The day had finally arrived. With Buyu's treatment plete and her legs fully healed, it was time to set out for the Immortal Phoenix Sect. Jin Shu felt a mixture of excitement and trepidation. The journey ahead was filled with unknowns, and the sect itself held mysteries he wasn’t sure he was ready to face. Yet, he had to uncover what had happeo his mother. For the past week, he had g to the hope that she might return on her own, but each passing day without her appearanly deepened his ay.

  Turning to Biyu, he said, “Alright, let’s go.”

  As they approached the bustling streets of Bck Mountain City, Jin Shu paused, his sharp ears catg the sound of hurried footsteps eg from deeper within the manor.

  “Wait!” a voice cried.

  He turo see Li Xue rounding a er, nearly skidding to a halt as she approached.

  “What?” Jin Shu asked, his tone sharper than intended. Her immediate flinch made him regret it. With a sigh, he softened his expression. “Ah, sorry. I didn’t mean to yell.”

  Li Xue shook her head quickly. “It’s okay. But…” Her eyes shimmered with determination as she looked up at him. “’t I go with you?”

  “No,” he replied bluntly.

  “Why not?”

  “Because I promised General Gong I’d keep you safe here in Bck Mountain City.”

  “How are you going to keep me safe if you’re not here?” she retorted smugly, crossing her arms.

  Jin Shu pihe bridge of his nose, feeling the headache f. “Enough. Don’t argue with me. Stay here.”

  Li Xue’s defiance faltered for a moment uhe finality of his tone, but she quickly recovered, stepping forward with renewed determination. “Then give me something, or I’ll follow you!” she decred.

  “Hah…” Jin Shu exhaled heavily, seeing where this was going. “What do you want?”

  “Kiss me!” she demanded, her expression both bold and hopeful.

  Jin Shu snorted, half-expeg su outndish request. With a wry smile, he leaoward her face. Her eyes lit up, and she closed them, puckering her lips in anticipation.

  Pop!

  “Ow!” Li Xue yelped, clutg her forehead where Jin Shu had delivered a solid flick. Tears welled in her eyes as she gred up at him. “Why?!”

  Leaning closer, Jin Shu whispered in her ear, his voice soft yet firm. “Stay here. Be good. When I e back, I’ll think about granting your request.”

  Her eyes widened in stunned silence before she nodded absentmindedly, her earlier defiance evaporating.

  Straightening, Jin Shu g Biyu. “Now, we’re leaving. Stay safe. We’ll be back soon, hopefully.”

  With that, he turoward the manates, determio face whatever awaited him on this journey.

  ***

  They traveled in silence for several hours, each lost in their own thoughts. Well, except for Yin’er. She darted ahead of them, her giggles eg through the forest as she chased butterflies, birds, squirrels, and anything else that caught her fleeting attention.

  Jin Shu eventually decided to break the silence. “I never did ask—how far is the sect from here?”

  Fan Biyu gnced up, momentarily pulled from her absentminded pace. “Um, I’m not sure of the exact distance. But it usually takes about three days.”

  He houghtfully. “Sed question: why are we headi? Isn’t the se the south?”

  “That’s the sed and third question,” she teased with a light giggle. “We’re headi to reach the Jinlong River. From there, we’ll take a boat. It’s the fastest route to the sect.”

  “The Jinlong River? Iing. So that’s why we didn’t take horses?”

  She hen, tilting her head curiously, she asked, “It sounds like you’ve never heard of it before?”

  “Ah, I haven’t,” Jin Shu admitted. “In fact, I don’t know much beyond the area around Bck Mountain City and the capital.”

  “Really?” Biyu’s brows furrowed slightly, as though surprised.

  “Yes. Ever since I was old enough to hold a hammer, my focus has been on bcksmithing, and ter, ruhing. Aside from basic things like reading and writing, that’s all I was taught.”

  “Then, do you know the name of the nd we live in?” Fan Biyu asked, a teasing smile pying on her lips, as if daring him to embarrass himself.

  “Of course I know that… it’s, uh…” Jin Shu trailed off, his fidence faltering.

  “Fan Yu,” Nano’s calm voice chimed in.

  “Fan Yu. It’s Fan Yu,” Jin Shu repeated quickly, ag as if the answer had e to him naturally, not from the mini superputer living in his dantian.

