A Feather Avid in Memory

Icon: onigiwi2namayo

[feather-avid-in-memory]

chapter 2; a bright moon

The next morning, Shi Qinghe woke first, and left silently to avoid disturbing Qin Yanyue’s sleep. It was so early that the sun had just begun its ascent into the sky. In the past, his favorite place for meditation had been a small waterfall on the mountain’s rear side, which was rarely met with human visitors. Though time had changed the path of the stream and the banks it flowed between, it could never change the peaceful song this stream sang as it danced between rocks and its riverbed.

Shi Qinghe lost track of himself here until the sun had climbed higher and long breached the tips of the distant mountaintops. A chatter arose about the sect amongst the juniors as they shuffled about in preparation for breakfast, audible even from far away as the boy made his way back to the main gathering area.

Lost in the sea of youthful clamor, Shi Qinghe did not notice a familiar face approaching him from behind.

“Shizun!” a hand tugged on his sleeve. “Found you! Since you came all the way to visit, let's train together, please?”

He looked down into Qin Yanyue’s hopeful eyes, a smile crossing his face. Then, it quickly contorted. “Shixiong. Please don't forget, or else people will ask questions.”

The girl stuck out her tongue.

He ignored her cheeky response and answered her initial question. “Since you utilized it just now, today we’ll do more training with energy recognition. You know the unique signature of my qi well enough that if I were to hide myself somewhere on this mountain, you would be able to find me, correct?”

Her eyes perked up. “Like hide and seek?”

“I… yes. Like hide and seek.”

“Training with Shizun is always fun! Go hide, go hide, I’ll close my eyes!” she moved to stand in a corner away from passerby and made a dramatic show of doing so.

“Your Shixiong will be hidden within five minutes. Please don’t trace my location until the time has come up,” he instructed, then turned to leave.

“Yep yep! Five minutes and I will come find Shizun!”

Correcting her manner of address was a lost cause. Shi Qinghe only hoped that it would not draw unwanted questions while he slunk off in search of a hiding place.

The hiding spot he picked was quite satisfactory, though it took him a moment to scale the tree he’d selected. Maneuvering in a wingless body without trained muscles was a challenge for the boy, but eventually, he came to rest in a concealed spot within the branches roughly fifteen feet from the ground. This particular tree was tucked off in a corner behind a temple used for meditation which received little foot traffic. While it could be disadvantageous to hide in a location with few people, as mingling with a crowd could throw Qin Yanyue off the trail, he also knew that she had difficulties taking height into account and searched mostly by single dimension direction. Hopefully, he’d teach her to look up and not just walk under him.

A few minutes passed. Qin Yanyue walked beneath the tree and did not look up as she continued onwards.

“Shizun!” he heard her voice echo from below after a couple minutes. “Are you here? I keep going in circles! Shizuuun!”

After wandering about for so long and only being lead in loops, she came to the conclusion that he must be up in a tree. But there were lots of trees around with branches too thick to see through, so it was difficult to tell which one.

Shi Qinghe could be mean and throw his voice to a different location to confuse her. It was getting uncomfortable sitting on this branch, though, so he didn't want to delay her finding him for longer.

He was lost in thought and too distracted to hear her approach until she hopped up on the branch behind him without warning.

“Found you!”

While the temptation to be stern and scold her for not being aware of her surroundings was his initial response, Shi Qinghe couldn't help but laugh lightly. Qin Yanyue had a lopsided grin on her face, and a single leaf was stuck in her hair.

“Much too slow. If you had been pursuing me, I would be long gone,” He managed for his slightly stern voice to return.

“Aww, then let’s go again!” Qin Yanyue was not downtrodden by the criticism at all.

“This time, don’t focus on the horizontal plane. The world is in every direction; you would have caught me much sooner had you taken height into account.”

“Mhmm! Okay!” she seemed as if she understood, so Shi Qinghe instructed her to stay still as she had last time while he slipped away once again.

They trained this way for a couple of hours, and while she did not improve by leaps and bounds, Qin Yanyue was finally able to find a way in which to discern height when she caught her master sitting atop one of the pavilion’s rooftops.

That afternoon, while Shi Qinghe had intended for the two of them to go to dinner at the dining hall like usual, Qin Yanyue had other plans.

“Shizun, don’t worry about dinner,” she smiled at him brightly. “Just be back to our room in like, an hour and a half. Okay?”

Though he wished to protest and insist there was no need to give him special treatment, the boy knew his disciple would not take no for an answer. Therefore, he opted to go and meditate near the peak of the mountain until the sun began its descent down the horizon. Finally, when he made his way back, he had started to get hungry, and could smell something delicious and fragrant coming from Qin Yanyue’s place. This body he inhabited had only close to average cultivation, so he had not yet mastered inedia and still needed to eat to sustain himself.

Qin Yanyue was not an expert cook, and had little supplies and space in her room to work with, so she’d opted to make a pot of soup. The broth was a deep red from the spices, hot enough to make one’s eyes water from the scent alone. Shi Qinghe greeted her politely upon returning and watched her dish it up, filling his bowl first and putting significantly less in her own.

“This is the first time you’re eating my cooking, so don’t hurt my feelings. I’m not the best,” the girl sheepishly admitted.

Shi Qinghe could tell at a glance that she’d rolled the noodles by hand, as a good amount of them were lopsided and uneven in shape. The front of her casual robe was covered in dusty white handprints as further evidence, which she’d made no effort to clean up.

