In the hushed atmosphere of the Vault of Heaven's Wisdom, two disciples huddled together, speaking in whispers. The stouter of the two leaned closer to his companion, keeping his voice low.

"Hey, look... isn't that Flint?" he asked, gesturing discreetly.

His thinner companion furrowed his brow thoughtfully. "Flint?"

The stout disciple gave him a look of annoyance. "You know, the one who was covered in resentment force after absorbing souls."

"Oh, that Flint! Right, right," the thin one nodded quickly in recognition.

Suddenly, two hands descended on their shoulders from behind. "What... are... you... talking... about?"

They turned to find Seedling standing there, her fox ears and purple eyes unmistakable. The two disciples stammered hastily, "We're just here to read books."

Seedling pressed a finger to her lips in a silencing gesture. "Be careful what you spread around," she warned, before striding purposefully toward Flint, who sat absorbed in her reading.

The thin disciple squinted at Flint's distant figure. "Looks like she's studying something about runes. Planning to absorb more souls?"

But his companion wasn't listening anymore, lost in his own delight. "Heehee, Seedling touched me..." he mumbled dreamily.

Seedling glided over to Flint's side, but Flint remained engrossed in her reading, not even turning her head. Undeterred, Seedling leaned over, peering at the book's title page: "The Complete Guide to Runic Language: From Novice to Master."

It was one of the freely available books in the Vault of Heaven's Wisdom, the kind that gathered dust on lower shelves since it was neither a cultivation method nor a secret art.

The book had that distinct musty scent of aged paper, and its title carried an almost commercial ring to it. Its imposing thickness made it even less appealing. Seedling wondered what could possibly draw Flint to such a dry tome.

"Hey," Seedling whispered, waving her hand between Flint and the pages, "why do you keep reading this stuff? You won't come flying with me, won't go meditate with Spark..."

Flint responded with a finger to her lips, not looking up. "Library. Quiet."

"Oh." Seedling slumped onto the table, resting her head sideways to watch Flint. Her white fox ears twitched occasionally as she observed her friend's intense focus on the cryptic runic symbols that filled the yellowed pages.

The afternoon sun streaming through the high windows cast a warm glow over them both, highlighting the dust motes that danced in the air around their quiet corner of the library.

The afternoon drowsiness had finally claimed Seedling, her breathing soft and steady in the quiet library. Perhaps it was the warm sunlight, or maybe the peaceful atmosphere that had lulled her to sleep.

"Let's go," Flint said suddenly, closing her book with a gentle thud.

Seedling blinked awake, her purple eyes still clouded with sleep. By the time she gathered herself, Flint was already placing the book on the return cart near the entrance. Seedling hurried to catch up, her footsteps light against the polished floor.

Flint waited patiently by the cart, her expression thoughtful.

As they walked to the canteen, Seedling's mind wandered to their previous mission. The herb field duty had been meant to last a year, but after everything that happened, they'd earned barely a quarter of the expected Cloud Beads. Flint had given Seedling her entire share so she could get the Zephyr's Embrace Robe, though even then, Sage West Wind had to help cover the difference.

Maybe I could organize books in the Vault to earn some Cloud Beads, Seedling thought, then immediately grimaced at the idea. She'd probably mix up all the Secret Arts texts - Vita and Void techniques had such similar names, after all. But she needed to find some way to repay both Flint and her master.

A chill ran through Seedling's body as memories of recent events surfaced. It was her reckless venture into the underground prison that had led to Flint being engulfed by resentment force, nearly facing execution. The image of what could have happened - Flint reduced to nothing but dust - made Seedling's tail bristle with distress.

Seedling kicked at a pebble as they walked, her thoughts turning darker. The area around the underground prison had been sealed off - who knew when they'd actually investigate? Hmph. She was certain Sage Mortius Crane was hiding something sinister behind that cold smile of his.

When they reached the dining hall, Flint didn't order anything, just stared distantly at the serving automatons. Seedling watched her friend with concern. Waiting for that faithless wolf cub again, aren't we? she thought bitterly.

The service automatons moved with precise efficiency, their bodies covered in glowing runes that pulsed with each movement. Flint studied them intently, noting how much more complex these formations were compared to the simple door-opening runes she'd seen at the foot of Pine Mist Peak.

What the hell are those things anyway? Flint cursed silently, frustrated that even after all her reading, the runes remained incomprehensible.

"I'm here." Spark's apologetic voice cut through their thoughts. "You're both early today."

Seedling and Flint sat together on one side of the table, with Spark facing them from across. He ventured carefully, "Haven't seen you around today."

"Was reading in the Vault of Heaven's Wisdom," Flint replied absently, her attention divided between maintaining the Genesis energy in her throat and recalling the complex runic patterns she'd studied.

She's so distant - she must be disappointed in how I doubted her. Though the thought pained Spark, he understood her withdrawal after such a betrayal. Still, he maintained an expression of interest, asking, "What were you reading?"

