Warmth was the first thing Xiao Wu felt as consciousness returned. The warmth soon became stifling, and she tried to move—only to discover that she could not.
A brief flicker of panic seized her before she realised that, sometime during the night, she had rolled herself into the covers and become thoroughly tangled in her own little blanket cocoon.
Embarrassment briefly replaced her panic. At least no one had been there to see it.
Xiao Wu slowly untangled herself from the covers, interlaced her fingers, and stretched her arms high above her head, working the last of the night's stiffness from her body.
Letting out a satisfied breath, she looked through the open window at the clear blue sky. Birdsong drifted from the tree outside her room, where a nest rested among the branches.
She sprang from the bed, shed her nightclothes, and pulled on a fresh set of her favourite clothes. Then she sat before the mirror on her desk and checked her hair.
It was a complete mess. Xiao Wu frowned.
Her hair was always so unruly in the mornings.
She reached for the small box on her desk and unlatched it. Nestled on a square of cloth lay a beautiful purple-sandalwood comb. Xiao Wu stroked its smooth spine once, a small smile touching her face. It was one of the few precious reminders she still had of her mother.
She drew it through her hair until the worst of the morning tangles surrendered, then began working her black hair into its familiar scorpion braid.
She inspected the result in the mirror, then gave her head a small shake. Her braid swayed from side to side, and she smiled.
Then she rose to her feet.
"I am ready!"
Her enthusiasm deflated almost at once. Declaring herself ready was not nearly as satisfying with no one around to hear it. A room all to herself did have its disadvantages.
She sighed and reached across her desk for a small red silk pouch.
She loosened its drawstring and looked inside. Empty.
Rongrong had taken the last candy. She had not known it was the last one, Xiao Wu reminded herself, though the thought did very little to ease her annoyance.
She lifted the pouch to her nose and breathed in slowly. A faint, creamy sweetness still clung to the silk, and her shoulders eased.
She tied the pouch's drawstrings together and slipped it over her head. The scent had soaked deeply into the silk; now and then, she would catch a small whiff of it throughout the day.
With the pouch settled round her neck, Xiao Wu left her room and headed for the grounds of the newly renamed Shrek Academy.
Walking through the halls, she soon found the others waiting outside in the central square.
Ning Rongrong was the first to spot her and waved enthusiastically as Xiao Wu drew closer.
"Morning, Xiao Wu!"
Xiao Wu began greeting the others. "Morning, Zhuqing, Mubai, Oscar, Fatty. Hope you all slept well."
Rongrong's pouting face suddenly filled Xiao Wu's vision.
"Hey, what about me? Don't I get a good morning?"
Xiao Wu gave a small huff, crossed her arms, and turned her head away.
"Come on, I said I was sorry," Rongrong said. "I didn't know it was your last candy. You had been sharing them before, and when I saw that one left on your desk, I thought you still had more in the pouch. I should have asked."
Rongrong sighed. "Look, I really am sorry, Xiao Wu. I will make it up to you. That is why I arranged something for all of us to do on our day off."
Xiao Wu merely raised her chin and looked farther away.
She felt the corner of her mouth twitch and hurriedly pressed her lips together. Rongrong stepped to one side, only for Xiao Wu to turn the other way and keep her back to her.
Rongrong sidestepped again. Xiao Wu pivoted with a second huff.
On the third attempt, Xiao Wu finally tilted her chin up, determined to look anywhere but at Rongrong.
Only to find Rongrong looking down at her with a smug grin.
"Got you."
Xiao Wu glanced down. At some point, Zhuqing had slipped behind Rongrong and lifted her onto her shoulders.
Seeing the two of them, Xiao Wu nearly snorted with laughter, only to suppress it when she remembered she was supposed to be angry.
Before Xiao Wu could turn away again, Rongrong suddenly leaned forward from Zhuqing's shoulders and threw her arms around her in a hug. The abrupt movement nearly pulled Zhuqing off balance.