He took a small bite at first out of caution, but found there was no reason for alarm; it really was good. She’d added the perfect amount of spice to the broth, the noodles were soft but not to the point of being soggy, and both the vegetables and meat had been cooked just the right amount.

“Yanyue, I didn’t know you could cook so well.” He wasn’t just laying on flattery for the point of being polite— it had been made exactly the way he liked it.

“Ah, Shizun, you’re too nice.” At first, her blush seemed to be one of shyness, but Shi Qinghe realized differently when he noticed the sweat beading on her upper lip and beneath her eyes. She’d only taken a single bite, but the spice had been too much for her, if her watery eyes were any indication.

“Here, Yanyue, some water,” he passed a glass to her, which she gulped down. “Next time, you should portion out your own plate before adding the spices.”

“Shizun will let me cook for her again?” The girl’s teary eyes sparkled despite the pain she was in.

“Of course,” he smiled, then felt a twinge of guilt at the thought of his disciple feeling as if she needed to cook for him. “For a special occasion, maybe, and I’ll never expect it from you.”

Qin Yanyue was stubborn and selfless— of course she’d made the soup so spicy even the strongest of tongues and toughest of stomachs couldn’t stand a chance at handling it. Shi Qinghe, just like his original body, had a tolerance much higher than that of a human, and enjoyed his food so spicy it might be considered a hazard. And Qin Yanyue, knowing this, had made it specifically to his tastes knowing she could never eat it herself.

“Yay! Um, I promise I’m not weak, but I really need to water my portion down. Please don’t be offended.”

He laughed to himself internally; how could he be offended when she was the one who had made it? Qin Yanyue was too considerate to the point of acting fretfully sometimes.

…

The juniors from Qing sect arrived three days later. Within that time, Shi Qinghe had re-familiarized himself with the layout of the sect, spread about the story of his return from recovery at the foothill, and had gotten the hang of fitting in with the other junior disciples. Both him and Qin Yanyue had done a bit of training together every day, sometimes working on her energy tracing, and other times sparring. He had not, however, found a place to sleep other than her floor within this time.

The welcoming procession was swarming with curious disciples to greet the newcomers, who had come via sword and conveniently avoided the steps up the mountain in the process. A group of 10 juniors and a single senior disciple had arrived and had quite the procession waiting for them.

Shi Qinghe watched from the sidelines, not close enough to see the faces of the newcomers, but still aware of what was going on. All of the juniors in the crowd had reactions of either curiosity, excitement, or both, with not a single bit of animosity to be detected. It seemed as if tensions between the sects had really dissipated after all this time.

The crowds finally dispersed when the newcomers went to the elder's abode for a more formal greeting. Through murmurs in the crowd, Shi Qinghe was able to find out that they'd be invited for dinner, and there would be a few friendly sparring matches this afternoon to exchange shows of skill.

“Shizun,” Qin Yanyue was, of course, still following him around like a shadow (an adorable one, so he couldn't complain). “Disciples from other sects come and visit pretty often. How come everyone is excited for these ones?”

Of course, the answer to this question is that Qing sect was one of the most notable sects in the jianghu alongside their own, so of course they wouldn't compare to ordinary martial artist visitors. However, Shi Qinghe hadn’t taught the girl about this sect at all, not wanting his very obvious bias to affect her studies. He’d hoped that her in-person schooling— for lack of a better word— would have taught her about the sect’s history, but it seemed this hope had been in vain.

“They’re very strong,” was the answer he settled on. “Not like your average martial practitioner. And they're going to be dueling a few of our disciples, so of course, everyone’s excited.”

“Ooh!” Qin Yanyue’s eyes lit up. “I figured they had to be important, ‘cause they got invited to the elder’s domain straight off the bat.”

He nodded. “They should be joining us for mealtime soon; let’s head that direction.”

In the dining hall, everyone was clamoring, as the Qing sect disciples had already arrived. As it turned out, for the upcoming duels, the visitors would be picking from the crowd who they wanted to fight. So, of course, every single junior was vying for their attention at the current moment.

It left Qin Yanyue and Shi Qinghe a peaceful moment at a table away from the chaos, however. Unlike most martial arts sects, which practiced gender-based separation especially within dining and living spaces, both Feng sect and Qing sect had female founders. As such, no such separation was cared about, so the two were able to sit together without issue or question.

“Everyone is so excited to see them, it almost makes me wanna go look! But they're just martial artists like us, I don't get the hype.”

“You’re not interested in them?” Shi Qinghe asked.

“I think it would be interesting to have a conversation and talk about their martial arts stuff, cause it's different from ours. But just seeing them? I don't really care,” she stuck out her tongue.

“Not even interested in seeing the handsome juniors?” the boy teased.

Qin Yanyue made a raspberry noise to display her playful disgust.

Lost in their conversation, the two did not notice a shift in the outside chatter until a voice caught their attention.

“Is this seat spoken for?”

It was the spot across from Shi Qinghe. And it was indeed not spoken for, so the disguised god affirmed for the newcomer to sit.

