“I’ll get the fifteen on the right; you get the fifteen on the left,” Xiahou Ren said, his voice instantly becoming clipped and direct.

“Do you have a plan where we get out of this un-maimed? We’re faster and stronger, but they can still hurt us,” Shao said, recalling the broken arm he suffered at the hands of a lower-realm Lianqi.

After pausing for a second to think, Ren said, “Hit-and-run. We run in, kill one or two, and then retreat before the rest can react.”

“What about Xu Fei? Won’t they just kill her if we do that?” Shao asked.

“Right,” Xiahou Ren said, pausing and thinking for a moment. “First, you’ll run in and rescue her. Then, we’ll kill the rest.”

“Excuse me…” the Shen man, who had overheard Shao and Ren’s whole conversation, interrupted their tense conversation. “Why are you planning to kill Xu Fei’s group?”

“Shut up,” Xiahou Ren said harshly. “I need a few seconds to visualize before the fight.”

“You said you need to rescue her? Why? She’s not in danger.”

“Explain yourself,” Ren said, turning to the Shen man.

“I told you that’s Xu Fei’s group. Those are the cultivators who volunteered to protect her.” The Shen man put significant emphasis on the word “group,” as if the group belonged to Xu Fei.

“Oh, I see,” Ren said, his eyes widening with realization. “She’s formed her army of simps.”

Another word Shao didn’t understand. He looked over to Ren and asked, “Can you explain it in our language, please?”

“Xu Fei was able to use her bloodline talent to convince those cultivators to protect her,” Ren said, pointing at the large group surrounding their companion. “The strategy has high risks and high rewards.”

“It looks like it’s working out for her right now,” Shao said.

Ren and Shao stepped into the shade of a nearby copse of trees as the large group of cultivators stepped through the North Gate. A middle-aged man dressed in the blue haori of the inner disciples watched this group enter Shigong Temple with obvious distaste on his face. Working together wasn’t technically against the rules, but such collaboration could result in unqualified cultivators becoming disciples at the Shigong Temple.

The new arrivals cheered in joy upon stepping through the North Gate, and several fell to their knees in relief. Forgetting himself, one of the cultivators stretched his arms out and approached Xu Fei as if to hug her. Liu Mei stepped in front of Xu Fei, stopping the cultivator from making contact.

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None of them had spotted Xiahou Ren or Yang Shao standing alongside the Shen man in the shadows. Shao was about to step out and approach the group, but he was stopped by Ren grabbing his shoulder.

“Hold on just a second,” Ren said before turning to the Shen man. “Your advice proved helpful. I would like to know your name.”

A proud look colored the Shen man’s features before he said. “I am Shen Lin Cai. I am happy to be of service, honorable senior.”

Ren handed Shen Cai a healing pill before turning back to Shao and saying, “Yang Shao, we really need to consider our future relationship with the others.”

“What do you mean?”

“As we have seen, Xu Fei doesn’t necessarily need our protection anymore. Her, Louis, and Liu Mei will end up in more danger if we bring them with us.”

“I don’t follow.”

Xiahou Ren sighed. “We’re already much stronger than them, and our rate of progression is significantly steeper than any other outer disciple in this temple. With my bloodline talent and your natural skill, there is no doubt in my mind that the two of us will be at Wei Fenhua’s level in a month.”

The idea that he could reach that level of strength so quickly shocked Yang Shao. When he considered it for a moment, however, he knew it to be true.

“Wouldn’t our greater strength make them safer?” Shao asked.

“No one in this world is ever safe. That’s the nature of xianxia. We’re standing at the bottom of a great staircase. Every time we go up a step, someone will be waiting there, ready to knock us off.”

Ren used a word that Shao knew but didn’t understand in that specific context. In Sino-Altaic, that word meant something akin to “immortal-story.” Based on context clues, Shao assumed that xianxia was just another word for cultivation that he hadn’t heard before.

From within that large group of cultivators, a small black blur appeared. Low to the ground, it ran toward the copse of trees where Ren and Shao were located. When that small speeding shadow stopped, it stood at Shao’s feet. A purposeful meow emanated from Zero’s small form, and Shao picked up his cat with a smile on his face.

“I see you survived, Zero,” Shao said as Zero purred quietly.

“To cut to the chase,” Ren continued, “I think we should keep them at arm’s length, for now. Unless, of course, you’re dead set on staying in contact.” A lecherous smile appeared on Ren’s face. “If you want to, theoretically, keep Xu Fei all to yourself, I won’t stop you.”

Understanding Ren’s meaning, Shao’s face turned red. “What!?”

Ren’s smile became mischievous as he held his hands out in a placating gesture. “Hey, I wouldn’t dare stand between a future Emperor and his harem.”

“Very funny, jackass,” Shao muttered. “I have no interest in that. I don’t want to get poisoned to death by my fifth wife.”

Ren laughed loudly before saying, “That’s the smartest thing you’ve said since we’ve met!”

From the direction of the gate, the inner disciple cleared his throat and began to speak in a loud but disappointed voice. “Everyone who passed the Rite of Initiation, step closer.”

As Ren and Shao stepped out from the shadow of the trees, Ren whispered out of the side of his mouth, “What do you think?”

Shao sighed before responding. “You’re right. Let’s keep them at a distance for now.”