Chapter 15: Jade Beauty's Favor

As the dust settled in the aftermath of the Three Foundation Trials, Guan Feng found himself standing amidst the rubble of the Heavenly Pavilion, his breath coming in ragged gasps. His emerald eyes swept over the scene before him, taking in the crumpled form of Fen Ling, her body slumped against the far wall, and the stunned expression on Shi Hao's face as he watched Li Yun's retreating form.

It was a sight that filled Guan Feng with a mixture of pride and disbelief, for he had just witnessed his dearest friend and brother-in-arms accomplish a feat that should have been utterly impossible for one of his cultivation level. To have mastered the Thundering Heaven technique, a skill that even Guan Feng, with his Peak Qi Gathering cultivation, had only glimpsed in passing, was a testament to the boundless potential that burned within Li Yun's soul.

As Guan Feng turned to follow his friend's path, his gaze fell upon one of the lower pedestals that lined the pavilion's walls, and a glimmer of orange silk caught his eye. With a start, he realized that amidst the chaos and destruction, he had somehow overlooked the presence of a rare Orange Grade cultivation technique – a prize that would have been the envy of any cultivator worth their salt.

Without a moment's hesitation, Guan Feng strode forward, his fingers closing around the scroll with a reverence that bordered on awe. As he unfurled the ancient parchment, his eyes widened as he took in the intricate diagrams and flowing calligraphy that adorned its surface, each stroke a testament to the profound insights and wisdom of the ancient masters who had crafted this technique.

The Crimson Phoenix Fist, the scroll proclaimed, a cultivation art that harnessed the raw, primal power of the blazing sun and channeled it into a series of devastating strikes that could shatter even the mightiest of defenses. Guan Feng could feel his heart pounding in his chest as he read on, his mind already racing with the possibilities that such a technique could unlock.

It was then that a small, folded slip of parchment fluttered free from the scroll's depths, drifting to the ground at Guan Feng's feet. With a furrowed brow, he bent down and retrieved the note, his fingers trembling with a mixture of anticipation and trepidation as he unfolded it.

The flowing script that greeted his eyes was unmistakable, a hand that he would have recognized in an instant, even if he were blind and deaf to the world around him. It was the elegant calligraphy of Ling Xiu, the Jade Beauty of the Crimson Cloud Sect, the object of his deepest affections and the source of his most fervent desires.

"Guan Feng," the note began, the words seeming to shimmer with an ethereal radiance that set Guan Feng's heart aflutter. "If you are reading this, then you have proven yourself worthy of the Three Foundation Trials and have claimed a rare cultivation technique as your prize."

Guan Feng's breath caught in his throat as he read on, his eyes devouring each graceful stroke of Ling Xiu's brush with a hunger that bordered on desperation. "I must confess, I have been watching your progress with great interest, and I am impressed by the determination and resilience you have shown in the face of adversity."

A flush of pride crept up Guan Feng's neck, his cheeks burning with a mixture of joy and embarrassment at the thought of the Jade Beauty's eyes upon him. To have caught her attention, to have earned her respect and admiration, was a prize more precious than any cultivation technique or secret art.

"However," the note continued, and Guan Feng could almost hear the teasing lilt in Ling Xiu's voice as he read the words, "I must also confess that I am curious to learn more about the nature of your relationship with the young cultivator Li Yun. The bond you share seems... uncommon, even for the closest of friends."

Guan Feng's brow furrowed as he pondered the implications of Ling Xiu's words, his mind whirling with the possibilities. Did she suspect the true depth of his connection with Li Yun, the bond that transcended mere friendship and bordered on something deeper, something more profound?

"If you wish to satisfy my curiosity," the note concluded, the words seeming to dance across the parchment with a coy, playful grace, "then meet me at the Jade Pavilion at the hour of the Crimson Moon. I shall await you there, and perhaps we can explore the nature of your... unique relationship."

Guan Feng's heart raced as he read the final words, his fingers tracing the elegant strokes of Ling Xiu's signature with a reverence that bordered on worship. To have been summoned by the Jade Beauty herself, to be granted an audience in her presence... it was a dream come true, a fantasy that he had harbored in the deepest recesses of his heart for as long as he could remember.

Without a moment's hesitation, Guan Feng tucked the note and the Crimson Phoenix Fist scroll into the folds of his robes, his mind already racing with the possibilities that lay ahead. He would meet with Ling Xiu, and he would bare his soul to her, laying bare the depths of his affection and the strength of his bond with Li Yun.

And perhaps, just perhaps, he would find himself basking in the radiant glow of her favor, a prize more precious than any cultivation technique or secret art.

As the hour of the Crimson Moon drew near, Guan Feng found himself making his way through the winding paths of the Crimson Cloud Sect's grounds, his heart pounding with a mixture of anticipation and trepidation. The Jade Pavilion loomed before him, its graceful arches and intricate carvings casting a warm, inviting glow in the fading light of dusk.

With a steadying breath, Guan Feng ascended the pavilion's steps, his footfalls whispering against the polished stone as he made his way towards the center of the structure. And there, bathed in the crimson radiance of the setting sun, stood Ling Xiu, her ethereal beauty seeming to outshine even the celestial heavens themselves.

Guan Feng felt his breath catch in his throat as he took in the sight of her, his heart threatening to burst from the sheer force of his emotions. She was clad in flowing robes of azure silk, their delicate folds seeming to shimmer and dance with each subtle movement, as if she were a creature born of the very essence of the dao itself.

As he drew nearer, Ling Xiu turned to face him, her emerald eyes shimmering with a hint of amusement and something deeper, something that Guan Feng dared not name for fear of shattering the fragile illusion that surrounded them. "Guan Feng," she murmured, her voice a melodious lilt that seemed to resonate within the very depths of his soul, "I must confess, I did not expect you to heed my summons so readily."