It was upon a further glance that he realized this newcomer did not wear the red and gold style robe of a Feng disciple, but instead the green and black of a Qing disciple. He was quite handsome; his black hair was long, silky, and well maintained, pulled up partially into a bun while the rest was allowed to spill over his shoulders. The boy’s features were soft, but striking, and he had eyes which matched the green shade of his clothing as well as the few jade accessories he wore. A sole imperfection to his otherwise pristine appearance was a jagged wound faded to white scar tissue which stretched from right eyebrow to the base of his left cheek. However, Shi Qinghe did not see this as a flaw– rather, it added to the young man’s charm.

“Everyone in your sect is so excited to speak with us, but I’ve gotten a little lost in the clamor. I hope you don't mind if I invade your space in a more peaceful area for a while,” the stranger spoke in address to the two of them. While he appeared to be around his early twenties, only a little older than Shi Qinghe’s assumed appearance, he had the poise and politeness of someone much more mature. The disguised god could tell from experience that this newcomer was someone capable of commanding a great deal of deserved respect.

“We don’t mind at all. Please, have a seat.”

The young man nodded politely and set his tray of food upon the table. He then glanced up.

“May I have the pleasure of exchanging names? Mine is Yuan Qiao, courtesy name Chengyu.”

Shi Qinghe nodded politely. “I am Shi Qinghe, courtesy name Hua– but feel free to use my given name.” Since I put a lot more thought into that one– was his unspoken thought. “And my Shimei is Qin Yanyue.”

“It is a pleasure, Shi Qinghe, Qin Yanyue,” Yuan Qiao politely acknowledged both of them.

While Shi Qinghe badly wanted to chat with this newcomer, he decided to let Qin Yanyue speak instead. She was much younger, and could benefit greatly from learning about the other sects firsthand.

And, of course, she was very eager. “Is it true you guys have mind control powers?”

Shi Qinghe nearly spat out his mouthful of soup. That was certainly one way to get to the point.

Luckily, Yuan Qiao didn't seem to take offense. “Kind of, yes. Here, take a look.”

The thing he pulled from his belt to show to Qin Yanyue was a flute, made from a fine wood of unknown origin and decorated with a very elaborate jade tassel. She hesitated before taking the instrument that was offered for her to examine, spinning it in her hands with wide eyes.

“Wow, it’s so pretty!!” she beamed, then passed it back. “How does it work?”

“Our instruments are made from the same sacred tree which our founder planted many centuries ago. There are two main kinds of enchantments these instruments may use, and while everyone learns both, most choose to specialize in a single one. ‘Invigoration’ taunts an enemy to lose their rationality. ‘Soothing,’ the one I practice, is a calming style only effective on those who trust the person playing it.”

“Wait, so you guys use your mind control thingies on allies too? How come?”

A smile rose to Yuan Qiao’s cheeks, soothing Shi Qinghe’s worry that this stranger might be overwhelmed by her questions. “Imagine this; a friend loses their mind to heartbreak, or is swayed by strong emotions on a battlefield, or even enters a Qi deviation– you aren't powerless to help when you’re versed in Soothing. It’s considered just as important as offensive music by our practitioners.”

“Not all of you wield flutes, though, I’ve noticed,” Shi Qinghe pointed out. While he knew full well how Qing sect’s teachings worked, he was hoping to lead the conversation so that Qin Yanyue could learn more. “Is there a difference between the instruments?”

Yuan Qiao nodded. “Usually, string instruments are used for Soothing, and wind instruments are used for Invigoration. As you can see, however, it’s not a set rule,” he gestured to his own flute. “Ah, I hope I am not boring you two— I do love talking about music.”

“It’s not boring at all! That’s super cool!” Qin Yanyue insisted enthusiastically.

“If you both wouldn't mind, I’m also curious to learn more about Feng sect’s energy reading and resonance abilities. I’m only vaguely familiar with the concept itself.”

Qin Yanyue did not answer and instead looked to Shi Qinghe– this was a thing best explained by her master.

“Well,” Shi Qinghe began. “Here, we learn how to make sense of an individual’s Qi frequency– you can use it for analyzing an opponent, or tracking a person you’ve met– even telling where they’ve been or what things they’ve touched once it’s honed enough. Finding how to tell a person’s Qi signature is very difficult and takes a lot of time to master, since the details that make each person’s energy unique are very minute.”

“Perhaps one of you would like to give analyzing my own a try? I’ve always been curious what could be made of it,” Yuan Qiao suggested, a soft smile gracing his features.

“Of course, I’d be glad to,” Shi Qinghe nodded politely. Qin Yanyue was only beginning to learn the ability, and could only distinguish Shi Qinghe’s own frequency so far, unable to tell anyone else’s. Thus, the task fell on him. “You’ll have to come closer, and I’ll have to place my hand on your chest.”

The physical contact wouldn’t have been necessary for someone as learned as Shi Qinghe that normally could tell everything about someone just by a glance while in his original body. However, the young man he took the appearance of only had above-average skills, and thus, could not make any such analysis by sight alone yet.

Also, because who wouldn't pass up the opportunity to put their hand up against the chest of a very beautiful young man? Not Shi Qinghe.

Yuan Qiao complied and abandoned his tray of food to sit on the opposite side of the table, directly next to the disguised god. However, before Shi Qinghe could raise his hand, the other boy murmured something quietly– something only his ears would catch.

“You might find something surprising; please don’t speak it aloud.”

Shi Qinghe nodded, not allowing to show in his expression just how much those words had piqued his curiosity. His fingers gently lifted, but hesitated when Yuan Qiao spoke again.

“Is it okay through my clothing, or do you need contact with bare skin?”

