The first sensation Huifen felt as she started to come to was the excess warmth. It was as if she’d passed out and fallen on sun-cooked cobblestone to roast there for a time. There was no burning, so that couldn’t be the case. It was just a dry heat that clung to her. As she tried to open her eyes, she had trouble focusing and her eyelids fluttered closed. Giving it another go, her eyes cracked open, and she saw blurry orange and yellow puppets dancing. Batting her eyes, the images became clearer, revealing they were actually the sputtering flames of a fireplace that was about ten meters away. So, that was the source of warmth…

Am I home? No, that’s impossible. It’s been years and that’s…thousands of kilometers away.

She found that she was lying on her side and moved to roll over on her back. As she did, her eyes traveled from the floor to the ceiling. The pressure on her back suggested she’d recently been injured, but her mind was still foggy.

The person at the side of the bed almost didn’t register to her at first, but a boy’s face had been clearly looking down at her. All at once, her senses came back, and her eyes jerked to the side to stare at the boy who was frozen in a half standing and half sitting position. He wasn’t a boy at all but a young man about the same age that she was.

“What did you do to me?” she cried, summoning her qi and throwing out her hand on impulse. She’d aimed for his chest. Her energy bottled up like a clogged hose, and the most miniscule amount slipped out and jabbed the man in the side of the ribs. He tumbled back, and something flew out of his hands.

As she tried to sit up, a tearing pain screamed at her from her back and shoulder. It was like gravity had rejected her request to sit and slammed her back onto the bed.

The young man was back on his feet in an instant. Confusion and fear twisted his face. He was looking from her face to her shoulder while his hands were out like he wanted to grab her. But why were his hands shaking?

“You’re—you’re bleeding,” he said, tilting his head up as if he were trying to see behind her. “Pardon, Senior Fairy. Your wound has opened up. Please roll back onto your side so that I can redress the bandages. I was going to change them anyway when—”

His eyes shot to the floor as he realized he wasn’t holding the dressings he’d prepared. Scanning the floor wildly, he didn’t see them until he turned around. Diving on them, he brought them up with him and was about to step forward when he saw they’d dirtied and the paste had smudged.

What had he called her?

Watching his actions, she immediately calmed. He must have been some doctor’s apprentice, and she’d almost killed him. She was able to focus enough qi into her eyes to glimpse the core in his abdomen that sat just below his bellybutton. He had a second-rank nascent cultivation. If it weren’t for her injuries, she really would have ended him in a moment’s confusion. She needed to calm down. Wasn’t she calm?

She was about to turn to her Heart of Ice technique when she stopped herself and closed her eyes. She did a quick scan of her body. The gash on her back was long and deep, but it didn’t seem to hit more than flesh and muscle. Then, she saw that it hadn’t been her arm that had broken at all. Her collarbone had and it was already reset. Her body had chosen to take care of it first. She should be able to heal to a functional state in a few days and would need a couple weeks for a full recovery. What she didn’t understand was why her energy and vitals were so low. She remembered being chased by the snow fox and being injured, but she should have recovered a lot more energy even if she’d only been unconscious for a few hours. Her Peerless Spiritual Body was able to absorb qi on its own.

Realizing the young man had been speaking to her, she opened her eyes and first addressed her now open wound. Rolling over to her side, she held up her hand of her uninjured shoulder and motioned for the guy to stay back.

Even though he’d been stepping forward, he halted mid step before doing as she requested.

Placing her hand on her shoulder, ice quickly found the wound and sealed it in moments.

“Oh,” he said, losing all anxiousness from before and drawing near to look down on the wound.

“Don’t touch me,” she warned. “Where’s your master?”

“I, uh,” he mumbled before remembering himself. Taking a big step back, he bowed at the waist. “This one is Long Chao. Forgive me for startling you, Senior Fairy. It’s just me and my father, Long Zan, living here. We have been treating your wounds.”

