Praise me more

Yuan Xuelan was avoiding him again and kept him at an arm's length away. The only time he ventured close was when he woke up and saw Liu Sumeng changing his bandages.

"What did you do!?" Xuelan roared, jolting up from his bed.

He was sitting at the mirror, with bandages and ointment and oils all placed on the countertop. Liu Sumeng looked at him, unconcerned as he rubbed more ointment over his shoulder and took out fresh bandages. "Hm? Nothing," he answered dismissively, "this is just punishment."

Anyone else probably would have cried at the angry red and purple welts along their backside, but Liu Sumeng appeared almost bored.

"Stop! Stop!" Yuan Xuelan cried and jumped up to his feet, rushing over to hiss at Liu Sumeng, "You missed so many spots, are you stupid? Why don't you just take a Healing Pill!? Your back is in sheds!"

"It's punishment. I wouldn't."

"Just what kind of punishment is this supposed to be!? Argh! Never mind! Don't answer!" Yuan Xuelan looked like he about to throw a fit. If only he hadn't moved some of the wooden panels earlier then perhaps Liu Sumeng wouldn't have been in his current predicament.

Yuan Xuelan even slapped Liu Sumeng's hands away and took the ointment himself, unraveling the messy bandages that the Ivory Sword Saint had wrapped earlier. Liu Sumeng sighed, eyes closed as he clenched his teeth to endure the sharp bite of pain as cloth peeled off open sores. Unlike Liu Sumeng, who spread the paste thin across his wounds, he was generous with his application. A tingling cold feeling spread across his injuries and caused Liu Sumeng to shiver.

When he was done, Yuan Xuelan wrapped the bandages with extreme care, gentle but tight. The memory of an emperor who hummed and traced his fingers through Liu Sumeng's hair and traced circles on his back blossomed in Liu Sumeng's mind. The ointment, thick with a twangy smell made him feel a little light-headed and Liu Sumeng's eyes almost fluttered closed. But he remained awake.

"There, done." Yuan Xuelan tapped the Ivory Sword Saint's shoulder to let him know that he had finished and was quick to back away, too fast to give Liu Sumeng the time to say thank you.

It was like that for the rest of the day. Whenever Liu Sumeng turned to gaze at Yuan Xuelan, he could feel the younger take a few steps back…

Just what was this? Weren't they already past this phase of awkwardness? A cloud of confusion and depression boggled him down but there was no time for Liu Sumeng to confront Yuan Xuelan on the matter.

They set out early morning when the frost was biting and the air had yet to be thawed by the sun. After they met at the foot of the waterfall, Yuan Xuelan gave both Liu Sumeng and Peng Jipei a talisman said to add resistance to fire. It was almost comedic they were holding such a thing in the dead of winter.

While Liu Sumeng was busy contemplating the curiosity of the talisman in his hand, a jacket was tossed at his face. He gave Yuan Xuelan a questioning gave that the younger refused to meet. He only sneered, "Wear this too. I enchanted it with some added protection." Liu Sumeng clutched the fabric and frowned. The white clothing was soft under his touch, obviously of the highest make with gold trimmings. Whimsical clouds and elegant cranes were carefully embroidered around the sleeves and ends of the jacket. It was no ordinary item and with Yuan Xuelan's enchantments skillfully woven in, it could easily fetch a price that would make a wealthy merchant dizzy.

But even with this high-quality treasure being dumped in his arms, Liu Sumeng craved Yuan Xuelan's attention more. He couldn't understand why the young man was now keeping him at arm's length and ending their conversations short, "Xuelan-" he tried to call only to be ignored, "thank you." And all he got was a cold shoulder.

On Liu Sumeng's left side, Peng Jipei was eyeing him with a pout, "A-Zhang, where's mine?" The younger Peng brother had greeted them with a smile in the morning, despite bandages across his face and an eyepatch over his left eye, no doubt swollen and ugly. His expression was strained but no one commented to save him what little sliver of face he had left.

Yuan Xuelan rolled his eyes and scoffed, "Do you think I'm a fountain of wealth? Anyways, you'll be fine Peng-ge. You'll probably just run away at the first sign of danger."

The pout deepened, "Why do you have so little faith in me?"

"It's not like I want to," Yuan Xuelan crossed his arms, accusing Peng Jipei who shrugged everything off with a nervous laugh.

Peng Jipei might have had a bad personality, but to Yuan Xuelan he wasn't a bad person. A tragic person, pitiful and a little stupid, but he wasn't bad. Yuan Xuelan still owed a lot to Auntie Cao and this dimwitted cousin of his.

The spiritual forest was best traveled on foot. Trees and shrubs were densely packed and posed a danger to those that whizzed around carelessly on their swords. There had been a time in his youth where Yuan Xuelan and Peng Jipei tested their speed and agility here none the less, only to get scolded by an angry Cao Hong dressing their wounds.

That too was a long time ago.