"You're not really mad at all, are you?"
"No," Xiao Wu answered, her voice slightly muffled by the embrace. "I am annoyed, though."
"And you have every right to be," Rongrong said.
"Mm-hm."
After a few seconds, Zhuqing shifted her footing and tipped Rongrong back upright.
"As heartwarming as this is," Zhuqing said evenly, "you are very heavy, Rongrong."
"Hey! You cannot say that about a delicate lady like me!"
Rongrong kicked her feet in protest.
"And I am not heavy—I am cute and petite."
Zhuqing dropped to one knee and unceremoniously dumped Rongrong onto the ground.
"Yes, very cute and petite—but only when you are not sitting on my shoulders," she said, rolling one shoulder.
Rongrong turned towards the boys, putting on an exaggerated pout.
"Oscar, they are bullying me."
The corner of her mouth twitched as she waited for his answer.
The instant he heard his name from her lips, Oscar's expression brightened. He rushed to her defence.
"You really should take it easier on Rongrong. I do not think she did anything wrong, and—"
He continued defending her as disappointment flickered in Rongrong's eyes and her hopeful smile faded.
She sighed, rose from the ground, and brushed the dust from her pink dress as Oscar continued speaking.
"Oscar, that is enough. Let's go; we will be late if we do not leave now."
A small, helpless smile returned to her lips.
After leaving the academy, they opted to walk rather than call a carriage, stopping along the way to buy steamed buns for breakfast.
As they walked and ate, Rongrong began explaining what she had planned.
"I got us all seats in the red section of the auction hall, right by the stage. You would not believe how difficult it was to get those seats."
"Aren't you the daughter of the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect's master?" Dai Mubai asked. "I doubt it was that hard."
She shot him a pointed look.
He wisely occupied himself with another bite of his steamed bun.
"Well, it still took some arranging," she conceded.
"Anyway, I heard they have received a shipment of some rarer herbs. Zhuqing, Xiao Wu, if anything catches your eye today, get it. I will be footing the bill for both of you. Whatever you want."
"That's not fair!" Ma Hongjun protested from beside them.
"This is discrimination! We should get something as well. Boss Dai, Oscar, back me up on this."
Dai Mubai kept eating and ignored him, while Oscar scratched his head awkwardly.
Ma Hongjun turned back to Rongrong.
"They back me up."
"Hey, I didn't say—" Oscar began.
Rongrong raised a hand.
"One item each, up to one thousand gold soul coins. If you bid above that, you will have to pay the difference yourselves. How about it?"
Ma Hongjun jumped for joy.
"Yes! Teacher Flender was right. Shamelessness is the way to go!"
He grabbed Oscar and spun him around in delight, much to the amusement of the others.
They continued down the street, and Xiao Wu finished the last of her bun as Ma Hongjun went on celebrating behind her.
While the boys were occupied, Rongrong sidled up beside Xiao Wu.
"Say, Xiao Wu, you like carrots, right?"
Xiao Wu nodded enthusiastically.
"Of course! Carrots are justice!"
Rongrong paused, then nodded as though that made perfect sense.
"They certainly are. Anyway, I heard there is going to be a rather special one at the auction."
Xiao Wu leaned closer.
"It's called a Crystal Carrot. They say it has a body as thick as an arm, flesh as white as snow, and leaves as lush and green as a spring meadow."
Rongrong lowered her voice.
"You can eat it fresh—crisp, juicy, with a little spicy bite. But if you steam or boil it, it becomes sweet."
"I need it!"
Rongrong's lips twitched.
"Well, I am afraid they won't have it at the auction."
Xiao Wu froze.
"But—but you just said… How could you be so cruel? Carrots are not to be joked with!"
Zhuqing rested a hand on her shoulder.
"It's all right, Xiao Wu. I know where you can find one."
"Really?" Xiao Wu asked, almost in a whisper.