He’s not a doctor’s disciple at all. No wonder he’s so clumsy.

Inhaling a deep breath, she prepared herself to sit upright. “You must thank your father for saving me. Tell him Xiao Huifen of the Ice Phoenix Sect owes him a favor for saving her life and caring for her injuries. This is no small debt, and I will definitely repay it.”

“N-n-n-no, don’t,” he cried, stammering forward to stop her from getting up, but once he’d reached her, he faltered because he was about to touch her injured shoulder, which could be just as bad as her trying to stand.

“I said, don’t touch me.” Jolting up, she let out a stream of ice energy from her good arm. She was no longer trying to kill him, but a little warning frost was very appropriate. Contact with a man wasn’t exactly forbidden in the Ice Phoenix Sect, but because a woman’s virgin yin improved her martial talent and potential, it was the common practice to go untouched for their entire lives. Huifen was no exception. No, it applied especially to her because of her mother… The young man had already touched her while she was unconscious as he treated her, which she wouldn’t fault him for, but now that she had regained her senses, she just couldn’t allow it.

He summoned his protective aura in time to block most of the ice energy but not its force. It pushed his feet out from under him, and he fell to the floor elbow first. It at least kept his face from hitting the cold stone.

“I wouldn’t do that if I were you,” a stout voice came from the other end of the cabin.

Trying to stand as she turned to face the newcomer, Huifen only made it halfway up before the world lost its axis and she began to wobble. She plopped back down on her rear and sunk into the mattress.

The young man scrambled to his feet as he addressed the person behind her. “Father,” he said, looking ashamed as he lowered his gaze to the floor.

She heard heavy footfalls as the man approached. Turning her head, she was careful to not stretch the muscles in her back. As he came into view, she didn’t see the rough character she’d expected. He wore the season-old gray robes of a martial artist and had the physique only a lifelong practitioner could have. He was well-proportioned, with a strong jaw and empathetic eyes. If it weren’t for his muscle definition, stature, and the fact he was the young man’s father, she’d have taken him for a man in his late twenties. Then, she tried to check his cultivation and—she couldn’t see a thing. It was like his aura and dantian were completely hidden. That could only mean that he was either not a martial artist at all or of a higher cultivation level than her. And to hide his aura in such a manner, there couldn’t be a small gap between them. He was at least in the later stages of the sky realm or higher…

“Senior Long Zan, I presume?” she began, shifting in her seat as much as she could to bow her head. “This one is Xiao Huifen of the—”

“Yes, fairy, I know you’re of the Ice Phoenix Sect,” he replied with a kind grin. “Don’t waste your energy. Though ice can seal your wound, you have lost a lot of blood. I dare say that you would have bled out in just a few more minutes if your injury wasn’t patched when it was. You also have a few damaged meridians, a fractured collar bone, and light organ bruising. You should be recovered enough to leave in about a week.”

She found she was staring up at him before bowing her head once again. “I thank Senior for his care, but I mustn’t intrude any longer. Once I return, I’ll be able to make a swift recovery. As for the debt I owe you for saving my life, please call on me once I return and I’ll be sure to pay you back generously.”

“I’m afraid I’ll have to insist you stay for a few days. You’ve obviously never lost a lot of blood before or you’d know that you don’t have any other options. I don’t have the time to take you to your sect, and you certainly wouldn’t let me carry you all the way even if I did. Even with that special physique of yours, you’ll find your body’s energy lacking so that the first low-stage earth realm dire beast you run across will be more than your match. It’s not that you aren’t absorbing energy like normal but that your body is using it to help you recover your lost blood as quickly as possible.”

As he mentioned her physique, all of her opposition started to crumble. There was no way he should be able to recognize it, and even if he could just tell hers was different than normal, how did he know she was having trouble recovering her energy? Because the first person she’d seen was the young man, she been looking down on her caretaker, but after seeing his father’s cultivation and listening to what he’d had to say, she admitted to herself that she’d been sorely mistaken.

