Meanwhile, in the quiet bathhouse of Shrouded Peak, Elena sat in the warm water, Lianhua nestled against her side. Steam curled around them, a thin veil that softened the edges of the moment. Months had passed since she arrived at Shrouded Peak, yet the emptiness inside her had not faded. No amount of care or comfort had filled the void that loss had carved into her heart.
But here, in these quiet moments with Lianhua, something stirred within her. The small girl hummed softly as she played with the water, clutching the little wooden boat that Ren had carved for her. It reminded Elena of another time, another child—her own son, long gone. She used to do this with him, guiding his tiny hands through the water, laughing as he splashed carelessly.
Now, she merely watched, her fingers tracing patterns in the bath as Lianhua babbled about her teddy bear and the adventures it had in her dreams. For the first time in a long while, Elena allowed herself a small, fleeting smile. The little girl giggled, splashing water playfully, her carefree joy momentarily shattering the stillness of the room. Elena's gaze softened as she reached out, gently tucking a strand of wet hair behind Lianhua's ear.
For the first time ever since becoming a slave, she felt something close to warmth. Yet, as she watched the child's innocent happiness, a familiar ache tightened in her chest. Her vision blurred slightly—her own eyes turning glassy. She had done this before. With her child. A child she would never hold again.
Meanwhile, back in Atlas's room, silence filled the air. The others had left, leaving him alone, watching through the open window as Meilin sparred with Yan Shuren in the courtyard below. It was a stark contrast to the last time he had seen her—then, she had been a ragdoll, tossed and broken. Now, she stood her ground, her movements sharp, determined. She was fighting back against the man second only to Daokan himself. And while Atlas knew Yan was holding back, barely exerting any real strength, he could see it in his stance—the measured ease in his movements.
Even so, Meilin was putting up a damn good fight.
His thoughts were interrupted when the door creaked open. Elena entered, Lianhua clutching her hand tightly, the child's steps light but confident. Elena's expression was still distant, but something in the way she carried herself seemed... different.
"Can we talk?" she asked.
Atlas, in typical fashion, smirked despite the pain still lacing his body.
"Depends. Are you here to finally admit I'm a genius, or do you just want to bask in my overwhelming presence?"
Lianhua giggled, shaking her head.
"No, silly! I wanted to talk about how much I've learned! So many things have changed since we got here. I've gotten stronger! And everyone has been so nice to me!"
Atlas gave her a lopsided grin. "Well, I'd hope so. It's not every day they get to meet the greatest apprentice of the greatest merchant in existence."
Elena remained silent, watching the exchange with an unreadable expression.
Atlas's gaze flickered to her, his smirk softening slightly. "And you?"
She hesitated, then let out a slow breath. "I don't have a purpose yet. But... I haven't asked Daokan to end me either. I've been trying—just like you asked."
Atlas studied her for a moment before nodding.
"That's all anyone can do, Elena. Keep trying. One step at a time."
She hesitated, then spoke again, her voice quieter. "What of my sibling?"
Atlas barely missed a beat, his mind whirring at an impossible speed.
"I couldn't find them yet, but I believe they're hidden away where no one can reach them since my vast network couldn't locate them either."
He said smoothly, his tone laced with just enough sincerity to make it believable.
Lianhua tilted her head, her small fingers gripping the edge of Atlas's blanket. Her childlike mind couldn't quite tell if he was lying, but to her, it didn't matter. Atlas was a good person—she had seen it firsthand. She had watched as he lay, battered and barely breathing, while Meilin had recovered far more quickly. She had even stayed up as long as she could, watching the physician Ming and Xian Yue work tirelessly to patch him up before she finally fell asleep. To her, he wasn't just words; he was action, and that was enough.
Meanwhile, outside in the training courtyard, Layla clashed with Yan Shuren. She moved with a speed and precision that had been unthinkable mere months ago. Gone was the fragile girl who had been tossed aside like a ragdoll. Now, she was a warrior standing her ground, her strikes sharp and relentless.
She executed Step One: Whispering Breeze effortlessly, her movements elusive, gliding through the battlefield like a whisper of air. The ground barely registered her presence before she shifted into Step Two: Rushing Wind, doubling her speed in a blur of motion, her blade finding openings that had once eluded her.
Watching from the sidelines, Master Daokan and Shen Xue exchanged a glance. Daokan gave a single approving nod.
"She has improved immensely" he murmured.
Shen Xue crossed her arms.
"And in just a few months. If she keeps this up... she may truly stand among the strongest one day."
Yan Shuren, for all his casual demeanour, had noticed it too. Though he barely exerted any real strength, he could see it in her stance, the controlled power behind her strikes. She was no longer simply enduring—she was fighting back.
"Not bad, Meilin" Yan quipped as their weapons clashed, his grin easy despite her newfound strength.
"Maybe in a few more months, I might actually need two hands."
Layla smirked, shifting her stance. "Oh? Let's see about that."
With that, she seamlessly wove Step Two: Rushing Wind into her next move, but this time, she let The Rot bleed into her strikes. The shift was subtle, but deadly. In an instant, Yan's wooden sword splintered apart under the sheer force of her dual-wielded Qi.