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"Um... Runic Language..." Flint responded distractedly, her attention split between the conversation and her thought about the runes.

"Hmph, that's really difficult stuff - way beyond what a wolf cub like you could understand," Seedling cut in with a barbed comment before Flint could elaborate further. The irony that Seedling herself would never open such a book, let alone comprehend it, was apparently lost on her.

"I don't need to study it yet," Spark replied evenly, his tone carrying an unspoken confidence that he could master it quickly if necessary.

The tension at their table stood in stark contrast to the bustling activity of the dining hall around them, where other disciples chatted and laughed freely over their meals.

Flint blinked back to awareness, her gaze darting between Spark and Seedling. Had she missed something? The tension between them was palpable, like a drawn bowstring.

Looking for a distraction, her attention was caught by movement near the entrance. Four figures in distinctive gray-blue robes with purple trim stood out among the sea of Celestial Sword Sect disciples. Their sleeves gleamed with silver runes that seemed to shift in the light.

"Those people," Flint gestured subtly, "they're not from our sect, are they?"

Spark barely glanced in their direction before turning back, his golden eyes clouded with something darker than mere disinterest. "Don't know them," he muttered, his words clipped and shoulders tense.

But Seedling's ears perked up with curiosity, her previous antagonism forgotten. "Oh! Look at those crystal ear clips they're wearing! They're glowing!"

The four newcomers settled at the adjacent table, their trays laden with food. The shortest among them, a woman with short black hair, wearing rings on each finger of her hands, leaned in conspiratorially toward her companions.

"Did you hear?" she whispered, though not quietly enough. "Someone here at the Celestial Sword Sect was absorbing souls!"

Her three companions - two men and another woman - carried themselves with the bearing of seasoned cultivators. A man who appeared slightly older than a woman, wearing a jade crown on his head, with a clean-shaven chin and a short mustache on his upper lip, sat next to the young woman.

Another man’s shoulders were slightly hunched, who looked to be in his middle age. His eyes were partially hidden behind runic-inscribed crystal spectacles. Beside him sat a willowy woman whose hair was elegantly bound in a complex knot, secured by a silver hairpin inlaid with light-sensitive runes.

Though age was often deceptive among cultivators, their hierarchy was clear in the way the others deferred to the jade-crowned man. But it was the short-haired woman's words that had frozen the air around their table, turning Spark's expression to stone and causing Seedling's tail to bristle defensively.

The jade-crowned man spoke firmly, cutting through his companion's gossip. "We should not discuss such matters in another sect's territory." His voice carried the weight of authority, though the other man and woman at their table continued eating as if they hadn't heard.

His intervention seemed to ease some of the tension at Flint's table, but the short-haired woman wasn't ready to drop the subject.

"Oh, come on, Mr. Crystal!" she protested, her rings catching the light as she gestured animatedly. "Everyone's talking about it. I just heard it myself!" To prove her point, she turned toward Flint's table with an eager smile, waving her ring-adorned hand. "Hey there, Celestial Sword Sect friends! Have you heard about the person who was absorbing souls?"

Mr. Crystal's expression darkened further. "Raven, enough of this nonsense."

At Flint's table, Spark's clenched fist pressed against the wooden surface, his knuckles white with tension. He deliberately kept his gaze forward, refusing to acknowledge Raven's presence. Beside Flint, Seedling's purple vertical pupils fixed on Raven with such intensity that the short-haired woman felt a chill run down her spine.

Caught in the center of this brewing storm, Flint felt the pressure mounting. She took a deep breath, steadying herself before breaking the uncomfortable silence. "Um, actually... that was me," she admitted quietly. "But I didn't absorb any souls..."

The words hung in the air like suspended dust motes, and for a moment, the background noise of the dining hall seemed to fade away. Raven's eyes widened, her mouth forming a small 'o' of surprise as she realized the impact of her casual gossip.

Mr. Crystal's expression shifted from stern disapproval to sharp interest, though he maintained his composed demeanor. The hunched man with the crystal spectacles paused mid-bite, while the willowy woman's hand stilled over her bowl, her silver hairpin catching the light as she turned slightly to listen.

"It's... complicated," Flint began hesitantly, her fingers absently tracing patterns on the table. "I encountered cultivators who had absorbed souls, and I could sense the resentment force clinging to them..." She trailed off, realizing how convoluted her explanation sounded. "That's why they thought I was absorbing souls."

Raven's eyes widened with skepticism. "But that's not what I heard! They're saying you accidentally triggered some mechanism from The Abyssal Pavilion and absorbed the souls of several Adept-Level disciples!" She leaned forward, her voice dropping to a conspiratorial whisper, rings glinting as she gestured. "They're saying that's how you jumped straight to Middle Initiative!"

"It took me five whole years to reach Middle Initiative! Five years!" Raven emphasized, splaying all five fingers. Each finger bore at least one ring, with her index finger sporting two. The rings appeared to be made of simple steel with a silvery finish, lacking any ornate decoration.