“… you’ll be too weak to safely travel for a number of days,” he repeated. “We have some good herbs and decent food to help you recover quicker. You can feel safe here. As for who you owe a debt of thanks, it isn’t me, but Chao. He scared off the snow fox and carried you here on his own. He’s also the one who’s been taking care of you for the last day and a half. I’ve only offered some direction.”

She began to resign herself to the idea of resting here for a few days. It was impossible to deny her energy deficit. As she was considering his words, the last thing he said was like a bucket of water being dumped on her head. The boy had been the one to save her?

Sifting quickly through her memories of the last moments before she’d passed out, she remembered the man that had jumped out from behind the tree to summon a dragon. She remembered it being an illusion, but then a thunderous roar rattled the whole forest as if a real dragon had arrived. Had it really been him?

Seeing that she didn’t respond, Zan sent his son to make another poultice. Watching Chao hurry out the front door to fetch more herbs, the man rounded her bed and faced her directly.

She didn’t look up but asked in a daze, “How?”

“I’ll have him show you when he returns,” he replied, then took on a sterner tone. “I’ve had him make many concessions while treating you, like leaving your clothing unchanged, because I’m familiar with your sect’s practices. Take these graces as our good intentions and let him dress your wounds. Ice will stop the bleeding but cannot speed your recovery. He will do you no harm, and you own him far more kindness than you’ve shown. I know you look down on him because of his age and cultivation level. That is completely understandable and, in most cases, wise, but do not underestimate him. This is not the Ice Phoenix Sect, and he is not one of your sect’s outer disciples.”

She took every rebuke in stride because she couldn’t deny a word of what he’d said. Bowing as low as she could while sitting there, she responded, “Senior Long is correct. Fairy Huifen will do as you recommend. Thank you for your guidance.”

A new pain started to emit from her chest. It wasn’t a physical injury but humiliation for how she had treated the young man. She’d nearly killed the person who’d saved her. When her breathing started to deepen, she turned to her technique to numb what she was feeling.

“Don’t,” Senior Long commanded. “Do not use your Heart of Ice technique while you are recovering from your internal injuries. You might not need your meridians for energy gathering, but you still need them to control your cultivation and martial techniques. So, unless you want to lengthen your stay here and possibly cause long-term damage, you’ll have to suffer through the next couple of days without it.”

Once again, she found herself looking wide-eyed at the floor. She stopped her energy circulation. Not only did he immediately notice her energy’s movement, but he knew what she was about to do before it had even begun. Heart of Ice was known to be practiced by her sect, but how could he possibly know at a glance unless he’d seen it before and possibly even learned it himself. Had he guessed? It wasn’t a technique allowed to be taught outside the sect and was only practical for someone that cultivated an ice based art. But there were always exceptions. The man before her was far too masculine to cultivate anything but heavy yang, so him knowing so much made little sense.

“Senior…” she began to ask but stopped herself.

“How do I know you were about to use Heart of Ice?” he said with a chuckle.

She nodded her head, defeated.

“We’ll have plenty of time for stories, so instead of answering directly, I’ll offer you some advice. Don’t underestimate us old folk.” He laughed even louder. “Even old mortals with their common lifespans often know far more than they’ll let on. The densest among us have lived long enough to forget more than you’ve yet to learn. Remember that, and you will do well.”

***

Making short work of gathering the fresh herbs he needed in the garden, Chao was chiding himself for the way he’d acted after startling Fairy Huifen. She obviously looked down on him like he was a dull-witted child, and he was mostly to blame for that.

He ground the herbs in his handheld mortar and pestle until they became a fine paste. The clean strip of cloth was laid out across the old stump his mother had played her pipa from. He first let the juice drip down across the bandage until there was a thin line of the potent medical fluid wetting the inner layer. Only then did he spread the paste evenly. He’d gotten a good measure of the wound on her shoulder and back, so this should do the job if he didn’t drop it again.

