The morning mist clung to the trees, tendrils of fog curling around thick trunks as Feiyin and his companions ventured deeper into the sect’s outer forest. The canopy above stretched high, filtering the rising sun into slanted beams of pale gold. The air carried the crisp scent of damp earth and the faint herbal aroma of wild-growing spiritual plants.

  They walked together in a loose group, their conversation flowing naturally as they navigated the winding path. It wasn’t often that they got the chance to simply enjoy each other’s company outside the rigid structure of training, and Feiyin found himself appreciating the moment more than he had expected.

  Shen Mu flipped through a small notebook, jotting down notes on the alchemical properties of the herbs they were searching for. "The sooner we collect these, the better. Some of these ingredients are at their peak potency right before mid-autumn, and I'd rather not use second-rate materials."

  Ren let out a dramatic sigh. "Why does everything have to be so precise with you alchemists? Crush the leaves, boil the stems, whisper to the cauldron under the full moon..."

  Feiyin smirked. "That could be a strange form of divination, not alchemy. But if you want to try praying to your furnace, I won’t stop you."

  Shen Mu shot Ren a playful glare. "Alchemy is an art and a science. If you want to continue being a musclehead, by all means, stay ignorant."

  Yue laughed, nudging Ren in the ribs. "Careful, Ren. Insulting an alchemist means you’ll never get healing pills again."

  Ren gasped in mock horror. "Shen Mu, my dear, brilliant friend, I would never insult your noble craft! Please remember this moment of loyalty the next time I’m half-dead in a spar."

  Hui chuckled, shaking her head. "If you’re always half-dead, maybe you should rethink your approach to fighting."

  Their laughter rang through the trees, but as they walked further, the air shifted slightly. Feiyin’s keen senses picked up the faint presence of other disciples nearby—low-ranked ones, their movements hurried and nervous. As expected, when the group turned a bend in the path, a few menial disciples who had been foraging ahead took one look at them and quickly scurried away, avoiding eye contact.

  Ren crossed his arms, watching them retreat. "There they go again. Are we so scary?"

  Feiyin’s expression was unreadable as he replied, "We are, to them, since we shed blood quite often—even if we had no choice. We fought to survive, to keep moving forward. In this sect, if you don’t, you’re nothing but prey."

  Yue stretched her arms over her head, unconcerned. "We earned that reputation. We weren’t handed our place—we took it. The menial disciples calls us ruthless, but what were we supposed to do? Lay down and die?"

  Hui gave a small, amused smile. "If surviving makes us monsters, then maybe we are."

  Shen Mu snorted. "It’s not our fault other disciples don’t know how to socialize outside of scheming."

  Ren smirked. "And to think, we’re the ‘safer’ ones."

  Feiyin raised a brow. "Are we?"

  That earned another round of laughter. The Saint Spirit Sect was infamous not only for its brutal training but for the sheer competitiveness within its ranks. Those who didn’t fight for power were consumed by those who did. Feiyin’s group, despite being talented, had avoided entangling themselves in the more insidious power struggles within the menial disciples section—mostly because they were strong enough that no one wanted to provoke them.

  After a while, their conversation drifted toward more personal matters. Feiyin glanced at his companions before exhaling. "It’s time for us to take the test to join our chosen branches. I don’t want to keep holding you all back while I try to finish opening my last two meridians."

  This story originates from Royal Road. Ensure the author gets the support they deserve by reading it there.

  A beat of silence followed before Shen Mu's jaw tightened, his fingers clenching slightly. "You’re not holding anyone back, Feiyin. We’ve followed you this far because we trust you. Do you really think we’d mind waiting a little longer?"

  Ren’s usual grin faltered, his eyes narrowing. "Leaving now feels wrong. We’ve bled together, fought together—you're the reason we made it this far. Splitting up just because of some arbitrary timing..."

  Hui lowered her gaze, her hands tightening around the fabric of her robes. "I don’t want to leave. Not like this."

