“Yanyue, Shadow, approach,” Yao Shen softly requested, as he sealed the Heart Cleansing Sea-Pearl with a flourish of his hand.

A dazed Yanyue trailed behind her senior sister, Shadow, whose expression remained as impassive as usual. As one attuned to the Water Element, even Yao Shen’s domain could not obfuscate the spike in Water Qi she had felt moments earlier, the purity so unnaturally high that Yanyue struggled to describe the experience. She had merely taken a glimpse at the blue orb held in her Master’s right hand out of curiosity, not expecting an almost magnetic sense of attraction to ensnare her as the Water Qi within her thrummed in resonance— only breaking out of the trance when Yao Shen resealed the orb.

Yanyue realized that she had covered the distance across the hall and was now standing in front of her Master, her mouth slightly agape as she stared at the sealed box with a mix of wonderment and caution.

“Master… what is that?” The question slipped out of Yanyue’s mouth before she could second guess herself, sheer curiosity superceding any sense of propriety she felt in that moment.

Yanyue’s question brought a mischievous smile on Yao Shen’s face as his fingers lightly drummed on the box’s surface, before he answered, “This is the reason behind the Xue Family’s continued hegemony. Or at least, a part of it.”

“Master?” Yanyue stuttered in disbelief, any instinctive desire she felt for the orb turning into revulsion. She could not understand how her Master had a prized possession of the Xue Family in his possession, unless…

‘“This is the gift I have prepared for you,” Yao Shen replied, his words spoken with the dignity of a Patriarch— firm and domineering at the same time.

“M-Master… this… I can’t accept this….,” Yanyue’s pupils dilated in shock as she took long, deep, breaths in an attempt to calm her pacing heartbeat— the selfish yearning for the sea-blue orb once again rekindling in her chest. A cultivator could naturally sense treasures that resonated with their element, and Yanyue struggled to imagine the benefit it could bring to her cultivation— she would hardly be considered a water cultivator if she were not drawn to a natural treasure that stood at the very pinnacle of her Dao. But the Xue Family’s heirloom had to be at least at the Nascent Soul level while she, a mere foundation establishment disciple, was not even qualified to know of its existence, let alone dream of monopolizing it.

“Why? Do you believe yourself to be unworthy of such consideration?” Yao Shen asked, his intention not to mortify Yanyue, but instead take measure of her resolve.

Yanyue fell silent as she pondered upon her master’s question, resisting the urge to give into her nervous tics. Yanyue would be lying if she claimed not to be overwhelmed by the situation, and a part of her wished to reply in affirmative— she was a fairly unremarkable inner disciple who had been stagnating in her cultivation for the past few years, and gifting an honorary disciple such a priceless treasure could hardly be a common occurrence. Would claiming herself worthy not be presumptuous?

Perhaps Yanyue would have done so, had she not been continuously reminding herself of her new station. She was an honorary disciple of a Soul Emperor, the most powerful existence in the Azlak Plains, and her master was unlikely to expect a self-depricating response. Was it a test, then? Or was it a gentle nudge in her direction, prompting her to be more ambitious? More boisterous? Was she expected to be like her senior brother Duyi, who had revealed himself to be a body cultivator, of all things? Mayhaps not to that extent, but Yanyue knew that her actions would reflect on her master’s reputation from the moment he accepted her as a disciple.

“I do not believe myself unworthy, Master, since it is a prized possession of the Xue Family. No gift could be more fitting,” Yanyue answered with grace, the words flowing out with ease as she drew upon her hatred of the Xue Family for strength. “ However, Master, the knowledge that the Xue Family has finally been held accountable for its actions is more than enough for this disciple. I would be gratified if the treasure went to one better equipped to utilize it,” Ultimately, Yanyue could not bear to accept such a valuable gift and she did not wish to appear covetous in front of her fellow disciples— the debt she had accrued to Yao Shen was already more than what she could repay in this lifetime.

Yao Shen’s expression remained calm, but inwardly he was surprised at how thoughtful Yanyue’s answer was— by claiming herself worthy, she honored his own reputation as her master. By highlighting her enmity with the Xue Family, she proved that the safety and comfort of his abode had not dampened her resolve. And lastly, Yao Shen was not surprised by her refusal— not even his first disciple had received such an extravagant gift until date. But if Yanyue wished to catch up to the trio, the Sea-Pearl was an opportunity she could not afford to pass up on.

