“They’re really not showing up…” A man in a hooded cloak murmured to the man beside him.

“Did they get caught? Or maybe the negative energy was too strong?” The cloaked man beside him asked.

“We might have actually been caught in a trap ourselves…” 

“...Be serious Chonglin.”

“It sold for over 20 million! What if it was someone from the Academy? Or someone from the council? Or worse...Azure dragon.” The first cloaked man, Chonglin exclaimed.

“ Why would Azure Dragon be in Paris? And Don’t you think the boss would’ve accounted for that in his plans?” The other man challenged while shaking his head.

“Then why does he need us?” Chonglin said with a glare and pointed at the two of them.

The two were strategists for Hundun, they were expected to make a decision depending on the kind of person who shows up with the grimoire at the auction.

“Shush, you’ll get us in trouble if someone hears!” The other man whispered and elbowed Chonglin, “They said to just give it to one of the generals if no one shows up or if someone incompatible shows up so let’s just give it to Li Chaoxiang or Lord Zhao .”  

“Are you crazy? If Li Chaoxiang goes out looking for Azure Dragon with that core… Azure dragon will wipe Hundun off the face of the earth!” Chonglin scolded and tried to stop the man who had already gotten up and started to go on his way to find one of the two people he listed.

The other man had only joined recently so he didn’t know the history between Hundun and Azure dragon.

“I’ve heard that all the previous Azure Dragons were pacifists so why are we at war with the current one?!”  The other man was annoyed by Chonglin’s tone.

“Because Li Chaoxiang fucked us all over last March and made Azure Dragon furious!” Chonglin had intended to whisper but his frustration led him to yell.

“Wanna repeat that?”

Chonglin couldn’t even turn to face Li Chaoxiang, he knew he was dead regardless.

…

“People with dirt cores like you just shut up and follow orders. You’re only alive because I allow it you mongrel.” Li Chaoxiang said and wiped the blood on his foot onto Chonglin’s clothes.

The other cloaked man was more shocked at Li Chaoxiang’s words than what he did to Chonglin. Hundun was supposed to exist for the sake of making people with low core levels rise above the rest by taking the cores of people who are ‘unnecessary’. It was centered around the “fact” that there was no need for power as extreme as a Mythic or Legendary or even Diamond level core. So why was Li Chaoxiang desecrating their beliefs but shaming Chonglin who had a paper core?

Of course, the man wouldn’t dare to ask, especially not as he looked at Chonglin’s arm that was severed at the elbow and his leg that was turned in a gruesome direction.

“The core.” Li Chaoxiang said and held his hand out to the man.

The man froze for a second and then quickly handed a tiny white and gold sphere over to Li Chaoxiang.

“So this is why you were talking about Qinglong¹Azure Dragon,” Li Chaoxiang said and laughed.

“Killing this kid while her Mother and Father watched was so satisfying, but the look on Qinglong’s face when he saw their corpses...That was the most amazing sight.”  Li Chaoxing said and cackled, rubbing the scar of a cut that cleaved through his head at the exact halfway point. His loose clothes showed how the scar went directly down his chest and probably even further.

The man gulped and bowed as Li Chaoxiang walked past him, still laughing like a madman. He waited until a few minutes had passed to stop bowing.

‘He’s crazy. Absolutely crazy.’

—-

“How long will the raid last?” Mai asked as she sat down to eat with the usual group for lunch.

“Only a few more days. My mother and Lady Kaplan are participating so they should finish quickly.” Viktor said and handed Yue his food.

“That’s quite the match up…”  Marianne murmured, “Russia’s strongest female Mage and Turkey’s strongest female Mage…”

“They’re best friends,” Viktor said and chuckled a bit.

“I bet.” 

Mai kind of expected Yue to be interested in the conversation since he didn’t know much about Viktor’s mother and probably knew nothing about Aylin but Yue just looked gloomy. Viktor had definitely noticed as well and he was looking at him with a similar gloomy look which just made Mai concerned.

“Yue. Can we cultivate together after this?”

The question caught Yue off guard. He looked up at her and his glum look turned into a confused one.

“...why…?”

“I’ve been trying to get into it since Viktor mentioned that it was probably why I picked up languages quickly in Wolfsstadt. But I can’t remember anything that they taught me about cultivation when I was younger.” Mai explained.

“Oh, okay,” Yue murmured. He had been meaning to cultivate since the monsters weren’t really coming so he had time to do so.

Viktor looked glum as he heard their conversation but he didn’t say anything and just ate.

After eating Yue and Mai went and sat in the leader tent with their backs against each other. Yue faced the back of the tent so he could hide his eyes after cultivating and Mai just faced the entrance. Yue gave Mai a quick lesson on how to do it properly and had her watch him start.

