As the seasons flowed from summer to autumn, autumn to winter, and winter back to spring, two years had passed. Yang Bao and Guozhao Zhiqiang had trained relentlessly together, their bond deepening with each passing day, forged in shared effort and silent understanding.
Yang Bao poured water into the root of the hundredth blossom tree, a familiar rhythm ingrained in his movements, effortless now. He stood up, stretching, his muscles no longer aching. "Senior Brother," he called out, a playful glint in his eye, "the wind is coming, let's catch the wind! Let's fly!"
"Okay, see you at the top," Guozhao Zhiqiang replied, a rare smile touching his lips, a hint of anticipation in his voice. He tossed his buckets aside and, with effortless grace, flew up to the nearest tree, his movements fluid and swift.
Yang Bao, equally agile now, dropped his own buckets and launched himself to another tree. He spread his arms wide, feeling the exhilarating rush of the wind whistling through his body, lifting him higher. The spring breeze carried the sweet, intoxicating fragrance of peach blossoms, a perfume of peace. As the gust subsided, he took a deep, contented breath and looked over at Guozhao Zhiqiang. "Senior Brother, are you not going to live in the city with us? It's lonely up here."
"I asked Masters and Shimu," Guozhao Zhiqiang explained, his voice calm, "they were fine with me living up here. Besides, if everyone lives in the city with Third Master and Teacher Lee, Shan will be lonely. He needs company." He turned to Yang Bao, a contemplative look on his face, his gaze distant. "Ah Bao, there are several mornings, while waiting for you to practice swordsmanship, when the clouds and mists are shrouded below the mountain, making Cloud City seem to float in the air. I call this tranquil, fantasy world the 'City in the Clouds'."
Yang Bao chuckled softly, a knowing amusement. "Senior Brother, I believe you are the only one who can call it the 'City in the Clouds'. Everyone else calls it 'Ghost City' because of the constant fog and its eerie silence."
Suddenly, Shan materialized silently between them, his presence chilling, a ripple in the air. "The three masters want to see you two now," he announced, his voice as cold as ever, devoid of warmth.
Yang Bao, no longer intimidated, shot Shan an exasperated look, a playful defiance. "Shan, if you want to appear in front of anyone, please announce yourself first! You could kill someone by just suddenly appearing unannounced! It's terrifying!"
Shan merely glanced at Yang Bao, a flicker of something unreadable in his eyes, then vanished instantly, a silent dismissal.
"Let's go see what the three masters want," Guozhao Zhiqiang suggested, unfazed, already moving.
Yang Bao and Guozhao Zhiqiang flew down from the trees, landing lightly, and began walking towards Cloud City. As soon as they arrived at the school's training ground, they found the three masters—Guo Baiyu, Zhao Renshu, and Fang Yaoting—alongside Lee Dachin, Ping'an, and their three juniors, their faces serious.
Fang Yaoting looked at Yang Bao and Guozhao Zhiqiang, his gaze assessing, a hint of expectation in his eyes. "On the fifteenth of this month," he announced, "the two of you will have a friendly duel. A test of your progress."
Yang Bao and Guozhao Zhiqiang exchanged a surprised glance, then looked at the three masters, a question in their eyes. "Don't be too surprised," Zhao Renshu interjected, a reassuring smile on his face. "This is just a friendly brotherly duel, and it won't change your title as our disciple. It's for fun, and for learning."
"After this showdown, you can tell me what you want to continue to study," Guo Baiyu added, his eyes sweeping over the two young men, a hint of curiosity.
Yang Bao raised his head, a resolute expression on his face, his gaze firm. "Master, I have made up my mind. I know what I want." He looked directly at Guo Baiyu.
"Really, Ah Bao?" Guo Baiyu asked, a hint of curiosity in his voice, surprised by his quick decision.
"Yes, First Master," Yang Bao confirmed.
"Hey kid, tell us quickly, I hate guessing!" Zhao Renshu urged, his impatience evident, a playful stomp of his foot.
"I would like to continue practicing swordsmanship and medicine," Yang Bao declared, his voice clear and unwavering.
"Why have you decided to continue with swordsmanship and medicine?" Guo Baiyu inquired gently, his gaze compassionate.
Zhao Renshu frowned, a grumble escaping him, a playful disappointment. "So disappointed... I thought you'd choose spells!"
Yang Bao looked at Zhao Renshu, a small smile playing on his lips, a touch of sadness in his eyes. "I'm sorry, Second Master, I've let you down. I watched my parents and grandmother pass away in front of my eyes because I couldn't afford a doctor and medical expenses. So, I want to continue to focus on studying medicine. I want to save others." He smiled, his eyes holding a profound hope, a heartfelt desire. "Maybe, in the future, as long as a cup of tea is the payment, I can save a child's loved one. I can prevent others from suffering as I did."
