The meat finished cooking and I called out to him from over there: “Esteemed Senior, I have prepared our meal. Though modest, I hope it will be to your taste!”

No answers.

He was still madly scurrying about around the tent.

I got up and walked up to him. He was not even looking at me.

I tried to call out to him a few more times but he did not even register my existence.

Every emotion from the past few days began to resurface and I felt myself starting to sob as I pushed myself to stand right in his path and scream to get his attention: “Senior!”

- * -

“Senior!” she screamed after placing herself straight in my path.

It startled me a little.

I did not expect this woman to be this crazy. And why was she even crying now? I did not even talk or do anything to her?

I thought I had ignored her thoroughly enough so why?

Then again, whether she cried or not, it would be of no incidence to me. Let her be, let her be~

More importantly, I need to check the runes behind her.

So, I said: “Move”

She did not move. Instead, she began to openly cry and tremble in front of me. Loudly too.

That was the reason why I lived alone and isolated from the outside world.

This right there!

I sighed as I placed a hand on her shoulder... And slightly moved her to the side.

Then I moved on to look at the rune.

What a beautiful contraption of design!

So interesting!

- * -

Fuck him!

He can go to hell!

How dare he?!

Unauthorized duplication: this tale has been taken without consent. Report sightings.

I was crying directly in front of him and then what?! He simply shoved me to the side?!

What is wrong with him?!

I ate the bird meat alone, amidst some sobbing.

…

After I finsihed the meal, I had calmed down a little.

He was still doing his weird thing around the tent.

I stopped concerning myself with him and moved further from the clearing to practice.

The Rong Clan specializes in a unique martial art called "Sunset Blade Style", a mid-tier martial technique that combines agile swordsmanship with graceful, flowing movements that mimic the setting sun’s fading light.

I unsheathed my own blade, a treasure passed down in the family and the one that belonged to my brother. I pondered for a moment on which I should use from now on and decided to keep using my own. I was more used to it after all and they were both treasures of similar worth anyways.

My blade was named 始日剑 (Shǐ Rì Jiàn) which meant Fading Light. It was forged from a tempered, dull silver steel that reflects light subtly, not gleaming as brightly as higher-ranked weapons, but shimmering with an understated elegance. The steel is sturdy yet lightweight, optimized for swift, fluid movements rather than raw power. The sword is slightly shorter than the average blade, designed for quick, agile strikes rather than long, powerful sweeps. The blade itself is narrow and slightly curved, mimicking the gentle arc of the setting sun. The curve is not as pronounced as a scimitar, but just enough to aid in smooth, slicing motions and enhance its speed and precision.

As for its colors, true to our clan's aethetics, the blade carries a faint reddish tint along the edges, reminiscent of the sunset’s fading light. This effect is not from magical enchantments but a result of the forging process that gives it a distinct, though subtle, aura tied to the clan's "Sunset Blade Style."

As I looked at it, my duty and desire to rebuild the clan was reaffirmed.

Mom, Dad, Brother... Your Rongxia will be strong!

I looked forward and got into a stance as my Qi began to circulate.

There are five moves to our blade style.

I know them all by heart.

I started with the first move called Dimming Horizon (Shǐ Mò Yīn Xiàn – 始末阴线). The initial move mimics the first moments of sunset, where the horizon dims and the sky begins to change color. I step with subtle grace, positionning my blade as if for a sweeping strike. It is focused on creating openings in the opponent's defense though feints and precise low arcs. Infused with different levels of Qi, the blade's red aura fluctuates in intensity, adding to the illusions and feints.

I repeated the different actions for hours under the sun's warm glow, practicing diligently, making sure that the movements remained the same while I continued to fluctuate the aura's intensity in different patterns each time. The idea is to keep the movements the same but always have the intensity different so that, in combat, I would not be stuck to a special pattern of feints.

It requires practice to repeat the same movements but it requires even more practice to be able to incorporate variations within something immuable.

And time went by as I practiced.

When I returned to our camp, I saw the mad senior still at it and grumbled internally.

Seriously, what was wrong with this one?!

In any case, I moved towards my little fireplace and took out some of the meat I cut in the morning and began to grill it for dinner.

This time, I had no plans to invite him to share the meal.