"This is a bit frustrating..." You Mei muttered under her breath. She was walking towards Li An's house in order to apologise for leaving her alone after their spar.

You Mei felt a sense of suffocation every time the memory of the day surfaced in her mind. The moment her talent was displayed in the Talent Mirror, she believed herself to be a genius, to be someone who could change the fate of her family.

The spar with Li An was merely an excuse to prove that she was strong now. You Mei had become drunk in the feeling of power, forgetting that the world is large and the amount of genius is like an ocean with no end in sight.

She has been a friend of Li An since they were six. You Mei had watched as the gloomy girl followed her everywhere emotionlessly, not even bothering to say a word of thanks or sorry. Therefore, she knew that Li An had never touched a martial arts manual. Hell, she hadn't even touched a book before in her life!

She lowered her shoulders and her pace unconsciously slowed down.

You Mei spent her entire life learning martial arts in order to build a good foundation for her future as a cultivator. She was confident that not many people in the sect had worked as hard as she had.

"So why?! Why am I so weak?" You Mei gritted her teeth with a hideous expression that didn't suit her. "That moment, it felt like I was an ant standing before a towering wall. The gap is so too big, there's no way to fill it."

And if Li An, a Grade 4 talent, was this good at martial arts solely with her talent, then how monstrous were the disciples with a chance of becoming the young leader?

You Mei could not imagine it. No, she did not want to imagine it, because she knew she would fall into despair if she did.

Unknowingly, her uneven steps had led her to the front door of Li An's house.

Tip... tap...

Delicate droplets of rain drizzled down, brushing against the wooden rooftops of the gray houses with brittle sounds.

You Mei let out a long breath and lifted her hand, knocking on the door three times with a monotonous rhythm. There was no answer for a few seconds.

Just when You Mei was about to give up on apologising, an empty voice emerged from the other side.

"Come in."

You Mei opened the door quietly and saw the figure of a girl cultivating on the freezing ground. She could not understand why Li An always cultivated on the ground when there was a bed right next to her.

"G-good morning, Li An." You Mei was sweating in the back of her neck, and her knees were about to lose all their strength. She suddenly regretted visiting the phoenix lair. Was she even worth being Li An's friend?

Li An's eyes lazily opened as she glanced at the frozen You Mei.

The latter could feel the shivers crawling all over her skin. She was completely naked in front of that unfathomable gaze.

"You Mei, are you frustrated about your weakness?"

"How did she know?" You Mei lifted her head only to find a sorrowful smile on the lips of her talented friend.

She was shocked. Li An had never shown as many emotions as today. There was frustration, sadness and a glimpse of... anger?

"Why are you making that face?" Li An's image of an indestructible wall was falling apart by the second.

"I can tell what you are thinking, You Mei. You are wondering why I was born with so much talent for martial arts, but you weren't, isn't that right?"

You Mei's body turned stiff, but she did not deny it. Even though she was usually a very cheerful person, You Mei desired strength more than anyone.

"But You Mei, I am only a Grade 4 talent. I will only reach the peak of Spirit realm in my lifetime no matter how much I cultivate. Martial arts are only important for the Foundation realm disciples, and can barely be considered useful in the Spirit realm." Li An's hands were clenched into a fist, but You Mei could see their faint trembling.

Staring at Li An's distorted expression, shame engulfed You Mei's heart like it had never before. She was so busy comparing her friend to an uncrossable wall, yet this wall was made of paper all along. Yet, instead of helping her, what did she do? She drowned in her own narcissism, treating the worries of her friend as worthless garbage.

Tears glistened momentarily against her skin before disappearing into the fabric of her collar. You Mei used the corner of her right sleeve to try to clean her face, but the dam had already been broken.

"hic... I'm sorry Li An..." Her nails pressed into her palms hard enough to leave faint crescent marks. "I didn't... hic... I didn't know you were suffering so much."

Li An gave her a helpless smile before standing up and grabbing her shoulders firmly. "It's okay, You Mei. I might not have the talent for cultivation, and you might not have the talent for martial arts. But together, we can cover for each of our weaknesses."

Li An paused to peer deep into her eyes. You Mei flinched at that gaze filled with ambition. "So this is the true Li An."

"I will teach you martial arts. In return, you will help me find a solution to my talent problem in the future." Li An's words were laced with resolve. You Mei's determination ignited when she heard them. This was a true friend!

Others might not understand the risk Li An was taking by doing this, but You Mei's family was related to one of the elders, so she knew about the attitude of the strong.

Li An will teach her martial arts for the sake of improving her talent, but who can guarantee whether You Mei will help her or not after obtaining an affluent position? She could suppress, kill or scheme against Li An in order to silence her, and she would not even be able to retaliate.

You Mei's heart was moved. This was a giant gamble on Li An's part, while she herself had nothing to lose and everything to gain.

You Mei's eyes were already swollen and red-rimmed from too much crying. She threw herself in Li An's arms, enjoying the soft feeling of her cold skin. "For some reason, it feels warm."