Shi Qinghe was an honorable person who rarely lied, but this was a special case. Sensing energy through clothing was perfectly doable, though who would tell the truth when such an opportunity presented itself willingly?

“Ah… it works best with bare skin, if you don't mind.”

This was very much untrue, but Yuan Qiao did not ask any questions. In fact, he seemed satisfied by this answer, and moved to lower his high collar and allow Shi Qinghe access down the front of his robe.

Shi Qinghe was a powerful deity reduced to a blushing young man as his hand slipped through the other’s clothes to touch bare skin. From feel alone, he could tell that the other man had a strong build beneath his elegant and beautiful style of dress. This kept him distracted for a few moments before he realized– he was supposed to be sensing for Qi, not feeling for soft skin.

(scene art is from @nekoning !! 💞💞)

It was not human Qi which pulsed beneath his fingertips, but draconic Qi.

Shocked by this initial realization, he examined further. Sure enough, this stranger who appeared human was undoubtedly a dragon. His strength was nothing out of average for one, but in comparison to a human's, it was very notable. Shi Qinghe deepened his examination to look into personality and nature and found nothing hidden– this was a person with an innately kind nature and nothing unsightly or evil hidden within.

Such a genuine nature was rare to come by, and any unsure thoughts he’d had about this stranger faded away. Yuan Qiao was a very ordinary and kindhearted young man who also happened to be a dragon.

Dragons often took human form and mingled among the human realm, and those who weren't experts could hardly tell the difference. Their organized society had died out a long time past, so most were wanderers with little family to speak of. While uncommon, it wasn't a cause for concern– these creatures were powerful, but usually not malevolent.

Once having completed his examination, Shi Qinghe was loath to draw his hand back. The rise and fall of the other’s chest beneath his fingertips was very satisfying.

Eventually, he did so. “Your core has reached the state which is that of Mirror, and you have a calm and kind nature,” he explained his analysis. “I can tell you spend a lot of time in self-reflection. And– I noticed the thing you spoke of; you’re very strong. It’s admirable, and you have a lot of potential for growth.”

He kept his words purposely vague to keep Qin Yanyue and any potential eavesdroppers out of the loop. Yuan Qiao’s inhuman nature was not a threat, and he’d trusted Shi Qinghe with its knowledge, so he felt no need to give the girl a warning of caution. This Yuan Qiao was a stranger, but he was undoubtedly trustworthy.

“Those are very impressive insights; I greatly appreciate your praise,” Yuan Qiao nodded politely.

“Wait, wait, Shizu—shixiong! If you're showing off cool stuff Feng sect can do, what about Qi connections?”

Shi Qinghe’s eyebrow twitched; she’d corrected herself just in time, but he was thankful. “That’s right… if we haven't bored you yet?” he turned his gaze back to Yuan Qiao.

The other seemed interested. “No, I would love to hear.”

“I wanna explain!” Qin Yanyue was very excited, as this was an ability she was very skilled in– the other juniors her age were incomparable in talent. “Qi connections are where you make a link between yourself and someone else. You can use it to communicate wordlessly, and once you’ve been connected to the person for long enough, you can feel their emotions, and even share dreams with them!”

“Is it a temporary connection?” Yuan Qiao asked.

“It can be, or you can keep it! It requires an energy tax– as my Shizun calls it– to stay alive. It’s like a rope that you can't see, that you need to keep feeding little bits of energy, or it’ll fall apart.”

Shi Qinghe appreciated that she referred to her Shizun as if he were not present in the room right then.

“Yanyue is very good at it. Would you like a demonstration?” From his expression, both of them could tell Yuan Qiao was very curious still, so Shi Qinghe made the offer.

“If you don’t mind,” Yuan Qiao nodded politely, a light smile coming to his face. “I would love that.”

It took Qin Yanyue mere seconds to draw up a connection and fill it with energy. Moments later, her voice rang out in both of their minds.

“Hello! I’m speaking without speaking! See, isn't this cool!”

Yuan Qiao’s eyes widened. “You really are speaking into my mind. I imagine this could be quite useful!”

“Hehe, isn't it fun? We only do it with friends, ‘cause if you do it with a bad person, they can surge the energy lines and hurt you.”

“I’ve always heard about how Feng sect practitioners seem to communicate seamlessly. I’m impressed by the trick behind it.”

“I connected all three of us, but you can use only one part of the “rope” if you wanna talk to only one person.” Qin Yanyue explained. “Shixiong! Show him you can talk to just him!”

The next words were directed solely at Yuan Qiao. “I’ve never felt draconic Qi before,” that was another lie that made Shi Qinghe feel slightly guilty despite its harmlessness. “So it took me a second to recognize it. I appreciate your trust, and your secret is safe with me.”

“It’s hardly a secret,” came Yuan Qiao’s reply. “Everyone close with me knows. I just fear rumors spreading if too many people were to find out.”

“Do lots of people have a bias against dragons?” Shi Qinghe feigned the ignorance of someone who had not met one before.

“Some, but it's more of fear than a bias. I promise I’m nothing to be afraid of.”

“If you were something to be afraid of, I wouldn't have felt ‘I’m a nice person’ resonating off every bit of energy in your body just now.”

The sound of Yuan Qiao’s laugh echoed through the mental connection. “I appreciate your faith in me, and your kind words. I hope that we might become friends.”