  “Correct,” Biyu said with an amused tilt of her head. She paused thoughtfully before posing another question. “How about this one? What are the names of the four major sects?”

  “Um…” Jin Shu hesitated. “Immortal Phoenix, Demonic, Beastmaster, and…”

  Nano?

  “It is not within your memories,” Nano replied ftly.

  “Three out of four. That’s pretty goht?” Jin Shu deflected with a wry smile.

  Biyu chuckled softly. “The fourth sect is special. Most cultivators don’t even know of its existence, let alos name.”

  “What is it?” Jin Shu asked, his curiosity piqued.

  “The Long family,” Fan Biyu said mysteriously, her tone carrying an air of intrigue.

  “Huh? Isn’t that the family of famous ruhs in the northern region?” Jin Shu asked, his fusion growing.

  “They are,” she firmed. “But what most people don’t know is that they have a sect—the Four Pavilio. It’s made up of the Rune, Assassin, Warrior, and Schor Pavilions.”

  “Really? That’s ued,” Jin Shu murmured, intrigued. “So, which is the stro sect?”

  “Well…” Biyu hesitated, gng around before leaning closer. “Don’t tell anyone I said this—especially not Master. Our Immortal Phoenix Sed the Beastmaster Sect of the western region are about evenly matched. But the Four Pavilio is rumored to be strohan the Demonic Sect—which even our sed the Beastmaster Sect barely stand up to.”

  Jin Shu raised a brow. “If the Four Pavilio is s, why don’t they just wipe out the Demonic Sect?”

  “There are a few reasons,” Biyu expined, her voice l slightly. “But the main one is fear of mutual destru. Even if they won, the cost would be too high.”

  “Hmm…” Jin Shu houghtfully, his expression showing uanding.

  They tiheir journey, filling the time with idle chatter as the hours slipped by. Eventually, they emerged from the dense foliage to behold a grand river stretg before them, glowing uhe setting sun. The water shimmered with a golden hue, snaking through the ndscape like a magnifit dragon.

  On the western bank, a bustling dock came into view. Large ships and smaller vessels were moored along the shoreline, and the area buzzed with activity. Sailors barked orders as they loaded cargo, while passengers hurried to board their boats. A handful of small buildings dotted the area, their shadows stretg long in the evening light.

  “It certainly lives up to its name,” Jin Shu remarked, his gaze fixed on the gleaming river. “The river, I mean.”

  Biyu nodded, her eyes following the shimmering current. “Uh-huh.”

  “So, how do we board one of these ships?” Jin Shu asked, gng at the bustling docks.

  Fan Biyu gave him a quizzical look. “We pay?”

  “No, I get that,” he said, waving a hand dismissively. “I mean, do we go to one of those buildings to buy a ticket? Or do we just walk up to a sailor and ask to board their ship?”

  “Oh…” Biyu’s cheeks flushed slightly as she looked down, realizing her misuanding. She quickly poio a modest buildihe docks. “We go to that building and pay to board whichever ship is heading dowo Fa Hou, the small shipping city.”

  “Got it. Let’s go, then,” Jin Shu said, wasting no time as he started toward the building.

  “Wait,” Biyu called out, stopping him. She pulled out a light green veil and carefully secured it around her face, cealing her features.

  “What’s that for?” Jin Shu asked, his brow furrowing.

  “It’s a rule,” she expined, adjusting the veil. “Disciples of the sect aren’t allowed to show their faces to outsiders. Only our families and fellow sect members see us unveiled.”

  “But I’ve seen your face,” Jin Shu pointed out.

  “You don’t t,” she replied smoothly. “We’re essentially family.”

  “Uh…” Her words caught him off guard, and a faint blush crept onto his cheeks. It was the first time someone had referred to him as family, and the se left him momentarily flustered.

  “What? You don’t like it?” she asked sharply, tilting her head as she studied his rea.

  He quickly waved his hands in protest. “No, no! It’s not that. I… I liked it. I… ahem…” He cleared his throat awkwardly. “I see you as a precious family member as well.”

  Biyu hummed softly, her tone pyful. “I never said anything about precious. But I’m gd you feel that way.”

  Jin Shu coughed and turned his head, determio hide his embarrassment. “Let’s just go,” he muttered, stepping forward briskly.