Darkness. It had become Xu Long’s new constant companion, granted it wasn’t genuinely constant, in fact he had taken to making sure any of the sporadic lessons that he had with his mother were conducted outside during the day just so he could revel in the sunlight. Still the amount of time he spent blindfolded had placed a burden on his psyche that he had not anticipated, but never once did he consider doing away with it, the results were too spectacular.

Today was his 13th birthday, that meant, if he was remembering correctly, that he was coming up on 4 years since he began his journey through the Body Refinement Realm. Nearly 4 years of constant struggle, he had run through that heinous sequence of sword forms designed for Body Refinement more times than he could count, to the point that he had started to welcome Old Wu’s random interruptions of a blow with any one of an assortment of different weapon types, even when he started sensing them coming, they at least provided an excuse to break up the sequence, add a little spice.

Much to his chagrin though, he had to admit that it had a purpose. His body had undergone a total metamorphosis, he had gone from an extremely fit 9 year old to a 13 year old that could probably pass for 15, his height had shot up, but more salient to his Body Refinement trials and tribulations, his physique had shifted from extremely fit if a bit skinny to sculpted perfection. Not a single part of his body had been spared the tempering of Body Refinement, compact muscles like corded steel could be seen everywhere, but unlike the more burly and wide Old Wu, Xu Long retained a lithe dexterity about him, his features tended towards more graceful and balanced than menacing and bulky.

Sure, Xu Long was very proud of his physique, to the point that he could be found every now and then admiring his body in the reflection of the pond. But the results of his Body Refinement Realm journey that he valued above all else were the results from his sparring with Old Wu while blindfolded. In the beginning, it had just been an exercise in being beaten and struggling to survive until the next baptism in the pond, but step by step over the course of at least 2 years he had come to terms with his loss of vision in combat and adapted his other senses and instincts enough to compensate. That was the point that Old Wu’s declaration at the beginning of his Body Refinement journey became real for Xu Long, though probably not in the way the old man meant. The blindfold was his new best friend, amongst inanimate objects of course, couldn’t have Xu Xing finding out that he ever thought she was number 2 to anyone or anything…

He wasn’t sure if it was the removal of distractions, the honing of his other senses, or something else that he couldn’t even quantify, but being blindfolded while fighting had changed his swordsmanship, changed him. Now when he fought Old Wu with a blindfold over his eyes and a sword in his hand, he felt empty, like he wasn’t a young man wielding a sword with purpose and momentum, but a single entity that felt the world around it and simply reacted to the changes that came its way. Even though this way of fighting was very passive and obviously limited in utility, Xu Long could feel, just from taking a single step down this path, that a whole new world was opening up to him. Like most things that had to do with the sword he struggled to find words to describe it, he just felt, and followed what his heart told him.

He wasn’t sure if it was his birthday that was making him so sentimental and reflective or something else but he couldn’t help but reminisce about the last almost 4 years of his life as he lay in bed staring up at the night sky, which was slowly brightening as it gave way to the dawn. That was until he felt a tongue licking the side of his face and he knew that the fact that he was awake had been discovered. Without looking, he reached up to the side of his head and plucked the little pushy fur ball that was insisting on his attention and placed her on his chest so that they were looking eye to eye.

“Good Morning Xiao Xing, was that you wishing me a happy birthday?”

Although he knew that he wouldn’t receive a reply like the kind that her mother was capable of, his own mother had informed him that Xu Xing, while unable to communicate in such a manner for some time yet, almost certainly understands human speech and more than likely has since very early in her stay in the valley. And indeed in reply he received a happy little yip and a subsequent pounce to deliver more face licks.

Laughing and fending off his vicious attacker by finally picking her up and placing her back on his chest, Xu Long could hardly fathom that it had been almost four years going by the size of Xu Xing in his hands. Of course she had actually grown a little, obviously not much, but any gains she had made in her growth were dwarfed by Xu Long’s pubescent gains, it was to the point that to Xu Long it was difficult not to assume that she had actually shrunk, owing to the relative size difference. But grown she had, and not just in size but intellect and temperament as well, and in these facets her growth was monstrous. Xu Long was almost certain that Xu Xing was just as smart if not smarter than him and although she still liked to act the puppy, especially to disarm people with her charms, she could turn it off at the drop of a hat. In fact, her situation was quite incongruous, she was effectively a 4 year old spirit fox with the intellect and temperament of one much older, stuck in the body of a scarcely more than month old spirit fox.