"Yes. I'm fairly sure Rongrong just described a white radish."
She counted off the features on her fingers.
"White flesh, big green leaves, spicy when eaten raw."
Then she glanced at Rongrong.
"It would be nice in a hotpot. How about we have that for dinner?"
Xiao Wu stared at Rongrong with hopeful eyes.
"That does sound delicious," Rongrong agreed. "My treat."
Xiao Wu bounced forward and threw her arms around her.
"You're the best!"
"Of course," Rongrong said, returning the hug.
A little later, they reached the auction house. Several elegantly dressed attendants approached as soon as they spotted Rongrong and ushered the group into a private room.
Xiao Wu looked around as she stepped inside. Masks of different shapes and colours were arranged across several tables, while racks of cloaks lined the walls.
"Young Miss Ning, we have prepared a selection of masks and cloaks for you and your friends," one attendant said. "Please take your time choosing, and we will be waiting outside should you require anything else."
With that, the attendants left, and the door shut with a soft click.
Rongrong clapped her hands, catching everyone's attention.
"Everyone, choose a mask. Then we'll go get seated."
She grabbed a black-and-silver opera mask and handed it to Zhuqing.
"Here, Zhuqing. Try this."
Oscar and Ma Hongjun threw themselves into messing around with the different coloured cloaks.
Dai Mubai, however, just crossed his arms and leaned against a wall.
"Hey, I said get a mask. Why are you just standing around like a log?"
Mubai snorted.
"It's not like they would do anything anyway, with how distinctive we look. And I doubt anyone is going to mess with us if we win anything valuable."
"That's not the point. This is part of the fun, and if we're here, we should observe the customs."
"So we're dressing up for the occasion?"
"Exactly. Come on, even Zhuqing is trying them on."
Zhuqing stood at a nearby table, comparing several black masks with the black-and-silver opera mask Rongrong had given her.
Mubai pushed off the wall, walked over to the white masks, and selected a plain one. He put it on, then turned back to Rongrong.
"There, happy?"
Rongrong nodded.
"Thoroughly satisfied."
After a moment's hesitation, Mubai joined Zhuqing at the other table.
"The silver trim suits you."
Zhuqing glanced at him, then held the mask up to her face, a small smile tugging at her lips.
Xiao Wu went over to the table Mubai had used and quickly selected a rabbit mask. Rongrong raised an eyebrow.
"You really do stick to the rabbit theme, don't you?"
"Rabbits are cute, and I like them. What's wrong with that?"
"Nothing, but wouldn't you like something like this?"
Rongrong picked up a multicoloured mask with feathers sticking out from several places.
"That just looks uncomfortable, with all those feathers constantly moving and tickling your face."
Rongrong put it on and shook her head, the multicoloured feathers dancing through the air as she moved.
"Hmm. They don't touch my face at all. It's better made than I expected."
"I still want to stick to mine."
"Then I suppose this one is mine," Rongrong replied, adjusting the colourful mask.
Once everyone had chosen a mask, they each took a simple black cloak and followed the attendants outside.
The attendants led them through a special passage into the auction hall, where rows of seats surrounded a circular stage. Their places were in the very first row of the red section.
Xiao Wu looked around as more guests slowly filed in. The dim lighting made it difficult to pick out details farther back without looking closely, and many of the guests wore masks considerably more subdued than Rongrong's feathered choice.
She soon lost interest and turned her attention back to the stage, where several figures were moving equipment into place.
Just as Xiao Wu began to lose patience, all the lights in the hall winked out.
A loud bang rang through the darkness, and a spotlight illuminated the centre of the stage, revealing a tall, slender woman in a fiery red low-cut dress, her long blonde hair flowing down her back.
The low murmur of conversation fell silent as Xiao Wu turned towards her along with the rest of the audience.
"Welcome, dear guests, to our auction hall on this fine day," she said, giving a small bow that let the neckline of her dress dip a little lower.
