Su Chen made his way toward the heart of the estate, the morning air gradually warming around him. He could feel the sun's rays on his neck as he strolled past the meticulously tended gardens and elegant stone bridges.
His thoughts raced, the summons from the Great Elder arriving sooner than he had anticipated.
"I ought not to have triumphed in that spar so decisively," he mused. "In this world, people are astute; they notice everything."
He arrived at the Pavilion of Iron Law, the venue where the esteemed members of the Su family conducted significant affairs.
The structure, crafted from dark, robust wood, appeared to have endured the test of time. Two guards stood sentinel at the entrance, their long spears tipped with spirit silver, silent as they stepped aside to grant him passage.
Inside the hall, an enveloping quiet prevailed, punctuated only by the faint crackle of incense wafting from bronze braziers. The air was thick with the scent of bitter herbs and aged parchment. At the far end of the room, seated on a raised wooden platform, was Great Elder Su.
The Elder, an elderly man whose skin resembled crinkled parchment, possessed milky white eyes that seemed to penetrate Su Chen's very being.
He held a delicate jade teacup, his gaze remaining fixed ahead as Su Chen entered.
"You've had quite a week, Su Chen," the Elder remarked, his voice reminiscent of dry leaves rustling in the wind. "A head injury, an abrupt recovery, and now you're disarming disciples of a higher level. That's a considerable amount of change for one so young."
Su Chen bowed deeply, his hands concealed within his sleeves. "It was merely a stroke of luck, Great Elder. I believe the fall altered my perspective."
"Is that so?" The Elder finally raised his gaze. "Step closer. I wish to see this 'luck' for myself."
Before Su Chen could comply, the heavy doors behind him swung open with a resounding echo. He didn't need to turn to identify the newcomer; the scent of jasmine heralded her arrival.
Su Meiling entered with a confidence that few disciples would dare exhibit before an elder. Clad in her favored light blue robes, cinched tightly at the waist, she resembled a celestial being. Yet her attention was fixed squarely on Su Chen.
"Great Elder," she greeted casually, offering a slight bow. "I heard you summoned my brother. He remains quite fragile following his accident, and I thought it prudent to be here to assist him in articulating his circumstances."
The Great Elder sighed, regarding Meiling with a mixture of respect and exasperation. She was the family's greatest prodigy, and it was not so simple to dismiss her.
"This was intended to be a private discussion, Meiling," the Elder stated.
"And it will be," she countered, gliding over to Su Chen and settling beside him on the floor, disregarding the customary distance.
She nestled close, her hip pressing against his as she intertwined her fingers with his.
"I'm merely here for moral support. Please, continue."
A bead of sweat trickled down Su Chen's back. The Elder scrutinized their joined hands for a prolonged moment before shaking his head and gesturing for Su Chen to adopt a more appropriate posture.
"Su Chen, your movements today were peculiar," the Elder began. "They lacked the aggression characteristic of our family style. It was almost as if you were… evading the fight while still engaged in it. Tell me, did you uncover a new manual during your recovery?"
'Here it comes,' Su Chen thought.
"No, Great Elder," he replied, striving to maintain a steady voice. "I simply realized that I am not as strong as Zhou Fan. I had to adapt to survive. My aim was to avoid being struck."
Meiling leaned her head against Su Chen's shoulder, her cheek brushing against his robe as if they were ensconced in a private chamber rather than a hall of law.
"He was incredibly brave, Elder," she purred, her hand tightening around his. "He possesses a keen intellect, unlike those other brutes. After all, he has me to act as his shield."
She shifted her weight, pressing more of her body against his. Su Chen could feel the warmth radiating from her form, a teasing reminder of his vulnerability.
She knew he was unsettled and was using the Elder's presence to amplify his discomfort.
The Great Elder set down his teacup. "Enough. Su Chen, present your wrist. I must examine your meridians. If your Qi has altered, I need to ascertain why."
Su Chen's heart raced. This was the true test. Should the Elder detect the silver Qi of the Silent River Method, he would uncover Su Chen's practice of a secret technique—an act often perceived as treachery against the clan.
Slowly, he extended his left hand, while Meiling clung to his right. She drew even closer, her free hand playfully toying with the loose strands of his white hair.
"Be gentle, Elder," she whispered. "He's quite sensitive."
The Elder ignored her, placing two fingers on Su Chen's wrist. Instinctively, Su Chen initiated the Silent River circulation. He made no attempt to obstruct the Elder's probing; instead, he endeavored to render his Qi as flat and unremarkable as possible, visualizing a still pond—devoid of ripples, devoid of flow.
He felt the Elder's energy penetrate his body, akin to a hot needle sliding beneath his skin, making its way up his arm and toward his chest.
Panic surged within him, yet he forced himself to remain composed, redirecting the silver energy deep into his bones, concealing it behind the physical structure of his body.
The hot needle searched around his heart and dantian, invasive and unsettling, as if prying into his very soul. Su Chen gritted his teeth, glancing at Meiling.
Her expression had shifted; the playful demeanor vanished, replaced by an intensity that suggested she would leap across the table if the Elder dared to harm him.
After several agonizing minutes, the Elder withdrew his hand, a look of confusion etched on his face.
"Your Qi is… thin," he muttered. "It feels weakened, as though you are on the brink of losing your cultivation entirely. There is no trace of the Iron Sun technique I imparted to you years ago."
"I told you he was unwell!" Meiling exclaimed, pulling Su Chen closer, wrapping her arms around his waist and glaring at the Elder. "His body is struggling to heal. This is why he requires rest. This is why he needs to be with me."
The Elder rubbed his temples, appearing fatigued. "Perhaps. It is conceivable that the head injury has caused a regression in his spirit root. Such occurrences are not uncommon. If he cannot sustain the family technique, he will be ineligible for the main trials."
A wave of relief washed over Su Chen. Regressing? That was fortuitous. If the clan deemed him a failure, they might overlook him entirely.
"That's acceptable," Meiling declared, rising and pulling Su Chen to his feet without relinquishing her hold. "He has no need for the trials. He has me. I shall provide him with all the resources he requires."
With that, she turned Su Chen around and began guiding him toward the exit, her movements imbued with a playful sway as she cast a triumphant glance back at the Elder.
"We shall take our leave now. My brother needs his medicine."
As they departed the pavilion, Su Chen felt as though he had narrowly escaped a dire fate.
"You handled yourself admirably in there, Chen," Meiling remarked as they walked back toward their quarters. She paused beneath a cherry blossom tree, turning to face him, her fingers deftly adjusting his collar, lingering near his throat.
"The Elder believes you are growing weaker. But I sensed it. When he touched you, your heart remained steady. Too steady."
She leaned in, her nose brushing against his, her eyes dark and filled with an unsettling intensity.
"You're a masterful liar. I find that utterly captivating. It makes me curious to uncover what else you might be concealing."
Suddenly, she gripped the back of his head and pulled him into a tight embrace, her chest pressing against him with such force that he could discern her rapid heartbeat—far too quick.
"Do not worry," she whispered into his ear. "I will not divulge your secrets. Your secrets are now mine. Everything you possess is also mine."
Su Chen stood there, paralyzed. He had deceived the Elder, yet he knew he had not deceived her. The Silent River might conceal his Qi, but it could not mask his essence from a woman enamored with every facet of him.
A tumult of fear mingled with an unwelcome thrill coursed through him. She was terrifying, utterly unpredictable.
Yet as she enveloped him beneath the cascading blossoms, he found himself growing accustomed to her weight.
'I am in so much trouble!' he thought.