Wu Jian returned to the mansion he had been given. A scent carried on the wind hit his nose as he entered. He took several deep breaths as he removed his shoes. It was the smell of blended herbs and spices, and it was coming from the kitchen.

The kitchen had gone mostly unused since coming here; food prepared by him was nowhere near as nutritious as good prepared by the restaurants in Heavenly Sword City.

Magical beast meat was a precious cultivation resource. There were many benefits to be had for eating it. Since magical beasts were creatures with strong amounts of chi, their meat was often imbued with potent chi, which could invigorate the body and increase a cultivator’s vitality. Certain magical beasts could even increase a person’s lifespan.

Properly preparing magical beast meat was hard, however, and that was why most cultivator could never eat it. Only a few people were trained in how to cook it to get the most benefits. What’s more, certain magical beasts required certain methods of cooking. If you cooked the meat incorrectly, it would destroy any benefits that could be had.

Walking into the open living room, Wu Jian found Youmei sitting outside, her legs dangling off the edge of the veranda. It looked like she was just relaxing. He didn’t see anyone else, but someone must have been cooking.

“I’m home,” he called out.

Youmei’s ears perked up. Then she scrambled to her feet, spun around, and dashed toward him. The last thing he saw was her excited eyes shining brightly before she slipped into a shadow. She quickly reemerged, however, right next to him, and Wu Jian quickly caught the girl as she slammed into him like a human projectile.

“MASTER! YOUMEI MISSED YOU!!!”

“I missed you too.”

Smiling, Wu Jian began stroking Youmei’s hair as the child purred like a kitten. The way she rubbed her face against his stomach was similar to how a cat might rub themselves on your leg. So cute.

A sliding door opened on the far side of the room, and the scent of cooked food became stronger as someone emerged. Her tradition ruqun hanfu flowed around her legs, the blouse made of the finest silk and dyed in delicate pastel colors of light pink and pale blue. It was very different from her normally dark clothing. This was more reminiscent of what she used to wear when they were younger. The elegant embroidery lining the fabric accentuated her beauty and grace. What really stood out, to him at least, was how the clothing highlighted her womanly figure without being overly revealing.

Wu Meiying was an entirely different manner of beast from other women.

“Welcome home,” she said with a smile. “I’ve prepared some lunch. Why don’t you sit down?”

It was a little early for lunch, but Wu Jian hadn’t eaten breakfast, and his stomach chose that moment to gurgle. Chuckling sheepishly, he made to sit down. Then he paused. A moment passed before he glanced back at the woman.

“Are you not going to recharge?” he asked.

Wu Meiying’s eyes widened, but then a bright sparkle appeared within them, like azure stars dancing in the night sky.

“Well, since you insist.”

Her eyes took on a predatory gleam, and Wu Jian prepared himself for her tackle. He was shocked when, without warning, Wu Meiying appeared in front of him. It was like he blinked and missed her move. What was that? He didn’t have time to think, though, because the young woman quickly stepped into him, wrapping her arms around his torso as she fully pressed her body against his. He sighed and hugged her back, burying his face in her hair. Time seemed to stand still, and he wished this moment would last forever.

“Mmmm. You smell like another woman.”

Sadly, nothing last forever and time could never be made to stand still.

“I wound up getting a partner for this mission.”

“Who?”

“Her name was Mei Ling. Do you know her?”

Wu Meiying looked up at him, her brow furrowed. She unwrapped her arms around him and took a step back. “I know her. Hang on. Let me grab the food. We’ll talk while we eat.”

What Wu Meiying brought out from the kitchen was several thoughtfully prepared dishes meant to nourish a person’s body and chi. Thin slices of tender cloud serpent meat had been paired with crisp, vibrantly colored vegetables and drizzled with a zesty dressing. The scent of citrus and herbs came from the dressing. There was also a soup, the broth of which was fragrant and made with blended herbs and flowers as the base. She had even stir-fried sliced lotus root and made tea infused with rare bamboo leaves that contained restorative properties.

“I didn’t know you knew how to cook,” Wu Jian muttered.

Wu Meiying tucked a strand of long hair behind her ear as she sat down and smiled. “That’s because I haven’t had a chance to show my skills. I learned how to cook in a different life.”

“And since you didn’t remember your previous lives until you became a cultivator, you couldn’t display your talents to me,” Wu Jian concluded.’

“That’s right.”

“Master! Big Sis! Youmei is hungry! Can we eat now?”

Youmei was sitting at the table with them, staring them both down with impatience radiating from her very being.

“Of course. Let’s eat,” Wu Jian said.

Not only did the food taste delicious, but the carefully balanced meal replenished all the energy he had expended and even stimulated his chi. His cultivation did not rise, but he felt like it would be easier to cultivate after he ate this. The effects were probably limited though.

“This is sooo good!” Youmei exclaimed. “Big Sis, you’re the best!”

Wu Meiying smiled like an indulgent older sister. “I’m so glad you like it. And you, Jian? How is it?”

“Delicious… though I could have done without the stinky tofu.”

One of the meals she had prepared sat on a plate, cut into square blocks. It was stinky tofu, Wu Meiying’s favorite dish, and his least favorite.

She grinned at him. “But you’re still going to eat it, right?”