“What are you guys talking about…. it got quiet!!” the both of them heard Qin Yanyue exclaim through the shared connection. “Sorry, I’m not trying to be nosy, but you both are staring at each other looking all smiley.”

Both young men were instantly embarrassed; they had indeed been exchanging wordless smiles and warm gazes the entire time they had been mentally communicating.

“We were having an important conversation. About things,” Shi Qinghe spluttered out.

At this very inconvenient time, one of the Qing sect disciples came over to the table, having spotted Yuan Qiao.

“Shixiong, everyone’s been looking for you! Are you done eating? We got invited to meditate at the temple, and everyone else went that way already.”

“I’m almost done; I’ll meet you after,” Yuan Qiao nodded politely. The other young man left, and a warm glance was given to Shi Qinghe.

“I apologize for having to leave so early. I got distracted and forgot about my food, so I’ll stay for a few minutes longer.”

“It’s no worries! Thanks for talking with us!” Qin Yanyue beamed. “We should talk again and be friends. When you aren’t busy, that is!”

“Of course,” Yuan Qiao laughed lightly.

He quickly finished his food, enjoyed a bit more conversation with the pair, and went on his way.

“What now, Shizun?” Qin Yanyue asked once they were alone yet again. “More hide and s- I mean, location tracking training?”

“Actually, our conversation made me remember you need to train harder to recognize other people’s signatures. You can't go a long ways only being able to tell my own, after all.”

“Then who should I try doing it with? I can’t go around touching people at random,” Qin Yanyue made a face.

“You don't need to touch anyone. You made a connection with Yuan Qiao just now, so you can feel his Qi flowing through the bond still, right? Try recognizing his signature– compare it to mine, since we’re connected and you can easily make contrast between him and I. Then, try and see where he’s gone off to.”

“Oh, so you wanna spy on the pretty boy, hmm?” Qin Yanyue raised an eyebrow and gave an amused laugh.

“Spy, pretty– no! I suggested such because you don't need to touch him for– oh, forget it.”

“You were totally batting your eyes at him the whole time. Is he your type? He’s a little young for you. Didn't you tell me mortals and immortals shouldn't fall in love, or else you'll be sad when they die?”

Shi Qinghe’s face flushed a deep shade of red, but he couldn't be angry at her teasing. Instead, a different thought lingered on his mind.

He’s not completely mortal– dragons usually have a lifespan of around five hundred years. I shouldn’t humor that thought though; he’s certainly attractive, but it would be totally inappropriate for me to fall in love with someone under a fake identity.

“You didn't answerrrrr,” Qin Yanyue tugged on his sleeve. “Shizun, shizun! Stop daydreaming about the pretty boy!”

“Okay, okay! I don’t like him like that. I just met him.”

“He didn’t say no when I asked him to be friends, so you’ll definitely make friends with him! And then you can turn him immortal and live happily ever after~~~”

“Yanyue!” he yelped. “No, no. I will not. Are we training or are we going to sit here with empty food trays all day?”

He did not acknowledge her words further, but they did mingle with the memory of Yuan Qiao privately asking him if they could be friends. Hopefully, they could become friends.

Qin Yanyue did in fact try and follow the connection she’d established earlier, but was met without success after a long time of attempting and being instructed by her master. She had a long ways to go, he realized, if she couldn't even tell the difference between draconic and human Qi yet.

That night, while about to drift off to sleep bundled in blankets on his disciple’s floor, he came to a surprising realization. The binding between the two of them and Yuan Qiao had not fizzled out yet, and still stood fully intact. It would have normally dispersed by now, so that only meant one thing– Yuan Qiao had given it a little bit of Qi to maintain it. The pulse of his draconic energy flowing through their bond was soothing, and while barely detectable, Shi Qinghe enjoyed the sensation.

These thoughts lingered on his mind for a long time before he finally fell asleep.

[feather-avid-in-memory]

actual footage from a future chapter 👍

[feather-avid-in-memory]

chapter 1; harmony's birth

“Mountain of a Thousand Steps” was a pretty self-explanatory name, but it was impossible to truly visualize its scale until you saw it with your own eyes.

A young man made this trek alone, and while it seemed unusual for someone who looked to be a sect disciple to travel by himself, he did not seem bothered by the lack of company. However, this appearance of a sect disciple was nothing but a deception covered up solely by the colors of his robe.

It was not this young man’s first time ascending this mountain, but it was his first time in this younger and weaker body. In his true form, he wouldn't even need to walk; a flap of wings and a few bounds into the sky were enough to carry him all the way to the mountain’s peak. Even if he did walk, he wouldn't have broken a sweat, and would have enjoyed the trip as if it were a calm stroll and not an intense hike.

 But now, for this immortal in a newly-created mortal body, this was anything but a calm stroll.

A glimpse of his quite handsome face would make one think he was perhaps 19 or 20 years old. His hair was a warm shade of dusty brown, accented by a few blonde streaks that came from behind his right ear. The boy’s golden eyes were brightened by youth, and his red robes swayed elegantly with each step he took, concealing the struggle of his legs hidden beneath.

This so-called sect disciple, when asked, would give the name “Shi Qinghe.” This was not his real name, nor had any disciples of the sect heard it before. However, such a name would be found within their records, and the sect leader would vaguely recall a disciple who had fallen ill and thus spent most of his time absent from training with his peers. These memories were false, of course, and while being quite unusual circumstances, they would be enough to explain his sudden appearance. This “Shi Qinghe” only needed to make the news of his recovery from this made-up illness convincing enough to fit in seamlessly.