"What should we do first?" You Mei reluctantly ended the hug and looked at Li An with a firm gaze.

"Mhmm... if we want to gain more authority, one of us needs to advance to the inner sect. Let's start with a simple goal: for you to win the outer sect competition!" Li An had a gentle expression as she looked at You Mei. "We will show those arrogant elders that the untalented are not to be underestimated."

"You call that simple?!"

With her current skills, You Mei didn't even have the confidence to achieve a place in the top 30, let alone win the competition. There were other Grade 3 talents among the disciples, and most of them were nurtured since they were young by one of the elders. She was the only exception due to her family circumstances. As for beating Ning Jing and You Rou, You Mei hadn't even thought about that possibility because it was the same as a pig dreaming of ascending to heaven.

"I think you are overestimating me, Li An. There's just no way I can win the competition with twenty days of training."

Twenty days were nothing for cultivators, who later on needed countless decades to move up just a single stage. Additionally, the other disciples will not be staring at the sky while she trains; they will also improve drastically in a short amount of time.

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"I cannot do this. Let's find another soluti-"

"You can." Li An interrupted her. "The only way to join the inner sect is to receive an elder's approval or place among the top five competitors in the outer sect competition. Allowing those arrogant elders to decide my fate... I'd rather slit my throat."

You Mei's face turned pale. What Li An had said was true, but it was not the worry in her heart. You Mei had never told Li An about her past, so she didn't know that no elder would ever acknowledge her.

In other words, You Mei had to be in the top five competitors, or she would never join the inner sect and have the chance for revenge. This moment of realization was all she needed to awaken the fires of anger.

"Since you are trying to stagnate my progress, I will smash all of your schemes to pieces." Only You Mei herself knew who she was talking about.

"You are right. I will get that first place even if it kills me." You Mei suddenly scratched at her cheek. "By the way Li An, are you not participating in the competition? With your skills, I am sure you could reach the top five easily."

Li An's shoulders drooped, and the smile she had before completely vanished.

"I will not participate."

"What's up with her?" You Mei grabbed Li An's stiff hand and held it firmly between her palms. She wanted to let her know that she was there for her.

"Even if I win, what use will it be? I would enter the inner sect, but I would be the lowest of the lowest. Eventually, even outer sect disciples from later generations would leave me behind. Without talent, winning is meaningless."

You Mei remained silent. She would not comfort her friend and tell her that talent does not matter, because it does. The remains of her jealousy from before were still gnawing at her heart, despite her refusal to acknowledge it. Talent is equally a gift and a curse, but if she had to choose whether to have it or not, You Mei wouldn't even hesitate.

Li An was glancing at the pond outside the window as the rain fell and caused ripples to form on the water surface. The pattering sound was soothing, like the soft tapping of tiny drumsticks on a mirrored drum.

"Go change to old robes. We will start our training when you return." Even though her words were dry, Li An had a small smile on her lips.

You Mei was not mad. Rather than that, she was happy because, for the first time in her life, she truly felt understood.

"Trust me, You Mei. Trust in my plan, and we can achieve anything."

You Mei's eyes sparkled.

"Of course! I will be back in a second!"

With that, she turned on her heel and charged out of the room, eager to start putting the plan into motion.

As the heavy wooden door swung shut behind You Mei, the room fell silent, save for the soft hiss of the candles. Li An's smile faded, her expression hardening into one of cold indifference. A chilling quiet enveloped the room. Her eyes, utterly devoid of any warmth, followed You Mei's retreating figure until it disappeared from sight.

The room seemed to grow colder. Li An's fingers drummed lightly against the windowsill as she stared again at the ripples in the pond.

Every time a droplet of rain fell upon the smooth surface of the water, small waves spread outward, touching every corner of the pond before fading into stillness once more.

Alone, each one is insignificant, its ripples blending and canceling with countless others, leaving no lasting mark.

Yet...

When a single droplet falls in just the right spot, at just the right time, it sends forth ripples that do not merely vanish into nothingness. Instead, these ripples can align, their waves growing in harmony, amplifying rather than canceling each other.

If told the right direction, this single droplet has the power to create a wave that does not simply die out upon the pond's edge, but one that grows, flooding over the boundaries and escaping the pond entirely.

A soft, sinister chuckle escaped her lips.

The die had been cast.

· · ────── ·𖥸· ────── · ·

"Feel the flow of your spiritual energy." Li An threw a punch in the direction of You Mei's chest without mercy. "The key to my martial arts is vibration."

The two girls were sparring in the middle of the northern forest, in a clearing shrouded by the looming shadows of gnarled trees. The only source of illumination was the pale moonlight filtering through the dense canopy above.

Li An used the lack of visibility to lunge forward and strike at You Mei from different spots. The latter could only respond instinctively, parrying the strikes with the palm of her hands.

It had only been eighteen days, but You Mei had undergone a complete transformation. Although her soft skin was full of bruises and there were dark circles under her eyes, none of those were the greatest change in her.

