Three Years Later

The Fei family, Cold Cloud Peak. Cold Cloud Peak was the highest summit along the northern shore. Rich in spiritual energy and covered in pines and cypresses, it had been held by the Fei family for countless years. They had fortified it into an iron fortress; with Fei Wangbai presiding over it, even a cultivator at late Foundation Establishment would be hard-pressed to breach its defenses. The heights were covered in year-round snow, glistening everywhere. Having long since cultivated the third wheel of Embryonic Breathing, Fei Tongxiao was light on his feet and could run across the snow without leaving a trace. After dashing through the drifts for a while, a small courtyard appeared before him. It was neatly coated in white lacquer, and two pots of wintersweet stood before the entrance, trembling faintly in the wind. Fei Tongxiao caught his breath slightly and stopped carefully upon the flagstones outside the gate. Straightening his clothes and headwear, he knocked twice in measured raps, calling out clearly, “Sister Qinghong!” Fei Tongxiao waited two breaths before the courtyard gate opened with a creak. Out stepped a young girl of fifteen or sixteen, dressed in white robes. Her smiling eyes curved like autumn crescents, and a sheen of sweat glistened on her brow. A strip of white cloth was tied around her waist to keep her flowing clothes from catching on her spear, which only accentuated how slender it was, easily encircled in a single grasp. “Junior Brother!” Li Qinghong’s bright eyes met Fei Tongxiao’s gaze, making him drop his head as though scorched, leaving him staring at the brown deerskin boots trimmed with white fur on her feet. Li Qinghong propped her spear against the ground and chuckled. “Have you come to spar with me again?” Fei Tongxiao nodded obediently. Seeing her beaming smile, the corners of his mouth couldn't help curling up, and he asked softly, “Has Sister Qinghong had some good news?” Li Qinghong casually grabbed his hand and pulled him into the courtyard, crunching two patches of snow beneath their feet as she laughed. “Yesterday, I broke through to the Yujing Wheel and gave birth to spiritual sense! I've reached the fifth layer of Embryonic Breathing.” Fei Tongxiao felt only the warmth of her hand. Li Qinghong had just finished practicing her spear routines and was radiating heat, which made him flush red to the ears. He stepped dazedly into the courtyard, taking several breaths to recover even after she let go of his hand. “The Yujing Wheel?! Sister Qinghong, it has only been three years since you came to Cold Cloud Peak, right? Back then you were only at the third layer of Embryonic Breathing... To break through two layers in just three years is truly incredible.” Li Qinghong chuckled softly at his praise and replied, “You are only two months younger than me, Junior Brother, yet you are still at the third layer of Embryonic Breathing. You need to apply yourself more.” “Of course I can't compare to Sister Qinghong!” Fei Tongxiao nodded with a grin. Li Qinghong raised a slender hand and brandished the spear in her grasp, saying with a smile, “I’d actually like to spar with you again. I’ll only use the strength of the third layer of Embryonic Breathing, so I won't bully you.” With that, the red tassel danced and the spear darted forth like a dragon, thrusting straight toward Fei Tongxiao. Over the past three years, Fei Tongxiao had sparred with Li Qinghong countless times. Her footwork was nimble and her spearplay followed a fluid, yielding style. Fei Tongxiao thrust his spear forward, using strength to overcome finesse, parrying Li Qinghong’s spear aside before twisting his hands to push his spear toward her. Li Qinghong had studied under Fei Wangbai for three years. Though she had not been taught the Fei family’s prized Rank Three spear technique, Swimming Dragon's Returning Shadow, she had mastered seventy to eighty percent of the other routines. While her current spearplay was not yet extraordinary, it was more than enough to face an enemy. Stepping back, she sent her spear leaping up, thrusting toward Fei Tongxiao like a venomous serpent. Fei Tongxiao took a lateral step to dodge the thrust and transitioned into a sweeping strike aimed low. To his surprise, Li Qinghong shifted her footwork and slipped past the spear’s shadow like a phantom. Pressing in closer, her spear swept down toward Fei Tongxiao’s face. “What?!” Shock filled Fei Tongxiao’s heart. He had no idea how she had miraculously bypassed his spearplay. He had no choice but to hastily pull back his weapon and retreat, narrowly dodging the blow. Pressing her advantage relentlessly, Li Qinghong rained strike after strike upon him. Fei Tongxiao was forced into a steady retreat. After deflecting dozens of moves, he raised his spear in mild frustration. A hazy layer of grey qi enveloped the spear, and a single