While one might think this to be the behavior of an infiltrator or spy, “Shi Qinghe” held no malicious intent. He was there merely because he was curious; living as an immortal for so long, it was easy to lose track of news and changes within the human realm. 

To put it in simple terms, he was here to be nosy.

This immortal was shocked by the reality of a mortal body with every struggling step. His skin was covered with a sheen layer of sweat, his bangs slicked to his forehead, and his breaths heaved painfully trying to draw in air much faster than he was actually capable of.

A young body was infuriatingly necessary, but so inconvenient. While it was needed to fit in seamlessly, it lacked internal strength and was difficult to maneuver. 

But one does not give up easily when chasing the whims of nosiness, especially an immortal god with nothing else to occupy themself with. And thus, the young man continued his trek.

Several hours later, he would finally reach the top, drenched in sweat and a flush to his cheeks. Though appearing with this slightly disheveled appearance might have been a tad bit embarrassing, it did help further the story that he had just recovered from a serious illness.

Conveniently, the sect disciples had begun to gather for mealtime, so it was easy for him to slip among the ranks of the younger men despite the fact that nobody recognized him. When all disciples were present on the mountain, there were one hundred and seventeen disciples. They consisted of mostly juniors, though there were also a few capable seniors and elders who carried the sect’s high reputation.

Pretending to be a nobody disciple was easy; Feng sect– the name of this place–  was well esteemed within the jianghu. However, disciples ranged in ability and were not turned away by lack of talent. In addition to raising some of the most famous names in the jianghu, it was also a place that accepted newcomers with no knowledge of martial arts or notable background to speak of. 

 Being a nobody was simple. It was pretending to be a man– and a young one at that– that would be the biggest challenge for this immortal.

Despite all these uncertainties, “Shi Qinghe” was able to sneak in undetected to the dining area mixed with his soon-to-be peers. It might have been a long time since he’d set foot here, but the layout had barely changed since then.

He’d come to stand near a group of juniors who appeared to be of his assumed age and skill level, and thus made a move to approach them. “Is it okay if I sit here?” the boy asked one, his voice the tiniest bit raspy from disuse. It was only then he realized those were the first words this body had ever spoken.

“Hmm, are you new?” he was met with wide eyes by a young man in similar dress– the attire of a beginner level disciple. “Yeah, sure!”

Shi Qinghe bowed politely and took a seat.

“Thank you; I’ve been away for a while,” he explained in what he hoped was a casual approach. “Until recently, I was ill and unable to come here for training.”

This other young man was surprised by the politeness of address from this newcomer. Though one’s fellow disciples always behaved in such a respectful manner during serious activities or training, in any other setting they acted as any young people would and mingled playfully. This, in addition to the odd boy’s story, were both interesting to him, though they did not arouse suspicion, but rather curiosity.

“I’ve never seen you before, and I’ve been here three years! I would know ‘cause I’ve seen the face of every disciple. So you must’ve been sick a long time, huh?” he made a bit of a pitying expression. “What’s your name? Mine’s Mo Xiang, and my courtesy name is Nianzu.”

“This one’s name is Shi Qinghe, courtesy name…” A moment passed before he realized that despite his careful planning, he had put too much thought into his first name and had thus forgotten to choose one. Only ever so slightly panicked under pressure, he picked the first that came to mind. “My courtesy name is… Hua.” 

“Shi Hua, I’ve never heard that name before.” Mo Nianzu shook his head. “Pardon me if it’s a sensitive topic, but you must’ve been sick for a long time, right?”

Shi Qinghe nodded, nerves settling while he inwardly cursed himself for not planning a proper name to go by. “It’s no worries. Six years ago, I suffered a head injury that caused severe amnesia, which I only just recently made a full recovery from. I’ve spent a lot of time in solitude in order to restore my cultivation, as well as memories,” he paused for a moment before continuing. “Most of this time has been spent at the foothill.”

There was indeed a town at the foothill of the mountain, which was considered to be part of the sect’s territory and was made home by martial artists and civilians alike. Sect disciples might visit town from time to time to buy food or new clothes, but the town’s population was big enough that it would be impossible for any of them to have the time to be acquainted with every single person who lived there.

Shi Qinghe had thought of perhaps every single question that might come his way after his unusual appearance in order to ensure his story had no holes.

“You lost all of your memories?” the young man’s eyes widened. “But I can tell from looking that you’re very strong! It must have taken a lot of training to recover your strength.”

The brunet nodded, quite amused by Mo Nianzu’s assessment of his strength. While he had given this body certain weaknesses– such as a lack of physical training- and only an above average skill set, he’d also bestowed it with a larger amount of internal energy in case a time came where it was needed for self defense or dire situations. But, there was no way the young disciple could detect this, so his assumption either came from an attempt at flattery, or Shi Qinghe had lived for such a long time that he had not made an accurate assumption of what an “average” skill set for a youth was.

“I appreciate your compliments,” Shi Qinghe nodded politely. “I still have much to learn, so I’m thankful to have returned.”

The food came to the dining area soon after, and the whims of conversation shifted.

“Hold on, Shi Hua!” Mo Nianzu suddenly piped up after a long stretch of silence, speaking muffled with a half eaten bun in his mouth. “If you just came back, that means you haven't heard the news yet!”