Guo Baiyu sighed, a deep compassion in his gaze, and patted Yang Bao's right arm lightly, a gesture of profound understanding. "That's very good of you, Ah Bao. A noble aspiration."
Realizing the weight of Yang Bao's words, Zhao Renshu felt a pang of regret for his earlier flippancy. "Hey kid," he said, his voice softening, a rare earnestness. "I was just trying to give you a hard time. It's good that you continue with medicine, since Zhiqiang can't. You'll be a great healer."
"Why can't Senior Brother?" Yang Bao asked, genuinely curious.
"Because he is everyone's Senior Brother," Fang Yaoting explained. "His work focuses on spells and swordsmanship, protecting the school. Therefore, you should study more medicine, to balance his skills."
"Your masters already knew what you were going to choose based on your characteristics, Ah Bao," Lee Dachin added, a knowing twinkle in his eye, a gentle smile.
Yang Bao's brow furrowed slightly. "Since everyone knows everything, why do you still ask me what I want? It seems pointless."
"We may have expected it," Guo Baiyu clarified, "but the choice is still yours, Ah Bao. We respect your autonomy."
After dinner that night, Yang Bao and Guozhao Zhiqiang stood in the open space of the small school, side by side, performing their horse stances under the moonlight, their forms perfectly synchronized.
"You finally have a chance to duel me, Ah Bao," Guozhao Zhiqiang remarked, a hint of anticipation in his voice, a rare display of excitement.
"Senior Brother," Yang Bao replied, his voice firm, his eyes blazing with determination, "I want to tell you, I will not hold back. I will fight you with everything I've got. I will give it my all."
"I won't back down either, Ah Bao," Guozhao Zhiqiang retorted, a competitive glint in his eyes. "So don't hold back; that would be an insult if you did. Fight me seriously."
"I know you would say that Senior Brother," Yang Bao sighed, a smile playing on his lips, a shared understanding. "Let's do our best. May the best man win."
"No matter what the result is, our brotherhood will not change, Ah Bao," Guozhao Zhiqiang stated, his voice serious, a profound promise. He paused, looking at Yang Bao, seeing the fierce determination flashing in Yang Bao's eyes. "Ah Bao..."
Yang Bao turned to look at Guozhao Zhiqiang. "What's the matter, Senior Brother?"
"First Master told me that he wants me to inherit Master Zhao's legacy," Guozhao Zhiqiang revealed, his voice unusually contemplative, a hint of burden.
Yang Bao smiled warmly, genuinely pleased for him. "I think it's a good choice for First Master to choose you, Senior Brother. You will be a great leader. You're strong and wise."
"The problem is that I don't want to be a leader," Guozhao Zhiqiang confessed, his voice tinged with a hint of melancholy, a quiet longing for a different path.
Yang Bao was taken aback. "What? Why not, Senior Brother? You'd be perfect!"
"I want to be a hunter who crosses the continent, exploring the world freely," Guozhao Zhiqiang explained. "And I'm thinking that if they plan to form a sector, you are a better choice than me to lead the Guozhao Hunters School. You have the heart for it."
"Don't say such things in front of the three masters, Senior Brother," Yang Bao warned, his voice low, a hint of panic. "They will be disappointed. They have high hopes for you."
"I'm not telling you this because I want to go easy on you in our duel the day after tomorrow," Guozhao Zhiqiang said, his gaze steady, a clear intention. "I tell you this because I regard you as my confidant. My closest friend."
Yang Bao's face lit up, a genuine, delighted smile spreading across it, his heart swelling with warmth. "I'm very happy to hear that coming from you, Senior Brother. Truly." He looked up at the moonless night sky, a profound sense of connection. "Senior Brother, from childhood until now, you are the first person I can speak freely to. The first person who truly understands me."
"Now I understand what Teacher Lee means," Guozhao Zhiqiang murmured, a thoughtful expression on his face, "'if you truly trust each other, there is no need to speak your thoughts out loud'. Our connection is deeper than words."
Yang Bao's body shivered, and he dramatically stretched out his right arm to Guozhao Zhiqiang, displaying a sudden rush of goosebumps. "You made it sound too romantic, Senior Brother!" he teased, a playful shiver. "Look at all these goosebumps! I like you, but not in that way!"
Guozhao Zhiqiang scoffed playfully, a rare, lighthearted sound. "I'm sorry, you are not my type at all. The person I fell in love with must be someone weaker than me. Someone I can protect."
"Why is that Senior Brother?" Yang Bao asked, genuinely amused, a smile on his face.
Guozhao Zhiqiang chuckled, a rare, lighthearted sound, a hint of playful arrogance. "I like to show off my superiority. I like to be the strong one."
Yang Bao and Guozhao Zhiqiang looked at each other, their laughter echoing into the quiet night, two brothers, now truly confidants, united by their shared training and an unbreakable bond, their friendship solidified.