When Mai started trying she wasn’t really doing it well and couldn’t focus and was getting frustrated very quickly. Yue had already started to cultivate so Mai didn’t know what to do since she couldn’t interrupt him to ask for more help. She tried it again and then snapped her eyes open suddenly.

Blue-green magic particles were in the air around her. She turned to Yue and noticed that he was still cultivating just as he had been a moment ago but now the particles were concentrated around him.

“Oh...you’re helping me,” Mai murmured and touched one of the particles that were coming toward her. She took a deep breath and focused again. The magic particles in the air made it easier for her to cultivate because she didn’t have to worry about the extra step of purifying them as she absorbed them. She started to sink into a silent state of cultivation and her thoughts started to disappear completely.

‘Yue’s magic feels like Anh’s…’ Mai’s last thought before she started cultivating properly disappeared as suddenly as it came.

—

When Mai stopped cultivating she noticed two letters from Huy on her lap. She smiled but wondered why there were two. She turned the letters over and saw a note that said “Please relay this to Miss Yue”. She placed the letter on Yue’s lap and opened the other letter.

I promised I wouldn’t write to you excessively but I cannot help but worry for you. The same goes for your parents. Your mother insisted for me and the master to tell her where you’re currently stationed so you should expect a letter from her soon as well. Please make sure to write back, she will worry if you do not. Just an “I’m alright” will soothe our worries.  I was supposed to write to you solely about a different topic but I’ve already used so many words on voicing my worries… Mrs. Ho gave birth to a daughter a few days ago.

Mai would have squealed with happiness if Yue wasn’t in the middle of cultivating. Mrs. Ho was a close friend of hers, she had been her attendant from when they turned 5 to when Mrs. Ho got married a few years ago. Mai felt like she owed her relationship with Huy to her since she really helped fix the rough patch they had at first. It was unthinkable now but Mai absolutely despised Huy when they first met. She couldn’t even remember why but she felt petty for hating him for no reason.

Also, I would like you to go somewhere with me during your break from school, just the two of us. I have a couple of things to tell you.

Mai was struggling to contain herself already but she held it in. Until she felt a hand on her shoulder, that is. She squealed and spilled her thoughts immediately, not realizing that Yue was conscious and had asked her a question.

“Anh wants to tell me something important in a special place. Alone. Together!” She squealed and hugged Yue.

Yue smiled a little but it disappeared quickly.

“Is this from him?”

Mai nodded and then looked up at Yue’s face, she had expected a little more enthusiasm than this. Yue seemed totally crestfallen.

“Did something happen last night? Between you and Viktor? Should I go punch him?” Mai asked holding Yue’s face and pinching his cheeks.

“No, don’t do that...It’s not his fault.” Yue mumbled.

“Well, what happened?”

“Viktor and I kissed.”

Mai’s expression was gleeful as she heard that but she knew it could only go downhill from there so she let Yue continue.

“And Elizabeth, Alejandro, and Ava saw us,” Yue mumbled and sighed.

Mai winced a bit every consecutive name made the situation worse and worse. She stopped wincing when she realized she was doing it and put on a straight face. She was determined to get Yue to be better at communicating his feelings. 

“And? I understand being embarrassed but why are you sad?” Mai asked, she was definitely sure she knew why Yue was sad, she had figured out a bit of how he worked now but she wanted Yue to say it with his words. Yue was clearly taken aback by her question. Mai usually understood what he meant with his cryptic attitude so it was a bit hard to actually have to explain his feelings.

“Because Ava likes Viktor...and I didn’t realize it.”

“Why does that matter though? You’re the one who Viktor likes. And you knew and liked him first. You don’t have to feel bad.” Mai said and feigned a confused look.

“B-Because Ava is a kind and lovely person and she suits Viktor much more than I do,” Yue said and fiddled with his sleeves.

“I don’t think she suits Viktor more than you do at all. I also think you’re much kinder and lovelier.” Mai argued, she wasn’t happy that Yue was doubting himself like this.

“That’s just because we’re friends.”

“Not at all. I’m sure Viktor thinks that. And Marianne, Alexius, Walter, Frida, that little girl you always send back to the town, I’m sure they all think that.” Mai said and stroked Yue’s hair.

“ I also don’t think Viktor cares about who ‘suits him’. He looks at you like you’re the only person who matters in this world.” Mai giggled.

Mai couldn’t tell if her pep talk worked but Yue seemed less glum.

“Come on, let’s go patrol or something,” Mai said pulled Yue along with a smile.

--

Near sunset, William was sleeping instead of patrolling his area of the barrier. He opened his eyes when he heard a thud that he thought were footsteps, he checked what it was and just groaned.

“Shoo! Shoo! Get out of my sight.”