Shi Qinghe raised an eyebrow. “News?” He was distracted from his brief excitement of tasting familiar food after a long time.

“Qing sect is sending a couple of disciples to come here as guests! They’ll be staying for one month, I heard.”

His eyes bulged and he nearly spat out his food.

Feng sect and Qing sect, at the time of their founding, had been sworn enemies– the same as the respective masters who created them. While the hatred between these two women still remained strong to this day, both had ascended into immortality, and no longer involved humans in such a personal affair. In the time of these gods’ absence, it seemed that such a burning rivalry could not be reasonably maintained.

It came as a surprise to Shi Qinghe, but what he was most surprised by was the fact that it did not make him angry– merely confused.

“Are Feng sect and Qing sect going to establish diplomatic relations?”

“We’re hoping so!” Shi Qinghe nodded. “Our utmost principle is to uphold the teachings of Lady Gongsun Weitong– but while she did hate the god of Qing sect, it was a personal grudge. She taught our masters discipline during their time, but did not bestow individual opinions within her teachings.”

Shi Qinghe was intently listening, so he continued.

“This is just what I think, so some people might disagree! But there are a few disciples who think we are dishonoring her by dissolving tension between the sects. I think they’re wrong– Lady Gongsun Weitong left the matters of the sect with our grandmasters when she ascended, right? And she left no such instructions for future behavior or relations with other sects, so I think she wouldn’t be upset by it.”

This was an astute and very accurate insight that Shi Qinghe was more than qualified to affirm.

“I agree with you,” he nodded. “Gods should leave mortal affairs in mortal hands.”

“Plus, Qing sect’s Lin Peiyu is just as absent, so our Lady’s rivalry with her has nothing to do with their current disciples!”

While this was also an accurate observation, the mention of the previous name made Shi Qinghe’s eye twitch with displeasure. He concealed his bubbling emotions well, but the burning of anger in his chest which accompanied his thoughts of the aforementioned jade-haired dragon never dimmed or faded. Lin Peiyu was a woman who he would never see eye to eye with for as long as he lived.

These internal feelings were kept carefully contained and unable to escape. “How many disciples will come?”

“I dunno. Probably not a ton, but I’m still excited! I’ve never met anyone from a different sect before.”

Learning about other types of martial arts as a youth was bound to be an exciting prospect, Shi Qinghe realized. Thus, he decided to agree wholeheartedly in order to affirm his position as an inexperienced junior.

“I think it's an interesting prospect. I’m excited to meet them as well.”

The afternoon carried onwards, and Shi Qinghe spent the rest of his day exploring what had once been a place he knew like the back of his hand. While at root it was still the same, new buildings had been constructed and others had been repaired or rebuilt so that the original structure was no longer recognizable. Such was the nature of time after all.

The god that the disciples of Feng sect followed the teachings of was humble, and had spoken openly discouraging her disciples from erecting grand statues or temples in her honor. As such, while many artworks found throughout the sect displayed images of phoenixes– a symbol which represented her– only one statue stood which bore her actual likeness.

Before leaving her sect behind, Gongsun Weitong had left few words for her disciples. “I have become a goddess, but do not worship me, for I have no blessings to bestow. I cannot give luck or wealth, nor can I bring prosperity; my sole gift to you all is my teachings.”

This statue in her image was a small statue, only a bit taller than an ordinary human, and erected in a location that was not central to the other buildings. Despite this, there were signs of frequent maintenance, and a few offerings sat at the stone woman’s feet. She was remarkably beautiful even when depicted in stone, with a face not too dissimilar from Shi Qinghe’s own, despite the gender difference. Her robes were fitting for that of a god, but also designed by a human who had never laid eyes on one– it was bound to have its minor inaccuracies.

It’s an honor, Shi Qinghe thought, to have left this place eight hundred years ago, and still have my teachings passed on through the generations.

The people of today’s Feng sect are kind, and the young disciples are happy. I don’t care about status or reputation within the jianghu as long as those two things remain unchanged. 

Some gods would rule humans via power or fear after ascending, but Shi Qinghe despised such behavior. While Gongsun Weitong would remain the image of Feng sect’s founder, Shi Qinghe had no intention of ever regaining rulership from the humans it had been entrusted to.

A smile graced his lips as he gazed upon his well cared for statue.

…

So Shi Qinghe had not thought his plan through enough, he realized, once night fell.

Though his name was on the disciple's registry, no such room existed under the ownership of the same name. Thus, he had nowhere to stay the night.

After careful contemplation, he considered his options. The unused rooms were dusty and full of training equipment, he discovered after some searching, so he couldn't possibly stay there. In short notice, he was only left one option– to find a person to room with.

The answer was obvious, and while he did not know the location of this person’s room, he had the unique perspective of knowing them well enough to detect their energy signature, especially while nearby. It was this sense which lead him before the door of a room he carefully knocked upon, confident on the identity of its resident.

The door opened.

“Hey, who are- wait… Shizun?!”

It was a young girl, around 14 years old, who practically leaped into Shi Qinghe’s arms for a hug he wasn't prepared for. He let out a quiet ‘oof,’ caught off guard by the attack. Visible under the dim lantern lights, this girl had dark brown hair which was remarkably long and pulled into a half updo-bun, and the same style of dress as the other junior disciples.

“Don't call me that! I’m- let’s talk inside!” he glanced around to make sure that nobody had seen, then tugged at the corner of her sleeve. She was unrelenting in her hug and refused to let go.