Guan Feng felt his cheeks flush with a mixture of embarrassment and pride, his tongue suddenly thick and leaden in his mouth. "I... that is to say..." he stammered, his words trailing off into an incoherent jumble as he found himself drowning in the depths of Ling Xiu's gaze.

To his surprise, the Jade Beauty threw back her head and laughed, a rich, full-bodied sound that seemed to fill the pavilion with a warmth and vitality that Guan Feng had never known before. "Peace, Guan Feng," she chuckled, her eyes dancing with a hint of mirth. "I did not summon you here to render you speechless, though I must admit, the sight of you flustered and tongue-tied is... endearing, in its own way."

Guan Feng felt a flush of embarrassment creep up his neck, but he could not find it within himself to be truly ashamed. For in that moment, basking in the radiant glow of Ling Xiu's presence, he felt a sense of contentment and belonging that he had never known before.

"I must confess, Guan Feng," Ling Xiu continued, her expression growing more serious as she regarded him with a piercing gaze, "I have been... intrigued by your relationship with Li Yun. He is a most remarkable cultivator, one whose potential seems to know no bounds."

Guan Feng's brow furrowed in confusion, his mind whirling with the implications of Ling Xiu's words. "Li Yun is... my dearest friend, Senior Disciple," he began, his voice laced with a hint of uncertainty. "A brother-in-arms, bound to me by the threads of destiny itself."

Ling Xiu waved her hand dismissively, her expression one of polite disinterest. "Yes, yes, I'm sure your bond is quite... profound," she murmured, her tone betraying a hint of impatience. "But what I truly wish to understand is the nature of Li Yun's cultivation, his insights into the dao, and the secrets behind his remarkable accomplishments during the Three Foundation Trials."

Guan Feng felt a pang of disappointment twist in his gut as he realized that the Jade Beauty's interest lay not in the sanctity of his friendship with Li Yun, but rather in the potential power and knowledge that his friend possessed. He opened his mouth to speak, to defend the depth of their bond, but the words died on his lips as he saw the gleam of curiosity in Ling Xiu's eyes.

With a heavy heart, Guan Feng found himself recounting the tale of their trials and tribulations, his words painting a vivid tapestry of the challenges they had faced and the bonds that had been forged in the crucible of their shared ordeal. But as he spoke, he could not help but feel a sense of inferiority creeping into his heart, a realization that in Ling Xiu's eyes, he was little more than a means to an end, a conduit through which she could gain insight into the true object of her fascination – Li Yun.

As he described the sheer magnitude of Li Yun's accomplishment in mastering the Thundering Heaven technique, a feat that should have been utterly impossible for one of his cultivation level, Guan Feng could see the spark of interest in Ling Xiu's eyes burn brighter, her gaze sharpening with a hunger for knowledge and power that bordered on obsession.

"Remarkable," she breathed, her voice tinged with a mixture of awe and envy. "To have achieved such a level of mastery at such a tender stage of cultivation... Li Yun truly is a prodigy among prodigies."

Guan Feng felt a pang of jealousy twist in his gut as he watched the Jade Beauty's expression, her features alight with a reverence that he had once hoped would be directed towards him. But in that moment, he knew that in Ling Xiu's eyes, he was little more than a stepping stone, a means to an end in her quest to unravel the mysteries that surrounded Li Yun.

As the last rays of the Crimson Moon faded from the pavilion, casting long shadows across the intricate carvings and delicate arches, Guan Feng found himself standing before the Jade Beauty, his heart heavy with a mixture of disappointment and resignation.

"I see," Ling Xiu murmured, her voice cool and distant, a far cry from the warmth and vitality that had filled it mere moments before. "Your bond with Li Yun is... commendable, I suppose. But it is his potential, his insights into the dao, that truly fascinate me."

Guan Feng opened his mouth to speak, to defend the sanctity of his friendship, but the words died on his lips as he saw the look of dismissal in Ling Xiu's eyes. In that moment, he knew that whatever connection he had hoped to forge with the Jade Beauty had been severed, a casualty of his own inadequacy in the face of Li Yun's prodigious talent.

With a heavy heart, Guan Feng bowed deeply, his eyes downcast as he fought to maintain his composure. "I understand, Senior Disciple," he murmured, his voice thick with a mixture of sadness and resignation. "I shall take my leave, and trouble you no further."

As he turned to depart, he could feel Ling Xiu's gaze upon him, a weight that seemed to press down upon his shoulders like a physical burden. But even in the face of his disappointment, Guan Feng knew that he had made the right choice, that he had remained true to the bonds that truly mattered, the bonds that transcended mere ambition and thirst for power.

Yet, even as he made his way back to the modest quarters he shared with Li Yun, he could not shake the sense of inferiority that gnawed at his heart. For in the eyes of the Jade Beauty, in the eyes of the world itself, he was but a pale shadow, a mere afterthought in the face of his friend's prodigious talent and boundless potential.

As Guan Feng pushed open the door to their shared chamber, his gaze fell upon Li Yun, engrossed in studying an ancient tome. A pang of envy twisted in his gut, a bitter reminder of how his friend had soared to the Late Qi Gathering Realm during the Three Foundation Trials, while Guan Feng remained stuck at the Peak stage. Despite his unwavering dedication, he couldn't shake the resentment that Li Yun's talents far outstripped his own.

Guan Feng's fists clenched as he stewed in feelings of inadequacy and anger at his stagnating cultivation. How could fate bless Li Yun with such boundless potential while condemning him to perpetual mediocrity? The Jade Beauty's blatant disregard for his own accomplishments in favor of obsessing over Li Yun's insights had exposed this raw wound.