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Xiulan and her companions continued along the road to the capital. She felt lighter than a feather on the trip after she had completed the last step of her body refining.

It turned out that because of how the golden pill opened her meridians, qi gathering wasn\'t so different from her previous state.

Qi flowed naturally through the expanded channels, responding to her will with the same familiar ease. Each breath drew in spiritual energy that settled into her dantian like drops of morning dew.

But her body was stronger. The bone refinement had transformed her frame and deepened her qi reservoir into a lake compared to a pond before. Muscles responded with lightning quickness, and impacts that would have bruised before barely registered now.

Which... really was a silly thing to be surprised about, considering. The cultivation techniques focused on strengthening the physical form first, for good reason.

They followed ancient trade routes that wound between terraced hills. Morning fog gave way to bright sunlight that warmed the packed earth beneath their feet.

Every day she\'d end up sparring for several hours with Feng Yu, Ren Chun, and Mei Chen. The routine emerged naturally—find a clearing off the road, set up a small camp in a deserted spot, then trade techniques until exhaustion set in. Learning control good enough to not hurt each other was the most difficult as they pushed each other\'s limits.

Xiulan\'s spear work got better. Cultivator sparring was intense. Severing Light sang through complex forms as she adapted to match supernatural speed and strength. The weapon responded to her qi like an extension of her arm.

The density on the road—of the villages—increased each day. Then came towns that qualified as small cities. Markets sprawled across town squares where merchants hawked everything from spirit herbs to mundane vegetables.

Endless fields of cropland separated them, and they followed the wide imperial road filled with carts carrying goods and produce. The steady stream of commerce flowed both directions—raw materials heading north, finished goods moving south.

Away from Blackmere, further north and out of the mountains, the climate shifted warmer and food grew all year long. Rice paddies stretched to the horizon in neat geometric patterns. Workers in wide-brimmed hats tended the endless rows while water buffalo wallowed in muddy ditches.

The fact that they had reached their destination snuck up on her. Xiulan stared in awe as their group rounded the hillside. Aeris stretched before them, its towering pagodas piercing the sky long before the city walls came into view. When the full expanse of the provincial capital emerged, it reminded her of a modern day metropolis in size.

"So big, miss!" Mei Chen bounced on her toes, sniffing the air excitedly.

Feng Yu laughed. "Aeris is tiny compared to Arinthia!"

"So this is the provincial capital." Ren Chun shielded his eyes against the sun. "Master Hong Bi described its size, but this..." He trailed off, shaking his head.

Xiulan studied the sprawl of buildings and tents that spread beyond the city proper—an entire second city had sprouted outside the walls. Their group fell in behind a merchant wagon as it lumbered down the road toward the gates.

"How are we going to settle in?" Xiulan adjusted her pack.

"We\'ll stay outside the walls tonight." Feng Yu gestured toward the temporary settlements. "Get our bearings first."

Xiulan and the others nodded.

"Tomorrow we can enter the inner city and check the school recruitment schedule. We\'re a month early, so there\'s time to prepare." Feng Yu tilted her head. "Unless someone prefers joining a sect instead?"

Silence answered her question.

"Skyward Institute then?" Mei Chen sniffed the air.

"That\'s where Master Qingfeng said you need to study Lingdao." Xiulan watched a group of cultivators stride past in flowing robes. Aqua Seraph? They matched brothers Long and Mo.

"Their sword techniques are legendary." Ren Chun\'s eyes sparkled with anticipation.

"I considered Flameheart." Feng Yu shrugged. "But alchemy doesn\'t suit me, and Skyward has an excellent reputation."

The inn\'s balcony offered a perfect view of Aeris\'s bustling eastern gate. Xiulan sat down and watched through the wooden railing, watching merchants haggle with guards over entry fees while caravans inched forward in the afternoon sun. The scent of street food wafted up from vendors\' carts—spiced meat skewers and steaming buns.

How far she\'d come from the night when Li Mei died. The memories felt distant now, like watching scenes from someone else\'s life through frosted glass. Her degree, the retail job, the convenience store dinner, the truck—it all seemed trivial compared to what followed.

The violence at Lin Manor played through her mind. The betrayal and torture of Mei Chen. Rage that drove her to eliminate those who\'d hurt them. She flexed her hands on the railing, remembering the weight of the simple soldier\'s spear as she\'d carved her path to freedom.

The desperate quest to save Mei Chen. Blood lotus gathering with Ren Chun. The dawn serpent hunt with Feng Yu. Mei Chen\'s transformation into something special. Each challenge had shaped her into someone stronger.

A merchant\'s cart creaked past below, loaded with spirit herbs bound for the inner city. The familiar scent of Heaven Grass brought back memories of Master Qingfeng\'s tea and his guidance through those early days. The Treasure Pavilion had become a sanctuary when she needed it most.

She had blown in with the wind of her choices. Now she needed to apply her own will on that stream to make sure her ship went where she willed.

Now here she stood at the gates of Aeris, no longer the confused transmigrator. Just one person with two souls who had accepted her new path.