Father had mentioned that she was at the later stages of earth cultivation, so it was no wonder she looked down on him. It was even possible he’d read the situation of her fleeing from the snow fox all wrong and, instead of helping, had put her in a dangerous position where she had to stop and defend him. Then, his sound blast had reopened her wounds. Of course she was angry at him. And then he’d seen her seal her wound with ice…

It was the first time he’d seen such a thing. For those at a lower cultivation, it would probably be dangerous to use it on them, but with the fairy’s cultivation level and her focus on the ice element, it was perfect. He hoped he’d see it again, even in passing. After seeing it a few more times, he could try it. But how could he get her to show him after the fool he’d made of himself?

What made it harder was that every time she looked at him, he felt like she could see right through him. She had an otherworldly beauty that made him uneasy, but it was a feeling he didn’t mind. He couldn’t help but try to earn her attention. He actually knew a young fairy from a great sect, even if she hated him and had attacked him twice. If he could make a good impression… Then what?

He found he was loitering and that the poultice had been ready for more than a minute. Shaking out his shoulders and neck to be rid of his nerves, he headed toward the cabin.

When he entered, he saw that the girl and his father were basically where he’d left them. He hurried forward but used long, controlled strides. He was determined to recover his dignity. Regaining his composure in front of her was a good start.

His father nodded in his direction as he neared, and the ice fairy turned her gaze.

He didn’t look at her directly but still bowed his head respectfully as he rounded the end of the bed to stand next to his father. When no one said anything, he offered, “Would Senior Fairy please receive this poultice. I can try to hold it up while you apply it yourself so I that don’t touch you.”

“Junior Brother Chao,” she said with a completely different tone than before. She still sounded distant but lacked the same severity.

He hadn’t taken his eyes off the ground, but when she didn’t continue, he dared to glance up and found her studying him. Looking away, embarrassed, he responded, “Senior Fairy, I apologize for my actions from before. How can this one serve you?”

“I’m the one that should be apologizing to you. In not recognizing my savior, I’ve dishonored myself and offended you. I’ve also been rude and violent. Please forgive me.”

The last thing he’d expected from her was an apology. His composure went out the window, and he rushed forward. Coming to one knee, he held up his poultice-filled hands without touching her in hope to stop her from bowing to him. “N-no Senior Fairy, you mustn’t do that. There’s nothing you’ve done that has been unreasonable. It was I who interrupted you in the forest and startled you when you awoke. Thank you for stopping your retreat to face the snow fox for me.”

Staring up at her, he saw her giving him a peculiar look. Blood rushed to his head.

“If you think I would’ve been fine if you didn’t intervene, I’m convinced otherwise,” she said as her expression soothed. “My energy was already running low, and my injuries were worse than I knew. I would’ve most likely died if you hadn’t called out to me. And I was the one that chose to listen and change directions, so once again, I thank you and apologize for how I’ve reacted.”

“Son, accept her apology,” his father insisted. “It’s honorable to admit your misdeeds, and it will only shame her if you dimmish her intentions.”

Bowing his head as if apologizing himself, Chao said with a little more volume than necessary, “Of course, I accept.”

“Very good,” his father said as if he could no longer be bothered. “Now, redress her wound. Afterward, she’s asked about how you were able to scare off the snow fox, so give her a demonstration. I have some work to do, so I’ll be back later. I’ll raise the protective array, so you two have nothing to worry about while I’m away.”

Not only was Chao shocked at his father’s words, but he saw Fairy Huifen’s posture stiffen at the mention of his leaving. Was his father trying to get him frozen to death?

The old man didn’t wait for their response and was gone a few moments later.

Steeling himself for what he needed to do, Chao tried to look business-like and came to his feet without standing too close. “It would probably be best if I place the bandage on the hardest to reach part of your back, then you can finish placing the rest. I’ll only touched the bandage as I hold it there. If that still makes you uncomfortable, I can try to guide you while I hold one end up.”