Still none of that was remotely important to Xu Long, Xu Xing was his best friend and younger sister all rolled up into one, with all the unconditional love and certain mischief that that entailed. Mischief like right now as Xu Long’s daydreaming had presented an opportunity quickly pounced on, quite literally, by Xu Xing, and he found himself doubled over holding his groin following an expertly executed sneak attack. The culprit, nowhere to be seen, presumably on her way as quickly as her little legs could carry her, which was deceptively fast, to his mother’s side, her go to when she was looking to avoid retaliation.

As accustomed to pain as Xu Long had become over the last almost 4 years, that quick and intense shot of pain that was a hit to the nuts still caught him off guard, though his training did allow him to shrug off the pain pretty quickly. Knowing that chasing the wily fox was a fool’s errand, not to mention finding the whole thing somewhat comical and cute now that the acute and excruciating pain had passed, Xu Long sighed and lay back down to continue looking at the now fully dawn sky.

Looking up at the sky Xu Long pondered what to do with his morning now that he was certainly fully awake, when he realized that Xu Xing’s departure had left him alone in his grove with no impending Mother or Old Wu due for training any time soon, a situation that was both rare and by now had a well established traditional activity. Xu Long rolled over to the side of his bed and picked up a nondescript book that was leaning on the side.

He had read the book and studied the drawings extensively over the years and he had to admit to himself that while cultivation and the freedom it granted had always been the dream and driving force of his determination, lately he had found another motivation for pursuing cultivation with dedication, one which he found quite stimulating, meeting girls. Just as he was about to open the book…

“Long’er, I am coming in.”

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Possibly the fastest he had ever moved in his life Xu Long had the book back in place and was off his bed and headed for his robe that was hanging on the the corner of the privacy partition in front of his bed when his mother walked into the clearing with a small white spirit fox on her shoulder looking rather pleased with herself.

Giving her son and the grove an appraising look, “sorry Long’er, I assumed, given the actions of this little trouble maker that you were up and about and I wanted to come and wish you a happy birthday, now I get the impression that I have been used in an elaborate prank…” She finished, giving a look to Xu Xing that made the little spirit fox more than a little apprehensive.

Sighing, Xu Long replied as he slipped on his robe. “It’s alright Mother, thank you.”

His mother didn’t avert her gaze from the small spirit fox on her shoulder. “It seems like our little girl here has far too much time on her hands and is under stimulated. I think it is time to step up her education.” Taking a pause before changing her focus to Xu Long. “From now on she will be spending her nights with me.” Putting her index finger to her lips in thought. “Let’s make it 2 hours after dusk until 2 hours before dawn.”

Xu Xing looked more than a little distraught and she made a desperate jump towards Xu Long who fortunately for her, given her antics just a few minutes ago, was in a good mood today, he deftly caught her and held her to his chest as he gave her a few consoling pats.

“Xiao Xing, I know you like your freedom and you would prefer to play, but this is important.”

Betrayal! That was what was written all over Xu Xing’s little face as she stared at him and then tried to squirm out of his grip. But Xu Long held her firmly.

“Do you see the problem now, Xiao Xing. I am not very strong at all compared to Mother and Old Wu but I can force you to stay when you don’t want to. If you want true freedom where no one can tell you what to do, you need power. And Mother can show you how to get it.”

Xu Xing stopped squirming and looked at him, slightly squinting, unsure whether she was being tricked.

Xu Long just smiled in return. “Trust me.”

That sealed the deal for the little spirit fox and she nodded her head and motioned to be put down. She then walked proudly over to his mother acting like she had deigned to allow her to teach her.

Xu Long shook his head and then watched his mother, wondering how she was going to handle the troublesome fox. He got his answer pretty quickly.

