After Lei’s victory, their team had returned home while the rest of the second round continued, celebrating with a dinner of their own. Unlike before, the Grand Master hadn’t joined them. Ishin suspected it was because their victories were expected. It also explained why the old man hadn’t bothered to watch the second round at all.

  Once the meal ended, the four parted ways: Lei and Bo to return home, Rhee to visit her parents, and Ishin—having nowhere else to be—to cultivate. He’d spent two hours in meditation, trying to absorb what little lightning qi he could find before giving up.

  There still isn’t enough here. Ishin frowned at the truth. I’ll have to either buy more pills with money I don’t have or find a storm. Between the two, the second seemed more feasible, surprisingly enough. If only storms were more frequent here. There hadn’t been a single one since he’d arrived. Given Yellow Dome City’s location near the Nine Striped Hills, he shouldn’t have been too surprised. Storms were rare back home too.

  Leaving the now-empty meditation hall, Ishin made his way toward the team’s usual training courtyard. It was still two hours until midnight, and his match wouldn’t be until tomorrow afternoon. A strength circuit would serve him well—and distract him from the loneliness that always hit hardest when the school was quiet.

  The nighttime halls of the Eight Oaths Resolve School were hushed, lit only by paper lanterns whose warm glow reflected off the polished wooden floors. It always amazed him how lively the school was during the day, only to fall so silent once night fell. He understood that most disciples had homes to return to, but the emptiness still felt unsettling—another reason he preferred to train in the courtyard.

  Floating glass lanterns drifted above the training courtyards, casting gentle light for any disciples training late. Ishin noticed the familiar orange and blue parrot gliding silently through the night sky overhead. Rhee had once told him it was her grandfather’s spirit beast, used to monitor students’ progress. The idea had always unsettled him.

  Why is it here tonight?

  When he entered the courtyard, he understood.

  Rhee was there, her back to him. She threw half a dozen thin sticks into the air. Six shadowy hands sprang forth, catching five of them instantly.

  No, Ishin realized. Not all of them. One stick fell softly to the ground—the sixth hand had missed.

  The successful shadow constructs placed their sticks back into Rhee’s hands before dissolving. She bent to pick up the last one, then threw them again. This time, she missed two.

  Ishin knocked gently on the wooden frame of the courtyard entrance, signaling his arrival.

  Rhee turned, visibly surprised. “Oh, Ishin, it’s you.” Her shadows faded away. “I didn’t expect anyone to be out here this late.”

  “I thought the same.” Ishin walked closer. In the lantern light, he saw sweat glistening on her face. She’d been at this for a while. “Are you practicing your shadow punching technique?”

  “Shadow Fist Echo technique,” she corrected with a small smile. “But yes, I am.”

  “By catching sticks?”

  “It’s no different from improving hand-eye coordination,” she explained. A shadow limb materialized beside her. “Except in this case, I have six hands to manage. It’s far more difficult.”

  I bet it is. Once again, he was impressed.

  “Would you like some assistance?” he offered.

  Rhee considered the question. “I would appreciate that.” Her gaze shifted to his empty hands. “You don’t have your spear?”

  Ishin shook his head. “I left it in my quarters. Sorry—will that be a problem?”

  “Not necessarily.” Rhee extended a hand and from her shadow grew a spear of darkness. She weighed it in her palm before offering it to him. “Is this a good enough replication?”

  Ishin accepted it, surprised at how closely it matched his own weapon. The weight, balance, even the feel of it were nearly perfect. Only the tip was different—a rounded, smooth oval instead of a sharp point.

  “It’s dull,” he noted. He wouldn’t be able to pierce anything with this. Is that intentional? So I don’t hurt her?

  “I’m afraid I can’t forge true blades or edges yet,” Rhee admitted. “Not until I reach the Adept Realm.”

  Ishin lowered the spear and gave a nod of respect. “It’s still an impressive approximation.”

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  Rhee smiled genuinely. “You’re kind for saying that.” She stepped back a dozen paces. “Would you mind sparring with me? I’d like to practice a strategy.”

  Ishin twirled the shadow spear experimentally. “It would be my pleasure.”

  Rhee conjured her two arm shields and charged. Ishin thrust forward, but at the last moment she darted to the side and approached on a diagonal.

  This gap! I can’t stop her!

  Normally, if an opponent dodged to the side, he’d transition into a swing to catch them. But Rhee’s diagonal approach closed that option off, slipping inside his guard.

  Ishin froze as her left shield stopped an inch from his face.

  She could have smashed my face in. A bead of sweat trickled down his brow. This fight was over.

  Rhee pulled back, lowering her arms. The shadow weapons dissolved between them.

  “That was… impressive.” Ishin bowed slightly. “Thank you for the pointers.”

