Jumi sat quietly near the edge of the training ground, her eyes staring blankly at the sky above, though her heart was in turmoil. She pulled her knees close to her chest, her fingers tracing patterns in the dirt.
The breakthrough she had achieved the night before still echoed through every pore of her body—the surge of power, the expansion of her meridians, the immense clarity of reaching elder rank cultivation. Yet, there was no joy on her face. Instead, guilt and confusion warred inside her.
The sound of footsteps crunched on the gravel. A shadow fell across her.
"Jumi?" A voice cut through her thoughts.
She looked up to see a young woman dressed in the violet robes of a senior disciple, her long braid swinging as she stood proudly with a frost-blue sword strapped to her back. It was Yu Lan, one of her peers, known for her cold temper and ruthless blade.
Jumi stood up awkwardly. "Yu Lan."