With the minor burden of probably needing to save to world or letting someone else know about it? Not for the first time, she thought about explaining everything to Feng Yu. She was a princess, after all, but something held her back from that.

Maybe it was the vulnerability she had seen in the other girl?

Either way, they were doing what needed to be done. They needed to advance and get stronger, and that\'s what they\'d do by joining the cultivation school.

Maybe that was a bit of hubris, expecting things to go well and not tell anyone.

But she had never claimed to be perfect. Just…

She didn\'t want things to change. She liked her relationship with the others the way it was now.

If they could have traveled around saving villages from spirits, fighting for \'good\' things and helping people… she would have loved that.

It wasn\'t to be, though.

Soft footsteps approached from behind as she gazed over the city. The familiar scent of cinnamon preceded Feng Yu\'s arrival at the balcony railing.

"What do you think, County Princess? Big city too big for you?" Feng Yu leaned against the wooden beam.

Xiulan stretched back, rolling her shoulders. "We need to stop at the Treasure Pavilion—collect our reward for the mission."

"Ha!" Feng Yu gestured toward the gate. "The selection here will be incredible. Try not to turn it into a shopping spree."

Xiulan turned toward her companion, studying the familiar profile. "Speaking of nicknames... if you\'re going to call me County Princess, does that mean you\'re ready to talk about it... Princess?"

Feng Yu stiffened. Color drained from her face as panic flashed across her usually composed features. "I... I..."

A visible swallow preceded her next words. "The secret won\'t last after we join the school, anyway. Can we just... wait until then?"

"Of course." Xiulan nodded softly. "I can wait until you\'re ready."

Feng Yu released a weak laugh. Silence stretched between them as merchants haggled below. "When did you figure it out?"

"Ha!" Xiulan smirked. "If you want to know, you can find out when we talk about it."

"Hey!" Feng Yu gaped at her.

Xiulan poked her ribs playfully. "No privilege for incognito people."

"Fair..." Feng Yu sighed. "Fair..."

Feng Yu sprang onto the balcony railing in a single fluid motion, balancing with perfect cultivator grace. The setting sun painted her sandy brown hair in amber hues as she shielded her eyes against the golden light.

"I bet we can find something delicious for dinner." She extended her hand toward Xiulan with a grin. "Come on."

Xiulan grasped the offered hand. "By the way, you wouldn\'t happen to know anything about phoenixes or ancient deity seals kept in the imperial family, would you?"

Feng Yu pulled her up onto the railing with effortless strength. A puzzled frown crossed her face. "No?"

"Just checking." Xiulan steadied herself on the wooden beam.

Of course Feng Yu didn\'t know. The list of potential \'phoenix\' princesses stretched long—crossing one name off brought her marginally closer to identifying which royal daughter stood to die and doom them all. She wondered what name appeared on Feng Yu\'s imperial record.

"Hey! Where are you going without meee?" Mei Chen\'s excited voice carried from inside their room.

Xiulan laughed. "We\'re heading out for food!"

They returned from the market laden with steaming buns and skewered meats. The aroma of spiced lamb and garlic filled their room as they presented Ren Chun with his portion.

"You didn\'t have to." Ren Chun accepted the food with a grateful nod.

"Consider it payment for tomorrow\'s sparring session." Xiulan settled onto a cushion.

Morning brought them into the city and straight to the Treasure Pavilion, its marble halls bustling with cultivators. A merchandiser counted out their reward—two hundred and fifty spirit stones each for the wrathful spirit, plus an extra five hundred split between Xiulan and Mei Chen for the winter tears.

The streets teemed with other cultivators as they left. Every corner shop catered to cultivation needs—spirit herbs, talismans, weapons. Xiulan watched masters in flowing robes haggle over prices while disciples carried purchases. Some wore sect colors she recognized from Phoenix Kingdom Chronicles , others displayed unfamiliar emblems.

"So many!" Mei Chen bounced excitedly. "The qi makes my nose tickle."

They found lodging in the cultivator district near Skyward Institute. The rooms cost more than standard inns but offered essential amenities—reinforced walls, meditation spaces, and proximity to training grounds.

A nearby building caught Xiulan\'s attention. For one spirit stone per day, they could access sparring chambers with protective arrays. The investment seemed worthwhile, given their need to prepare for recruitment.

"One month." Feng Yu examined the posted schedule for school ceremonies. "We should establish a routine."

They fell into a rhythm. Mornings meant martial arts—Severing Light clashing against Feng Yu\'s sword while Ren Chun offered pointers. Afternoons belonged to meditation with Mei Chen, who proved surprisingly adept at leading their joint sessions.

"Feel the qi flow like water." Mei Chen guided Xiulan through breathing exercises. "Let it pool naturally."

Evenings found Xiulan at the Treasure Pavilion\'s alchemy section. Ming\'s previous criticisms rang in her ears as she worked on cheap sets of healing pills while mastering the basic skills beyond a single perfectly memorized recipe.

The days blurred together in a whirlwind of training, study, and preparation. Each sunset brought them closer to the recruitment ceremonies, time slipping away faster than she could grasp.