Soft light filtered through the canopy above, dappling the emerald-green grasses waving gently across the glade. The rich smell of vanilla and sandalwood filled the air, wafting from a large tree who's gnarled, silver-hued trunk thrust up out of the center of the clearing.

The leaves of the large tree rustled in the wind, causing the light to dance, tiny spots of illumination swaying across the two boys who stood in the clearing.

One wore dirty white robes that were stained and streaked with blood, filled with holes and torn embroidery. Despite that, his well-muscled form stood tall, emitting a dense aura. His eyes flashed, promising violence.

The other wore thick red robes that appeared sweltering in the jungle heat. A long pole hung over his back, and his dark black hair was cut short, to avoid blinding his eyes. He was handsome, in a roguish way, although right now his dark eyes were serious, containing none of the charm you might expect.

Yu Chen’s palms began sweating as he observed the strange boy. His breath rose, and his heart beat faster, signs his body was preparing itself for a fight.

“You’re not from a sect?” Yu Chen asked.

The other boy maintained eye contact, but didn’t reply, so Yu Chen took a few steps to the side, slowly circling around him. The other boy turned as he did so, keeping Yu Chen in his vision.

“You’re not from one of those demonic sects, are you?” Yu Chen asked doubtfully as he looked over the boy.

He had to ask, although the boy didn’t give off that feeling. Indeed, Cang Wuji’s face flushed red, anger overtaking him.

“No, I am not from a sect, nor do I practice demonic arts. I’m the disciple of the late Tempest Sage of Baixian City!” the boy snapped, and Yu Chen noticed he was twisting a ring on his finger, out of some nervous habit perhaps.

Where the hell was Baixian City? Yu Chen thought. And who the hell is the Tempest Sage?

He thought about it for a second, before ignoring the questions.

“Have you seen anyone wearing robes like mine?” Yu Chen asked instead.

“You’re the first person I’ve seen.” Cang Wuji said, eyeing Yu Chen warily.

“Really?” Yu Chen replied, looking around doubtfully. “This place should be crawling with Foundation Establishment cultivators, but I haven’t sensed anyone either.”

Cang Wuji snorted, crossing his arms.

“What sort of piss poor sect have you crawled out of? You don’t know Qi Condensators are dropped into a different area from those in Foundation Establishment?”

Yu Chen scratched his head, embarrassed. Perhaps Ji Rong had mentioned it, and he hadn’t paid attention?

He gave a light cough, ignoring the question as he turned his attention back towards the large tree in the clearing.

“Do you mind sharing?” Yu Chen asked, casting a covetous gaze over the seedpods. Whatever they were, they’d surely be worth something back in the sect.

“Share?!” Cang Wuji shouted in outrage. “I risked my life fighting this damned thing,” He said, kicking the dead jaguar, “And you stroll in asking if I want to share?”

“It’s not like you own it,” Yu Chen said reasonably. “Besides, I fought a toad, and you don’t hear me bragging about it.”

Cang Wuji looked stupefied by Yu Chen’s logic.

“What does fighting a stupid toad have to do with anything? That jaguar was guarding the tree! I killed it, so I earned the reward.” Cang Wuji crossed his arms, staring defiantly at Yu Chen.

Yu Chen spread his hands. “You killed that cat, so naturally its corpse belongs to you. Spiritual treasures are different though, they don’t belong to anyone.”

Cang Wuji's face twisted into a scowl, and he spit to the side.

“Come on then.” He said, cracking his hands.

Yu Chen’s face broke out into a grin. He pushed, cycling his movement technique as he closed the distance between them. Cang Wuji’s eyes widened slightly, but he didn’t blink, slapping the other boy’s fist out of the air as it approached.

He reacted immediately, using the momentum from the misdirected blow to twist into a spinning heel kick, lashing out with his opposite leg. Cang Wuji’s eyes widened further as he cycled a movement technique of his own, taking two short steps back and pulling away from Yu Chen.

“Not bad!” Cang Wuji said conversationally, as Yu Chen lowered his outstretched foot.

This time Cang Wuji came forward, the air around his feet moving strangely as he used his movement technique to close the distance. His attacks flowed easily, one after the other, and it was clear the boy was a talented fighter. His attacks, much like Yu Chen’s, had surpassed the rigidity of whatever forms he’d studied. Still, Yu Chen could see the hints of them within his attacks. He found the other boy’s martial arts very strange, much different from the ones he’d learned.

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It wasn’t so easy to do away with their influence. His own attacks were still filled with many straight thrusts and kicks, as these sorts of attacks were foundational to the Iron Forms. They were integral to learning how to condense one’s qi, making your strikes more powerful.

Cang Wuji’s martial arts on the other hand, contained lots of spinning movements, each attack slowly building into an increasingly vicious storm of blows intended to overwhelm their opponent. Yu Chen wondered what the movements had been intended to teach.

A kick flew towards Yu Chen, and he ducked it, before leaning back as another leg came his way. A punch flew out and he stepped to the side. Each attack seemed to feed the next, empowering it.

To Yu Chen’s surprise an attack weaved through his guard, landing suddenly and striking with astonishing power. As if that wasn’t enough, Cang Wuji’s qi seemed to twist at impact, blasting Yu Chen away from him.

