After Sai left, the three remained where they were, still seated before the flat rock that had served as their master's seat.None of them spoke right away.Their Master's words were still echoing in their spirits.
Wei Lian was the first to break the silence.
"So…" — he scratched the back of his neck, forcing an uncertain smile — "basically, we get to choose how we're going to suffer."
Yan Li let out a small snort.
"I don't think he'd call it suffering."
"I would," Wei Lian replied. "You don't gain anything without paying for it. What scares me is not knowing what the price will be."
Wang Tao, who was observing the valley below the mountain, spoke without turning around.
"Any price is small when we talk about freedom. The problem, in my view, is choosing the wrong path… and realizing it too late."
The wind swayed the bamboo leaves, producing a soft sound, almost like flowing water.
Wei Lian rested his arms on his knees.
"Do you already know what you're going to choose?"
Yan Li took a few seconds before answering.
"Not completely. But I know what I don't want." She opened her eyes. "I don't want to spend my whole life chasing power… and forget why I started cultivating in the first place."
Wang Tao finally turned to face them.
"And why did you start?"
She hesitated.
"Because… I wanted to capture something I always felt was beyond me." She gently clenched her fingers. "Something that can't be held. And now I realize that to cultivate that, I need to go beyond Qi."
Wei Lian blinked.
"So you want to cultivate the soul."
She nodded slowly.
"I want to understand what moves things… not just how to break them."
Wang Tao remained silent for a moment.
"That makes sense."
Then Wei Lian looked at Wang Tao.
"And you?"
The core disciple took a deep breath.
"My body has been trained since I was young for… certain things." He didn't finish, unwilling to open up or show weakness. "Anyway, I can't ignore the body knowing my roots. And I can't ignore the spirit because of my profession."
Yan Li frowned slightly.
"So you're going to cultivate all three? And what is your profession?"
"I'm still thinking," he replied. "I'm… a physician. Anyway, my past isn't that simple." He felt foolish for lying. He wanted to be honest with his sect brothers, but his past was far too dangerous to drag them into what was coming.
Wei Lian narrowed his eyes. He noticed the lie and sensed something was wrong, but he didn't ask.
After a few seconds, he realized both of them were staring at him.
"What?"
"You still haven't said yours," Yan Li pointed out.
Wei Lian looked away.
"I… don't really know what I'm good at cultivating."
Wang Tao narrowed his eyes.
"You passed through a Formation that even cultivators couldn't withstand."
"Yeah, but that doesn't mean I'm strong," he muttered.
Yan Li tilted her head.
"It was never about being strong."
He let out a nervous laugh.
Silence formed again, but this time it was different. Less heavy. More… shared.
Yan Li spoke again.
"Changing the subject." The sudden shift caught both of them off guard. "Who do you think our Master really is? I've seen many cultivators, but none like him. Young, wise, ethereal, with a sublime soul, knowledge in many arts and—" her eyes began to shine as she spoke.
Wang Tao had to interrupt her.
"Easy. You're right to question it. Besides, his cultivation manual clearly benefits from our comprehension to strengthen his own Dao."
Wei Lian raised an eyebrow.
"So you think we're in danger?"
"No. I think it's a relationship where both sides benefit. I don't sense malice from him. As for his appearance, he could be a high-level cultivator under a curse, or an old monster who possessed a child's body to recultivate. Anyway, the mysteries of the Heavens are endless. There's no way to know."
This time, both of them were surprised. Possession? They thought that was just a myth.
"Better not think about it too much," Wang Tao continued. "One way or another, we're gaining from this. Probably even more than he is."
The two nodded in agreement. Yan Li smiled slightly and said:
"Speaking of that, who's the oldest among us?"
She finished with a playful laugh.
Wang Tao answered firmly.
"I'm the most experienced, age doesn't matter. I'm the eldest brother."
"Then I'm second," she said quickly, not wanting to be the youngest.
Wei Lian sighed. He was probably the oldest of the three.
"Then I guess I'm the youngest."
"Don't worry, little brother Wei," Yan Li said with a smile. "We'll take care of you."