It was the temperament. If before You Mei felt like a weak worm, now she had the dominance of a soaring dragon. She was not nervous about not being able to see Li An; her instincts had developed to the point of being an art, so sight had become less important. She was also beaten by Li An to the point of being unable to speak or eat the next day. Compared to that, her injuries now were no different from an uncomfortable massage.

Li An was like a demon. She struck with her palms, her fingers, her elbows, striking not just to hit but to overwhelm, to dominate, to control. It was honestly a terrifying sight to watch her swift movements through the darkness of the forest, not knowing when or where she would emerge next.

Both Li An and You Mei were like beasts while trading blows; many trunks had been destroyed by the tremendous power of their punches and kicks.

"She is improving at a quick pace with the Bear Paw Galaxy martial arts." Li An was not like the soft elders of the Gentle Sword Sect. Her philosophy of training was pain, hatred and a goal.

As she used to say in her past life, quick progress is forged in the crucible of pain, fueled by the fire of hatred and driven by the clarity of a goal.

You Mei had all three, so her progress would naturally be smooth. "She probably thinks I don't know about her conflict with one of the elders. You Mei, you are still too naive. It was obvious from the way you were the only Grade 3 talent without an elder to support you."

With a sudden, powerful kick, Li An knocked her off balance, sending her crashing to the ground. The earth softened the fall, but You Mei was not able to get up. The Bear Paw martial arts were used alongside the vibrations of spiritual energy, making the collision force enter the interior of the human body and injure the internal organs.

Although You Mei had improved by leaps and bounds, she was clearly not able to breach those one thousand years of experience in fighting.

As for the strongest martial arts she had, like the one from Andromeda Galaxy, Li An would never give them to anyone unless strictly necessary. She sneered. "The Bear Paw martial arts are already far above those of this sect, granting her an easy victory. As a tool, she should be able to do at least this much."

"Not bad." Li An stared at the sky with empty eyes. "You have a chance at winning now."

"Not yet."

With a shaking body, You Mei lifted herself from the ground and glared at Li An. "You Rou and Ning Jing are already in the fifth stage of the Foundation Realm. Their strength and speed are much higher than mine. How can we achieve our goals this way?"

"Oh, the little girl has grown more audacious." Before, she was satisfied with merely being in the top thirty, but now she could not accept anything except for being in first place.

"Then let's continue. I like the spirit, You Mei."

The truth was that Li An would most likely lose if she received a direct blow from You Mei. The girl was at the third stage of the Foundation Realm, while Li An herself had not increased by a single stage. The gap in strength and speed was already somewhat significant.

"Of course, she is a thousand years too early if she thinks she can hit me directly." Li An dodged a fist at breakneck speed and shoved the injured girl lightly to the ground. She fainted almost immediately.

The eerie whispers of the wind were the only sounds in this silence. The northern forest was considered the creepiest forest out of the three surrounding Yi Jian valley, and that is precisely why Li An chose to train the girl here. "No interruptions, and the scary atmosphere can build character."

She sat cross-legged on the uneven brown soil and began cultivating. She didn't have a moment to lose; with her talent, it would become harder to advance in realms the older she became.

Li An began to guide her breathing, inhaling deeply and exhaling slowly. Each breath carried faint traces of spiritual energy that permeated the air.

She willed the spiritual energy to flow through her meridians, the network of energy channels within her body. Li An was planning to study them when she had the proper equipment, since this organ did not exist in her previous life.

The process was painstakingly slow; her meridians were not naturally wide or clear due to her low talent, so it was difficult to give them too much spiritual energy at a time. She focused on directing the energy to the first of her nine primary meridians that formed the foundation for cultivation.

Li An could feel the resistance within her, like trying to force water through narrow, twisted pipes. Her face tensed momentarily, but she maintained her focus, using her willpower to ease the flow.

After what felt like days of continuous struggle inside her meridians, she finally ran out of spiritual energy. Li An let out a gasp, feeling a bit out of breath. "I am extremely close to the second stage. One or two days should be enough to fully open my first primary meridian."

The stage you were at told the other cultivators how many primary meridians had been unlocked. A second stage Foundation realm disciple would have one unlocked, while a ninth stage Foundation realm disciple would have eight. Spirit realm cultivators were so powerful because they had access to all of their primary meridians, giving them the ability to use spiritual energy in more creative ways.

Despite her Grade 4 talent, Li An did not feel discouraged. She still spent at least four hours per day investigating the possible uses of spiritual energy, looking for a way to advance more rapidly through the realms of cultivation. There was only failure until now, but that was normal - Li An knew this was a long-term project.

She glanced at the worn-down girl lying on the dirt. This was another long-term project. You Mei's Grade 3 talent was promising, but the greatest reason why Li An chose her was her grudge.

"The Gentle Sword Sect is truly peaceful."

Her voice echoed eerily in the mist. No matter who heard it, they would think these were simple, innocent words.

Yet, the cold, apathetic expression on Li An's face held a chilling power. The forest, once alive with the chorus of insects, fell into an unnerving silence as if the very life around them had been snuffed out.

One would wonder whether the scary creature was the forest... or the girl.