Chapter 40: Departure

  Dawn broke gently over Dragonspire Forest, painting the sky in soft shades of gold and pale blue. The dense canopy that had once swallowed the moonlight now let in thin streams of morning sun, casting shifting patterns across the forest floor. Birds began their morning chorus, and cold mist clung stubbornly to the undergrowth, slowly giving way to the day's growing warmth.

  Deep within the quiet cave nestled among the roots of a rocky hill, Su Tianhao stirred from sleep—woken by what could only be described as a very persistent hand shaking his shoulder.

  His eyes fluttered open, golden depths landing on a beautiful girl looking down at him with a small smile.

  "Lu Ruyi?" he mumbled, blinking sleep from his eyes.

  "Wake up," she said softly.

  Su Tianhao stretched and shifted back, sitting up properly and shaking off the last traces of sleep.

  "I'll be leaving now," Lu Ruyi said, straight to the point.

  "So soon? I thought you were going to be training in Dragonspire Forest a while longer," Su Tianhao said with clear disappointment.

  "I came out for a seven-day training period. Yesterday was the last day. I have to return to my master," she explained.

  "I see," Su Tianhao murmured, nodding.

  Lu Ruyi gazed toward the cave entrance. "Now that my training is finished, my master must have already sent Qiongqi to bring me back."

  "Qiongqi? Who's that?" Su Tianhao asked, raising an eyebrow.

  "You'll know soon enough," Lu Ruyi said with a mysterious smile.

  "Now I'm even more curious," he replied wryly.

  Lu Ruyi suddenly looked at him with that deep, measuring gaze—crystalline blue eyes studying his face carefully, as if trying to memorize every detail.

  "Why are you staring at me like that?" Su Tianhao asked with a raised eyebrow.

  Without answering, she tossed a small pouch toward him. He caught it reflexively.

  "Take it," Lu Ruyi said calmly.

  Su Tianhao examined the pouch for a moment—then his eyes widened. "Isn't this your storage pouch?"

  Storage pouches weren't particularly rare items, but they were expensive and beyond the reach of most ordinary cultivators. Like spatial rings, they contained a pocket dimension capable of storing non-living items. Spatial rings held far greater capacity and were extraordinarily rare—accessible only to cultivators capable of manifesting spiritual energy. Storage pouches, by contrast, could be used by anyone who had begun cultivation, making them the far more common option. Either way, any cultivator of even modest influence would possess one.

  Realizing the value of what he was holding, Su Tianhao shook his head firmly. "I can't accept this."

  Lu Ruyi frowned slightly. "What are you talking about? There are cultivation pills, healing pills, and Qi recovery pills inside. They would be very beneficial to your training."

  "That's all the more reason I can't just take it," Su Tianhao said with a determined expression. "I haven't done anything to earn these resources. I prefer to earn my own."

  Lu Ruyi smiled at his words. "You really did change, didn't you? Your previous self would be shocked at how righteous you've become."

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  Su Tianhao remained unmoved by the teasing and held the pouch back out toward her.

  Lu Ruyi glanced at it but showed no intention of taking it back.

  "Just keep it," she said casually. "There are only some Body Tempering Pills and Essence Refinement Pills inside—only useful for Martial Apprentices and Martial Disciples. As for the healing and Qi recovery pills, they're just high-level grade one pills. Nothing worth mentioning."

  Su Tianhao's lips twitched. "Body Tempering Pills, Essence Refinement Pills, high-level grade one healing and Qi recovery pills—and you call that nothing worth mentioning? That's worth about twenty-five thousand silver coins."

  Twenty-five thousand silver coins was undoubtedly a significant sum by any standard. But Su Tianhao had already planned on winning one thousand gold coins from Su Jian, and since these came in the form of pills, he wasn't interested. After all, his devouring ability could provide results those pills couldn't.

  He took a slow breath. "I appreciate the kindness. But I really don't need it."

  Lu Ruyi's frown deepened, and her eyes turned immediately ice cold. "What do you mean? If you don't take it, I'll take it back right now—and throw it away. And that's where we cut all ties."

  Su Tianhao's eyebrows jumped in alarm. He quickly tucked the storage pouch into his robes.

  "As expected of the Jade Sword Lord's personal disciple," he said with a bitter smile. "You really would have thrown it away, wouldn't you?"

  "Hmph!" Lu Ruyi snorted, arms crossed—but she didn't deny it.

  Su Tianhao looked at her, cupped his fists, and bowed slightly. "I, Su Tianhao, will remember this favor."

  Lu Ruyi shrugged dismissively. "Don't think too much about it."

  But Su Tianhao wouldn't simply let it go. Since the day he had set foot on the path of cultivation, only Uncle Yuan had shown him this kind of quiet generosity—slipping him healing pills and the Basic Qi Tempering Method without asking anything in return. Lu Ruyi had now joined that short list.

  'I will remember this kindness,' he vowed silently.

  "It's time for me to leave," Lu Ruyi said, turning toward the cave entrance.

  "Okay," Su Tianhao said, and followed her outside.

  As they stepped into the sunlight, Su Tianhao narrowed his eyes slightly, adjusting to the bright morning light filtering across the hills.

