128 Jiawei's Sister

Days later...

In the eastern part of Wodan, a majestic house grew in the lush lakeside. A house that nature provided, matching the regalness of its occupants.

Zhen, eager to get the drop on Jiawei, visited the Qilin's home. Riding her sword as the morning sun rises, Zhen jumped from such a height that you would think she intended to go for a dip by the lake.

The water of the lake solidified into a circle of ice as Zhen landed. Each step, ice paved a path for Zhen to tread upon. Such was Zhen's immaculate mastery of over ice that allowed Zhen to walk on water.

It did not take long for Zhen to reach the bank and stand before the house's twin gates.

Hands behind her back, the regal cultivator shouted, "Jiawei, it is I, your favorite sparring partner. Come down immediately so we could start the day with a breathtaking clash."

Jiawei never failed to meet with Zhen night after night, her apparent hatred for humans temporarily shed as they try to prove who had better skills with the sword.

The Qilin that answered Zhen's summon had not been Jiawei but one smaller, a child that possessed the same Qilin horn and tail. The Qilin child jumped from up high to slam down its feet into Zhen's face.

The child gasped, her surprise attack foiled by one of Zhen's had blocking her foot mere inches from landing into Zhen's face.

(A child Qilin, how curious. This one must be important to Jiawei. Her eyes are still unsealed, what beautiful pools of darkness, it is like gazing into the night sky filled with stars.)

Breaking the child's attack, Zhen lightly tossed the Qilin sideways in a manner where she was able to stand and immediately cast her suspicion on Zhen.

"A human, you will not take me and my sister's core!" So said the Child.

(Hmm. So she is , Jiawei's sister.) "Ah, but you are mistaken. I am not after you and your sister's core. I happen to be good friends with Jiawei."

"I don't believe you! Sister said all humans are after our cores and that we must end them at first sight!"

Zhen grinned, her arms opening as if to implore, "Is that so? Then why am I still alive? Surely you must be aware of how powerful your sister is. Once unsealed, a Qilin's eyes can tear apart space."

The child could not grasp the deception behind Zhen's smile, sowing seeds of confusion inside her heart.

"I don't believe you! Just you wait until my sister gets back, she will kill you on the spot for trying to confuse me!"

Zhen's relationship with Jiawei had just taken a smooth turn, one word from this brat and things might turn rough again. Zhen racked her brain, what would be the best way to deal with this sassy child?

"Then it is a shame. I was just about to hand over a toy thinking how good of a child you must be. I better get going then, I don't want Jiawei to think I am bullying her little sister." Zhen feigned disappoint before turning around, ready to leave.

"Wait..." The Child narrowed her eyes, still distrustful but brimming with curiosity. "...what toy."

Zhen grinned, she never thought her time spent with Cui learning new hobbies would one day come in handy. Zhen extended her palm, as if inviting the child. On top of Zhen's hand, Zhen's ice took on the shape of a masterwork sculpture, producing the shape of an elegant swan doll.

"Anything you desire." Zhen confidently declared. "This swan is yours to play with, since it is made from my ice, it shall not melt unless you shatter it with qi. Go on, take it."

Jiafeng gulped. The swan looked so pretty! But her sister might scold her if she took this toy from a human!

The allure of the exotic toy became too much to resist. Jiafeng rushed towards Zhen and grabbed the swan doll. Chilly but pleasant to the touch, Jiafeng had no trouble admiring her new toy.

"I am Jiafeng, my sister is getting her sword tempered. Would you like to get inside and get some tea?"

Excellent. Zhen had proven to Jiafeng that she poses no harm to them. The next step was to win her heart so it would be easier winning over her sister's.

As the two went inside, Zhen informed, "If you have any request, I can make you any toy of your liking."

Jiafeng gasped, "Anything!?"

++++

The constant clash of Jiawei's wodao against Zhen's ice caused her blade to dent. After returning from the blacksmith, a smile adorned her face. What is this emotion in her chest that makes Jiawei expectant of her evening spar together with Zhen?

Her smile vanished as her blindfolded eyes witnessed with greater clarity the events unfolding beyond the closed door.

This aura, it is Zhen. She is with Jiafeng! Her little sister appears strapped to a contraption, preventing her from fleeing Zhen's grasp. Since Zhen cannot best her, had she gone for her little sister instead? Had this ice witch finally revealed her true colors!?

Jiawei kicked open the door.

"Jiafeng, I have come to save you! This human's head will roll for daring to touch you! Do not worr..."

The state her little sister was in confused Jiawei, cutting herself short. Jiawei's sixth sense discerned, her sister wasn't strapped at all, she rode a small horse made out of ice in her own volition.

"Sister Jiawei, you're back! Your human friend is looking for you!"

Even Jiafeng's gleeful timbre surprised Jiawei. Still, she will never forgive Zhen for her trespass and indoctrination. No human should ever be a Beast's 'friend.', be it divine or spirit.

Charged with lightning, Jiafeng blitzed towards Zhen before the teacup could touch Zhen's lips, Jiawei split it into two. Her blade now pointed at Zhen, calm even at the threat of a beheading.

"What game are you playing, Zhen? Have you gone tired of going after my head that you would try and go after my sister's instead?"

"I am plenty of things, Jiawei. But a murderer of Children, I am not."

Disappointment exuded from Zhen's tone. Zhen could not believe that after a week sparring night after night, Jiawei would think of her as this bloodthirsty human desperate to hunt even the sould core of a beast child.

In the blink of an eye, Zhen kicked the tea table, power and grace combined for such blinding speed, momentarily hitting Jiawei's wrist.

Jiawei's lightning infused blade split the table in half, clean as if slicing paper. But her quarry was no longer in front of her. Zhen, now a few steps away held an ice blade. Her gaze fell to the little Qilin and then back to Jiawei. Perhaps a smidgen of fault lies with Zhen, she did drop in unannounced.

"My interest to spar with you has waned."

"Well I never wanted to spar with you in the first place, yet you sneak out night after night, forcing me to chase after you! What reason have you come to my home!?"

"I came here for you." Zhen delivered her reply, calm but raging with passion beneath. A passion buried by Jiawei's indifference for her feelings towards the Qilin. Still, a lady must be graceful even at the face of rejection. "Worry not. You would never catch me sneaking out again. After all, you have reminded me that I am still on a mission."

Zhen walked past the stunned Jiawei. Zhen's words froze her better than any ice technique she could throw at Jiawei. What is this scalding pain inside Jiawei's chest, tormenting Jiawei at the thought of their evening meetings put to an abrupt halt? Had she...fallen for a human?