She looked at her son. “Thank you for talking to her, Long’er.” Then looked at the spirit fox at her feet and continued. “However, it was completely unnecessary, there is nowhere that you can run to hide from me, little one.” Then with her mouth closed she continued talking, her eyes fixed on Xu Xing, her voice coming from a different location with each word. “In. This. Valley. I. Am. Everywhere.”

Xu Long stifled his laugh, he knew his mother was pouring it on thick, he looked at Xu Xing who was frozen in fear looking wide eyed at his mother and he knew that it had worked a treat. He also knew it was time to save Xu Xing, so he walked over and picked up the little spirit fox and placed her in the front of his robes, her eyes never left his mother.

Smiling at his mother. “How about I bring her to her first lesson tonight, Mother?”

Looking up from her staring competition with the petrified little fox, she smiled lovingly at her son. “Alright Long’er, bring her to my garden.”

Now that his mother’s attention was off Xu Xing he started petting her to calm her down as he and his mother continued to talk.

“Wu Zhong and I were going to tell you later this morning, but seeing as I am here now I may as well tell you about the changes to your schedule as well, Long’er.”

That peaked his interest. “Oh, what’s changing?”

“We have discussed your progress and we both agree that you have achieved the peak of the Body Refinement Realm, as much as anyone can reach the peak of a nebulous and unquantifiable pseudo realm anyway. In light of this we have decided that we will each take one day a week in which we dictate your lessons and the other 5 will be decided by you.”

Xu Long was speechless, he had never been given autonomy over his education before. As he was coming to terms with this revelation his mother continued.

“Just so you are aware, my time with you will be split between continuing your formation breaking classes, although at a much more subdued and infrequent pace, and introducing you to the theory and details of cultivation and introducing the cultivation technique that we are strongly suggesting you practice and why we are suggesting it.”

If Xu Long was speechless before, now he was just dumbfounded. Before his mother could plow on he forced himself to articulate his question. “You are actually going to allow me to learn a cultivation technique?”

“You are growing up Long’er, I would like to think that you are no longer an eager child who needs to be protected from his own impatience. The benefits of allowing you to study the theory of cultivation for a couple of years and have a firm knowledge base when you start cultivating is worth the risk of both you being among those able to cultivate early and you subsequently breaking my trust in you.”

Feeling the weight of those words, Xu Long looked into his mother’s eyes and knew in his heart that he would never do that. The moment between them passed in silence, neither needing to say out loud what they both knew.

A small smile on her face, his mother continued. “As for Wu Zhong, he will simply be using his day to maintain your position at the ‘peak’ of Body Refinement as you continue to grow, anticipating, as we all are, that the majority of your 5 days will be spent under his tutelage as well.”

A bitter smile on his face Xu Long asked. “Am I so predictable?”

His mother actually let go of a small laugh at that question. “Absolutely.”

She then walked up in front of him, which made Xu Xing flinch a little until he reassured her with more pets, and wrapped her arms around him in a big hug, speaking into his ear as she held the hug. “Happy Birthday Long’er, I am so proud of you, I can’t wait to see the man you will become.” She went to kiss his forehead and found that since they were now similar heights she had to angle his head down to get at his forehead.

“I will see you tonight when you drop off our little girl here.” Giving one last look and a reassuring pet to the little spirit fox, she walked out of the grove.

Xu Long had a silly grin on his face as he watched her leave, then he looked down at the slightly bewildered Xu Xing. “Mother is very powerful and unwavering Xiao Xing, but she loves us and only wants what is best for us. If you trust her and listen to what she says, you will be very powerful one day too, of that I have no doubt.”

The little spirit fox was looking back at him with an intensity he had not seen in her before, he got the feeling that this ordeal had been somewhat of a turning point for her, maybe she was growing up. That was until she started wiggling out of his robe to drop to the ground, and as she was falling actually went for a nut kick mid air on the way down. Fortunately Xu Long was no longer distracted like earlier and was able to dodge easily.

“Why you little…think you can get me twice in one day, dream on.” He then started chasing the mischievous little fox who had taken off as soon as she hit the ground, looking back tauntingly and letting out a few happy yips for good measure.