Yu Chen tumbled across the clearing before standing up, dusting himself off as he stared towards the other boy in astonishment. That blow had been filled with more than just the power of qi.

“You’re a body cultivator as well?” He asked, eyeing Cang Wuji in a new light.

“Of course!” Cang Wuji said proudly. “At least this much is expected from a disciple of the Tempest Sage.”

Yu Chen’s gaze sharpened, and his heart began heavily thumping. A slow grin spread across his face.

Without a second word he launched himself at Cang Wuji. He no longer held back, unleashing powerful blows filled with condensed qi at the other boy. Cang Wuji fought back, dodging Yu Chen’s strikes before surging into attacks of his own.

Yu Chen quickly realized that the boy could not be allowed to build momentum. He recognized some of the principles of Cang Wuji’s movements from the Crashing Wave Palm, although they weren’t quite the same.

The palm move emphasized conversing one's momentum, ebbing and flowing like the tide. On the other hand, Cang Wuji was more like a hurricane. If left unchecked, his momentum would steadily increase, growing into rampaging winds that threatened to swallow everything around him.

Even when dodging, he spun around Yu Chen’s blows, using every revolution of his body to increase his force.

Yu Chen roared as Cang Wuji’s attacks poured down upon him. He rotated his qi, giving up the back and forth, choosing to dive into the heart of the storm instead. A look of surprise crossed the other boy’s face as Yu Chen entered his space, driving a shoulder into him and halting his rhythm.

Yu Chen was in his element now, close and personal to the other boy. He felt most comfortable fighting in the tight spaces, where he could coil up and unleash pain with short sharp strikes. Two swift blows hammered into Cang Wuji’s ribs, and he bobbed, ducking an attack from the other boy before unleashing a vicious uppercut, smashing a fist into Cang Wuji’s jaw.

Cang Wuji faltered, his feet stumbling, and Yu Chen’s eyes flashed, a feeling of enlightenment descending upon him. He watched as the other boy reeled away from his blows, just far enough to -

Yu Chen’s arm coiled in upon itself, building tension throughout. His qi unconsciously spun through some strange pattern, demanding to be released and he unleashed it, dropping his shoulder and twisting his hip as his arm struck out towards Cang Wuji in a blow that felt remarkably close to the strike of a little snake he knew.

The other boy felt the sharp aura of sudden violence emanating from the fist and let out a mighty shout, circulating his qi and activating his movement technique as he attempted to slip out of the way, his eyes widening as the fist grew in his vision until it was the barest millimeter away from him.

He escaped Yu Chen’s attack by the thinnest margin, swiftly retreating across the clearing and taking deep breaths as he examined the other boy. The aura of violence around Yu Chen had dimmed, his eyes appearing strangely peaceful as he examined his fist, attempting to internalize the feeling that had come over him.

The moment stretched out, neither boy pressing the attack.

Cang Wuji gave Yu Chen a curious look, squatting down as he patiently waited for the moment to pass.

Yu Chen gave the boy a soft smile in return and closed his eyes, letting out a sigh as he tried to recall the movement his qi had taken.

He’d been so close. He’d almost had it but now it was out of reach.

There was just something missing.

He opened his eyes, smiling across at Cang Wuji.

His spirit reignited and he took a fighting stance, ready to continue their fight. Perhaps a few more rounds and he’d be able to find the feeling once more.

Cang Wuji held up his hand, stalling the other boy from attacking.

“You’re an interesting fellow Yu Chen.” He said, as he examined the other boy.

He cast a glance at the tree, considering, before looking at Yu Chen again.

“How about this? We are alone in this Secret Realm, but we don’t have to be. We could journey on together, sharing any fortuitous opportunities we find?”

“Beginning, of course, with this tree.”

Yu Chen only had to think about it for a moment.

“Ok.” He said, easily agreeing.

He wouldn’t have accepted if the other boy had been a weakling, but he’d found Cang Wuji to be a talented fighter, roughly equal to him in skill. He’d be a good friend to have beside you in a fight, and he could trust him to watch his back in this secret realm.

There was an old story that said through crossing blows with someone you could know their heart, and Yu Chen thought he’d come to an understanding of what sort of person Cang Wuji was.

The other boy was mercurial, his anger easily aroused until he raged like a storm, but despite that he would remain calm throughout, as unfazed as the eye of a hurricane. He was the steadfast and honorable sort, and Yu Chen knew he could find him trustworthy.

That’s what his fists had told him.

“What is that?” Cang Wuji said in surprise, interrupting Yu Chen’s moment of reverie.

“Hmm?” Yu Chen said, looking down to see what the boy was talking about. He chuckled. Lue She had poked her head out, making herself known now that the fight was over.

She was a sneaky thing, always prepared for an ambush.

“This is Lue She, my companion.” Yu Chen said, reaching in his robes to withdraw the snake before draping her over his neck for Cang Wuji to see.

Cang Wuji stared at the striped snake in fascination, and Lue She flicked her tongue at him in return, before closing her eyes, ignoring the two boys.

Their differences settled; they got to work harvesting the golden seedpods from the tree. By the time they finished collecting them all, Yu Chen had a large pile of pods a few kilos heavy, and he happily shoved them into his spatial pouch with a grin.

When he wasn’t looking, Cang Wuji’s pile had disappeared as well.

Finished, the two boys determined a new direction before setting out together.