  She returned the bow with equal respect. “Thank you for the practice.”

  “That strategy—when did you discover it?”

  “After dinner,” Rhee explained. “I asked my parents for advice on how to combat a spear wielder. They told me there are three methods to overcome a spear.” She held up three fingers. “First is getting within their guard, which is easier said than done.”

  Ishin nodded. He knew that one. It was the primary weakness of long weapons, and he’d trained for years to reduce that vulnerability. But Rhee’s approach had been perfectly timed, breaking through all of that.

  “Second,” she continued, “is disrupting the enemy’s tempo. But with your ability to easily transition between thrusts and swings—or even withdraw for a second thrust—that method wouldn’t work on you.”

  Again, he nodded. She was right. He was trained to maintain control of his rhythm. Yet my tempo had been disrupted. By the unfamiliar. He frowned, realizing. Have I grown complacent?

  “Third,” Rhee finished, “is to charge from an angle. It closes space while avoiding sweeps and makes it hard for the spear wielder to attempt a second thrust.”

  He replayed the moment in his head. He hadn’t been able to swing or thrust again because she’d slipped too close at the perfect angle. My hesitation cost me.

  A deep, primal part of him growled in recognition of his weakness. Ishin didn’t deny it. He couldn’t afford flaws like that—not ones that could get him killed in a real fight.

  Still. Now that I’ve seen this method, I wonder if it would work again.

  “You discovered this just a few hours ago and already executed it perfectly.” It wasn’t flattery. It was the truth.

  “Not perfectly,” Rhee corrected. “Not yet.”

  Ishin was about to ask if she wanted to go again when a quiet voice spoke from the side.

  “Excuse me.”

  They both turned. Disciple Ouyang Xue stood in the courtyard entrance, dressed in a simple white robe. Her usual pigtails were gone, her dark hair falling across her shoulders. Ishin’s eyes caught on the pale pink blisters trailing onto her neck and hands. Remnants of the electrocution he had inflicted.

  She bowed politely. “Pardon the interruption, Disciples Zhu Rhee and Ro Ishin.”

  They returned her bow. Rhee spoke first. “It’s no trouble, Disciple Ouyang Xue. I’m glad to see you’re doing better.”

  “Thank you, Disciple Zhu Rhee.”

  “What brings you out here?”

  Ouyang Xue glanced away, voice dropping. “I was hoping to speak with Disciple Ro Ishin. I heard he was here.”

  How did she know? Ishin shot a glance upward. The parrot was gone. Of course.

  “May I speak with you?” she asked softly.

  Guilt twisted in his chest. “Yes. Why don’t we find somewhere—”

  “You can stay here,” Rhee interrupted. Ishin turned to her in surprise. “I should head back to rest,” she explained. Her gaze softened on Xue’s fatigued posture. “Besides, the less she moves, the better.”

  She’s so considerate. Ishin’s chest warmed with gratitude. “Thank you, Rhee.”

  She offered them both a small bow before departing. Once alone, Ouyang Xue shuffled forward slowly. Ishin hurried to meet her halfway, offering his arm. She smiled gratefully and accepted the support.

  He steadied her gently. There was something he had to say first. “Disciple Ouyang Xue, I am sorry.” If he hadn’t been supporting her, he would have bowed deeply.

  Her large, shining eyes met his in the lantern light. “I… appreciate your apology,” she said quietly. “That’s actually what I wanted to talk to you about.”

  “It was?”

  “Yes. Master Guoqiang told me you visited after you defeated me.” She bit her lip. “It was more kindness than I expected.”

  Ishin’s gaze dropped to the blisters on her neck. Unintentional damage, but damage he had caused. She came here just to tell me that?

  “I was responsible for those injuries. Even though I didn’t mean it, it was my fault. Checking on you was the least I could do.”

  “It’s more than most other disciples would have done,” she murmured.

  If that’s true, then the bonds here are thinner than I thought.

  “It’s what was right,” Ishin insisted. He drew a breath. “Although… I should have checked on you again. I’m sorry for that too.”

  Ouyang Xue shook her head, her dark hair falling across her shoulders. “I didn’t come here to make you apologize, Disciple Ro Ishin.”

  “Ishin,” he corrected gently. “You can just call me Ishin, if you want.”

  A shy, genuine smile curved her lips. “Very well. Feel free to call me Xue too.”

  “Xue,” he repeated softly, trying the name. Do I have another friend now?

  She continued, voice a little steadier. “As I was saying… I didn’t come here to hear apologies. Even if I do appreciate them.”

  “Why then?”

  She took a shaky breath and looked him in the eyes. “I came here to tell you… since you took my place in the tournament, you’d better win.”