As the sun crept over the horizon, its pale golden light spilled across the land, painting the icy dome in shimmering hues of amber and silver. Kai stirred, blinking away the remnants of sleep as the sun’s rays warmed his face. Even encased in Snow’s protective barrier, the light filtered through the crystalline structure, scattering prismatic reflections across the ground. The dome hummed faintly with residual qi, its walls thick enough to keep out the biting wind but still translucent, allowing the morning glow to seep inside.

  Around him, the other spirit beasts shifted in their sleep. A few—like the moon horned stag, Cres—stretched lazily before curling back into a snooze. The quake buffalo, Ning, let out a low, rumbling sigh, her massive sides rising and falling in a steady rhythm. Even in rest, the beasts stayed close, sharing body heat against the lingering cold.

  Kai turned his gaze to Snow, the great Ice Claw Wolf, who lay motionless beside him. The wolf’s fur, usually a pristine white, seemed duller than usual, his breathing shallow. Creating the dome had drained him far more than Kai had anticipated. Normally, Snow’s mastery over ice qi would have allowed him to recover swiftly, but out here, where the ambient energy was thin, it would take days before he regained his strength.

  Kai frowned, weighing their options. If they needed to move quickly, Ning could carry Snow on her broad back, but forcing a march now would leave them vulnerable. The memory of the last freezing rainstorm was still fresh—how the droplets had clung and froze to flesh and fur alike, how Snow had barely managed to erect the dome in time. If another storm hit before the wolf recovered, they’d have no defense.

  His fingers brushed the storage ring on his hand, its cool metal surface a reminder of the supplies within. He had stacks of leather, tough and flexible, along with reinforced pelts from beasts resistant to the cold. If he could fashion them into protective coverings—cloaks, perhaps, or even makeshift shelters—they might survive another onslaught without relying solely on Snow’s waning strength.

  But that would take time.

  However, Kai was in no rush. They had already ventured deep into the northern reaches of Zan—so far that the chances of stumbling upon another cultivator were slim. The land here was a desolate expanse of absent qi, untouched by the cultivation world, where even the hardiest cultivator would wandered. There was no need to hurry.

  Still, caution was second nature to Kai. With Snow weakened and the ever-present threat of another freezing rainstorm, he decided to put the time to good use. He would craft emergency shelters from the hides he had collected—sturdy, insulated coverings that could shield them if Snow couldn’t summon another barrier in time.

  As he mentally sorted through his materials, his gaze swept over the camp—and paused. Lu Bu’s bedroll was empty.

  A flicker of concern passed through him. The boy was still so young, and the wilderness was unforgiving. But before Kai could call out, he spotted him: a small, solitary figure standing near the edge of the ice dome, his tiny hands pressed against the shimmering barrier as if searching for something beyond it.

  Curious, Kai pushed himself up from where he’d been leaning against Snow’s warmth. The movement stirred Igni, the massive tiger, who lifted his head with a low, questioning rumble. Beside him, Cres, the stag, rose gracefully to his hooves, antlers glinting in the morning light. The two spirit beasts exchanged glances before falling into step behind Kai, their silent vigilance a comforting presence.

  The ice crunched softly underfoot as Kai approached. "Hey," he said, keeping his voice light so as not to startle the boy. "See something interesting?"

  Lu Bu flinched, whirling around with wide eyes before relaxing slightly at the sight of Kai. "Oh! Um… no. It’s nothing."

  Kai smirked, crouching down to meet the boy’s eye level. "Come on, now. You can tell me." He leaned in conspiratorially. "I’m excellent at keeping secrets."

  Lu Bu fidgeted, his fingers twisting in the hem of his sleeve. For a moment, Kai thought he might stay silent—but then the words tumbled out in a hesitant rush.

  "I was just wondering… are we trapped in here forever?"

