"Come now, we must also make preparations," Elder Zhu urged, leading the group out of the council chamber.

The night sky was bright and clear, the moon hung in the center of the stars, its pale light shone down onto the city.

The air was still, and there was an eerie calm in the night, an ominous atmosphere, foreboding. A few lanterns lit the streets, the shadows danced and flickered along the buildings and walls.

The group made their way back to their respective rooms, and Elder Zhu informed Lingqi that the preparations for the upcoming envoy would take quite some time to prepare. He anticipated that it would take nearly a month's time, and promised his student that he would try to train him whenever he was free to do so.

Lingqi thanked him, and his teacher bid him good night, leaving Lingqi and Ruyi to their own devices as he and Bai Hui headed back to their chambers.

The teens walked in silence as they sauntered the palace courtyard, where they were met with a lush green, a garden lined with trees and shrubbery. Lingqi and Ruyi sat, taking in the scenery and gazing at the stars, their backs resting against a large cherry tree.

Lingqi could not shake the uneasiness, a strange sense of dread that hung in the air. The calm before the storm.

"We're really going to face them," Ruyi broke the silence, verbalizing the boy's thoughts aloud. She hugged her knees to her chest, her lips were pursed, her eyes were downcast.

Lingqi looked her over, and his gaze fell to the ground, a heavy sigh escaped his lips. "Yeah..."

The girl's gaze lingered on him, and her lips curved into a sad smile.

"It's okay, Lingqi," Ruyi reached for his hand, and held it gently. "I'm scared too."

He looked up, and was met with a warm, gentle smile. Lingqi could see the concern behind the smile, and the fear in her eyes, but she was attempting to reassure him, and his heart melted.

"Thank you, Ruyi," he squeezed her hand, returning the comforting gesture.

A moment passed before he spoke once more, an idea occurring to him. "I think that I can show you what cultivation is like if you want me to."

A smile creased her lips, her disposition brightened. "I would love that, Lingqi."

He turned to her and sat in a meditative position, crossing his legs. Ruyi did the same, her eyes studied his form.

Lingqi controlled his breathing, and his senses expanded, the world around him began to fade, the only thing he could see, could feel, was Ruyi.

He could hear her the hitch of her breath, the thundering of her heart that mimicked his own, and his spirit responded. It thrummed within him, a warm and welcoming sensation, one that filled him with strength and power.

His gaze returned to her, and he saw her, her eyes were wide with wonder and curiosity, and he could tell that she had felt his spirit, had sensed his Prana. Lingqi had never tried something like this before, to imprint his Prana onto another, but his intuition told him that it could be done, and he decided to trust it.

He willed it, and his spirit surged, rushing forth like a coursing river. He shared his feelings with hers, and she had allowed him to do without trepidation, without any hesitation. Her nerves had been bundled in coils of uncertainty, her fears had manifested, and her spirit reacted accordingly.

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Lingqi sought to soothe her spirit, his Prana wrapped itself around her, a warmth bloomed in her core. A wave of energy washed over her, her heart was filled with a sense of calm, her nerves settled, and she took a deep, cleansing breath.

The girl could see his Prana, the essence of his being, a smoldering fire housed in a black cauldron, hesitant to reveal itself. But it was beautiful, all the same, its flames were radiant, its heat was comforting.

She focused on that fire, and when she did, when she got close, it grew hotter and brighter. Her approach caused Lingqi's breath to hitch in his throat, and embers shot out from the pot, causing Ruyi to retreat into the recesses of her mind.

Lingqi jerked back, his eyes flashed open, his face marred with concern. "Ruyi?"

"It's okay, I'm fine," she reassured him, her eyes wide, a faint smile tugged at her lips.

Lingqi frowned, guilt washed over him. "I'm sorry I--I'm still learning," he stumbled, his face was hot with embarrassment.

Ruyi shook her head, her dazzling auburn locks flowing with the motion. "No, don't apologize, it was amazing," she replied, and the boy's gaze softened, a faint smile crept onto his lips. "Did you learn that at the academy?"

"No, I just thought of it," Lingqi admitted, his gaze was sheepish. "I figured it would work, I just wasn't sure how."

Ruyi's eyes sparkled, her smile widened. "You really are amazing, Lingqi."

The boy blushed, and his gaze fell to the grass. "Thanks."

A moment passed before the girl spoke once more, and her tone was cautious. "Can you show me more?"

Lingqi smiled and nodded, and the teens resumed their positions. This time, Lingqi focused inward, and he allowed his Prana to fill his being. The cauldron began to expand, its flames licked the sides, its embers floated and hovered in the air, surrounding his core. He felt a chill crawl up his spine, an all too familiar sensation that had been born from tragedy - from the raid that had left his family dead, and his village destroyed.

The teen tapped into that feeling, the emotions of that night. The pain of loss, the fear of death, the desire to survive, he channeled those feelings into his Prana, and they transformed it, the cauldron became a raging inferno. Its embers grew larger, its flames billowed and roared, it was no longer a pot, it was a furnace. His vessel overflowed, and his cup ran over, spilling the contents of his Prana outward.

The temperature in the garden dropped, and a cold breeze blew, causing Ruyi to shudder and her skin to prickle. Frost began to form around her, her hair stood on end, and a chill traveled up her spine, a sharp and jagged pain that pierced her core.

Lingqi panicked, and he attempted to retreat his Prana back onto himself, but he found that his spirit was reluctant to return.

"Lingqi," the girl's voice was small, but it cut through the silence, and his ears perked, his eyes flashed open. The frost dissipated into vapor, and it hung in the air, lingering like a cloud.

The boy's eyes were wide, and his breathing was ragged. His face was flushed with sweat that dripped from his brow and onto the grass below.

Ruyi exhaled, her breath visible in small puffs.

"That...that was terrifying, but also..." Ruyi trailed off, bringing a finger to her lips. She was curious, and her expression was inquisitive, her eyebrows were raised. "Amazing."

Lingqi was at a loss for words, his spirit retreated and his vessel shrank, and his Prana settled. His gaze lingered on her, and he realized just how much his spirit had grown. His Prana was vast and plentiful, and its reserves were abundant. And he had yet to tap into the depths of his own potential.

"Have you ever thought about how far you could push it? What you could accomplish?" Ruyi's tone was cautious, but her curiosity was genuine.

Lingqi was silent, and his gaze was distant, his lips pursed.

"I have."

The answer was honest, and he could not find a reason to lie. There were many things the boy did not understand, but the truth was that his Prana was a vast wellspring of untapped potential, a reservoir that was deep and bottomless. The one thing that had held him back was his lack of control, his inability to harness and channel his Prana properly.

"But, it's difficult," he continued, his expression was pensive. "I just need more practice."

The girl was silent for a moment, her eyes were thoughtful. "Can I help you practice?"

Her question caught him off guard, and he looked at her with raised eyebrows. "But how? You're not a cultivator."

Ruyi chewed on her lower lip, and she looked to the side, contemplating how she could be of use to him, and when an idea struck her, her expression brightened.

"I'm sure the Opal Palace will have lots of information stowed away in the library, maybe we can find some kind of reference text that can help you."

Lingqi cupped his chin in thought. The library was a possibility, and it was definitely worth a shot, he figured, and his expression brightened.

"Okay, we can check it out first thing tomorrow," he nodded, his lips stretched into a smile.