The courtyard fell silent.
Master Daokan's brows lifted in genuine surprise, his usually impassive expression showing the faintest hint of approval. Shen Xue, too, seemed intrigued.
"She can wield two opposing Qi simultaneously..." Daokan murmured.
"Just like Lady Xuanyin."
Yan Shuren blinked at his ruined sword, then let out a chuckle. "Well damn. I guess that means you technically won. But next time, try not to destroy my weapon, will you?"
Layla smirked, stretching her arms as the tension of battle faded. "No promises. Maybe you just need a sturdier weapon."
Shen Xue approached, placing a hand on Layla's shoulder with an approving nod.
"That was impressive. You're adapting well."
Layla let out a breath, rolling her shoulders. "Still a long way to go. But that felt... good."
Meanwhile, Yan Shuren turned to Master Daokan, rubbing his wrist where the impact had jolted through him.
"What she just did—wielding two opposing Qi like that. That's not something just anyone can do."
Daokan stroked his beard, his expression thoughtful. "For all it's worth, Lin Wuye is actually a decent teacher.''
Daokan mused further. "If she continues at this rate, she may one day stand alongside the greatest masters. If she expands her sect and strengthens its foundation, perhaps we will formally recognize them as allies. Joint training could be of great benefit to both of us."
Yan let out a low whistle. "Well, if that happens, I hope I get first sparring rights."
Daokan smirked. "Only if you bring a sword that won't break."
Inwardly, however, he felt relief.
Meilin's Qi Rot was no longer consuming her, nor was it chaotic like before. It had stabilized, controlled, and harmonized with her movements. This was an immense breakthrough.
Perhaps Lin Wuye, though his own power had stagnated, still had value as a teacher. If he could guide her this far, then maybe he could impart some of his knowledge to other disciples as well.
Just then, as if to remind everyone that chaos had a name, Atlas came barrelling through the courtyard, bandages fluttering wildly as he ran for his life.
Xian Yue, the prettiest servant in Shrouded Peak, was hot on his heels, her face flushed with rage.
"You disgusting pervert!"
"I'm sorry! I didn't mean it!" Atlas yelped, narrowly dodging a thrown sandal.
The onlookers blinked in confusion before realization dawned on them.
Flashback to just five minutes earlier
Xian Yue had entered Atlas's room to replace his old bandages with fresh ones, making sure he looked presentable for the emperor. Atlas, still groggy from pain and exhaustion, instinctively moved to swat her hand away when she pressed too hard on a wound. Unfortunately, his aim was off.
Instead of her hand, he had, quite firmly, grabbed her breast. Hard as well.
A horrified silence had followed. Then, all hell broke loose.
Back in the present, Layla facepalmed as Shen Xue let out an amused chuckle. Daokan, watching the spectacle, merely sighed.
"I should've expected this."
Atlas continued to weave and dodge as Xian Yue's slippers flew at him with unerring accuracy, each one missing him by a hair's breadth.
"Can we talk about this like reasonable adults?" he called out desperately.
"Adults don't grope people!" Xian Yue shouted, launching another slipper with pinpoint precision.
Ren, who had been training nearby, barely glanced at the scene before nodding to himself.
"Yep. Keeping Lianhua here was the best decision. Definitely the best decision."
Layla, still recovering from her earlier heart attack, groaned.
"Atlas, stop dodging and take your punishment like a man."
"I'd rather live!" Atlas shot back, narrowly avoiding another projectile.
Physician Ming, seated nearby and sipping his tea with practiced serenity, barely lifted his gaze from the cup.
"Lianhua, remember this moment well. Never be like Atlas—especially in situations like this."
Lianhua, watching Atlas with wide eyes, tilted her head. She saw his devilishly handsome face contorted in panic as he avoided yet another slipper, but even her childlike mind recognized that, for all his charm, he was mostly just devilish.
She gave a solemn nod. "I think I can agree with that."
At the gates around midday, the group was preparing to meet the emperor. Yan Shuren stood with them, his presence as their official guard asked by Daokan ensuring Jinhai would think twice before doing anything foolish. Layla waved to those gathered, offering her thanks and patting Lianhua's head before stepping forward.
In stark contrast to the poised farewell, Atlas is found to be in an exaggerated dogeza position—comically wrong, his backside absurdly high in the air—kneeling before Xian Yue and pleading for forgiveness.
"Please, have mercy!" he begged dramatically.
Xian Yue sighed, facepalming and dragging her face like a tired mother. "Just go away already."
Atlas instantly perked up, taking the forgiveness as absolute. As he rose, his gaze flickered toward Lianhua and Elena. With a knowing look, he gave them a grin that somehow conveyed both mischief and wisdom—his own version of a blessing.
"You'll find it here" he said, then turned to Master Daokan with his most theatrical bow.
"And thank you, dear master, for your endless wisdom and guidance."
Daokan, ever the stoic, merely rubbed his forehead "Get moving before I reconsider."