Her movements were smooth, almost languid, as she straightened and let her gaze travel across the rows of seats, a faint smile resting on her lips.
"We have quite a selection for you today, dear guests, and I am certain you will find something to tempt you. I do hope you enjoy yourselves—and should something catch your eye, do not be shy about letting me know."
She gave the audience a playful wink before stepping out of the spotlight, her heels clicking against the stage as she withdrew into the shadows.
A small cart was wheeled into the space she had vacated, and the spotlight shifted to illuminate it.
Her slender hands emerged from the shadows and drew back the blue silk sheet, revealing a bejewelled box upon the cart.
She rested her hands lightly on the lid for a moment before slowly lifting it. Icy mist drifted over the edges, and the pale blue, branching root within caught the spotlight, scattering shimmering patterns of blue light across the dim hall.
Though the auctioneer stood several paces away, her voice reached Xiao Wu like a soft whisper beside her ear, sending an involuntary shiver down her spine.
"A thousand-year glacial ginseng, found almost exclusively in the far north. Its cold essence is particularly prized in medicines used to temper the body. This one's medicinal potency is exceptional for a specimen of this age, provided it remains fresh. Unfortunately, that potency diminishes rapidly once it is exposed."
She closed the box with a sharp clack that echoed through the hall.
"We were fortunate to receive this specimen in such excellent condition. The accompanying soul tool is included in the sale and recreates its natural growing conditions, slowing its deterioration. Even so, I would advise its fortunate new owner to make use of it soon."
She stepped back into the spotlight beside the cart and brushed her fingertips over the closed lid, her gaze lingering upon it.
"For those who can put it to use, this is a rare opportunity. A specimen of this quality seldom reaches the capital."
A warm smile touched her lips as she turned towards the audience.
"The bidding will begin at ten thousand gold soul coins. Now, who would like to take it home?"
Several voices rang out at once, their bids overlapping.
"Fifteen thousand!"
"Fifteen thousand from the gentleman in the black section," the auctioneer acknowledged smoothly. "Do I hear another offer?"
Despite the flurry of bids, she followed each increase without hesitation, her gaze moving between the competing guests. Before long, the price had climbed to a sum that made Xiao Wu's eyes widen.
"Thirty-five thousand gold soul coins," she announced, letting her gaze travel across the audience. "Any further offers?"
This time, no one answered.
"Going once, going twice… Sold to the gentleman in the purple section. Congratulations."
The next few lots offered a wide variety of items, including soul tools, weapons and even cultivation manuals.
With so much to choose from, Xiao Wu could not decide what to buy, despite Rongrong's encouragement from beside her.
Several more lots passed before one caught Ma Hongjun's attention.
The auctioneer drew back the silk covering the next cart, revealing three lumps upon a velvet-lined tray. Two were pale yellow and the third a rich gold, its surface catching the light like a piece of amber.
"Our next lot comes to us from the coast: three pieces of whale glue, two from hundred-year whales and one from a thousand-year whale."
She gestured towards the golden piece, a faint smile touching her lips.
"Prized for its ability to kindle desire and sustain vigour, whale glue is a fine accompaniment to an evening spent in… agreeable company."
Her gaze travelled across the audience as she let the words settle.
"The thousand-year specimen is particularly potent, making this a rather tempting collection for those who appreciate the finer pleasures."
She tilted her head slightly.
"Of course, whom you choose to share those pleasures with is entirely your affair."
Xiao Wu heard Ma Hongjun whisper to Dai Mubai.
"Hey, Boss Dai, could you lend me some money? With Rongrong's thousand and a little help from you, I might actually win it. If Oscar puts his share in too, we could take a piece each."
Dai Mubai huffed.
"As if I need such a thing to perform well in bed."
He caught Zhuqing's look and abruptly closed his mouth.
"If you want it, just bid for it. Leave me out of it."
