Xiao Tuheng continued cultivating until the moon was high overhead.
'Still not fully recovered,' he thought with a slight frown. 'Should I keep going... or sleep?'
After a moment of internal debate, he sighed. Heading into a mission half-asleep wouldn't do anyone any favors, not him, and definitely not his teammates.
He stood, stretching out the stiffness from sitting too long, and padded over to his bed. The moment his head hit the pillow, sleep pulled him.
By morning, golden sunlight spilled across the floor, warming his face and and nudging him awake..
'It's time,' he thought with quiet resolve.
He dressed, attached his small bag to his belt, and stepped out of his hut. The path to the Sect's Gate was short, his hut was one of the outermost, perched on the edge of the mountain.
As he approached the gate, he spotted Feng Mei already there.
'I'm early by at least an hour… and she's already here,' he mused, eyebrows lifting slightly. 'Does she even sleep?'
He walked up and offered a respectful cupped-fist salute. "Greetings, Senior Sister Feng."
She returned it with a curt nod. "Greetings."
And just like that, silence fell again.
'Should I say something?' he wondered, sneaking a glance at her expression. Her face was carved from stone, unreadable and focused. After a brief internal struggle, he gave up and simply stood there, arms awkwardly crossed, pretending to study the scenery.
Thankfully, Bao Liang arrived on time, loud, cheerful, and full of life.
"Haha! Why do you look like someone stole your money, Brother Xiao?" he laughed, striding over and slapping Xiao Tuheng on the back hard enough to stagger him.
'Ow... was that necessary?' he grumbled internally, forcing a polite smile.
"Good morning, Brother Bao," he said. "So… do we just walk to the mission?"
Bao Liang grinned, turning toward a small building by the gate. "Straight to the point, huh? I like that."
Tuheng noticed Feng Mei was already following him, so he quickly fell in step beside them.
"It's not practical to walk across the entire territory," Bao Liang explained. "If the mission was nearby, we'd go on foot. But since this one's way out near Shadowleaf Grove, we're getting a ride, courtesy of a Spirit Beast-drawn carriage."
Tuheng raised an eyebrow. "For free? Aren't Spirit Beasts… you know, expensive?"
"Well, sure, combat-grade ones are. But these are Qi Gathering beasts with no battle abilities. They're basically oversized spiritual horses. The Sect breeds tons of them. A few dying on missions doesn't hurt their bottom line. Besides, they want us finishing missions quickly, not wasting days just traveling."
They reached the small house. It looked unassuming, almost like a shed. Bao Liang bowed deeply and called out, "Greetings, Senior. We request transport for a mission near Shadowleaf Grove."
Tuheng quickly copied his bow, feeling slightly embarrassed that he hadn't bowed first.
A few moments passed, and then a light green horse, glowing faintly with spiritual energy, trot into view, pulling a modest wooden carriage. A disciple stepped out and handed them a jade slip.
"You have one week to finish the mission," the disciple said. "Return late, and you'll pay for the extra time."
"Understood. Thank you," Bao Liang said with an easy smile.
Once inside the carriage, with the road rolling beneath them and the Sect shrinking behind, Tuheng let out a slow breath. The inside was surprisingly comfortable, with padded benches and a slight herbal fragrance in the air.
"Who's in that house anyway?" he asked, curious.
"No clue," Bao Liang replied, stretching. "Some say it's an Inner Disciple. Others swear it's an Elder. I've never seen anyone. Just announce your mission and poof, carriage appears. Feels more like some kind of voice-transmitting formation to an administration building."
Tuheng considered that, then shrugged. 'Cool. Mysterious Sect logistics. Probably better not to overthink it.'
Feng Mei had already closed her eyes, deep in meditation. Bao Liang was peering out the window, watching the mountains roll past.
"When do we arrive?" Tuheng asked.
"This thing's fast," Bao Liang said, tapping the wooden frame. "But still, two days minimum. Could be longer if something comes up."
"Are we stopping in any villages?"
"Maybe. The coachman's just a mortal, so we'll definitely need to stop at least once. Whether that's in a village or the middle of nowhere is anyone's guess."
He turned to Tuheng with a grin. "First mission outside the Sect, huh?"
Tuheng nodded.
"How're you feeling?"
He paused to think. "Relieved, honestly. I was starting to lose my mind sweeping the same path for five years."
Bao Liang burst out laughing. "Haha! That's the spirit. Just wait until you're an Elder, then you get to meditate in the same cave for decades. Doesn't that sound fun?"
Tuheng gave him a sideways look. "You really know how to sell it."
They kept chatting, light, casual, drifting from one topic to another like leaves on a breeze, until the conversation gently faded. One by one, they closed their eyes and slipped into quiet cultivation.
Tuheng sank into stillness, his thoughts drifting. 'I wonder what we'll find at Shadowleaf Grove…'
But curiosity gave way to focus, and the rhythm of cultivation soon drowned everything else out.