  Surprisingly, it was Yue who broke the silence, her voice firm. "We have to trust him." She met their gazes, her golden eyes unwavering. "Feiyin won’t take long. And if he actually manages this legendary feat, then we’ll be the ones dragging him down."

  That realization hit hard. For a moment, no one spoke, the weight of Yue’s words settling in. Then Ren exhaled sharply, raking a hand through his hair before letting out a short laugh, the tension breaking just slightly. "Damn it. You’re right. If we fall behind, we’ll just be burdens. And that’s the last thing I want."

  Shen Mu let out a slow breath, nodding reluctantly. "Then we don’t just wait—we get stronger, so that when we meet again, we stand as equals."

  The shift in their resolve was palpable. What had felt like a painful inevitability now held a spark of purpose.

  Ren stretched, a familiar grin creeping back onto his face. "Well then, Saint Spirit Branch for me. Finally, I can step into the Qi Condensation Realm and truly make use of formations with Essence Qi."

  Shen Mu crossed his arms, his usual sharp confidence returning. "Saint Alchemy for Feiyin and me. We’ll be brewing the best pills while you lot are getting beaten to a pulp."

  "Saint Body for me," Yue added, her golden eyes flashing. "Obviously."

  Hui hesitated, her fingers tightening around the edge of her sleeve. "I... still don’t know."

  Shen Mu tapped his chin. "Well, your cooking could definitely help in the Beast Taming Branch."

  Feiyin burst into laughter. "With your cooking, you could tame any beast."

  Ren grinned wickedly. "I mean, if you can tame Yue with your dishes, then it’s basically a given."

  Yue shot him a sharp glare. "Oh? Then you don’t mind not eating Hui’s food anymore, right?"

  Ren’s smirk froze before vanishing entirely, panic flashing across his face. "Hui, you wouldn’t! You can’t do that to me!"

  Hui blinked at him, feigning innocence, before a soft laugh escaped her lips. The teasing edge melted into something warmer as she looked at her friends, her expression settling into something thoughtful. "That’s actually a good idea… I could keep doing what I love. And no matter where we all end up, maybe food can still bring us back together."

  Their teasing continued as they walked deeper into the forest, their banter light, yet laced with the unspoken understanding that soon, everything would change. They were all stepping toward their own paths, but for now, they were still together—laughing, talking, simply enjoying the moment before the weight of the future settled fully upon them.

  As they wrapped up their gathering, they made their way back to the sect, returning to their usual spot in the dining hall. The warm aroma of freshly prepared meals filled the air, and for a brief moment, everything felt the same as it always had. They ate together, their conversation shifting between small jokes and the satisfaction of a hard-earned meal. But as the plates emptied, the inevitable topic surfaced again—separation.

  The mood shifted, the lively chatter giving way to a heavier silence. Shen Mu leaned back, arms crossed. "It’s going to be strange, not training together every day."

  "Yeah," Yue murmured, tapping her chopsticks against her bowl. "We’ve always had each other’s backs. Now, we’ll be surrounded by new people, competing against them instead of fighting alongside each other."

  Hui gave a small, thoughtful smile. "That just means we have to be even more careful. The sect isn’t forgiving to those who falter. We need to survive long enough to meet again."

  Feiyin exhaled slowly, then set his cup down. "If one of us reaches first-class outer disciple status, we’ll be able to rent a personal courtyard. That way, we’ll still have a place to gather, no matter which branch we’re in."

  That immediately shattered the gloom.

  "Oh? Is that a challenge?" Ren grinned, eyes gleaming. "Because I swear, I’m going to be the first to reach that rank."

  Yue scoffed. "Please. You’ll be too busy getting beaten up in spars. It’ll be me."

  Shen Mu smirked. "Alchemy tests are harsh, but at least I won’t be throwing my face into someone’s fist like you two."

  Hui, watching them with amusement, shrugged. "Maybe I’ll surprise you all."

  The competitive fire had reignited, pushing away any lingering hesitation. They might be parting ways, but this wasn’t the end—it was simply another step forward. And as long as they kept moving, their paths would cross again.