Chapter 70 – Storms Beneath the Willow
The night sky had turned restless.
Clouds gathered in thick masses, their bellies heavy with unspent rain. Lightning flickered faintly at the horizon, illuminating the Liu Clan courtyard for fleeting instants. The old willow tree swayed under the push of the wind, its branches creaking like ancient bones remembering pain.
Lin Xuan stood beneath it, hands clasped behind his back. His gaze was distant, fixed on nothing, yet the storm reflected in his crimson eyes. The memorial had been completed, yet his heart felt no lighter.
A rustle of robes drew him from his thoughts. Liu Yue approached slowly, a lantern in her hands. Its warm glow softened her moonlight eyes, though worry lingered there.
"Senior Brother," she said gently. "You haven't rested since the ceremony."
He exhaled through his nose. "Rest is for those who are content. I am not."
She stepped closer, setting the lantern at the willow's base. "Contentment isn't found. It's built. Like strength." Her lips curved faintly. "You've taught me that."
He turned his head, meeting her gaze. For a moment, neither spoke. The storm above groaned louder, as though urging them to move.
"Show me your stance," Lin Xuan said suddenly. "Celestial Glide. Again."
Surprise flickered in her eyes, but she obeyed. Her feet shifted, her body light as she moved across the grass. The lanternlight painted gold streaks across her hair as she spun and corrected herself.
"Better," he said. "But you still hesitate before the pivot. Flow, Yue'er. Flow without fear."
"I'm trying."
"Trying isn't enough. Again."
She gritted her teeth, repeating the movement. Once, twice, a dozen times. Sweat trickled down her neck, her breath harsh against the wind. Finally, she stumbled, knees hitting the grass.
Lin Xuan was at her side instantly. He reached out, steadying her arm.
"You push too hard. That's my fault—I forget you're not me." His voice softened. "But you will grow. You already are."
She looked up at him, panting, cheeks flushed. "Then don't carry everything alone. Let us help."
His jaw tightened. For once, he had no reply.
Meanwhile, in the clan's inner chamber, Luo Shuang sat cross-legged, a faint glow rising from her body. The pill Lin Xuan had crafted shimmered in her meridians, knitting together broken pathways. She trembled as qi surged, her long silver hair spreading like liquid light across the floor.
At her side, Anika watched in silence. Her raven-black hair curtained her face, her hand resting lightly on Luo Shuang's shoulder. She murmured something—too soft to catch—but the warmth in her tone was undeniable.
Moments later, the glow stabilized. Luo Shuang exhaled sharply, opening her eyes. Moisture clung to her lashes.
"…He shouldn't have gone this far for me," she whispered.
Anika smiled faintly. "That's who he is. Cold outside, foolishly tender inside. You already know that."
Luo Shuang laughed softly, shaking her head. "Like Ren…"
Her laughter faded, replaced by silence heavy with memory. Anika did not pry.
By dawn, the storm had broken. Rain fell in steady sheets, drumming against the tiled roofs of the clan compound. The world smelled fresh, washed clean, though the mud clung thick underfoot.
Lin Xuan gathered the younger disciples under the willow. Liu Yang stood straight despite his exhaustion, glaive gleaming wet with rain. Liu Yue joined, her robes damp but her expression resolute.
"Today," Lin Xuan announced, "you'll spar. Not against me—but against each other. Learn how to read an opponent. Learn how to lose."
Liu Yang blinked. "Against… Sister?"
"She's stronger," Lin Xuan said evenly. "That's the point. Strength means nothing if you can't endure."
The match began.
Liu Yang lunged first, glaive sweeping in a heavy arc. Liu Yue sidestepped with grace, her qi threads forming a faint ripple in the rain. She countered with a palm strike, sending droplets scattering like pearls.
Liu Yang stumbled, recovered, then pressed again. His strikes were wild, passionate—but unrefined. She flowed like water, redirecting his force, until finally she tapped his chest with two fingers.
He collapsed into the mud, panting.
Lin Xuan's voice carried over the rain. "Do you understand?"
Gritting his teeth, Liu Yang pushed himself up. "I lost because I rushed. Because I thought I could win just by swinging harder."
"And you?" Lin Xuan asked Liu Yue.
She bowed her head. "I hesitated again before striking."
"Both true," Lin Xuan said. "Both lessons worth bleeding for." His gaze swept over them, crimson eyes sharp. "We grow not by victory, but by scars."
That night, when the rain eased into mist, Lin Xuan visited Luo Shuang's chamber again. She was awake, sitting by the window with a faint smile.
"You came," she said softly.
"I had to know."
Her silver eyes turned to him, gentle. "The pill worked. My meridians… they're mending. Slowly, but surely."
Relief loosened the knot in his chest. For once, his shoulders lowered.
She studied him for a long time. "You remind me of him. Ren. Not in your power, but in your stubbornness to carry the weight of everyone else."
Lin Xuan said nothing. The silence stretched, broken only by the patter of fading rain.
Finally, Luo Shuang spoke again, her voice a whisper.
"Don't lose yourself, Xuan'er. Power is cold. But family… is warm. Don't forget which one you truly fight for."
Her words sank deep, heavier than any strike he had endured.