"I'll keep it simple," Jin Shu began. "You all have a uniqueness about you—something that pulls people in… pulled me in. For you, honestly, above all it's your otherworldly beauty. But also the vulnerability you showed me at first. I felt like I should protect you, like a precious treasure."

"And that was love?" Tian Li asked.

He nodded. "My love."

"What about Li Xue? What's her uniqueness?"

"She…" he started, pausing slightly, as if he'd forgotten something, but shook the feeling off. "She has an infectious energy that makes it impossible to hate her… though I do find her annoying… often. Still, because of me she ended up in danger more than once. So more than a feeling, I needed to protect her."

"Protection again?"

He shrugged.

"Biyu—she's unique simply by virtue of her existence, right? But it's also her steadiness. No matter how many times she's knocked down, she never gives up. Always moving forward. And yet, deep in her heart, she's searching for love. I want to be the love that fills and protects her fragile heart."

"So your love is the need to protect?"

"No… well, yes—but that's not all," he corrected. "I'm also seeking to be protected. I may not show it… or maybe I do—I'm not sure—but I'm weak. Not physically, but mentally. Despite having three souls, my mind is probably the weakest of anyone's. But you three… your minds are so strong. Even with your vulnerabilities, I can feel it—in your words, in your actions, in your very presence."

"You also want to be loved," she said softly.

"Yes."

"And the more the better, right?" she teased.

"…"

She giggled while continuing to snip at his hair. He worried briefly she might nick him because of the laughter, but her hands remained steady.

"So… what about Liu Hua?"

"What about her?"

"You don't love her as well?"

"Uhh… no… well, maybe? But it's complicated."

"How so?"

"First of all, she literally kidnapped me and forced me to work under threat of death—"

"She wouldn't actually kill anyone… not inside the sect."

"I know that—now. But still…" he sighed. "Before, I thought she was insane… which I still kind of do. But I understand where it came from. Her trauma. Her absolute need to protect her sister. She's like me—mentally, we're cracked glass that could shatter at the slightest tap. That's why we seek others who can protect us. But we also refuse to let anyone see how fragile we are, so we project invincibility instead."

"And that means you can't love her?"

"No—it means we'd double each other's burden if we were together."

"So… you don't hate her, but you aren't sure if you should love her?"

He tilted his head, considering. "Yeah… that sounds about right."

"I see…"

She fell silent for several seconds, then asked hesitantly, "What about Ling Shi?"

"Huh?!" He nearly jumped.

"Keep still—I almost cut your ear off!"

"Sorry… but did you just ask if I love Ling Shi?"

"No. I just want to know what you think of her."

"Oh… right. Um… I wouldn't say I hate her… but honestly, my feelings are about as close to hate as they could get."

"Why?"

"Lots of reasons—how she treats you, how she tried to use Liu Hua to kill me, how she tried to kill Biyu during the tournament… She hasn't done a single thing that didn't cause trouble or benefit herself."

"You know… we were best friends once."

"I didn't know."

"That's why I can't bring myself to hate her, despite everything," she sniffed softly. "I just… wish she would remember that."

Jin Shu didn't know how to respond, so he stayed silent.

"How about Yin'er and Ji Ji?"

"Yin'er is my most precious treasure. I would burn the world down to protect her," he answered without hesitation. "Ji Ji… uh… she's growing on me."

"I wish they were my daughters…" Tian Li muttered with a poutiness to her tone. Then she cleared her throat. "Alright. Last question."

"Really? Aren't there a few left?" he joked.

"No… Your haircut's nearly finished—no time."

"Alright. Who is it this time? Bing Hou? Feng Lian's spirit?"

"No. Master. And your mother."

"Hmm… I love my mother with all my heart, but…" he sighed. "She's a lot. I never know what she'll do next. One moment I think she's kidnapped, the next she's strolling in like nothing happened. Still… I'm glad she's my mom. No one else could replace her."

"And master?"

"That's complicated. She stole my father's place… though honestly, he never had a place in Mom's heart to begin with. But she's also saved my life multiple times. And if I remove my father from the equation… I think I might love her even more than my mother, if I'm being honest. She's everything we always wanted in a mother—stern, but warm. She reminds me of Long Jinshu's mother—my first mother…"

"You know… master was the first woman I fell in love with," Tian Li whispered near his ear. "But I gave that love up at the exact moment I fell for her. I'd rather see her as my second mother than a lover."

She didn't wait for his reply. Tapping his back lightly, she said, "Your cut's done."

He opened his eyes, blinking against the brightness of the three suns overhead. As they adjusted, he found everyone standing in front of him, all wearing distinctly varied expressions.

The tale has been taken without authorization; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident.

"Surprise," Tian Li laughed softly.