"Um..." Flint struggled to find the right words to explain.

"Enough!" Spark's fist crashed down on the table, causing their dishes to rattle. He turned to Raven, his golden eyes blazing. "Keep your mouth shut. None of those people, including yourself, know what really happened."

Raven's attention suddenly shifted as she caught a clear view of Spark's face from her position. Her eyes widened with delight. "Such beautiful golden eyes!" she exclaimed, the unexpected comment cutting through the tense atmosphere and leaving both tables momentarily bewildered.

Before anyone could react, Raven darted closer to Spark, who instinctively leaned back. As her ring-adorned hand reached toward his face, Spark caught her wrist in a firm grip.

"What the hell do you think you're doing?" Spark demanded, his other arm creating a defensive barrier.

Undeterred, Raven crouched to study his eyes more closely. "Like crystal and amber mixed together... must be priceless..." she mused professionally.

Her free hand somehow slipped past Spark's guard, fingers grazing his cheek. "And such fine skin texture..."

"Damn it, would you stop that!" Spark batted away her wandering hand, growing increasingly flustered.

From across the table, Seedling watched with barely concealed amusement. "You should know, sister, he's not human - he's a spiritual beast, an Inferno Wolf."

This revelation only intensified Raven's fascination. Breaking free from Spark's grip, she cupped his face with both hands. "Really? That makes it even better!"

Her hands moved to pat his head. "Where are your ears?"

"Are you insane?!" Spark exploded, his patience wearing dangerously thin.

"Could you transform partway for me?" Raven requested eagerly. "Just the ears and tail, but keep this handsome face?"

Flint observed the scene quietly, mentally disagreeing. Actually, he's much cuter as a full wolf, she thought to herself.

Seeing Spark's speechless indignation, Raven quickly added, "I'll pay you!"

That was the final straw. Spark erupted, "Do I look like I need your damn money?! Get your damn hands off me!"

Raven returned to her seat with an exaggerated look of despair. The hunched man and willowy woman across from her seemed unsurprised by her antics, while Mr. Crystal merely offered a brief rebuke: "Show some restraint."

"But this is the first man I've ever offered to pay!" Raven lamented in a theatrical voice, clearly meant to carry to Spark's ears. "Usually, I only discuss matters of the heart..."

Spark's brow furrowed deeper as he glanced at Flint's silent figure across the table. She must be angry, he thought glumly.

But... but why didn't she stop that crazy woman? The thought only darkened his mood further.

Finally, Spark broke the silence, "Flint, about what just happened with that woman..."

Raven's dramatic voice floated over again: "Oh, so the first man~ I've ever offered to pay~ already has a girlfriend~ I'm so~ devastated~"

Noting Flint's distant expression, a glint of mischief flickered in Raven's eyes before she added softly: "But is she really your girlfriend?"

The question hung in the air like a lead weight. Spark felt his heart sink as the implications hit him. It was true - he'd never properly confessed his feelings, and Flint had never clearly responded to his advances. What exactly were they to each other?

The question lingered, heavy and unanswered in the air. Usually, Spark never felt the need to define their relationship so precisely. His cultivation level now lagged behind Flint's, and he had already decided to postpone any formal declaration until he was stronger - until he had the power to protect her properly. With his Transcendent spirit root, advancing to Master level would be straightforward, granting him several centuries of life. There seemed no rush to put their feelings into words.

But Raven's casual question had shattered his careful reasoning. Suddenly, desperately, he wanted - needed - to hear Flint's answer. His chest rose and fell with quickening breaths as he stared into her obsidian eyes, his gaze so intense that Flint shifted uncomfortably. Only then did she realize, belatedly, that Spark was waiting for her to say something.

Before Flint could form any response, Spark abruptly stood up, his dining tray clutched tight in his hands.

"Spark..." Flint's voice trailed off uncertainly, not understanding his sudden movement.

His teeth nearly broke the skin of his lower lip as he wrestled with his emotions. Finally, in a voice so low it seemed dragged from the depths of his throat, he managed, "I understand." Without another word, he turned and walked away, leaving only Flint and Seedling at the table.

"Holy crap, why'd he leave like that?" Raven stared after Spark's retreating figure, her rings catching the light as she gestured with her chopsticks.

"Damn it, I'm not even done eating!" She quickly turned back to her beef bowl, shoveling rice into her mouth at an impressive speed. Though her eyes still flickered longingly toward the direction Spark had disappeared, she wasn't about to waste perfectly good food. Her rings clinked against her bowl as she ate with single-minded determination, managing to look both regretful and ravenous at the same time.

The silver runes on her sleeves pulsed faintly as she moved, creating an almost comical contrast between her elegant Mystic Enigma Pavilion robes and her decidedly inelegant eating habits.

"At least let me finish my food first, you gorgeous wolf!" she muttered between mouthfuls, earning a long-suffering sigh from Mr. Crystal at her side.