow warm. Well, I guess if you're dancing on stage, you'll move around,and it fits her inexplicable grace.
He fell silent again, chastened. Liu Xiu, walking ahead, hid a small smile. He recognized his student's clumsy attempts at interaction for what they were.
A little while later, as they crossed a shallow stream, Yu Tianxin tried again, adopting a more pragmatic, almost scholarly tone he thought sounded sufficiently detached.
"The mental attack. How does it manifest? Is it simple pain, or true disorientation?" he asked, his gaze fixed on the opposite bank as if the question were of mere academic interest.
"The tactical applications would be... significantly different."
This time, Mei turned her head fully, regarding him with a thoughtful expression.
He was trying so hard to sound clinical, but she could see the keen interest in the set of his shoulders.
He's like a fan trying to ask a technical question to seem cool, Ai giggled to herself.
"I don't quite know," Mei explained. "After all, I need to test it on a person first and then ask them how it felt ."
"I-I see," Yu Tianxin said, nodding slowly. "Well, if you have a chance, you should research it." He trailed off, hitting his head mentally for saying such a thing.
Yeah, why would you research such a useless thing rather than cultivate. He castigated himself.
Yu Tianxin fell silent again and hid his face because he was turning red. Lui Xui couldn't help but feel helpless at the Second Young Master's conversational skills.
Emboldened, and with Hongye Town's outskirts now faintly visible through the trees, Yu Tianxin made one last attempt.
He quickened his pace until he was walking almost beside her, though he still kept his eyes forward, his profile stern.
"Your team," he stated, his tone implying he was merely confirming a logistical detail.
"In Nuoding City. They are likely still searching the wrong forest. When we reach Hongye, you will need to send a message. The postal service there is reliable... for a frontier town."
He was offering help, but framing it as a statement of fact about the local infrastructure.
Mei looked at him, truly looking at him—at the way he was trying so hard not to look at her, at the faint blush that refused to leave his cheeks entirely.
Her smile this time was genuine and warm, not the polished idol's smile, but something softer.
"That is a very good idea, Young Master Yu," she said, her voice sincere. "Thank you for thinking of it."
The directness of her gratitude, devoid of any sarcasm or hidden barbs, finally broke through his cool facade.
He snapped his head towards her, their eyes meeting for a brief, electric moment. He saw the genuine appreciation in her gaze, and it completely disarmed him.
His cheeks flushed a definitive red, and he immediately looked away, quickening his pace to stride ahead of both her and Liu Xiu, as if suddenly very interested in being the first to reach the town gates.
And there it is! Ai crowed with delight.
The classic tsundere retreat! Can't handle a simple, honest thank you! He's utterly defeated!
Liu Xiu chuckled softly, shaking his head at his student's antics. "Pay him no mind, Miss Mei. He is... unaccustomed to people who are not impressed by his title alone."
Mei watched Yu Tianxin's retreating, his shoulders stiff with a mixture of pride and embarrassment. "I think," she said softly, a playful smile gracing her lips, "that he is more than his title."
As they finally emerged from the tree line, the rustic wooden walls of Hongye Town coming into proper view, Mei knew one thing for certain.
The proud, blushing young master of the Lightning Tyrant Blue Dragon Sect had just become a far more interesting part of it than any spirit beast.
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