Honestly, Jin Shu wasn't that surprised to find them all standing there. Partway through his conversation, he'd realized Li Xue hadn't made a peep—an unnatural occurrence—so he'd suspected something was up. Besides, keeping his eyes closed and pretending no one was nearby had given him the freedom to open up about things he normally wouldn't.

He played it cool, nodding to the group before summoning a mirror to examine his new haircut. A thin undercut shaved along his temple and down the nape of his neck framed layered locks—shorter in front, longer flowing behind.

"It's nice. Thank you, Tian Li."

"Mhm. No problem." She smiled, her eyes curving into crescents.

For a moment, he thought she looked like a sly cat—but quickly dismissed it. The image didn't really suit her, though he didn't mind the contrast.

"I wasn't going to say anything," Ji Ji said, shaking her head solemnly, "but you're kind of silly. I'm not a vine, so I can't grow on people."

"No! You're the silly one!" Yin'er argued. "Vines don't grow on people either. The only things that grow on people are warts and boobs."

Jin Shu gave his mother a long, accusatory look.

She shrugged innocently. "I didn't teach her that."

He didn't believe her for a second—until his gaze slid to Li Xue, who immediately avoided eye contact.

"So you're the culprit," he said flatly.

"I have no idea what you're talking about." She shook her head vigorously. "I'm gonna go find the wind source!"

She blasted off at full speed, vanishing into the half-ravaged forest.

Rolling his eyes, Jin Shu turned back to the two bickering children.

"Vines can too!"

"Can not!"

"Can too!"

"Can too!"

"Can not—wait…"

"I win!" Yin'er crowed.

"You cheated!"

"Did not!"

"Did too!"

"Did!"

"Not!"

Yin'er burst into wild laughter as Ji Ji puffed up in fury, her tiny face turning beet-red.

"Alright, enough, you two," Jin Shu sighed. "You're about to shatter my eardrums."

Yin'er stuck out her tongue.

"Grr!" Ji Ji vibrated in outrage before launching herself forward. She tackled Yin'er to the ground, and the two dissolved into a giggling scuffle.

Jin Shu shook his head. At least they were quieter now.

"You really like Ai Yun more than me… your own mother?" Sun Mei'er pouted theatrically. "I'm devastated."

"Don't lie," he replied. "You like her more than you like yourself too—which says a lot, considering how narcissistic you are."

Her mouth fell open.

"Am I wrong?"

"No… but I didn't think you knew me that well…"

She turned toward Chen Ai Yun dramatically. "I think he might actually be your son."

Something clicked in Jin Shu's mind.

He glanced at Feng Lian—the real one. She raised a questioning brow at him.

He quickly shook his head.

No… can't be…

If that ridiculous thought was true, it definitely wasn't the time to dwell on it. Or ever, really.

Turning back to the group, he asked, "So, how'd everyone's exploration go?"

No one had time to answer.

Instead, thunder cracked—

Liu Hua appeared in front of him in a flash of lightning.

"I'll make you love me," she declared, staring him down with predatory intensity.

Jin Shu opened his mouth—and she vanished just as abruptly as she had appeared. Faster, this time.

Zhu Ren and Bing Hou approached next.

"We'd like to leave," Zhu Ren said.

"Was it something I said?" Jin Shu joked.

Their blank stares told him the humor had missed completely.

"No. I don't cultivate any elemental path," Zhu Ren explained, "and there isn't an icy environment suitable for Bing Hou here."

"Ah. I see. We can fix that soon."

With a gesture, he opened a return portal.

"Thanks," Bing Hou said sincerely before stepping through.

As Zhu Ren followed, she paused. "Do you have any spare daggers? I broke mine in the forest."

He bit back the note that they'd originally been his and had only lent them to her.

"Here."

He handed her a few unused knives pulled from storage. "I don't need these anymore—I've got a new design I'm working on. I think you'll like it."

She raised a brow. "What kind?"

"A ballistic knife."

"I don't know what that is," she admitted, "but if it's anywhere near as good as the others, I'll take it."

"You'll have to wait until I reach the Spirit Realm. I can't inscribe the key rune until then."

"That won't take long," she said confidently.

"No… it'll still be a while. I haven't restarted my cultivation yet."

She gave him a look that clearly said she didn't believe him.

"You realize my spirit can judge others' strength, right? And it says you've already begun forming your spirit."

"I really haven't."

"Hm. If you say so."

She shrugged lightly. "Maybe it's your strange weapons again."

"Maybe…" Jin Shu said, less certain now.

"Well—let me know when the dagger's ready." She waved before stepping into the portal.

The gateway closed behind her, leaving Jin Shu quietly staring at the shifting sky of the hidden realm.

Something told him she hadn't been wrong.

***

Jin Shu's Haircut Reference: Varied length, shaved side.