  Kai couldn’t help but laugh—not unkindly, but at the sheer innocence of the question. "Of course not. This barrier’s sturdy, but it’s not a prison. Any of us could break through if we needed to." He gestured toward Igni, whose claws could rend ice like parchment, and Cres, whose antlers pulsed with enough force to shatter frozen walls. "Besides, Snow’s clever. I’d bet he built hidden openings into the dome—ways for us to come and go while he rests."

  Lu Bu nodded, but his gaze drifted back to the barrier, his expression unreadable.

  Kai studied him for a long moment. The boy’s shoulders were tense, his usual curiosity dimmed. This wasn’t just about the barrier.

  "That’s not really what you wanted to ask, is it?" Kai murmured, his tone softer now.

  Lu Bu hesitated. Then, in a voice so quiet it was almost lost to the wind.

  "Can...I...stay...with...you?" The boy's words came out fractured, barely louder than the wind whistling against the ice dome. His small hands clenched at his sides, shoulders hunched as if bracing for a blow.

  Kai tilted his head slightly. "Sorry, what was that?" He'd heard him perfectly well—the crack in Lu Bu's voice had been unmistakable—but he wanted to give the boy space to speak his mind fully.

  "C-Can I stay with you?" Lu Bu blurted out, louder this time, his voice breaking mid-sentence. The words seemed to physically pain him as he stared determinedly at the ground rather than meet Kai's eyes. Behind them, Igni's ears twitched at the outburst, while Cres took a half-step closer, as if sensing the child's distress.

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  Kai didn't react with surprise. He'd seen this coming—had noticed how Lu Bu trailed after him like a shadow, how the boy's eyes lit up whenever Kai praised him. They'd been together for months now, ever since Kai had found and rescued him from that boar. Of course the child had grown attached.

  But that didn't change the truth. He intended to go to Northend, and that was no place for the boy.

  Kai crouched down until they were eye-level, placing one hand gently on Lu Bu's shoulder. The boy flinched at the contact but didn't pull away. "Lu Bu," Kai said, keeping his voice steady, "I'm sorry, but you can't."

  He felt the small shoulders tense beneath his palm. "The place I'm going—it's not for children. It’s very dangerous"

  "But," Kai continued, giving his shoulder a reassuring squeeze, "I promise I won't leave you until I find you the safest place possible. Somewhere with warm fires and good people. Maybe even—"

  "I can be your disciple!" Lu Bu blurted out, the words exploding from him like a dam breaking. His small hands clutched desperately at Kai's sleeve, his entire body trembling with sudden intensity.

  Kai recoiled as if struck. "What?!" The word came out louder than he intended, echoing oddly against the ice dome. Behind them, Igni's head snapped up, amber eyes flashing in alarm, while Cres took a protective step forward.

  Lu Bu barreled on, his voice rising with each word: "I'll be your disciple! I'll wash your clothes and cook your meals and—and polish your swords! Just don't send me away! Please!" Tears welled in his eyes but didn't fall—not yet. His grip on Kai's sleeve was white-knuckled, as if he feared the man might vanish if he let go.

  Kai rubbed his temples, feeling the beginnings of a headache pulse behind his eyes. The boy's outburst had come out of nowhere—or had it? Now that he thought about it, Lu Bu had been unusually attentive lately.

  "Lu Bu," Kai said slowly, "do you even know what being a disciple means? Where is this coming from?"

  The boy swallowed hard. "Mama and Papa said...real cultivators always start as disciples. They serve a master—clean their house, tend their garden—and in return..." His voice faltered for a moment. "In return, the master teaches them magic. Makes them strong."

  Kai exhaled through his nose. "That's...not entirely wrong, I suppose." He ran a hand through his hair. "But it's far more complicated than chores in exchange for lessons. There are oaths, responsibilities—"

  "I can do it!" Lu Bu insisted, puffing out his chest. "I'm strong! Look!" He struck what was clearly meant to be a martial arts pose, though his feet were uneven and his fists wobbled. The effect was more endearing than impressive.

  "Lu Bu..."

