Morning fog drifted lazily around the mountain, rolling in soft waves across the training ground.
The atmosphere was different than before—
not chaotic, not loud—
but focused.
Lin Xuanji stepped into the courtyard expecting some sort of disaster.
Instead, he saw something that nearly stopped his heart.
Ruolan stood at the center, practicing breathing exercises with steady rhythm.
No trembling.
No stuttering breath.
Just quiet work.
Feng Xiao guided him, correcting his posture gently instead of teasing.
"To the left—no, not stiff. Flow. Don't freeze your shoulders."
Ruolan nodded, adjusting again, face determined.
Mu Xiaofan sat nearby grinding herbs, humming softly as two squirrels watched him curiously without climbing onto his head for once.
Tian Wen returned from the plateau, steps calm but sharper—
a steady strength beneath each movement.
And Kai Yun…
She was balancing on one leg, sword extended forward, eyes narrowed in concentration.
No shouting.
No swinging wildly.
No demanding to fight the wind.
Just… discipline.
Lin Xuanji blinked rapidly.
"…What—what is happening? Who trained you people? WHERE ARE MY CHAOTIC CHILDREN?!"
Kai Yun looked up calmly.
"Morning, Sect Master."
"No yelling?" Lin Xuanji said, horrified.
"No yelling," she confirmed.
Feng Xiao smirked.
"Her voice is resting by Elder Stonewall's orders."
Stonewall appeared behind them with perfect timing, his heavy steps echoing through the air.
"I forbid unnecessary screaming," he said.
Lin Xuanji pointed at him accusingly.
"YOU DID THIS?!"
Stonewall nodded without shame.
"Yes."
"…Thank you."
Stonewall bowed slightly.
"You're welcome."
Mu Xiaofan lifted his herb bowl.
"I made breakfast herbs… so everyone can calm their stomachs before training more."
Lin Xuanji sniffed the bowl.
"…It smells nice."
Kai Yun nodded proudly.
"We told Mu Xiaofan to stop feeding the animals the expensive herbs. Now he prepares stuff for us too."
Ruolan added softly,
"He… helped me with anxiety. Before training."
Mu Xiaofan smiled shyly, rubbing the fox behind the ear.
"I'm learning responsibility."
Lin Xuanji's eyes grew misty.
"…Who replaced my disciples with functioning humans? WHO did this miracle?"
Ling Xueyin appeared beside him without a sound.
"I did."
Lin Xuanji jumped. "Stop doing that!"
She ignored him and surveyed the courtyard.
"They respond well to pressure and direction. All they needed was structure."
Lin Xuanji muttered,
"I'm not good at structure…"
Ling Xueyin placed a hand on his arm.
"You lead with heart. Let the elders build structure around it."
Lin Xuanji went silent for a moment.
That… actually made him feel better.
---
The escorts from the Alliance approached, clearly intrigued by the change.
One bowed politely.
"Sect Master Lin… your disciples have improved."
Lin Xuanji puffed up like a proud duck.
"Yes. They're becoming… normal. Mostly."
Kai Yun did not scream "I AM NOT NORMAL," which was new.
Instead, she said,
"We've got three days until the ceremony. We're taking this seriously."
Feng Xiao added,
"We don't want people thinking Heavenly Peak is a joke."
Ruolan nodded shyly.
"I-I won't faint."
Mu Xiaofan held his herb bowl.
"I'll give them herbs too."
Tian Wen stepped forward, bowing with controlled elegance.
"We will represent our sect well."
The escorts seemed surprised—
genuinely surprised.
One whispered to another,
"Yesterday they were chasing birds…"
"Today they look like cultivators."
"Maybe Heavenly Peak truly wasn't abandoned for nothing."
Lin Xuanji didn't hear them, but he felt the energy shift.
For the first time…
outsiders weren't looking at Heavenly Peak with curiosity.
They were looking with expectation.
He felt a pressure on his shoulders—
not unpleasant, but heavy.
He straightened unconsciously.
"Alright," he said. "Today is formation training, etiquette correction, and visual discipline."
Kai Yun whispered,
"That sounds boring."
"GOOD," Lin Xuanji snapped. "BORING IS SAFE!"
Feng Xiao shook her head with a sigh.
"You're hopeless."
Ruolan raised a hand timidly.
"S-Sect Master… do we get uniforms today…?"
"Yes," Lin Xuanji said. "I prepared a design."
All five disciples leaned forward in excitement.
Even Tian Wen looked curious.
Lin Xuanji coughed.
"Ahem. They are simple but clean. Black and silver. Light-weight. Standard robe design with slight padding for safety. No excessive flair. No glowing runes. No dragon embroidery. No—"
Kai Yun raised her hand.
"Does mine have extra space to swing my sword?"
"No."
Feng Xiao raised her hand.
"Does mine resist fire?"
"…Maybe."
Ruolan raised his hand.
"Is mine soft…?"
"Yes."
Mu Xiaofan raised his hand—
"Leaf patterns?"
"No."
He deflated.
Stonewall nodded in approval.
"Uniformity is essential."
Ling Xueyin smiled faintly.
"They will look presentable."
Lin Xuanji exhaled slowly.
"…Good. One step at a time. Tomorrow, we'll practice introductions. After that—travel preparation."
Tian Wen bowed.
"We'll be ready."
Mu Xiaofan nodded.
"I'll help everyone with calming herbs."
Ruolan said,
"I-I'll practice speeches…"
Kai Yun said,
"I'll practice NOT punching stuff."
Feng Xiao added,
"I'll supervise her."
Lin Xuanji blinked at them all.
"…You've really grown."
Kai Yun puffed her chest.
"We're Heavenly Peak disciples!"
Ruolan whispered,
"Sect Master believes in us…"
Tian Wen said firmly,
"We won't fail you."
Mu Xiaofan nodded.
"We'll do our best."
Ling Xueyin smiled gently.
"They're becoming a sect."
Stonewall crossed his arms proudly.
"And we will make them into a proper one."
Lin Xuanji looked at them—
this strange family he never meant to have—
and felt something warm settle in his chest.
"…Alright. Everyone. Today… we take another step forward."
The mountain hummed softly.
And this time,
Lin Xuanji didn't yell.
He let it hum.
Because for once…
Heavenly Peak felt ready.