At the ntion of his fate, Cannonball, the Enfield, perched on Chatty’s shoulder, quivered nervously. In an instant, he leapt to Ling Li’s shoulder, clinging to her as if she were a lifeline.
"Oh, Deity! My Beautiful Goddess! The Goddess of All Goddesses..." he began, his voice dripping with exaggerated reverence, his eyes wide and shining.
Ling Li blinked, taken aback and slightly amused, hovering on the edge of curiosity for where this would lead.
"The most generous Master and kind in the world," Cannonball continued, chest puffed out with pride. "You bestowed upon , Young Master Murphy. I’m the one assisting him in cultivating! I channel spiritual essences to him — without , knowing how foolish he is, he couldn’t wield a sword properly! He’s so weak!"
"Hey! Who are you calling foolish and weak?!" Chatty snapped, mistrust flashing across his features. "You just called your Master, yet you’re talking badly about !"
Cannonball flicked his tail dismissively, a smirk on his snout.
Ling Li narrowed her eyes, pondering the implications of his claims. "Is what you’re saying true?"
She had never deed Chatty’s cultivation foundation to be lacking — yet now seeds of doubt began to take root in her mind.
"Of course it’s true," proclaid Cannonball, standing tall. "Why not let him spar with Quan Ye?"
Ling Li nodded, exchanging a knowing glance with Fatty, who stepped forward, sword glinting in the sunlight. Chatty unsheathed his own weapon, adjusting his stance with renewed determination.
"Don’t hold back," Ling Li commanded sharply. "Give it your all. I’m here — I won’t let you get hurt. Begin!"
The clash of steel rang out like thunder, the two swords colliding with a fiery spark. In re monts, Chatty’s blade clattered to the ground, leaving him staring in disbelief at his own hand as if it had betrayed him. His grip faltered, his control shattered.
Chatty "!!!!"
Fatty blinked, confusion etched on his brow. "That... wasn’t normal."
He scratched his chin, contemplating the revelation. "So it’s true. The Enfield has been stabilizing his flow."
Chatty "????"
"I told you," Cannonball said proudly, puffing out his chest as if he had conquered a mountain.
Chatty "...."
He honestly couldn’t find a single word to say.
Ling Li fell silent, her mind a whirlwind of thoughts. Uncertainty danced in the air, thickening the atmosphere around them.
Rockie stepped forward, his voice gaining firmness. "Madam, Murphy won’t train for the next three days. Since he no longer needs Cannonball, he should cultivate with Bear. He definitely can’t remain with ."
Ling Li turned her gaze to the Enfield. "Cannonball. You’re at level four. Once you reach level five, you can transform into a human. So tell — will you remain as you are and assist Murphy, or will you choose to beco human and leave?"
Cannonball froze, his eyes locking with Chatty’s.
Silence enveloped the training ground, thick and tense.
Every beast dread of the day they could transform, yet it ant severing the bond they had forged. It ant choosing self over service.
"I..." he began, his voice trembling as uncertainty washed over him.
Sensing his inner turmoil, Ling Li interjected gently, "I’ll grant you three days to ponder this. Go and spend ti at Bear’s camp. Return and give your answer."
Cannonball bowed his head, gratitude shining in his eyes. "Thank you," his voice barely above a whisper, glancing back at Chatty one last ti before leaping from Ling Li’s shoulder and vanishing into the dense embrace of the forest.
An eerie quiet settled over the training grounds.
Ling Li turned to Chatty. "Murphy, go. Spend ti with Pharsa. I’ll devise a proper program to enhance your cultivation foundation." She deliberated about discussing this with Butler Oda later.
She pivoted toward Rockie. "Take him ho."
With synchronized bows, the two disappeared, their footsteps echoing in the serene stillness left behind.
Ling Li turned back to the now-still field, commanding, "As you were."
And with that, training resud, the air crackling with renewed energy.
A Mont Between Storms: Ling Li and Four Eyes
Four Eyes bowed slightly to Master Veyron, his presence still crackling with the remnants of shadow energy, like a fading spark in the twilight. The Shah of Dusk observed him depart in silence, the dark mist retreating like an ebbing tide under the weight of his gaze.
Ling Li stood at the periter of the training field, her hair swirling in the wind, resembling delicate petals drifting through the air. As she caught sight of him approaching, a warm and soothing smile blood on her lips — a gentle gesture capable of softening even the fight-hardened spirit of the most relentless warrior.
As Four Eyes crossed the distance to her, his breath labored and heavy from the morning’s exertion, he paused, uncertainty flickering across his face. With a hesitant movent, he offered her a half-hug, acutely aware of the damp sweat that clung to his skin from the rigorous training. However, Ling Li stepped into his embrace completely, her arms encircling him without a trace of hesitation, igniting a warmth in his chest that made his heart skip a beat.
"Do I sll bad?" he asked playfully, glancing down at the crown of her head nestled against his chest, the scent of sweat mingling oddly with the sweetness of her presence.
Ling Li tilted her head back, her eyes glimring like distant stars scattered across a velvet night sky. "You always sll incredible," she declared, her voice layered with playful confidence and a teasing lilt that danced in the air.
Four Eyes let out a hearty laugh, the tension in his shoulders easing for a fleeting mont. "But your scent is so intoxicating it makes want to devour you whole," he whispered, his tone mischievous, yet the smoldering intensity in his gaze betrayed a more profound longing.
"You!" Ling Li exclaid, a mock indignation flashing across her features as she playfully attempted to shove him away. Yet, Four Eyes held her close, his grip firm but gentle, as if savoring the very air between them.
But as the laughter faded, a more serious note filled the air between them. "Why are you sending Pharsa to Beijing?" he asked in a low, concerned tone. "Is sothing wrong in the capital?"
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