  "You're the strongest cultivator I've ever met!" the boy pressed on, desperation creeping into his voice. "You fight monsters and command spirit beasts! You—"

  "I'm barely more than a wanderer with a few tricks," Kai interrupted gently. "In the grand scheme of things, I'm not powerful. And I'm certainly no one's master."

  The words landed like a physical blow. Lu Bu's face crumpled, his makeshift brave stance collapsing inward. "So..." His voice was barely a whisper now. "You're going to abandon me after all."

  Then the dam broke.

  A single, shuddering breath—and then the boy was wailing, great heaving sobs that shook his entire small frame. Tears streamed down his face as he sank to his knees, his earlier bravado dissolving into pure, unfiltered heartbreak.

  "Oh, shoot," Kai muttered, his stomach dropping. The sound was visceral, raw—the kind of crying that came from some deep, wounded place no child should know.

  Around them, the spirit beasts stirred uneasily. Igni and Cres padded beside Kai to assess the situation.

  Kai crouched down, hands hovering uncertainty. "Lu Bu, I'm not— I wouldn't just—" He grimaced, suddenly feeling like the world's biggest ass.

  The pieces suddenly clicked together in Kai's mind with painful clarity. Lu Bu's history was written in every desperate sob - the tragic loss of his parents, being cast out by the Faceless Judges into the wilderness, barely surviving the attack of that giant boar... Of course the boy had abandonment issues. Kai's chest tightened as he realized: to Lu Bu, this wasn't just rejection - it was history repeating itself. The one person who'd shown him kindness was now throwing him away, just like everyone else.

  No matter what soothing words Kai tried, Lu Bu's tears continued to fall like a spring thaw, his small body shaking with each ragged breath. The sound was heartbreaking, echoing strangely against the crystalline walls of their icy shelter.

  Kai shot a panicked look at Cres, the Moon-Horned Stag. "W-What should I do?" he whispered urgently.

  Cres merely turned his magnificent head away with an almost regal disdain, antlers glinting in the morning light. The message was clear: This is your mess. Clean it up yourself.

  Then came the weight - literal and metaphorical - of Igni's massive paw settling on Kai's shoulder. The Flame-Striped Tiger fixed him with those knowing golden eyes, giving a slow, deliberate nod that spoke volumes.

  Kai's eyes widened, as he understood what Igni was suggesting. "What?! No, I'm not taking a disciple! I'm not-"

  WHUMP.

  Igni's forehead connected with Kai's chest with just enough force to send him sprawling onto his backside. The air left Kai's lungs in a surprised "Agh!" as he landed hard on the ground.

  Blinking up at the tiger, Kai saw something he'd rarely witnessed - genuine disappointment in Igni's normally impassive gaze. Worse still, as he looked around, he realized the commotion had drawn the attention of many of their found family. A number of the other beasts gave him that same stare of disappointment as Igni was doing.

  The collective weight of their judgment settled over Kai like a physical pressure. These were creatures who had seen him at his best and worst, who had fought beside him through thick and thin - and never before had they looked at him with such unanimous disappointment.

  Kai swallowed hard, the sting of their silent reproach sharper than any blade. He glanced and looked at Lu Bu - at the way the boy's fingers still clung desperately to the hem of his clothing even through his tears, at the tracks they left on his dirt-smudged cheeks.

  Am I really going to take a disciple?

  The question hung in the air between heartbeats, heavy with implication. In the silence, Kai became acutely aware of the creatures around him, the distant howl of wind beyond their shelter, the way Lu Bu's breathing hitched between sobs.

  Then, with a sigh that seemed to come from the very depths of his soul, Kai stood back up and reached out to gently ruffle Lu Bu's hair.

  "Alright, alright... stop your crying, you little menace," he said, his voice rough but undeniably fond. "If it means that much to you... we'll try it. But!" He held up a warning finger as Lu Bu's head snapped up, hope dawning through the tears. "I’m just going to teach you the basics. Enough to look after yourself. Understood?"

  The resulting tackle-hug nearly knocked the wind out of him all over again.

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