The shaking of her head drew his attention. She didn’t reveal any expression, but he could see she was struggling with something. She didn’t delay her answer any longer. “It’s okay. You do it for me. Just try to be quick.”

He only wavered for a second. “Yes,” he replied. His father had briefly explained the reason the disciples of the Ice Phoenix Sect were apprehensive about physical contact with the opposite sex. It wasn’t the first time he’d heard such a thing about ice fairies, but he was surprised to learn that it was true. He thought it was a shame that such a girl would never marry, but he knew the joy he felt when experimenting with heaven’s laws, so he also understood her reasoning for wanting to dedicate herself to cultivation.

She carefully turned at the edge of the bed to give him a better angle to work with. He repositioned himself and examined the frost-covered wound. Somehow, her technique had pushed the old bandage upward and the excess herbal paste had held it there. It also sealed some of the paste beneath its frost. If it wasn’t for it reopening and the flow of blood removing much of the medication, leaving it might have been a good option. Also, applying the herbs directly then having her seal them with ice would likely work just as well as the poultice, if not better.

“Is something wrong?” she asked with a small tremor in her voice.

“Well, not exactly.” He explained that they needed to remove the last bandage and that the old and new blood were staining her back since they’d never removed her clothing. “You should be able to remove the old poultice yourself. After I reapply the new one, I’ll get you some new clothing and leave the house so that you can clean yourself the best that you can and get changed. I’ll knock and wait for your reply to come in.”

Her breathing sped as he awaited an answer.

“Okay,” she said. Reaching across her chest toward her injured shoulder, her fingers stopped as they reached where her shoulder and neck met. She tried to stretch a little further when the muscle of her back under her injury spasmed and her hand jerked back. “I can’t.” She was obviously pained. “You’ll have to do it.”

“Don’t worry,” he replied heartily, trying to ease her mind. “I shouldn’t have to touch you directly.”

He laid the fresh poultice across his forearm to keep it from smudging and turning over, then he grabbed the end of the spent bandage and began to pull it away. He was struck in that moment at what he was doing. This was a real ice fairy that no man was allowed to touch, and yet he was—well, not exactly touching her, but he was coming close. Though he’d stay on his best behavior, he couldn’t completely keep his imagination from wondering what it would be like to run his hands across her back. There wasn’t a single freckle or blemish. Just as it was with her face, he didn’t even see the pours of her skin or any peach fuzz.

A sharp yelp sprang from the girl before him. Then he saw that the old bandage was snagged at the edge by the frost sealing her wound.

“Sorry,” he said, quickly explaining. “You’ll need to remove the ice completely. It has frozen over a small part of the bandage, so it’s impossible to remove without pulling at your wound. As soon as you do, I’ll remove the old one and quickly reapply the new one to stifle any bleeding. It will happen fast, so I’ll try not to touch you, but I can’t promise anything.”

“I understand.” Reaching across her chest again, her hand came to rest on her shoulder without pushing her limits.

The frost started to recede. He watched it closely to try to discern how she’d applied it and how it interacted with her skin. Somehow, she was able to keep the ice from expanding and opening the wound further. Maybe it was because she’d applied it to herself? He just had to try it, but now was not the time.

With the frost removed, the old bandage came off smoothly. He tossed it across the room toward the fireplace and gave it a gentle push with his energy. It lazily fell onto an outer log, and only its edge began to burn.

His full attention had already turned to her back. The wound had mostly closed, but there were two small places along the gash that flowed with small trickles of blood. With the new poultice in both hands, he pressed its edge against her skin just below the wound to catch the blood before folding it up and pressing it tenderly against her back. He was quick and precise with his application and was almost finished when he saw that the end he’d already applied was slightly unravelling at the edge. As he finished the other end, he turned back to reapply when his fingertips just brushed the surface of her skin above the wound. He hurried to reattach the other side before taking a large step back.

