A few days had passed after Siu asked the twins to post his request, sending it up to the inner disciples. Of course, while waiting for a possible answer, Siu kept himself busy, hunting less and training a bit more. He continued to refine his body through breathing, drawing in the land's essence to further transform his bones, and, in between sessions, he trained his learned forms, slowly trying to merge them all, taking his mind off the immediate problems. However, when it was time to sleep, his brain always returned to planning and figuring out what to do next, which was not the ideal state to be in if one had to rest. Which was why he returned to the Mission Hall earlier than he originally wanted, even if he did so without real expectations.

  “Master,” Arya murmured in his mind, sitting on his shoulder, “something smells… weird.”

  "What do you mean?" Siu didn’t slow his steps while asking, taking her senses seriously.

  “I don't know,” she replied after a short pause, “But they are looking at you... And I don't like it. They are like... smell jealous?”

  "Somehow... I can see that." He answered, and to his surprise, when he stepped up to the twins... they both looked agitated. Then, as they noticed him... they became visibly frustrated. What the hell happened? "Bad morning?" He asked, raising an eyebrow.

  To his surprise, there was no immediate answer, and Milli just stood with her arms crossed, fingers tapping against her sleeve in a tight, impatient rhythm while her sister, Nilli, sat on the counter instead of her stool, one leg dangling, not even trying to look at him.

  “Oh,” Nilli said flatly in the end, looking over her shoulders, her eyes locking onto Siu, “You could say that... Tsk.”

  “Well,” Milli added, tilting her head just slightly, shrugging, “It is not your fault, but it is your fault.”

  "Sorry?" Siu stopped at the counter, eyebrows lifting a fraction higher now, “I didn't know I did anything. So... What are you two on about?”

  “We are enraged,” Nilli snapped at her sister for taking it so lightly, then immediately exhaled sharply and looked away. “Yes, yes... Not at you... Mostly,” she added quietly.

  “Mostly?” Siu echoed her words, placing his hands on the table, "What went wrong?"

  "Everything," Milli leaned forward to meet his eyes, lowering her voice, "But not for you, but for us."

  "Your fame had ruined our chances," Nilli hopped off the counter, finally turning towards Siu while scanning him up and down, "What a waste! Now some pompous bitch will get the taste that should have belonged to us."

  "Whoa, whoa," Siu frowned, glancing between the two, “What the hell happened, because I did not submit any requests for being sold off! What did you two do?!”

  "Nothing," Nilli let out a humorless laugh, rolling her eyes, “You got an answer to your request, and with how it was worded...”

  “Someone amongst the inner disciples took note of you,” Milli finished it for her sister.

  “Yeah, Siu, and it's from another girlie,” Nilli muttered, honestly jealous, "She picked you up.”

  "..." Siu felt a chill run down his spine, making his pupils narrower than a cat's, "Picked me up? I now honestly start to believe that my request was modified by you two, and if that's the case, I'll stomp you both into the ground.”

  “We aren't that brave,” Milli said tightly, “That would cost us a lot more than you getting angry at us... These are official sect documents; nobody is stupid enough to screw others over through them. Look, your request was posted as you worded it... and it was taken.”

  “By an inner disciple, of course,” Nilli continued, “The issue is, the woman had personally flagged it the day it appeared, and it came back with modifications.”

  "Master," Arya’s tail flicked once against the back of his neck. “Isn't that good? I don't get it.”

  “It’s… unusual, to get picked up on the first day already...” Siu answered honestly, "Especially knowing how they would look at my request..."

  “The one who answered,” Nilli chortled, explaining it, “is named Seloryn Veyra and she even has a nickname, Silver Flute... She is not an amateur.”

  “And she has requested a personal meeting,” Milli added, her eyes locked onto his. “Face to face and as soon as possible.”

  "She agreed to work with my materials?" Siu asked with surprise.

  “No,” Nilli answered sharply, “She wants you.”

  “They didn’t want the materials?” Siu asked again, reeling a little, starting to get their anger.

  "Are you deaf?" Milli snorted, her irritation returning, "That girl refused your materials, and she wants you. Isn't it obvious? Bitch is stealing our boy..."

  "Oh?" Arya perked her ears up. “I hope she is pretty.”

  "Come on," Siu shot her a dark look. “Focus.” He grunted as he leaned against the counter, folding his arms, thinking. For now, his expression remained neutral, but his mind was already racing. Despite every warning sign, it was an opportunity, so he at least was ready to hear her out. “Where should I go?” he asked in the end.

  "Tsk..." Nilli’s smile was anything but honest while answering, “At the meditation alcoves,” she said, “14B, the next day after you nod to her request.”

  "Don't do it," Milli sighed, almost pleading, “We would do it better than some prude girl from a fancy background. It's better if it's fun and nasty, rather than boring and clean. Especially for the first time!”