Wu Jian grimaced, but he did indeed eat the tofu. They finished their meal a short time later and were sipping their tea. It was a slight moment of peace before. However, the expression on Wu Meiying’s face told him that this moment of respite would not last for long.

“Why don’t you tell me about how you met Mei Ling?”

Wu Jian nodded and went into how he met Mei Ling while selecting a mission. He shared all the details he could remember; he wasn’t worried about that Wu Meiying might misunderstand. Their relationship wasn’t so flimsy that she’d get mad or jealous when nothing happened. By the time he was done, Youmei was sleeping with her head on his lap and Wu Meiying was leaning back with an expression of wariness.

“Her meeting you was definitely not a coincidence,” she said at last. “I suspect she was waiting for you to show up at the mission hall.”

“But why? I assume you know?” asked Wu Jian.

“Mei Ling is Mei Qi’s niece,” Wu Meiying declared.

Wu Jian wasn’t stunned, but he hadn’t expected that. Just because they had the same family name didn’t always mean two people were related. Some family names like Mei were relatively common in certain countries. He had assumed it was just a coincidence. This was what he got for assuming, he guessed.

“So she was most likely there to spy on me,” he said.

Wu Meiying nodded. “I assume so. Sadly, I can’t see what happened to her since I am unable to look at your timeline. If I wanted to view hers, I’d need her present, but Mei Ling knows that and will definitely avoid seeing me.”

“You told me to be wary of Mei Qi before,” Wu Jian gestured toward her. “Perhaps you can explain why? It’s more than just because she sees you as a threat.”

“Mei Qi was the elder we sent to speak with Divine Moon Hall when several summoning arrays were used summon magical beasts across the Xiao Continent. They held her captive for a long time before releasing her.”

“Divine Moon Hall…”

Of course, Wu Jian had heard of Divine Moon Hall. Who hadn’t? They were one of the Three Celestial Sects. What they lacked in raw power, they more than made up for in wealth. Divine Moon Hall was the wealthiest sect among the three. They owned business in every nation--auction houses, slave markets, and while the Alchemist Association did not belong to them, they did have a strong connection to it. Most of the pills refined by alchemists were sold by Divine Moon Hall.

He looked at Wu Meiying, who smiled, and that confirmed what he already suspected. He gently stroked Youmei’s hair. The young magical beast purred and mumbled in her sleep, curling up into a ball even more.

“What should we do about this?” he asked.

“We can’t do anything right now,” Wu Meiying confessed. She shrugged her delicate shoulders, the fabrics of her clothes creasing. “We don’t need to worry for now. They won’t try anything yet. However, now that you’re here, they will begin making plans. I believe they will move once they think they hold all the cards.”

“Hmmm. Have you told the sect master?”

“Not yet. I’m wondering if I should.” Wu Meiying pursed her lips. “The future is constantly in motion, much like a river. While it is possible to direct a future toward a desired end, just like one can change the flow of a stream by placing objects in the flow’s path, unexpected obstacles can create more problems. I can’t see our enemies’ futures either.”

The necklace Wu Jian wore prevented people who could manipulate the Dao of Time from seeing his timeline, which meant they could not see his future. Their enemies were doing something similar. Wu Meiying could not see their enemies’ futures, which meant it was hard for her to predict what might happen. Of course, the inverse was also true. Her enemies could not see their futures either.

“Can you make more of these?”

Wu Jian pulled his necklaces from within his clothes and presented them to Wu Meiying. One was the necklace she had made, while the other was the jade pendant given to him by Hou Jingshu. He always wore them even when he slept and took baths.

“I can, and I have considered it. I haven’t done that yet because it could make our enemies harder to predict.”

“Right. You won’t be able to read the sect master’s timeline if you give him that pendant.”

“Exactly. Of course, our enemies are doing the same thing. However, we have the advantage here. Since I’m always in direct contact with Zhe Dāozhe, I have an easier time reading his timeline. The further you are from someone, the harder it becomes to see their future. Thus far, I’ve been using what I see from him and the other elders to predict what our enemies will do.”

Wu Jian cupped his chin. “In other words, you can predict what our enemies’ next moves will be by seeing what happens to the people around us. By that same token, you probably can’t tell Zhe Dāozhe and the others about what’s happening because our enemies might see it and plan accordingly.”

“You catch on fast. It really is a conundrum.”

Information was important in war. In the world of cultivation, knowledge was often the sharpest sword in one’s arsenal. Just as a warrior honed their skills to perfection, a cultivator needed to master the art of gathering, disseminating, and utilizing information. The battles they often faced transcended physical might alone; they were battles of strategy, wit, and foresight. This was especially true if the enemy you were going up against was much stronger than you.

“In the realm of cultivation, wisdom prevails over mere strength. The cultivator who foresees the path ahead and chooses battles judiciously is the one destined for triumph. In the face of chaos, strength alone is fleeting; it is the fusion of power and sagacity that ensures enduring victory,” Wu Jian murmured.

“I see you remember our lessons,” Wu Meiying said.

“They’re the last thing my family imparted on me. There’s no way I could forget,” Wu Jian said with a sad smile.

Their victory or defeat would hinge not only on the strength of their cultivation, but on their preparations to handle what their enemies threw at them. Wu Jian would come to understand this more than ever when the time for battle drew closer.

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