Soon, Neya indeed moved out of the dormitory, and as the days kept rolling on, a week had already passed by Siu. Of course, he wasn't just standing around, fiddling with his fingers, as most of the time he continued training, alternating between mastering the Fox form and keeping the rest of his martial arts at their best while also continuing to temper his bones... Which also meant using his breathing technique, refining it more and more while meditating, and of course, using it while hitting hard targets, sometimes doing it until his body began cracking.

  It didn't take long for Siu to understand that if he really wants to make full use of the more advanced forms, he will not only need to further temper his bones but also step into the marrow-cleansing phase and let the natural energies flow through him.

  But of course, that was not all, because life didn't stop. He also had to balance his own place within the outer disciples, and a week after Neya had moved out, it was finally Siu's turn to do what he had previously preached to her. The place he had finally got for himself was not as expensive as he first expected, but it also lacked a few suits he originally wanted. No matter, he would upgrade in the future, that was what he told himself. Not that he would complain, because with preparing for the winter hunt, he was in dire need of a private spot.

  Which was why he rented it with the help of Milli and Nilli, in exchange for a hefty 10% commission fee on it, going to the twins' pockets. Which was better, because they wanted him at first, just for a night, but then again... Siu had never before felt such fear run through his spine. However, they still settled on accepting CC instead, which also meant their silence about where Siu's new home was bought fair and square. As for his home, the cave he got wasn’t large at all, which also made it cozy, and thus the new favorite place of Arya, who felt she was finally burrowing into a hole she could call home, pleasing her still-present animalistic desires.

  Of course, there was another person who would later learn where his new abode was, because after a few days, having settled in, he invited Neya over. He guided her along a narrow, lesser-used path that branched away from the main route towards the end of the sect and the start of the forest, a place that was out of sight, out of mind. It was clear that not many people came this way, as there should be nothing here... Well, at first glance, that is, because the stone steps they took were old and worn down, showing that people were coming and going from this place... Which, of course, was true as there were the other disciples who had a home somewhere around here, preferring the same isolation Siu was looking for.

  And indeed... She realized why as it was quiet, which became even more noticeable when she stepped inside, and the stone door closed behind her, making the hidden room disappear from view from the outside.

  “So this is it?” Neya asked, breathing deeply, stopping a few steps behind him. "It's very cozy! And smells like you," she added in her mind, "Khm... Mine is even smaller, ehehe..."

  "It's perfect for one person," Siu nodded, watching as Arya was sprawled out on the bed that was on the right side of the room, "and for a fox. But she is tiny anyway."

  Before the bed itself, taking up the middle of the room, there was a meditation mat prepared, and its position was not an accident, because from above, through a hole, the sunlight, or moonlight at night, came down like a warm beam, not only illuminating the cave but providing a natural assistance for the cultivator. Besides that, Siu also had a low stone shelf and a desk where he had already placed a water flask, a few simple containers, and a single lantern. The last noticeable part of the abode was at the far end, opposite the door, where the rocky floor dipped slightly into a drainage hole, apparently having a simple shower that fit exactly one person... Maybe two if they snuggled, but the thought immediately made Neya's face turn redder than a tomato, banishing the sudden imagery from her mind.

  “It’s close to the forest!” She said, looking away, as if she was surveying the rest, not wanting to face Siu until she regained control over her thoughts. “Really close.”

  “Yes.” Siu nodded, trying to guess why she was suddenly breathing a bit quicker, "I plan on going to hunt now and then. I also hope you will help me harvest the ingredients from the beasts, because I have some things I want to make."

  "Make?" She suddenly snapped her head back to him as she asked, amazed, "Are you trying to learn how to craft or..."

  "Nah!" He laughed, shaking his head, seeing her being so shocked, "Anything like that would need me to be at the blood resonance stage to do, so no. But I can use my ingredients to ask the inner disciples to forge or brew something for me. I had a talk with the twins, and they told me a few interesting tidbits I wasn't aware of."

  "The twins...?" Neya asked, raising her brows, remembering that she had heard about them from other disciples she had befriended, "You like... redheads?"

  "Huh?" Siu asked, flinching, feeling that the question came from nowhere.

  "Nothing!" She mumbled, turning away once again, muttering under her breath, making Arya perk her big ears up, listening in, "Come on, Neya... if you are slow, you will fall back to third or fourth place... Then you will have to wait in line, hauh..."

  "Master, Neya is saying weird things..." Arya mumbled, trying not to laugh, but Siu just ignored her.

  "So... Um, so... Are you saying that we can commission inner disciples?" Neya asked, trying to advance the conversation just so she could mask her feelings.

  "Apparently." He nodded, sitting down on his bed, rubbing the head of Arya, who plopped down at once, almost purring, no longer interested in Neya's mumblings, "I don't know the prices yet, or how it goes, but if we have the materials, we can ask them to work with it. The twins said that this is how the inner disciples train in their chosen field, and they like it because they don't need to pay for ingredients, since we provide them."

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  "Huh!" She nodded, crossing her arms, "Don't worry, Siu! I will make sure that whatever you bring back gets the best procedures! I will do my best to harvest everything from it! What are you thinking of making?"

  "I need firebombs."

  "A... What?" She asked, her mouth falling open.

  "It's alchemical stuff," he explained briefly, "Apparently, they are made from beasts, and I don't really know how. I just know that I need to harvest their fat, bladders, sacks, glands, whatever they have, along with their blood and marrow." he continued, rattling it off, counting on his fingers, "from there, alchemists could make me throwable flasks that explode on impact."