strike sent Li Qinghong’s spear recoiling back. Li Qinghong watched his technique closely, then drew back her spear and stood at ease, not in the least annoyed. She said with a smile, “*Swimming Dragon's Returning Shadow* truly lives up to its reputation as a Rank Three spear technique. Remarkable indeed.” Muttering under his breath, Fei Tongxiao put his spear away. Filled with curiosity, he looked at her and asked, “Sister Qinghong, how did you evade my spear technique earlier?” Li Qinghong chuckled softly and raised her chin slightly, answering, “My family possesses a movement technique called *River-Crossing Torrent Steps*. It is exceptionally profound. I haven't fully mastered it yet—I've only grasped a move or two—but even that proves tremendously useful.” “So it was a movement technique!” Fei Tongxiao had already suspected as much, and now having it confirmed, he nodded with a touch of envy. “My grandfather once told me that Senior Tongya possessed a remarkable movement technique. It must be that very art.” Li Qinghong chatted with him for a moment longer. Seeing that time was drawing on, she saw Fei Tongxiao out of the courtyard. Raising her spear, she closed her eyes in contemplation, recalling the moment Fei Tongxiao had executed *Swimming Dragon's Returning Shadow*. She murmured to herself, “Spear radiance... just how does one cultivate it?” After pondering for a while, Li Qinghong fetched brush and ink from her room, setting down all the insights she had gained today. Carefully putting away the silk parchment, she thought to herself, *There is no chance I will ever learn Swimming Dragon's Returning Shadow here. I have already learned seventy to eighty percent of their ordinary spearplay; the rest is just the grinding effort of honing the forms. My cultivation has also reached the fifth layer of Embryonic Breathing. With another two years of polishing to break through the final wheel, I can begin building up toward Qi Refinement.* Li Qinghong wiped her spear clean, set it onto its rack, and muttered, “I wonder how Grand-uncle is doing... and whether Father has broken through to Qi Refinement. Tomorrow, I should write a letter to inquire about things back home.” She then carefully shut the courtyard gate, swept the snow from the yard, and finally climbed onto her couch, closing her eyes and crossing her legs to cultivate. *** Meanwhile, outside the courtyard, the cold wind and snow stung the sweat on Fei Tongxiao’s body, causing him to shiver. Fortunately, with his cultivation at the third layer of Embryonic Breathing, he was in no danger of catching a chill. Circulating his magical power, he banished the cold in an instant. Walking briskly for a time, Fei Tongxiao soon saw a figure standing before his own courtyard with hands clasped behind his back. The man wore fluttering white robes, possessed an elegant demeanor and handsome features, and stood there with his eyes closed. At the sight of him, Fei Tongxiao quickly shrank his neck and approached hesitantly, murmuring in a low voice, “Father...” Fei Yihe slowly opened his eyes. He was Fei Wangbai’s eldest son, his cultivation also at the peak of Qi Refinement. Wearing a subtle expression, he spoke. “You went to see that girl again.” “Yes...” Fei Tongxiao answered nervously, explaining, “I only went to spar with her.” Fei Yihe shook his head. Now in his fifties, he had lived through that age himself; how could he not see through Fei Tongxiao’s thoughts? He sighed and said earnestly, “Xiao'er, I have seen Li Qinghong as well. Her mind is entirely devoted to cultivation and spearplay, without the slightest inclination toward romance. You had better rein in your thoughts.” Fei Tongxiao nodded silently. Seeing this, Fei Yihe knew the boy had not taken his words to heart. Looking at his bowed head, Fei Yihe thought, *Li Qinghong has a graceful figure and bright, captivating eyes. I only hope this boy is merely infatuated with her beauty and will tire of it after a few years, rather than having fallen genuinely in love.* Fei Tongxiao remained silent with his head down. Pained by his son's dejection, Fei Yihe asked, “What is Li Qinghong’s cultivation level now?” “The fifth layer of Embryonic Breathing, the Yujing Wheel.” Fei Yihe raised an eyebrow in slight astonishment, his voice deepening. “Another breakthrough! She is only sixteen years old; she can truly be counted a genius!” A thought stirred in Fei Yihe’s mind. Looking at his youngest son's crestfallen state, he murmured, “When the time comes, I could make an appeal to the Li family for you. Yet with talent like hers, our family could never allow you to marry into theirs as a matrilocal son-in-law. To even propose it would merely harm relations between the two families. Your grandfather will never agree.” Fei Tongxiao finally looked up, his expression unchanged, and said calmly, “Father, say no more.”