Be Gentle, Immortal Master

"Top prize?" Peng Yao gasped. "Why did it look like the top prize almost killed her?"

No one replied, and I knew three pairs of eyes were staring behind me with the same question. After a while, when my strength had finally returned, I got back onto my feet with Bai Ye's help. "I feel much better now," I said to him with a carefully detached tone. "Thank you for coming to my rescue."

"What just happened?" Peng Yao asked. She was never one to hold her questions back. "Did you know what that top prize was, Master Bai Ye?"

"A power enhancer." Bai Ye smiled at me. "Your cultivation progress has just advanced by twenty years."

My eyes widened. Power enhancers, like spiritual stones, weren't hard to come by at large cultivation sects like Mount Hua, but they typically only boosted progress by such small amounts that the effect would be barely noticeable. Twenty years worth? That was unheard of.

The rest of the group clearly realized the same, as they were almost stabbing me with those disbelieving looks. "But a power enhancer is supposed to make one feel refreshed and energized," Xie Lun said. "Why did her reaction seem … opposite?"

"The prize was a ten-thousand-year Ocean Tear," Bai Ye explained, "a type of ice-like crystal that is one of the strongest on earth in yin power. Depending on the build of one's body, it is natural that it takes time to fully adapt to it."

He didn't say it in front of the group, but I understood what he meant. It was because of Twin Stars. That was how I had felt the calling of that presence—because the two artifacts with the same power resonated with each other—and that was why the chill felt so familiar. I glanced at Bai Ye a bit uneasily. What did this mean to my bonding with the swords? He had already told me that my progress with the meditation technique was much faster than he expected. With this extra acceleration …

His expression was hard to read. It was Wen Shiyin who chuckled next, breaking the silence. "Yun Qing-er, don't look so disappointed. A little pain is well worth the gain … The rest of us would line up to fight you for a chance to save twenty years of hard work. Too bad that the crystal melted immediately at your touch."

I smiled, glad that she had interpreted my uneasiness that way. Then another voice rang from above us: "Speaking of fighting for prizes, shall we all take a closer look at those trophies?"

"M-Master?" Peng Yao called out as we all looked up into the sky. Three figures were descending through the seal. A mid-aged man, who Peng Yao just called master, was in the front, followed by Teng Yuan and Su Nian. Xie Lun and Wen Shiyin both bowed their greetings, whereas Peng Yao ran straight towards her master as soon as they landed: "How come you are all here? Aren't masters only allowed on this ground in emergencies?"

"The tournament is over now. You forgot your team has won?" her master laughed. "We are here to help assess those prizes, so that the four of you won't fight to the death for something that isn't worth it."

"I just want that brush!" Peng Yao exclaimed. "You saw it through the water mirror, didn't you? Tell me it's a good one. I've been waiting for a new brush for so long!"

Her master laughed. "I saw you hovering over it like a vulture. Let's take a look."

Peng Yao grinned, and I couldn't help smiling at the interaction between this pair of master and disciple. They reminded me of Bai Ye and me back when I was young … before everything changed between us. I felt a little nostalgic, though of course, I didn't want things any different from how they had become now.

Xie Lun fetched our trophies from his storage and laid them out in front of the group, letting the masters help examine them one by one. Most were easy decisions—the painting brush was claimed by Peng Yao without question, a target tracker went to Wen Shiyin, and Xie Lun was the only one that suited the sword hilt.

"That is a beautiful artifact," Su Nian commented as Xie Lun stowed away his prize. "Bai Ye, I actually thought it'd fit you perfectly."

Everyone seemed to be shocked by what she said for a moment, and Xie Lun's hands halted. "If …" he began, then looked at me and paused. My heart clenched. Why did Su Nian suddenly mention this? Did she hear our earlier conversation and figure out why I had shown interest in that sword hilt? Did Xie Lun just remember it too?

"Don't be so alarmed, Xie Lun," Su Nian chuckled. "I wasn't suggesting that Yun Qing-er should take it on someone else's behalf. But this hilt did remind me that I came across a sword ornament of a similar style a few months ago. Bai Ye, I'll bring it to you when we return to Mount Hua. I'm sure it'll suit you."

The show of affection was so obvious that I couldn't help wincing. From the corner of my eye, I saw Wen Shiyin lowering her head, trying to look away. Bai Ye, however, still showed no expression on his face. "I find ornaments bothersome for wielding a sword," he said. "I appreciate the thought, though it's not necessary."

Su Nian smiled a bit awkwardly and didn't insist.

We quickly moved on to the next artifact, trying to avoid the silence that we knew would follow. "The bait stone!" Peng Yao's master said. "This is the worst prize for Mount Hua to steal. None of you even have a spiritual pet. Who can find any use for something like this?"

Everyone looked at each other, shaking their heads. Then Bai Ye said, "Yun Qing-er can take it if no one else wants to. She already took the top prize, and it's only fair that she saves the rest of the more desirable prizes for others."

I glanced at him in surprise. I knew what he said must be an excuse—he would never sell me short in any situation—but why would he want me to take the bait stone? What use could I possibly have for it?

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