“You seem to misunderstand, child,” Yao Shen lightly shook his head, before continuing,”I did not seize this Heart Cleansing Sea-Pearl from the Xue Family. Neither was I in a position to punish the Xue Family without creating internal strife within the sect. The sole reason why I have the Heart Cleansing Sea-Pearl in my possession is you.”

“Why?” Yanyue asked, completely taken aback by the revelation. Her Master, as Patriarch of the Sect, would not lie to her, but she could not puzzle out how her insignificant actions could force Dongmei Xue to do anything.

“I merely offered her a trade— your testimony for the Xue Family’s Heart Cleansing Sea-Pearl. Dongmei Xue accepted,” Yao Shen casually explained, stunning both Yanyue and Duyi, who was eavesdropping on their conversation.

“I… ,” Yanyue felt obligated to say something, but the words abandoned her at the last moment. She was torn between gratitude for her master’s actions and the slight sense of betrayal that gnawed at her from the inside, but mostly it was just confusion at why Dongmei Xue had accepted such an unfavorable trade.

“I understand why you feel conflicted, Yanyue. There is still much you do not understand about the sect’s inner workings, but I have a feeling that it will not remain that way for long. Are you curious why Dongmei Xue accepted my proposal?”

Yanyue nodded.

“As you well know, a healer is an invaluable resource in any sect. In the Heavenly Sky Sect, our healing techniques are predominantly based upon the water element, it’s supple, nourishing nature making it ideal for regeneration and rejuvenation of the physical body. Conversely, those same properties make Water Qi far more challenging to effectively wield in combat, more potent elements like Fire and Wind easily overwhelming Water Qi in direct clashes. And as time progresses, many healers grow comfortable behind the secure walls of the sect, rewarded amply for their contributions. Dongmei Xue is an exception to that trend, as competent a fighter as she is a healer, but most, upon reaching a bottleneck, become contented with their privileged lives— knowing their protection would be prioritized in times of crisis. Do you see now, why the Xue Family guards their reputation so fiercely?”

“I think I do, Master,” Yanyue replied thoughtfully, as she tried to look past the bias she held for the Xue Family.

“One’s reputation precedes them among the Righteous Path, and this saying particularly rings true for the Xue Family, for its primary reliance is not martial might or a powerful cultivation technique…. but rather the goodwill they had accrued generation after generation, carefully crafting an honorable and virtuous image within the Heavenly Sky Sect—- which served as a banner for its allies to rally under. To touch the Xue Family is equivalent to offending every disciple, guardian and elder who had, or whose ancestors had, once received their life-saving treatment,” Yao Shen finally divulged the reason why he was so hesitant to shed all pretenses with the Xue Family,

“But Master, why not choose to expose the Xue Family for what they truly are?” Yanyue struggled to keep emotion out of her tone, but ultimately managed— her Master had given her no reason to doubt his intentions, but she still needed to know why,

“Because, child, as much as I understand your desire for revenge, it was not enough. The Xue family does not offend the powerful, and the powerful are not inclined to criticize those who may, one day, decide whether they would live or die. Dongmei Xue did not wish for the Xue family’s reputation to be tarnished under her rule and for that she was willing to pay the price. But that aside, even if the recording stone was enough to irreparably damage the Xue Family’s reputation, Dongmei Xue could not be exiled— for there is simply no healer left in the sect who was qualified to lead the Healing Hall," Yao Shen did not withhold the truth from Yanyue, but his statement only held true for the current Heavenly Sky Sect.

"However, Yanyue, the true reason behind my actions has little to do with pragmatism," Yao Shen plucked the box from the table and held in Yanyue's direction. "I simply choose to believe in the future, while the legacy families remain fixated upon the idea of restoring their former glory. I choose to believe in you, Yanyue, like my master had once chosen to believe in me. If you desire to see Dongmei Xue exiled, then strive to become the alternative— the Heart Cleansing Sea-Pearl alone is far from enough, but it an irreplaceable first step in your journey," Yao Shen offered, already having ascertained his disciples' resolved— choosing to phrase it as an investment as opposed to a gift, the only way he saw Yanyue accepting it without feeling burdened and providing her with a goal at the same time.

Yanyue struggled to hold back the tears as her small hands gingerly wrapped around the box, bowing deeply to Yao Shen immediately after.