Hong Jiu'er was in her residence, practicing a series of martial arts movements with concentration. Although they were a bit irregular and she made mistakes from time to time, her movements adjusted and corrected themselves over time, following to the letter the wise advice her pseudo-master had given her.
"You seem very dedicated," a soft voice was heard, breaking Hong Jiu'er's concentration. She stopped dead in her tracks.
Upon recognizing the voice, her eyes lit up. She quickly turned around and ran toward her.
"Aunt Shen Tianzhu!" she cried out with a broad smile as she approached the woman with golden hair and equally bright brown eyes.
Shen Tianzhu raised an eyebrow, and with an agile gesture gave Hong Jiu'er a small, affectionate tap on the forehead.
"Didn't I tell you to call me 'Senior Sister' or 'Sister Shen'?" she countered with a slight tone of reproach, though a barely perceptible smile curved her lips.
Hong Jiu'er brought a hand to her forehead, feigning exaggerated pain.
"But it sounds closer to call you aunt..." she murmured with a mischievous giggle.
Shen Tianzhu sighed, crossing her arms, though her gaze reflected deep affection.
"You are still as stubborn as ever. But tell me..." she added, looking her up and down, "your movements have improved a lot. Have you been training without rest?"
Hong Jiu'er nodded enthusiastically.
"I want to show Senior Brother how much I've improved," she said as she executed a series of movements again, this time with greater precision and confidence.
At first, Shen Tianzhu did not pay much attention to it, considering it to be simple low-level martial teachings. But gradually, her expression changed. Her eyes narrowed slightly, focusing on the details.
Interesting... she murmured in her mind.
What seemed common was not so at all. There was an internal coherence and a fluidity that indicated a true comprehension of the martial Dao, not mere mechanical repetition.
It seems it really was a good idea to leave her with that boy, she thought. But her progress is slowing down.
Her gaze became more serious. She expected the young girl to reach the fifth stage of Qi Refining before the sect's Great Tournament for outer disciples. However, seeing her current state, she was still far from achieving it through conventional means.
There are still a few months left... things will have to be accelerated a bit, she reflected, as a bold idea began to take shape in her mind.
"Jiu'er," she suddenly called out.
Hong Jiu'er stopped and looked at her, a slight uneasiness reflected in her eyes.
"You didn't like it?" she asked, lowering her voice timidly.
Shen Tianzhu immediately shook her head. Then, a soft, almost mischievous smile appeared on her beautiful face.
"It's not that," she replied calmly. "In fact... you did much better than I expected."
Hong Jiu'er blinked, surprised and relieved. Shen Tianzhu took a step toward her and, in a lighter tone, added:
"But tell me... don't you want to go out of the sect on a mission with that Senior Brother?"
The reaction was immediate.
"Yes!" Hong Jiu'er answered without hesitating for a second.
Then, as if something had just occurred to her, she furrowed her brow slightly. "But... won't that interfere with my training? I want to be as strong as Aunt..." she stopped dead, swallowing hard, "...I mean, Senior Sister Shen."
She corrected herself immediately upon noticing how Shen Tianzhu's expression changed for an instant. It was barely perceptible, but enough to make her react by instinct.
Shen Tianzhu observed her in silence for a brief moment... and then smiled.
"Don't worry, I have everything figured out," she said with total confidence. She turned around elegantly, as if she had already planned every detail on her chessboard. "Who says one cannot train while taking a walk in the outside world?" she added, throwing her a sidelong glance.
Hong Jiu'er blinked, clearly confused, but still nodded obediently.
"Is that okay...?"
Shen Tianzhu disappeared from the spot in a flash, leaving Hong Jiu'er alone in the courtyard. The young girl exhaled slowly, releasing the tension accumulated from the training. A slight fatigue ran through her body. With not much else to do, she walked over to the small spirit lake nearby and sat by the edge. She rested her chin on her knees, observing the water with a distracted expression.
In a world of cultivators, where the pursuit of power and immortality was everything, forms of entertainment were extremely simple. There were no elaborate games or mundane distractions. For many, the greatest calm was found in the most basic things. Hong Jiu'er followed with her gaze a spirit fish swimming slowly beneath the surface.
"How boring..." she murmured, though she did not get up. The reflection of the sky danced on the water, and for a moment, everything seemed at peace.
Meanwhile, several kilometers away, Shen Tianzhu reappeared in front of an imposing figure. The man, surprised by her sudden appearance, raised an eyebrow.
"Shen Tianzhu? What brings you to my domain?"
She did not waste time with pleasantries.
"I want you to do me a favor," she said with a calm smile, as if she were asking for something of the least importance.
The man looked at her with curiosity... but as she explained her wild idea, his expression gradually changed to one of genuine surprise.
"Isn't that going a bit too far?" he asked, furrowing his brow. "One of the parties is barely in the first stage of Qi Refining, and the other hasn't even reached the seventh stage. It is... too great a danger for them."
Shen Tianzhu showed no doubt whatsoever in her gaze.
"I have already calculated everything," she replied calmly. "Don't worry. I just want you to do it... consider it a personal favor that I will owe you."
The man observed her in silence for a few seconds, as if trying to decipher her true intentions. Finally, he sighed in defeat.
"I understand..." he said, shrugging slightly. "Alright. I lose nothing by trying either."
A faint smile of victory appeared on Shen Tianzhu's face.
"I knew you would accept," she continued. "How long will it take for the stage to be ready?"
The man crossed his arms, pensive.
"A few days at most... maybe a week. After all, it was something completely unexpected."
Shen Tianzhu nodded slightly.
"That's more than enough time..." her eyes gleamed barely, as if she were already visualizing the result. "...for them to prepare themselves mentally," she thought, as her smile widened almost imperceptibly.
Inwardly, her calculations were cold and precise.
With this, they should be able to strengthen themselves by force, she reflected. Although... they might also form a deeper emotional bond.
Her gaze became distant for an instant. In the cruel world of cultivators, where years were counted by centuries, human emotions were dangerous and ephemeral.
Considering the longevity of a cultivator... those feelings will eventually fade with the passage of time, she concluded to herself with cold logic.