Evening had passed and twilight hung over the White Crane sect. Not that Daniel could tell with his head buried in his pillow. After a terrible time trying to find someone to just help him out, he’d consigned himself to his room and inevitable fate as a disappointment.

The only sound that could be heard was a light rumbling. It came from Daniel’s stomach. He turned around and groaned in frustration as he debated getting out of bed to get himself a meal. Judging by the time, the dining hall had probably closed. With a final sigh, Daniel shut his eyes and tried to let sleep bring an end to his day. Alas, sleep would not come easily.

A series of quick raps at the door forced his eyes open. Daniel considered telling whoever was there to piss off, but the heavenly aroma wafting into his hut filled his mouth with saliva rather than curses.

“Come in, it’s open!” he shouted from his spot, barely managing to sit himself up by the time the door opened.

In walked a girl who Daniel remembered from earlier that day. How could he forget the numerous guys in his class staring at her, the popular girl, Li Feng?

“H-hello Daniel,” she mumble-whispered, averting her eyes towards the ground as a shade of red formed on her pale, porcelain-colored face. Her hair was done in an intricate tie around a single red chopstick, and she wore what looked to Daniel like a set of loose pajamas that sagged along her shoulders, revealing plenty of cleavage and leg.

“Hey,” he replied, eyes locked on the most appetizing part of the sight before him; the tray of food Li Feng was holding, the source of the wonderful smell.

“This one noticed you were not at the grand dining hall, and was concerned you might be hungry.” Li Feng set down the tray in front of Daniel. “If you are hungry, please feel free to eat-”

Daniel immediately grabbed a bowl and spoon from the tray and began gobbling down the cabbage dumplings floating in fish soup. Errant drops of broth flew from his face, splattering Li Feng’s dress. Her eye only twitched once as a particularly large glob of chili oil from the dish stained her immaculate white robes with a sizable orange splotch.

“Oh, shorry,” said Daniel, looking up from his meal. “Did you want shome too?”

“This one is grateful for your kindness,” she said, picking up a bowl for herself while taking an elegant sip.

Daniel swallowed everything in his mouth with a single, large gulp. “What are you talking about, you’re the one who brought this food in the first place! It’s really good, by the way, so thanks!”

Li Feng simply nodded, her eyes never wandering from the sect’s latest disciple.

In mere minutes, Daniel had cleared the soup and dumplings, along with the plate of roasted vegetables and barbecued slices of meat also present.

“So, what’s up?” Daniel finally asked with a contented smile.

“The roof and sky are above us,” Li Feng said slowly.

“Ha! I mean, what are you doing here? Wait, I mean how can I help you?” his smile turned sheepish. “Like, why did you bring me all this food? I’m super grateful, but you didn’t seem particularly interested in me during class.”

“This one has always been interested in you!” she said, affronted, placing a hand to her chest. Her gasping expression slowly turned into another blush as she looked towards the floor and then back at Daniel. Each change happening one at a time, in consecutive order, as if part of a checklist. “This one has simply been trained in the art of stealth, so of course you would not notice.” She let out a small giggle, also as if it was in time with an inaudible beat.

“Yeah, that’s fair,” nodded Daniel. “I mean with all of the other magical kung fu stuff you’ve all been throwing around, that’s nowhere near the biggest surprise I’ve had today.”

Li Feng stared right into Daniel’s eyes with the ferocity of a roaring tiger. He momentarily flinched as Li Feng took the opportunity to let her gown fall off one shoulder, bite her lip, and bring about a sparkle in her eyes that was all Daniel could see in the dim light of his twilit hut. “But now it is time this one stops trying to hide it, and shows you how interested this one really is.”

Daniel’s eyes widened as his eyes went down to her shoulder, chest, and then back to Li Feng’s eyes. “Woah, you mean like sex?!”

“Y-yeah, that is what this one means…”

“Hold on, we’re going to need protection.”

“The armory is locked up at this time of night.”