“I swear that wasn’t on purpose,” he said before adding, “It’s finished.” It would have been much easier if there wasn’t still fabric above and below the open gash, but it was still his mistake.

She simply ignored his reaction and resituated herself on the bed. “Thank you, Brother Chao,” she replied.

“There’s a wash tub, but it might not be easy for you to climb in and out of. I’ll bring you some pitchers of water and towels to clean up. Also some clothes. Just let the water fall to the floor, and I’ll get it when you’re done.”

“No.” She stopped him. “There’s no way I can clean and change myself, but it doesn’t matter. In a few days, I’ll regain full functionality and do it then. A little dried blood won’t harm me.”

He opened his mouth to say something but decided not to.

“I am interested to know how you scared off the snow fox. Can you tell me?” she said, changing the subject.

“I can,” he began to say when the kettle in the kitchen began its ready whistling. “I’ll return shortly with some tea and stew.”

As he hurried off, she called, “Tea only, thank you.”

A minute later, he returned with a steaming mug that held a sweet floral aroma. Sitting a tray on the bed at her side, he pointed at two additional bowls in turn. “Honey and cream. What is your preference?”

He followed her directions before handing her the mug. He rubbed his hands on the side of his pants as he watched her take a sip. He was doing his best to refocus his mind, but the forbidden touch he’d stolen from her made that difficult. He remembered her being cold to the touch when he carried her home but thought it was because she’d lost so much blood. With just a brushing of his fingertips, he’d felt the cool of her skin as well as a blending of human and inhuman smoothness. It was the ice qi in her body. It permeated everything, and even though she wasn’t ice cold or even uncomfortable to touch, it was definitely abnormal.

“It’s very good,” she said politely. “Can you tell me your tale now?”

“It’s best that I show you,” he said, taking a seat on the ground before her with his legs crossed like an attentive child. Something in him seemed to change. His eyes lit up, and there were even traces of a playful smirk. “So, first of all, I just created the outline of a dragon with fire.”

With one palm facing up, he thought for a moment before a small surge of energy proceeded a flash of orange. The outline of a small dragon about the size of his hand suddenly looked up at Huifen from a squatting position on his palm. “The most important part is the eyes. If you get those right, the rest can be sloppy, but if you get them wrong, the entire illusion is unbelievable.”

She tried to lean closer but was having trouble scooting, so he held it up for her to get a closer look. Because he’d just thought of its shape, it had some problems, but its eyes were bright and fierce.

“So, you used this?” she said skeptically. “I’ve never seen an illusion technique resembling it. If you don’t mind me asking, what technique are you cultivating?”

Remembering his manners, he lowered his eyes and responded, “Long Chao answers Senior Fairy. It’s not a cultivation technique. It’s just something I’ve come up with on my own.”

“You came up with it on your own?” she exclaimed, almost spilling her tea. “Do you know how dangerous that is? You could seriously injure yourself or, worse, damage your meridians.”

“Please, Senior Fairy, don’t be perturbed. It is really a simple trick. Besides a few light burns I’ve received, it’s really harmless.”

She let out a heavy sigh. “Okay, but I’m sure your father has warned you how dangerous it is. You must listen to him. And also, I can’t be much older then you. I’m only eighteen. How old are you, Chao?”

“I will do as you say. Thank you for your guidance. He does remind me every day, and I’ll continue to be careful. And I’m seventeen.”

“That’s for the best. And since I’m only a year older than you, call me Senior Sister or Fairy Huifen. Senior Fairy just isn’t appropriate and makes me sound old.”

“I will do as you ask, Senior Sister,” he said, trying it on. “I didn’t mean to offend you. Since people of a higher cultivation don’t seem to age, I didn’t want to assume…”

“There’s no harm done. So, this illusion technique you’ve developed yourself is the one you used to frighten away the snow fox?”