  Lu Ruyi reached into her white robes and produced a slender jade flute.

  "What's that?" Su Tianhao asked with interest.

  "You'll know soon enough," she said again, with that same mysterious smile.

  Su Tianhao could only shake his head. He was beginning to understand her—she wasn't going to tell him anything even if he begged, so he kept quiet.

  A soft breeze stirred the morning mist as Lu Ruyi raised the flute to her lips. With a calm breath, she played a single long, clear note—

  Liiiiiing...

  The sound was otherworldly, vibrant and pure, like moonlight woven into song. It echoed through the forest canopy, distant yet commanding. Moments later, a sharp cry answered from somewhere high above.

  Kreeeeaaah!

  Su Tianhao instinctively looked up. The sky seemed to split open as a majestic figure swept downward with terrifying speed, mighty wings blocking out the sun, feathers shimmering with pale emerald light.

  The color drained from his face. "What is that?!"

  He quickly gauged the beast's cultivation from its overwhelming presence alone—and his throat tightened.

  "Grade five beast!" He grabbed Lu Ruyi's arm without thinking. "Quick—back into the cave! If we're lucky it won't find us!"

  A grade five beast to the current him was a terrifying creature, comparable to a Martial Soul Realm expert. There wasn't anything he could do against it; pure dread flooded through him.

  "Relax," Lu Ruyi laughed, freeing her arm from his grip. "That's Qiongqi."

  "That's... Qiongqi?" Su Tianhao repeated in a daze.

  Whoosh! Whoosh! Whoosh!

  The great bird descended from the sky, each powerful sweep of its wings sending gusts of wind billowing across the surrounding hills.

  Su Tianhao stared at the magnificent creature in stunned silence.

  Its wingspan stretched nearly five meters from tip to tip. Its feathers shimmered with a soft emerald sheen—each one like polished jade catching the morning light, sleek yet unmistakably powerful. Its streamlined body carried both grace and deadly precision. Sharp golden eyes gleamed with clear intelligence, and its hooked beak was the color of pale ivory, sharp enough to tear through steel. Subtle silver markings trailed from the tips of its wings like streaks of light against the sky.

  "A Jade Winged Eagle," Su Tianhao breathed. "An actual Jade Winged Eagle."

  He knew of this creature from his inherited memories. Rare bloodline. Terrifying speed, razor intelligence, and ruthless in combat. Even among rare bloodline beasts, its bloodline purity ranked exceptionally high. At full maturity, a Jade Winged Eagle would grow into a grade seven beast, with strength comparable to a Martial Grandmaster.

  "I can't believe they sent something like this to pick you up," Su Tianhao said, still not fully recovered. "The Sect Leader really does value you."

  "I am her favorite disciple," Lu Ruyi said with a proud smile. She turned to the eagle and spoke as naturally as she would to a person. "Qiongqi, this is my friend Su Tianhao. Tianhao—Qiongqi."

  The great eagle turned its golden eyes on Su Tianhao, studied him for a measured moment, then looked away with a faint dismissive air and nodded at Lu Ruyi.

  "It's said Jade Winged Eagles respect strength above all else," Su Tianhao said with a bitter smile. Watching the beast's reaction, he confirmed this saying, but he wasn't offended. He was simply too weak to earn its regard—and he knew it.

  Lu Ruyi glanced between them and scolded, "Don't be rude. He's 'my' friend." She said, placing emphasis on the word "my" as if showing possession.

  Qiongqi grumbled, shaking her feathers proudly. Her eyes flicked back to Su Tianhao with a gleam that seemed to say very clearly: you are not worthy.

  "Please, it's really nothing," Su Tianhao said quickly, stepping back.

  Lu Ruyi shook her head at both of them. Then, with one hand on her sheathed sword, she launched herself upward onto Qiongqi's back with effortless grace.

  Qiongqi lowered herself slightly, making sure Lu Ruyi was seated comfortably.

  "Let's go," Lu Ruyi said, giving Su Tianhao one last look.

  Kyaaar!

  Qiongqi let out an ear-piercing cry that split the morning air—then deliberately swept her massive wings downward, sending a wave of dust and wind directly at Su Tianhao. His robes billowed wildly and he staggered back a few steps.

  Without another word, the great eagle launched into the sky and vanished into the blue.

  Su Tianhao watched her disappear with a bitter smile. "What a cocky bird."

  Then his expression shifted. His eyes turned cold with quiet resolve.

  "One day I'll have enough strength to come find you at the Lianhua Sect," he said to the empty sky, fists clenching at his sides. "I'll make you respect me then."

  But when he thought of Lu Ruyi, the coldness softened. Their reunion after seven years had been brief—a single night in a cave, a campfire, an honest conversation. She had grown colder, sharper, more focused. But the kindness underneath hadn't gone anywhere.

  "Next time we meet, I won't be someone you need to worry about," he said quietly.

  He turned back toward the forest. Three weeks and several days still remained before his match with Su Jian. He had cultivation pills he hadn't earned but would use well, a new path to pursue, and more motivation than ever since the day he awakened.

  The hunt would continue.