Now that it was just the three of them, the atmosphere grew awkward. They all had things they wanted to say, but as they were dealing with sensitive issues, they had to proceed with caution.

That was why Jihan turned to his armament, Silva.

How do you think we should approach this?

I’m not sure. Something’s odd here.

You’re referring to their cultivation?

That’s right. Ordinarily, titled envoys would be without cultivation bases.

Then what’s the explanation here? Do you think they consumed a bunch of cultivation resources? Maybe they had access to spirit stones?

It’s possible, but something’s telling me that isn’t the case here. You saw the way the younger one absorbed all that qi from the environment. Even now, I can sense the ratios of qi slowly shifting, as if someone is cultivating the null element.

Hm… Then perhaps they aren’t envoys at all. But they have the aura… Could the enemy have found a way to fake it?

If that’s true, then I’m afraid it spells doom for us all.

Well, in either case, we’ll need to get more information out of them. I’ll see what I can do.

***

At the same time, Hei and Tianlan were having their own conversation.

Tianlan.

Hm?

Does Jihan have spirit roots?

No.

Do you see qi flowing through his body?

There is, but it looks like it’s coming from his sword. I’ve never seen anything like this.

It looks like he’s a proper envoy then.

What do you mean?

According to Onyx, the normal way is for us to pair up with these things called Armaments. They’re supposed to be the source of our strength.

I see. So, do we recruit him then?

Not yet. Unlike with Ming Ju Li, this guy is already able to navigate the world on his own and has been doing so for a while. We have to be more cautious when dealing with him.

Why is that?

We don’t know what the source of his strength is. It could be the armament in his hands, or it could be something else. For example, it’s possible that he was found by the enemy and is now an operative of theirs.

But aren’t they trying to wipe us out? They would just kill him if they found him.

You’re too rigid in your thinking, Tianlan.

You think so?

Mm. All it takes is the right conditions, and even a child can be made to kill their own parents.

No way.

The thought that it couldn’t happen; that limiting belief is what separates mere criminals from true villains.

But if you believe a child can be made to kill their parents, then aren’t you saying that even I could stab you in the back? If that’s the way you think, then how could you trust me, or anyone?

That’s an interesting question. And I suppose the answer is; I don’t.

You... You don’t?

Nope.

...

***

“I haven’t thanked you yet for rescuing my cousin,” said Jihan. “I owe you one.”

“Don’t mention it,” replied Hei. ”I’m just glad I could get to her before it was too late. Unfortunately, that wasn’t the case for everyone.”

“A shame. I would have been right there with you had I known about it.”

“Well, there’s plenty more trouble in this world. I’m sure there’ll be many chances for us to cross paths.”

“I get the same feeling.”

Through this interaction, Jihan could see that Hei was the one who spoke for the two boys. An interesting detail that would suggest he was more than his appearance would suggest.

“That’s an interesting sword you’ve got there,” he said, pointing at Onyx, who had now positioned himself behind Hei. “Where do you go to find a weapon like that?”

Hearing this, Hei noticed that Onyx had remained silent the entire time.

He was usually the first to say something when they ran across something relating to the envoys, but this time, not only did he not say anything, but he seemed to even want to avoid interaction.

It was almost as if he were hiding himself behind Hei.

“I could ask you the same,” Hei replied, taking the focus off Onyx. “I can’t say I’ve ever seen one quite like it. What material is that? It almost looks like glass.”

“I’m not too sure myself. It was something I found while wandering through the mountains a few years back. I was captivated by its elegance and decided to take it with me. I’ve kept it with me ever since.”

“Ah. My story is much the same. Though, I would say it was the sword that found me instead. No matter how hard I tried, I couldn’t get away from the thing. Though, I suppose that doesn’t make much sense.”

“Indeed. You almost make it sound as if the sword’s alive.”

“Wouldn’t that be something?”

“It really would.”

After a brief pause, Jihan brought the subject back to Onyx.

“Suffice it to say my interest has been piqued. Would you allow me a look your sword for a moment? You may, of course, take a look at mine as well.”

“I don’t see why not.”

Hei reached out to grab Onyx’s hilt and felt a faint trembling coming off him.

Onyx?

…

What’s going on with you?

…

Tianlan, are you seeing anything around Onyx? Is some external force influencing him?

There don’t seem to be any problems, but can we get back to-

Pay close attention to Jihan. If he tries anything, let me know.

Okay, but seriously-

With Tianlan keeping an eye on things, Hei was confident that they would be able to catch any malicious moves Jihan might take, so he proceeded with the exchange.

Taking the glass-like sword in hand, he could immediately feel that it was more than just a sword. It gave him the same feeling as Onyx, although to a lesser extent.

Jihan was also scrutinizing Onyx’s form, but aside from the white aura that was enveloping it and the slight tremors he was feeling from it, he couldn’t tell it apart from any other ornamental blade.

This lack of information wasn’t disheartening—he knew he wouldn’t be able to extract much from the get-go. The true intention behind this exchange was to get Silva into Hei’s hands. She would be able to confirm some things if they were in such close proximity.

And in Hei’s hands, Silva could indeed confirm that she was feeling the genuine aura of an Envoy of the Heavens. What gave her pause, however, was that there was something else there. Something ominous.

That was why when Hei tried to communicate with her, she chose to remain silent.