Ma Hongjun turned to Oscar and slung an arm around his shoulders.
"What about you, Oscar? Don't leave a brother hanging. Help me out, and I'll take you to the best places."
Oscar glanced towards Rongrong, then shrugged off his arm and shook his head.
"I—I don't think I can help you with this."
Ma Hongjun grumbled.
"It's true, then. Once you get girlfriends, you leave us single dogs behind."
Oscar blushed.
"We aren't together yet."
Ma Hongjun chuckled as the auctioneer brought her sales pitch to a close.
"We shall open the bidding at eight hundred gold soul coins."
The hall fell silent. No one seemed willing to make the first bid.
"Come now, dear guests," she coaxed, a playful smile touching her lips. "There is no shame in looking forward to a little indulgence."
"Eight hundred."
The voice came from farther back in the hall, stirring a faint sense of familiarity in Xiao Wu.
"Eight hundred from the young gentleman in the yellow section."
Ma Hongjun sprang to his feet.
"One thousand!"
"One thousand from our honoured guest in the red section."
"Fifteen hundred."
Xiao Wu tilted her head. She had definitely heard that voice before.
She shifted in her seat and peered back across the dim hall.
A splash of crimson hair caught her eye in the yellow section. The woman wore a mask but had dispensed with a cloak entirely.
Xiao Wu would recognise those outrageous proportions anywhere. Nihilister.
And if she was here…
Her gaze darted to the neighbouring seat, where a smaller figure sat wearing a white-and-gold mask, a black cloak draped around him and its hood pulled over his head.
"Eighteen hundred!"
Another voice called from elsewhere in the hall.
"Two thousand."
The hooded figure beside Nihilister answered, and Xiao Wu leaned forward in her seat.
Su Yan. It had to be.
She wanted to go over immediately, but squeezing past the seated guests while the bidding continued would draw far too much attention. She would catch him when the auction ended.
For the rest of the auction, the lots passed in a blur. She kept stealing glances towards the yellow section, barely listening to the auctioneer.
Why was everything taking so long? She wanted to catch him before he left.
The second the final item was sold, Xiao Wu sprang from her seat.
"Xiao Wu, where are you going?" Rongrong called after her.
"I saw someone I know! I'll be right back!"
She waved over her shoulder without slowing down.
Xiao Wu burst into the lobby and scanned the crowd, but neither Su Yan nor Nihilister was anywhere in sight.
He would have to come out eventually.
She hurried outside and stationed herself near the entrance, keeping her eyes on the doors.
Soon, Nihilister emerged, with Su Yan following close behind.
Xiao Wu dashed towards him.
"Su Yaaaan!"
Unable to wait even those last few steps, she activated her third soul skill and blinked forward.
Su Yan's eyes widened in surprise, and his arms opened to catch her. He was right there.
Then a hand clamped around her arm, its grip sending a brief sting of pain through it.
His face swept out of view as she was dragged to the right, and before she could understand what was happening, she was face down on the ground, her arm locked behind her and a knee digging painfully into her back.
"2B, stop! She's a friend, a friend!"
Xiao Wu could hear Su Yan's panicked explanation and Nihilister's uproarious laughter, but neither quite registered.
Only one thought occupied her mind.
Owwww…
Far from Heaven Dou, Tang Hao walked beneath the forest canopy.
Sunlight filtered through the leaves, dappling the path as he slowly made his way towards the place where Ah Yin remained.
For the first time in a long while, he had something to look forward to telling her.
He wished Ah Yin could see how far their son had come. The thought brought a faint smile to his face, though remembering everything she had missed still hurt. Perhaps one day he would see Spirit Hall pay for what it had taken from them.
Tang San was coming along well. Tang Hao had watched him grow from the shadows, protecting him through his years at Nouding Academy, Shrek and now Heaven Dou.
His son's performance against that Su Yan boy had been disappointing, but the defeat seemed to have done more good than harm.
