"You put me too high," Xiu Mei replied, shaking his head lightly, a playful edge to his voice. "Why would Heaven favor me so? But… I wouldn't mind playing under a waterfall. I heard there's one nearby. We should travel there sometime soon."
Han Jie's head tilted, curiosity bright in her eyes. "What are you two talking about?" she asked, her tone sharper than she intended.
Xiu Mei's gaze softened, and he glanced at Shi Yang. "We used to duel together," he said simply. "Those were the fondest times of my life. No matter how much my bones ached, no matter how sore I was, I would come back the next night to face him again."
The crowd around them stiffened. Murmurs began to ripple through the assembled cultivators.
Han Jie froze, her mind filling in the blanks—and the wrong ones at that. Duel together? Fondest times? The way he said it, the casual closeness of their words… it sounded intimate, too intimate. A hot wave of jealousy surged through her. Her heart thudded painfully in her chest, and she opened her mouth to voice her indignation—
"Don't say it like that," Shi Yang interjected, his voice sharp. "You'll make people misunderstand."
Xiu Mei blinked, a confused frown crossing his features. He glanced around, noticing the murmurs and sidelong looks. With a sigh, he raised his hand as if to placate the crowd.
"It seems I've caused a misunderstanding about your nature, Uncle Shi," he said lightly, though apology tinged his words. "Forgive me. As recompense, allow me to treat you to a meal."
Shi Yang arched a brow. "Only if Han Jie comes along."
Xiu Mei's eyes flicked curiously toward her. "And who might that be?"
Shi Yang gestured with a faint smile. "My dual cultivation partner."
Xiu Mei froze mid-step, then burst into laughter sharp enough to turn heads. "You jest!"
But when he saw Shi Yang's arm draped loosely over Han Jie's shoulder, his expression shifted. The laughter died as swiftly as it came. With sudden force, he pulled Shi Yang's arm off her. For a heartbeat, their eyes locked—Han Jie's burning with smoldering killing intent, Xiu Mei's blazing with the ferocity of a tiger. The air between them crackled, heavy enough to silence the crowd.
Han Jie, however, restrained herself. Instead, she slipped her hand into Shi Yang's, gripping tightly as if to anchor him. "Will you be fine?" she asked softly, her voice low, her hold unyielding.
Shi Yang blinked, caught off guard by her sudden possessiveness. For a moment, he felt two opposing forces tugging at him. He exhaled gently. "I'll be fine."
Reluctantly, Han Jie let go.
"Let's go," Xiu Mei said simply, his tone dismissive, though his eyes lingered on Han Jie with unspoken challenge. "I'm hungry."
He led Shi Yang through the bustling streets, curious onlookers whispering about what they had just witnessed. The market gave way to quieter lanes until they arrived at a restaurant nestled beside a flowering courtyard.
The building was elegant yet understated—wooden beams lacquered in deep red, paper lanterns swaying in the breeze, the faint scent of lotus soup drifting outward. A carved plaque above the entrance bore the name Moon-Bowl Restaurant. Inside, the air was warm, alive with refined chatter and the clinking of porcelain cups.
Shi Yang's gaze swept over the interior. Bamboo screens partitioned private booths along the walls, while lacquered tables gleamed in the center hall. Servants moved gracefully, their robes neat, their steps measured.
Xiu Mei didn't ask where to sit; he guided Shi Yang to a quiet booth near the window and slid in beside him without hesitation. When the waiter arrived with a bow, Xiu Mei didn't even glance at the menu.
"Bring us your chef's special. And a pot of your best wine," he ordered with steady authority.
Shi Yang gave the waiter a faint nod, though he couldn't ignore the way Xiu Mei leaned in, clinging to his side as though claiming ownership.
The wine soon arrived with steaming dishes of lotus soup and glazed river fish. Yet Xiu Mei barely touched the food. His gaze stayed fixed on Shi Yang, voice low and even as he began:
"I've found the third piece of the Ocean Mirror Inheritance," he said, chopsticks hovering midair.
Shi Yang lifted his cup, hiding his expression behind the rim. He had no clue what this meant, but gave no sign, simply listening.
"I also located the remnant cave tied to the third stage," Xiu Mei continued, eyes bright with memory. "But it's not something I can enter alone. The place is filled with the third elder's final memory—just before he abandoned the High Tide Sect, when the Ocean Beast Wave first began."
Shi Yang nodded slowly, feigning understanding. "So… you've uncovered this much about the High Tide Sect?"
Xiu Mei's lips curved faintly. He nodded. "Yes. When the Immortal Road Sage and the Sect Alliance struck my home, plundering the women—mothers and daughters both—I fled. Their cruelty reminded me of your unmoving strength, and strangely enough, of our encounters at the waterfall. In that moment of fear, I thought only you could face them."
His words faltered, and he reached out, placing his hand gently over Shi Yang's.
Shi Yang stiffened, then drew back.
A flicker of sadness crossed Mei's face, but he pressed on. "I hid in the cave behind the waterfall, terrified I'd be captured if I left. Then… I saw a figure seated in the stream. Your figure. I thought you'd returned to protect me."
His gaze grew distant. "I ran to you. But when I passed through the water, the scene shifted. I stood in a vast sect library. That was my first encounter with the Ocean Tide Remnant Cave."
He sipped his wine, voice lowering. "I panicked. Thinking I was tricked, I destroyed shelves, scrolls—everything—until a sect elder subdued me. The remnant reset. Again, I found myself in the library. That was when I realized… diving through the waterfall was the key. From that day, I lived under a false name within the sect. A year would pass—or the moment I ruined my cover—and time would reset. Again and again."
His voice softened, almost reverent. "Ten years I lived in that remnant. Ten years of discipline, studying under the elders, until I gained the Ocean Sect's skills. But when the illusion finally shattered, only days had passed in the real world. And in the hidden chamber, I found the very same map I'd obtained in the remnant—etched in stone."
Shi Yang's breath stilled.
"It was then I knew," Xiu Mei said, gaze unwavering, "this was the task you left for me—to unravel the High Tide Sect's secrets, so one day I could stand before you again. From that day, I was the only girl left alive from my village. So I traveled. I claimed inheritances. I refined my skills. All to keep the promise I made when you left me."
Her voice dropped to a whisper. "This is how I survived the sages' female extinction."
The room tilted around him. Shi Yang felt overwhelmed—by revelations, by the warmth of her hand brushing his again. This time, he clasped it firmly.
All he could process was the confession hidden beneath her words: Uncle… no, Shi Yang. I am not your nephew. I am your niece.
The realization struck like a hammer blow. His second pure jade in a world of fakes.
"I'm glad," he said quietly, "that the chance I left you wasn't wasted."
Her lips curved into a small, genuine smile. She tilted her head, mischief flickering in her eyes.
"So… that friend of yours back at the market," she asked slyly. "Is he truly your dual cultivation partner?"