Seeing a chance to show his worth, he nodded proudly. “Yes, Senior Sister. And then I summoned a ball of fire like this.” In his other hand, a much smaller ball of fire than the one he’d used to scare the snow fox appeared. “I aimed for the nose because it’s extremely sensitive for most creatures and doing so would cause it to question any doubts it had about the illusion. The last step was the hard part.”

Both the fireball and the dragon outline disappeared. Holding up his hands to face each other with a good twenty centimeters between them, his gaze intensified as energy started to flow. A little, space-distorting orb appeared. “I use the fourth-level sound law, Morph, to compress and contain a sound blast. This is a much smaller version than what I used on the snow fox, so it won’t be as loud. The best thing about it is that since it contains all the sound energy in a small, contained area, when it’s released, the sound will be especially loud to whatever is right next to it, so it’s like a double Enhancement. When it hit the dire beast’s head—”

Reaching toward it, he flicked the orb with his finger. A piercing scream released all at once.

He looked up at Senior Sister with a big grin. He was delighted with how the demonstration had gone. Then, alarm slugged him in the chest as he saw her staring at the empty space where the sound blast had gone off with her mouth drooped open and disapproval in her eyes. It was the largest expression he’d ever seen her make, and it wasn’t the one he’d been hoping for.

He didn’t move until the life came back to her and she looked him in the face with an overly critical glare. “Was this also your own technique? And the fireball?” she said.

“Yes, Fairy Huifen,” he replied, diverting his gaze. “Did I do something wrong?”

She didn’t answer but mumbled to herself, “Sound laws. Morph. That’s… Not one but two fire techniques…” Then, she addressed him. “Do you not cultivate any proven system like a normal person?”

“I do,” he hurried to say. “My father has me cultivating Boundless Yang’s Sword and Spear. It’s a martial discipline that teaches both spear and sword techniques. For energy gathering, I use my mother’s Heaven and Earth Coil that focuses on cultivating all types of qi.”

His answers only seemed to deepen her glare, but she collected herself before saying. “I’ll ignore the fact that you just said you cultivate both sword and spear for a moment, but why do you cultivate all types of qi if you are training yang martial techniques? Do you not see the problem? Without the appropriate kind of energy, your techniques will be greatly limited, if they work at all.”

“Thank you for your concern, but that’s because I cultivate the laws on my own. Although, my mother was the one who taught me. If I focus too much on one kind of qi, then it makes the use of opposing elements difficult to work with.”

“What do you mean you cultivate the laws on your own?”

“Let me show you.” He made room between them on the floor by scooting away, then he leaned forward. With one hand cupped, he placed it over the worn stone floor. When he removed it, the outline of a figurine that looked like a chubby little person with a big head appeared using the same fire technique he’d used before. “You’ve seen my fire. I first made this guy when I was a boy. But also…”

With his hand still cupped, he placed it right next to the fire illusion. As he removed it, a small little ball of snow with too wide eyes and a perpetual grin looked up at Huifen from its place on the floor. He wasn’t finished. He placed his hand on the floor again and again, and each time, a little creature appeared. The next was a mud-man, then a water creature with a tail instead of legs. A miniature whirlwind came next, with only two compressed air beads for eyes that were the only part of the creature that stayed still. Then, there was a little stick man that immediately fell over and decided to sit instead of trying to stand again. The last one was a small ball of lightning with two smaller beads above it that acted as eyes.

“I first made these as a kid. Not including wind, lightning is the hardest to control,” he said, sounding unsatisfied. “I still don’t know if it’s because of its nature that it’s so hard to form into something solid or if I just have yet to figure it out…”

When he looked up to see her reaction, she was staring blankly at the ground. In the next moment, the mug teetered in her hand and fell to the floor, shattering. The hot liquid splashed everywhere. Before it could reach her bare feet, he Borrowed from the liquid and gathered it into a steaming bubble. It was no longer purely tea, for the water laws only commanded water itself. He used a simple Create of ice to send a chill into the glob of liquid. It wasn’t enough to freeze it, but it did cool its temperature.