  "What are you trying to hunt, Siu?" Neya asked, shrugging, but already repeating them to herself, memorizing it all.

  "I am not going to fall into the same trap as last time." He smiled, not really explaining it further, not wanting to make her worried, "So, I am preparing for emergency situations."

  "Um, that's a good idea." She smiled, nodding her head, thinking it over, "Sure, I can easily do that, but containment will also cost CC... I think it would be best if you could find someone who can make them first, and then bring me the beast, so after I harvest what you need, you can go and present it at once."

  "Thank you, that would indeed be the best." He smiled at her, making Neya blush, but this time she didn't avoid his eye contact.

  "Any time. You can count on me..." she muttered, nodding, but then got conscious about herself, clearing her throat, “You know,” she said after a moment, “no one else knows where your home is, do they?” She switched topics, but it didn't go as she planned.

  “No,” Siu replied, chuckling, “You’re the only one.”

  “I won’t tell!” she said immediately, her face having no chance to regain its fair color, “Not even to Tian!”

  "You can tell him," Siu smiled, seeing her panic, "it's not that big of a secret. Speaking of Tian... I haven't seen him for a long time now. Do you still speak to him, then?"

  “Yeah.” She nodded, happy to move the conversation away from her babblings, "He always brings me whatever they hunt down, and honestly, it's always something new, giving me ample experience on how to work with them. He is... Putting in effort harder than the other disciples I meet and see coming and going... I think he wants to catch up to you. I just hope he doesn't overdo it and gets himself into trouble because of it."

  "I am easy to catch up to," Siu shrugged, shaking his head, "I have slowed down considerably to solidify myself. At the start, I just took a big step at first, that's all."

  "I would say it was a leap, not a step, but sure!" She giggled, teasing him a little, "But I understand. I just hope I can get to where you are in a year or so."

  "You can do it quicker, trust me." He said, and he believed it, too, which showed in his blue eyes, "So? How is it? Living alone, that is.”

  “Lonely,” she admitted without thinking about it, “I was used to hearing others breathe while growing up, and now it's just only me. It was hard to fall asleep at first, but I am managing it.”

  "You should get a contracted beast," Siu answered with a chortle, "Arya can snore louder than a human."

  "Oi, oi, oi! I do NOT snore!" Arya jumped to her feet at once, avoiding his hand in anger, "AT ALL! Bully! Bad Master! Evil Master! Dark Master! Molester!"

  "What?"

  "Mole Master!"

  "You said something different at the end."

  "I didn't."

  "I guess she is not happy with her little secret being shared, huh?" Neya asked, giggling, seeing as the two were gazing at each other, Arya stomping on the bed, yapping and making whiny little sounds, clearly agitated and angry.

  "She called me a molester," Siu grunted, making Neya almost choke, imagining something... improper, before laughing, trying to hide her thoughts from Siu. "At best, I would spank her when she gets like this."

  "Ahahaha, I guess it's not easy to have a beast companion, huh?" Neya asked, wiping her eyes, glancing back and forth between them, "Do you think she will transform soon?"

  "No idea," Siu shrugged, thinking about it, missing the fact that Neya's expression suddenly shifted again. If Arya transforms... that would mean that Siu has a girl living with him... Which then further pushes her down on that particular, possible, maybe existing, maybe not even real list... Which was now making her suddenly very conscious and worried. "But it should still be away, I think," Siu added, making Neya let out a relieved sigh. "And," he looked at her, misunderstanding her completely, "If you feel lonely, you can visit me here. If I am home, that is."

  "T-t-thank you..." Neya stammered, playing with her hair, blurting something out that sounded... pretty weird the moment she said it. “I like knowing where you are! Ah... Um!" she panicked at once, realizing how insane that sounded, or at least, she thought so, "Not in a controlling way! Just… knowing... Hauh! Don't look at me like that!”

  “I know.” Siu answered with a laugh, unable to hold it back, "I know you are not that type of girl... or...? Are you?" He leaned forward, suddenly teasing her, making Neya flustered, not knowing where to look.

  "Stop!" She moaned, trying to pull her hair into her face to hide. "I'm not... I'm not that assertive... I accept things as they are and am fine with... where I am."

  "If that were true," Siu smiled, suddenly standing up and walking over her, patting her head, making Neya almost sway from it, "Then you wouldn't be here, to become a cultivator."

  "I can still be one, even with accepting... stuff..." She murmured, pouting, but acting just like Arya, pushing her head into Siu's palm.

  "Bet you something that you can be more assertive than you think." He chuckled, making her look at him through her hair, falling into her face.

  "Well..." She mumbled, holding onto the edge of her robes, "Then can you... continue like this a little more...? It's... very nice..."

  "Sure." He answered while he kept rubbing her head.

  "I was right..." Arya suddenly said, pouting, "You are a molester..."

  "Don't be jealous," He answered, rolling his eyes for a moment, "You get enough hadpats, she needs it more now."

  "Master, you need a better nose. She needs more than that..."

  "Like?" He asked, genuinely curious and surprised, but Arya just shrugged, shaking her head.

  "Haaah... Master, it is up to you to realize it. I may be a fox, but... I am a girl. I am not going to sabotage a fellow girl's desires! That's unfair."

  "What are you even talking about?"

  "Haaah... Nothing." She shrugged, watching the two, gazing at Neya's happy expression with pity in her mismatched eyes, "Master... you need more training... Way more training."

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