It had lit a fire beneath Tang San. He trained from morning to night, pushing his body to the brink and back. Tang Hao had watched him struggle to stand after exhausting himself, only to begin again the moment he could.
Tang Hao could not be prouder.
He had originally considered eliminating Su Yan, but now the boy seemed to make a good whetstone for his son.
That would remain true as long as he did not interfere with Tang San and Xiao Wu's blossoming relationship.
Tang Hao stopped walking and let the midday sun wash over him. Watching Tang San and Xiao Wu together reminded him of his own days beside Ah Yin.
His son was walking the same path he once had, and he could not be happier.
Tang San would have the years beside Xiao Wu that he himself had been denied with Ah Yin. His son deserved that happiness, and Tang Hao would see to it that no one took it from him.
But that Su Yan… If he got in the way, if Xiao Wu chose him over his son…
Tang Hao's expression darkened.
There was more than one way for her to accompany his son. If not in person, then as a spirit ring and spirit bone.
He shook himself free of those dark thoughts. Today was supposed to be a happy day, and he should not taint it with thoughts of violence.
He continued his journey and soon reached a lake fringed by tall trees, a waterfall cascading into it from the distant cliff.
The familiar sight brought back memories of better times.
He had found this place during one of his journeys with Ah Yin. She had thought it beautiful and wondered whether they might build a home here one day.
Spirit Hall had taken that future from them. But Tang Hao had carved out a space for her behind the waterfall, somewhere she could be safe.
He drew closer to the waterfall, its roaring curtain a wall of protection around what was most precious to him.
He stepped through the torrent without hesitation, its weight and pressure doing nothing to hinder him.
On the other side, he froze.
Where the concealed wall should have stood, a gaping hole opened into the darkness, shattered stone strewn across the ground.
His stomach dropped. For a moment, he could only stare at the shattered entrance before a roar tore itself from his throat.
"AH YIN!"
He rushed into the cave, his shoulder striking the passage wall as he hurtled through the darkness. He barely felt the impact.
Then he reached the chamber.
Sunlight still fell upon the stone pot at its centre, but nothing grew within.
Tang Hao collapsed to his knees.
"No…"
He crawled forward and picked up the pot, staring into it. Only a few crumbs of soil remained.
He brushed through them with his fingertips, searching for a root, a torn leaf, anything of her that might still be there. He tipped the pot towards the light and looked again.
Nothing.
He hurled it against the wall, where it shattered.
His eyes snapped towards the place where he had hidden her soul bone. He struck the concealed mechanism, but nothing fell from the recess above. That was gone too. He barely spared it another thought.
Tang Hao extended his senses through the chamber, searching for any trace of Ah Yin, anything that might tell him where she had gone. Nothing.
He dashed back through the passage, pushing his senses to their limits.
Who had done this? Spirit Hall?
He burst through the curtain of water and soared into the air, searching the lake and the forest beyond.
A soul beast? Some wandering Spirit Master?
For several minutes, he searched, widening his reach and examining anything that caught his attention. There had to be something.
His breathing grew harsher as he swept the forest again. Still nothing. Someone had taken her, and he could not even find which way they had gone.
"ARGHHHH!"
Waves of spirit power poured from him as the Clear Sky Hammer appeared in his hand. His seventh soul ring flared, and the hammer swelled above him.
Tang Hao swung it down at the waterfall.
The pressure of its descent flattened the surrounding trees. When it struck, the cliff shattered beneath a thunderous detonation, throwing water, dust and broken stone high into the air.
Tang Hao hovered above the devastation, his breathing ragged. His rage and the unrestrained release of power had torn open his old injuries.
A sharp pain stabbed through his chest. His spirit power faltered, and he plummeted to the ground.
He lay there enduring the pain, silent tears running down his face as debris rained around him.
"Ah Yin… Ah Yin, where have you gone…?"