“What? No, I mean like condoms! So I won't get you pregnant!”

“You don’t have to worry about those,” Li Feng replied, somehow making her eyes sparkle brightly enough to make Daniel squint.

“And why not?” he asked, creasing his eyebrows to match.

“This one is infertile, unable to have kids, so you do not have to worry.”

Daniel took a long, deep breath and let it out in an even longer exhale. “My mom told me that any girl my age who says she’s infertile as an excuse to do it raw is full of shit.”

“This one has already used the restroom and cleaned up thoroughly before-”

“I mean you’re lying. I’m not buying it.” Daniel crossed his arms and glared at Li Feng.

The sparkles faded to darkness, yet the same seductive expression on her face remained frozen in place. The two stared silently at each other for several seconds before Li Feng’s facade began to crack. The blush disappeared next and then her mouth twisted into a teeth-baring snarl.

“H-how dare you!” she all but screamed as her vision went white and a different scene began to play out before her.

…

A young child who had never known her parents wandered the streets, in search of whatever scraps could fill her crying belly.

…

A group of men, clad in dark robes and face masks, holding a sweet smelling hand out to her. Promises of food, shelter, and something she never knew she needed; purpose.

…

Countless medical procedures endured with nothing but a bottle of foul tasting moonshine as an anesthetic. Surgery to her arms, legs, and chest to correct the harm of a childhood on the streets, and to prevent her from bringing a new child into the world to endure the same.

…

Training in the study of stealth, the ways of bringing death, and the art of seduction. At least, as effectively as a twelve year old could be taught in terms they understood. Motions, personal decorations, and words that would bring any man’s guard down, and end his life shortly after.

…

The local lord’s soldiers storming her saviors’ hidden compound, killing everyone inside. Her second chance at life crumbling before her eyes. But, a glimmer of hope. One of the soldiers, no- a guest cultivator, reaching out with an offer to join him and his sect, to be a tool to protect the Emperor’s Southern territories.

…

Li Feng came to, finding herself still staring at Daniel, never having uttered a word during her flashback. Tears fell from her burning eyes that she wiped them away with a sniffle.

“Oh my god, I’m so sorry, I didn’t mean it like that!” exclaimed Daniel, holding out his hands in a defensive apology. “I mean, don’t you think it’s a bit early for sex? We barely even know each other, so maybe we can take it slowly instead? How about a date?”

“A-a date?” asked Li Feng, wiping away some snot on her robes. They were Elder Lang Tao’s anyway, and he expected them to get dirty. “Yes, that would work.” She let out a melancholic sigh.

“What’s wrong? It doesn’t sound like you’re too happy for it.”

“That is not it!” she replied defensively. She needed something, anything to bring back to Elder Lang Tao. “It is just that… this one was hoping to make you happy. With me, and this sect.”

“I’d be happy if someone could actually teach me around here.”

“Is our instructor not effective? This one finds his teaching style for Awakened disciples to be incredibly so.”

“Yeah, for Awakened disciples, but I’m not even that! I don’t know any of your forms, how to work with chi, or even how to hold my own in a fight! I didn’t even know chi was a thing until this morning!”

“You have not awakened your chi core yet? And the elders put you in an Awakened class?!” This time, Li Feng looked affronted on Daniel’s behalf.

“Uh huh. And I spent all afternoon trying to fix that. The meditation circle wouldn’t even talk to me when I asked them how they do things, and apparently a chi awakening pill costs half a year’s salary!”

“Hm… perhaps this one could be of assistance? Before long, you will be able to hold your own in class. This one guarantees it.”

“You really think you could do something? Thank you! Seriously, I owe you big time for this.”

“It is I who should be thanking you,” Li Feng said with a smile and short bow.

Her grin was equal parts grateful and relieved. Daniel smiled back, thankful that he’d found someone who had his back. Maybe his time with the White Crane sect wouldn’t be so bad after all, now that he’d made a new friend?