  "Master!" Arya bristled her whiskers at that, “They may be right!”

  "Shut up..." Siu groaned, already pinching the ridge of his nose. "Nobody is going to fuck anyone, for fucks sake!" He said, his anger bursting out from him too, "I am starting to get tired of this charade..."

  ...

  ....

  ......

  The place Seloryn had chosen was private and secluded, and when Siu arrived, it was already prepaid, so he only had to head up the path until he found the alcove. It was based within a shallow ravine that cut through the place, its sides worn smooth, the trees above leaning inward just enough to hide the sky, leaving one stone platform hanging over the creek. It was clearly the spot where one could start meditating, right above the trickling stream. It was quiet and serene, especially because it was Siu who arrived first, just after sunrise, deciding to take advantage of the situation and meditate a little while waiting.

  A case of content theft: this narrative is not rightfully on Amazon; if you spot it, report the violation.

  It also helped calm him down, because since the twins' little tantrum, he had realized that people who took advantage of others' cultivation were everywhere, no matter what. Dual-cultivation... He was sure the twins were practicing it, and the way they wanted to include him in it showed that they were most likely at a point where they needed a breakthrough, making them much more desperate to grab every opportunity. Maybe... he could make them owe him if he... No. It could be dangerous. But...

  “Master,” Arya murmured in his mind, sensing his intentions, “Just do it!”

  "I bet you don't even know what dual-cultivation means."

  "I do know," She answered proudly, "I saw it a lot while growing up, because my mother had multiple husbands! They even fought over her when she was in the mood. The males got drained, and my mother became all shiny and happy from it."

  "Damn..." He flinched, clicking his tongue, having to restart his breathing technique. "Still," He continued in his mind, "I was warned by my Old Man to be careful of those who practice it... It can be indeed very pleasant and beneficial, but it also can be sinister."

  "Do you think the twins are evil?"

  "No..." He had to admit, but still... The more someone wanted him to do something, the more he felt he didn't want to do it. It was a habit that stuck with him since his youth...

  “She’s late,” Arya added after a moment of silence.

  “No,” Siu answered with a soft smile. “We came early.”

  In the end, about an hour later, finally, a new pair of footsteps brought him out of meditation. Standing up, he watched as Seloryn emerged from between the trees, without any attempt at surprise or at hiding her presence, walking up to him with a gentle smile, wearing his inner disciple robes and a silver sash across her body. As she arrived, her gaze went to Arya first, her eyes flashing, her smile solidifying.

  “So the rumors are indeed true,” Seloryn said mildly, chuckling, "I will be damned. A Mutual Contract with an outer disciple... Incredible."

  "So?" Arya blinked her mismatched eyes, “It isn't a surprising thing! Master is awesome!”

  “I may not be able to listen in on your exchange, but” Seloryn added, clearly warning the two, “I can read it from your eyes when you two communicate. For now, don't be rude and talk behind my back... Or your opportunity for what you want, Siu, will be gone. I came here to be open. I expect the same from you, too.”

  "Understood." He nodded, throwing a glance at Arya, who just settled down, jumping off his shoulder, rolling her eyes, and looking away.

  "Thank you," Seloryn laughed, waving a hand as they sat down at the edge of the ravine. “I appreciate it.” She added, turning her full attention to Siu, “Also, thank you for agreeing to meet me.”

  “You didn’t leave much room to refuse,” he replied calmly, making her chuckle. "I am the one in need of a helper, after all."

  “That’s fair,” she admitted, “But this is an opportunity for both of us, and let me explain why. First, let us get your request out of the way because I indeed reviewed it.”

  “As far as I know, you also refused it.”

  “Yes, that is true. The materials,” she continued, “Or what you intend to use them for, are bad. I know that you are an outer disciple, but still... that is not good enough for a firebomb. It would be fine if you need stink-bombs, but what you request is specified... that thing is on an entirely different level."

  “I see,” Siu said, nodding his head, “I was not aware of that.”

  “I don't blame you; you haven't learned about it yet. If you want reliability,” she continued, “which you WANT in case of a fire bomb, you will need a better container. Otherwise, you will find yourself handling either an unstable one, blowing up on your belt, or one that, when thrown, barely yields a wet fart in the wind. You want a firebomb? An actual one? You need something stronger.”

  "So, I guess, you have an alternate solution?" Siu did not look away while asking it, “I’m listening.”

  “There’s a creature,” Seloryn started, surveying his eyes, trying to read him, “that lives deeper in the forest. A bit more dangerous, especially because disciples mistake it as a harmless, weak beast.”

  “The squirrel...?” Siu asked, suddenly feeling a twitch creeping up to his eyes.

  "Oh?" Seloryn’s eyebrow lifted a fraction, “You already know...?”

