The silence in the courtyard of the core disciples was different from the noise of the arena and the inner sect area.

There, it was serene, the silence broken only by the wind dancing among the giant trees, carrying the sharp chill of the formation.

At that moment, while practically all the core disciples remained in the central area, the sound of footsteps echoed over the polished stone of the courtyard.

Kyrian led Yanyu to the open space behind the place where he had stayed for the last few days.

The absence of other core disciples was obvious, making the place extremely peaceful and, in a way, lonely.

He turned to her, his new green eyes, still not so familiar, gazing at her with the same calm as always.

"So. How has the sect been for you?" Kyrian began, his voice sounding clear and tranquil.

"Heh… You starting a conversation? That's new… Is it because of the eye change?" Yanyu said, smiling.

But she fell silent immediately when she saw Kyrian's expression darken and sharpen.

'Hmm… do his eyes really affect his personality?' Yanyu had that small doubt, since the pressure Kyrian emitted with each eye and each intent was very different.

She then decided to answer. The question had been simple and direct.

She let out a long sigh, her shoulders, which had been tense since the battle, seemed to relax in front of Kyrian.

"Yeah… intense, you know." She began, her fingers automatically playing with the sheath of her sword.

"I never imagined myself as an inner disciple. Even becoming an outer disciple was a dream for me. If it weren't for Luz, maybe I wouldn't even be here."

"Being an inner disciple is a privilege, but the pressure is constant. Everyone always seems to be watching, measuring, and comparing. Absolutely everything."

"The other disciples… well, there are some nice and friendly ones. But most look at me with disdain or envy because I caught Elder Mei Ran's attention."

She then looked out at the view from above.

"Everything here is beautiful, but it feels lonely. Still, it's been fine, Luz has been good company. Despite everything she—"

Yanyu didn't need to finish the sentence.

As if she had been summoned, the little fox, who had followed them with an air of superiority, suddenly grew restless.

Her intelligent eyes fixed on Kyrian with an unmistakable expression of greed. Then, with a determined growl, she leapt, her white fangs aiming for Kyrian's leg, demanding something.

Kyrian's hand moved like a blur. Before Yanyu could react, Kyrian had already grabbed Luz by the nape of her neck, lifting her into the air.

From Kyrian's perspective, the fox's movements were childish play, especially since the beast was no longer as hostile as before.

The fox hung there, squirming and letting out a series of indignant growls, her paws moving rapidly.

Kyrian watched her for a moment.

An almost imperceptible sigh escaped his lips.

With a smooth movement of his other hand, he made a subtle gesture. Then, a glimmer emerged from his spatial ring, and with a soft sound, a small pile of spirit stones fell onto the stone floor.

They weren't low-grade spirit stones like the ones Yanyu received as her quota. These ones shimmered with a stronger inner light. The energy within them was denser and purer.

Mid-grade spirit stones, something inaccessible to most inner disciples.

The effect was instant. Luz broke free with force and darted toward the small pile in a white blur.

Her angry growls turned into sounds of pure satisfaction as she began devouring the stones one after another, crushing them with her small, sharp teeth as if they were nothing, and at a speed that was frightening.

The sound of stones being shattered filled the air.

Yanyu's eyes widened.

"Kyrian… where did you get so many? And mid-grade ones!"

He merely shrugged, his expression unchanged.

"Master Feng Yuan supplied them. He said I don't need to worry about resources. I have enough to last for quite some time."

The statement was made with a naturalness that made clear the abyss of status and resources that now separated them.

There was no arrogance in Kyrian's voice, only a fact.

He was a direct disciple of the sect leader. His cultivation path would be paved with the finest resources. Not only that, when Feng Yuan realized there wasn't much he could do to guide Kyrian, since Kyrian wouldn't follow the same path as others, Feng Yuan gave him an amount of stones. Kyrian had no idea how far his cultivation would go after consuming them.

As they watched, Luz devoured about twenty stones. Then, something changed.

Her small white body began to emit a faint golden luminescence, a soft but noticeable glow.

At the peak of her devouring, Luz simply stopped. Her eyes grew heavy, her eyelids closed, and with one last yawn, she collapsed on the ground amid the remaining spirit stones.

Completely asleep.

Kyrian crouched beside her. He extended his hand, touched her fur, and felt the strange energy she emanated.

"It's the same as before…" he murmured, more to himself than to Yanyu.

"She'll sleep for a few more days."

'Could it be… just like me, the little fox only needs resources?' That thought briefly sank into Kyrian's mind.

He then fell silent for a long moment. His green eyes analyzed the sleeping fox with an intensity that went beyond mere curiosity.

Then he added, his voice lower than usual, almost introspective.

"The dark shadow we saw over her… it really vanished completely, without any sign of returning. And the white book in my mind as well…"

Yanyu narrowed her eyes, recalling the terrible feeling of standing before that inexplicable black stain not long ago.

"Do you have any idea what that was?" she asked.

"Actually, no. But maybe Feng Yuan knows. I'll ask him later…"

Silence returned after the fox fell asleep. But now it seemed somehow more comfortable, the presence of the sleeping fox making the courtyard feel cozier.

It was Yanyu who broke the silence, resuming their previous conversation.

"There are also the merit points. That's even worse."

She spoke with genuine frustration in her voice.

"To get any decent technique in the pavilion, or even some better cultivation resources, you need an absurd amount, at least for my strength."

"And the only way to earn them is by accepting missions from the task hall. The missions range from gathering spiritual herbs to hunting beasts. But the missions that reward the most merit are requests for help from countries or allied and subordinate forces within the sect's domain."

"Which require at least strength in the Qi Liberation Realm…"

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