The morning sun warmed the Celestial Veil Sect's courtyard, spreading a lazy golden glow over the stone pavement—though that calm lasted only until Shen Yu's training began. He had been practicing the footwork Ling Wei taught him, but his enthusiasm always seemed to outrun his control. In less than a minute, he had tripped over his sleeve, skidded across the ground, and nearly collided with a row of meditation stools.
"I got it this time—wait, no, no, no—!" Shen Yu flailed wildly as he twisted mid-stumble.
From the shade of a nearby pillar, Xiao Rong muttered, "Why do I feel like I'm watching a dangerous animal escape its cage?"
Yu Zhen's quiet laugh floated beside him. "He's trying."
"Trying to break his bones," Xiao Rong corrected.
Shen Yu shot them a wounded glare—then promptly tripped over absolutely nothing and pitched forward. But before his face could meet the stone, a firm arm caught him around the waist, pulling him back into solid warmth.
Ling Wei had appeared beside him with the kind of calm timing that made it look effortless. Shen Yu blinked up at him, breath caught somewhere in his chest. Ling Wei held him steady, expression caught between concern and amusement. "I look away for a moment," he said quietly, "and you're already plotting to attack the floor."
"I wasn't attacking anything," Shen Yu protested, flushing red. "The floor attacked me."
Ling Wei gave him a long, patient look. Then he lifted his foot and softly tapped the ground as if punishing it for daring to trip Shen Yu. "There. I've dealt with your enemy."
Shen Yu nearly melted. Xiao Rong groaned behind them, loudly. "Please stop. I haven't even had breakfast yet. I lack the strength for this level of flirting."
Yu Zhen hid a small smile behind his sleeve while Xiao Rong muttered about public displays of affection between "unofficial couples."
Once Ling Wei dusted off Shen Yu's clothes—gentle enough to make Shen Yu's heart race—they moved to the quieter part of the courtyard to train properly. Ling Wei demonstrated the stance again with precise grace. "Relax your shoulders," he instructed, stepping behind Shen Yu. "Center your balance. Don't force it."
"I'm not forcing it," Shen Yu said, rigid as a board.
Ling Wei rested his hands lightly on Shen Yu's hips to adjust him. "You're tense."
"No I'm n—" Shen Yu's voice broke into a strange squeak as Ling Wei leaned in closer. "Okay—I might be a little tense."
"You think?" Xiao Rong called from where Yu Zhen was correcting his own form. "He looks like he's about to explode."
Yu Zhen gently nudged Xiao Rong's foot wider. "You're not one to talk. Your stance is uneven again."
"My stance is perfect," Xiao Rong retorted—and immediately lost balance.
Yu Zhen caught him by the wrist with practiced ease. Their eyes froze on each other for a brief moment, lingering longer than necessary, before Xiao Rong muttered, "Don't say anything," while turning pink.
Training continued… more or less. Ling Wei tried to refine Shen Yu's movements while Shen Yu tried his best to actually follow instructions. But inevitably, chaos struck again.
"Ling Wei, watch this!" Shen Yu declared proudly.
It was never a good sign.
Before Ling Wei could warn him, Shen Yu launched himself upward with a dramatic flair that absolutely no one had asked for. His foot landed wrong, his momentum twisted, and he shot sideways like a rogue arrow.
"Not again—!" Xiao Rong yelled.
Ling Wei reacted instantly, grabbing Shen Yu mid-air and spinning him back to safety. They landed close—too close—Ling Wei's arms still wrapped securely around his waist while Shen Yu's arms clung to Ling Wei's shoulders.
Ling Wei sighed, breath warm against Shen Yu's cheek. "What part of 'relax' made you think you should launch yourself into the sky?"
"I thought… maybe… it would look cool," Shen Yu mumbled.
Xiao Rong groaned. "You're going to kill all of us with second-hand embarrassment."
Yu Zhen only smiled, the corners of his eyes soft.
For a moment, everything was warm—sunshine, laughter, closeness.
Then the air shifted.
A faint chill brushed the courtyard, so light it could have been imagined—yet it wasn't. Ling Wei's hand tightened around Shen Yu instinctively. Yu Zhen's gaze sharpened, turning toward the treeline beyond the courtyard wall. Xiao Rong straightened, his earlier amusement fading.
No figure appeared. No sound followed.
But something lingered in the air. A subtle, cold sensation—like being watched from somewhere just out of sight.
Shen Yu shivered. "Ling Wei… did you feel—"
"Yes," Ling Wei murmured, stepping slightly in front of him. "Stay close."
Yu Zhen moved nearer to Xiao Rong unconsciously, positioning himself protectively without a word. Xiao Rong didn't comment, though his fingers curled lightly around the edge of Yu Zhen's sleeve.
The tension in the air thinned after a moment, leaving behind only the warmth of sunlight. Whatever it was faded back into the trees, like a shadow retreating before it could be caught.
"Probably just the wind," Shen Yu said faintly, more to reassure himself than anything.
Ling Wei rested a hand on his head, fingers threading through his hair in a rare, tender gesture. "Even if it isn't," he murmured, "I'm here."
Shen Yu swallowed, his heart hitching. "Then… I'm not scared."
Xiao Rong let out a dramatic sigh. "Even now they flirt. Amazing. Truly amazing."
But Yu Zhen brushed a hand against his shoulder, and Xiao Rong didn't pull away.
The four stood in the quiet courtyard, warmth settling back around them, unaware that far down the mountain path, a faint dark presence lingered just a moment longer—watching, waiting—before slipping silently into the deeper shadows.
Their peaceful days were still bright. But the first stir of darker threads had begun.