  “I have a friend who collected suitable targets for me,” He answered with a quiet shrug. “I was going to go and try to find one after my initial request got rejected.”

  “Good! That shortens my explanation. Yes, go for the Red-Eyed Squirrel,” she nodded at once, and she shifted her position, becoming more serious. “Its mouth sacs are exceptional. Naturally elastic, resistant to corrosion, capable of holding volatile mixtures, and it won't explode before hitting the target. I can even inlay it for you, in a way, so you can time its explosion and set up traps if you want. Best thing? Thanks to their elasticity, I can make four bombs for you.”

  "From one sack? But it has two." Siu added, making her smile.

  “You think I can succeed with each of my attempts?” Seloryn asked, and Siu could tell she wasn't lying, “I will waste materials, no way around that... Four firebombs... that I can promise comfortably.”

  "Fair." He said after thinking it over, "And then I owe you.”

  "Hmm..." She didn’t answer immediately; instead, she studied him as they kept looking into each other's eyes, both of them getting a read of the other for several seconds, as if watching the gears turn inside their heads.

  “No,” she said suddenly, smiling.

  "What will I... Hah?" Siu flinched, stopping himself, “…No?”

  “I won’t frame this as a debt,” Seloryn laughed, shaking her head, “And I won’t ask for favors later either. You get me the materials; I make you the bombs. Whatever extra comes out of it, I keep for myself. How's that sound?”

  “That’s not how this works,” Siu said quietly, trying to hide his shock, without succeeding, which made even Arya cackle, looking at his face.

  “True, it usually isn’t,” she agreed, putting a finger to her mouth, looking surprisingly coy about it, “Which is exactly why I’m doing it this way.”

  "Master," Arya looked up at him, “That girl is odd.”

  Of course, keeping to his promise, Siu just ignored her, not wanting to start interacting with her behind Seloryn's back.

  "I'm not lying," She leaned forward now, forearms resting on her knees. “Listen carefully, Siu. I’m not helping you because I expect something in return.”

  “That makes this worse...” he replied bluntly.

  "I didn't know you were this paranoid!" Seloryn laughed softly, but didn't take it as an offense, “But, I expected you to say that, and I understand why. But believe me, this isn’t charity,” Seloryn added, sounding sincere and honest. “It’s... more of an invitation.”

  “Hmmm...?" He tilted his head, intrigued, "To what?”

  “To know each other,” she said with a laugh, “Properly, without leverage. Most interactions, as you know, are based on a give-and-take, or... well, give-or-take format amongst disciples, as we are all trying to get into the Second Circle and graduate into a fully fledged cultivator. Even in a place like this, resources, actual, good resources, are finite. Despite that, we are all confident in reaching that level, but I have been here long enough to realize that there are people with talent and then... people with even more talent.” Seloryn went on, looking towards where the little creek was flowing, “And that means not just people with more strength, but with a sharper comprehension, a fluid mind, an adaptive personality, or simply... being lucky.”

  "I feel like you are overpraising me, Senior." He muttered, suddenly feeling himself a bit too conscious about everything.

  “I don’t know what you’ll become,” she chuckled, “But I know you won’t stay where you are and grow to be amongst the Inner Disciples, sooner than the others think. Maybe you have what it takes to become a Core Disciple, which would fast-track you to at least a High Elder position. Who knows how far you will grow?”

  "For sure," Arya nodded sagely, sitting at Siu's feet, “He gets taller sometimes, and he grows a lot, especially in the morning.”

  Of course, Siu, once again, ignored her.

  “So,” Seloryn finished, “this isn’t about you owing me. I don't want obligations, I don't want you to think I have ulterior motives. I am looking for a cooperative, close future, where both of us will be the Elders within the Hollow Song Sect, where we will work together... Where we can depend on each other... And I want to build towards that.”

  Siu was quiet for a long time after she finished speaking, thinking it through, even nodding his head a few times, before he finally asked another question.

  "What if I refuse?”

  “Then I’ll be disappointed,” Seloryn said honestly, shaking her head, “But I won’t retaliate, and more than that, I can introduce you to someone who will work with your current ingredients, no promises on the quality though.”

  "So," Siu smiled, leaning back a little, looking towards the canopy of trees above them, "I will have to hunt a squirrel..."

  "Heh," She chuckled, her eyes flashing, happy that they came to an agreement, "Be careful about it. However, this is the best time of the year to go for it... They will be in a collecting frenzy. They are prone to making mistakes because they are too troubled and their minds are less organized. Just... don't rush it."

  "I won't..." He muttered, making a decision and nodding his head, "And Senior..." He turned to her, an honest smile on his face, Thanks."

  "It's fine." She returned the smile, tucking her hair behind her ears, "I am simply returning what I was given when I was an outer disciple."

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