“That was a close one. Are you okay, Senior Sister?” he said. She was starting to scare him. “What’s wrong?”

“Sorry,” she replied. “But what are you? Is your mother human?”

It didn’t bother him to talk about his mother in passing, but answering questions directly was a tad more difficult. “Yes, she was human. She died six years ago. She, uh, was a hedge mage.”

“She was a heretic cultivator?” She gasped but immediately slammed her hand over her mouth. “I didn’t mean that as it sounded. You have my sympathies, really. I just mean she didn’t follow normal cultivation practices. Which explains why you’ve come up with your own techniques, but… I’ve never heard of someone being able to control so many elements before. And Morph… Not only are you able to summon the major five ones, but you also just used the sub-element of Water. And Sound isn’t an element at all. Junior Brother Chao, what you’re doing should be impossible.”

Despite the comment about his mother, he didn’t hold it against her. It was the common reaction even in the local village, except there, they revered hedge mages. “Heretic cultivator” wasn’t viewed as a derogatory term. He even managed a modest smile because the last part of what she’d said was the first compliment she’d ever paid him.

“Answering Senior Sister,” he said, looking up at her where she sat on the bed, looming over him. “While using normal cultivation techniques, it is impossible. I don’t cultivate a specific kind of energy because I’d lose the ability to use all but the most basic techniques of the opposing element of whatever I chose. As an example, a fire cultivator absorbs fire energy so that any time they use a technique, it will follow the laws of fire to an extent. In that way, knowing the laws aren’t necessary. Just gathering normal heaven and earth qi allows me to supply energy to any element, even if it’s not as powerful as focusing on a specific one. Of course, if someone else were to try this, they wouldn’t be able to use any of my techniques, because I don’t depend on my energy’s natural characteristics to guide them. Mine aren’t based on my energy, but upon my knowledge of laws. As long as I have enough neutral qi, I can use any element to the extent that my knowledge allows.”

“That’s… incredible.” She was searching the ground as if looking for something to say. “Not even sky realm cultivators study heaven’s laws. It’s only after that, at the overlord realm, when people start to study them in hope of breaking through to the divine realm.” She paused before saying, “You’re a freak.”

He flinched like she’d slapped him.

“Junior Brother Chao, don’t take that as an insult. Some people might use the word in that way, but ever since I arrived at the Ice Phoenix Sect eight years ago, I’ve heard the same thing. I’m one also.”

There was a creaking sound as the front door opened. Chao shot to his feet and sidestepped to face him directly. “Father, I’ve done as you asked,” he said with a bow.

“It seems we need to have company over more often,” Long Zan replied. “Never have you shown such good manners.”

He turned bright red.

“Okay, okay. Leave Fairy Huifen to get some rest. She needs it, and you’ve given her a lot to think about.”

“Yes, Father.”

Turning back to Fairy Huifen, he realized he was still carrying around the cooled blob of tea. “Senior Sister, before I let you rest, would you like me to bring you some more tea?”

She shook her head without looking at him. “Thank you, but no. I think I should do as your father suggests.”

He quickly hurried over and grabbed the tray off the bed beside her. As he did, she brought her feet up and leaned over to rest her head on the pillow.

“Do you need a blanket?” he said, eyeing the broken mug on the floor. He’d have to sweep it up before leaving so that she didn’t accidently step on a sharp piece.

“No thank you.” Her reply was detached. “It’s far warmer than I’m used to in here. I should be fine.”

She must have been getting tired. He quickly cleaned up without asking any more questions, then left the house and shut the door behind him. There was still plenty of light left in the day, and unless Fairy Huifen needed him, he’d be able to return to the garden tonight to cultivate it. They were using a lot of herbs, so it needed all the extra energy it could get.