They trudged on in silence. The paths have been well-traveled by deer, rabbits and other beasts that left their prints in the fluffy snow and now the three cultivators followed the same trail. Footprints pressed into the soft snow until wind or storm decided to erase the evidence.

There was a cave to the north, Peng Jipei explained. It was well known that a phoenix dwelt there, hidden away to cultivate its core. In fear, respect, and awe, many have left offerings by the entrance to appease the beast, lest it decided to unleash its divine powers to scorch the entire forest into a pile of soot.

And now they were going to disturb such a beast, on purpose. "Will everything really be okay, if we slew the Divine Phoenix?" Peng Jipei asked nervously as he shuffled after them with smaller, quicker steps.

Yuan Xuelan grumbled and didn't slow his pace, "Why wouldn't it be? The world will still move forward, Divine Phoenix or not. Maybe things might change a little, but in the end, does it really matter?"

"But," Peng Jipei wasn't entirely convinced and kept playing with the tips of his hair, "are you sure it won't upset some sort of important balance? What if this entire forest wilts after the phoenix dies?"

"And so what? Does it even matter?" Yuan Xuelan sighed, exasperated, "Aren't you the one at fault for this situation anyway? What choice do you even have?"

"..." At this, Peng Jipei was quiet and sulked as he grimaced at his hair.

Liu Sumeng despised the stretching silence but he felt like there was nothing he could say. Not with Peng Jipei's annoying personality and sullen mood, and not with Yuan Xuelan who was both unusually quiet and didn't want to look at his face.

So instead he tried to focus on the way the air fogged at his breath and the tiny bit of warmth that seeped through the canopy as the sun climbed higher in the sky. Snow crunched below their feet.

It was almost noon when they approached the cave, Yuan Xuelan sighed one more time and asked, "Does everyone know what we're supposed to do? Because one mistake and we'll probably end up as a pile of ash. A phoenix is no joke."

Liu Sumeng nodded, resolute and unafraid while, Peng Jipei was quaking and chewed up his bottom lips. "Is this really a good idea? What if we die?"

Yuan Xuelan was unamused, "Are you stupid, Peng-ge?"

"..." Liu Sumeng said nothing to intervene and only glared at Peng Jipei, cold.

Sweat beaded at Peng Jipei's forehead, "Isn't there an easier way…?" he asked, "Surely, there has to be."

"To get a divine beast's spiritual core in three days?" Yuan Xuelan narrowed his eyes, "Even if the emperor had one in the depths of his treasury how do you think you're going to pry it out of his hands?"

Liu Sumeng finally spoke up, "This is the most efficient way. There is also the option of going back."

"Ah yes, I'm not averse to going back, Peng-ge. We can always give up now." Yuan Xuelan nodded as he gave the idea more thought.

But Peng Jipei paled, "But Dage will throw me and Mother out! He's totally serious!"

"Then we proceed." Liu Sumeng let out a huff of breath, a rare display of irritation.

"Yeah, we proceed," Yuan Xuelan nodded in agreement, "You're lucky we're even around to help you out. If I didn't care about your well-being and the Ivory Sword Saint wasn't such a compassionate person, what would you even do?"

Peng Jipei lowered his head in shame, "You're always helping me out, A-Zhang. Thank you."

"Hmph," Yuan Xuelan crossed his arms across his chest and huffed, "That's right. I'm a trustworthy and reliable person, so you better praise me more."

Peng Jipei looked up with a questioning expression but Liu Sumeng did not hesitate in the slightest and responded with, "Yuan Xuelan is a very trustworthy and reliable person. His loyalty is extremely boundless. He is also a genius and very-"

"Stop!" Yuan Xuelan cried, his face horror-stricken and arms flailing.

But now that Yuan Xuelan was finally looking his way, how could Liu Sumeng stop? So he continued, "He's very clever and is always able to come up with a plan even in the direst of situations. He's caring even if he doesn't-"

"What did I say about stopping!?" Yuan Xuelan leaped forward, face thoroughly red as he pressed his palm against Liu Sumeng's mouth, silencing him, "What did I say about taking me seriously!? Why don't you ever listen?" His voice was hitched from the horror. He couldn't even fathom the Ivory Sword Saint blurting out such stupid and embarrassing things! And now he was on the verge of a heart attack, again! Why did this have to keep happening!? Just what kind of curse came with this Liu Sumeng?

Soft laughter broke through the air, Peng Jipei doubled over, pressing a dainty fist to his mouth, not at all modest. "You deserved that, A-Zhang!"

Yuan Xuelan scowled, but then his expression softened. At least Peng Jipei could feel at ease, even if it was only for a fleeting moment. Yuan Xuelan might not have been the most empathetic of people, but he liked to believe that he wasn't cruel.

After all, they might as well enjoy this small moment of reprise. He counted exactly up to ten before bringing up their next task, "Ok, so we all know what to do?" This time, everyone nodded.

Satisfied, they took to their positions.