“Qin Yanyue!” he insisted.

“I’m so happy to see Shizun!” she practically dragged him through the door, and he carefully shut it behind him. “I hope you’re not here because something’s wrong! Oh, and I apologize for the mess– you should have told me you were coming!”

This “mess” consisted of a single robe left unfolded, and a few art supplies that had not yet been put away. It was perfectly clean, except through the eyes of a person such as Qin Yanyue who was the most organized and tidy fourteen year old the world had ever seen.

“There’s no need for alarm; nothing is wrong, and I apologize for arriving unannounced,” a smile came to Shi Qinghe’s face, and he was able to properly respond as he wished now that there was no risk of his reactions being seen. “I’m happy to see you, Yanyue.”

This girl, albeit young, was the only living disciple of Gongsun Weitong– a carefully guarded secret kept solely between the two of them. The god had found her as a baby with no family to speak of, and brought her to the sect knowing that they would take her in. A few years later, her attention was brought to this same child, who had developed an unparalleled proficiency for martial arts, and could very well become one of the strongest masters of the jianghu. And thus, the Lady of Feng sect had begun training her in secret. Most of this training was done during dreams, where they could meet in the inner realm that existed within Qin Yanyue’s mind. From time to time, though, Gongsun Weitong would accompany her in person to take on missions in varying disguises.

While their official relationship was that of master and disciple, it grew closer to the territories of mother and daughter.

Despite that, this was Shi Qinghe’s first time visiting the mountain in person during this body’s lifetime. As such, Qin Yanyue was obviously curious about his purpose for being there.

“Shizun, this form is so cute! You’re so short, and this is your first time being a boy!” she circled him, examining this new body with a bright curiosity. “Are you pretending to be a disciple?”

“I am, yes,” he nodded. “So you mustn't call me Shizun in front of others,” the young man laughed lightly. “I’m very impressed that you recognized me at first glance.”

“How could I not? I’ve been practicing your energy-recognition techniques, and also-” she pointed at the blonde streaks in his hair, “You never get rid of these.”

“Very observant. This is why you’re my favorite disciple.”

She made a playful pouty face. “Hey, but I’m your only-!”

“Shh,” he tapped her shoulder. “I apologize for teasing. As your Shizun, I have a humble request to make.”

“Yes!” she instantly stood at attention.

“May I sleep on your floor tonight?”

Qin Yanyue was caught completely off guard.

“Do you need a place to sleep? You can have my bed! I don’t mind sleeping on the floor.”

“I didn’t ask such of you. I appreciate your filial behavior,” he shook his head. “But, as your Shizun, it would be inappropriate for me to show up at your door unannounced and have you give up your bed for me.”

Arguing with him on the matter was pointless. Qin Yanyue knew it was simply his nature– it was the same reason he disliked receiving worship, only allowed one statue of his likeness to be erected, and never would dare use his status to command others at a whim. While she treated him with respect as a disciple would treat their master, he would always refuse her putting his needs over her own no matter the circumstance. It was this nature as a humble person that brought him such respect from everyone who knew of him.

“Let me get you a pillow and blankets, then! I have some extras somewhere– oh, and did you eat? Are you hungry? I have extra food!”

He politely declined the offers of dinner and made himself comfortable on the makeshift floor-bed which she put together.

“How long are you staying for, Shizun?” Qin Yanyue piped up once the lights were out, peeking over the side of her bed with wide, curious eyes that could barely be seen.

“For a while. Don’t worry; I’ll find a new room to sleep in come morning.”

“You can sleep here whenever! I don't mind,” the girl replied. Shi Qinghe heard the sound of blankets rustling as she settled back into bed. “I’m just happy you’re here.”

As the both of them drifted off to sleep, the god couldn't help but feel a slight bit guilty about how rarely he visited his disciple in person.

[feather-avid-in-memory]

“It doesn’t matter whether you hate me, but don’t you dare to assume for a moment how I feel.”

Introducing A Feather Avid In Memory, an original story about gods, dragons, martial arts, and a somewhat-friends to enemies to friends to lovers to enemies to lovers love story.

Gongsun Weitong is a goddess and founder of an influential martial arts sect, who left the human realm 800 years ago after attaining immortality. While she is known in legend as a wise and esteemed master of martial arts, her name is rarely not mentioned alongside that of her rival, Lin Peiyu. This infamous rivalry between the two goddesses spans all the way back to the two’s human years, and their relationship has been entangled with hatred since their ascensions to immortality.

Hearing rumors of changes within the human realm, Gongsun Weitong chooses to return to her own sect for the first time since ascending, bearing a mortal disguise. “Shi Qinghe,” a young man and junior member of the sect, blends in seamlessly at first, but quickly notices that things have changed in the absence of a god. The sect of Weitong’s founding has not only lost its former tensions with the sect founded by Lin Peiyu, but the two sects are even engaged in friendship and alliance talks.

Shi Qinghe is not upset by this— he’s able to separate the humans of the other sect from the goddess they follow, as she has not contacted them in the same span of time as he has. However, he’s cautious of the alliance, and chooses to stick around in his sect to make sure his followers aren’t endangering themselves. It’s during this time that he meets Yuan Qiao, a like-minded junior from his rival’s sect whom Shi Qinghe becomes close with nearly immediately. Something about Yuan Qiao seems too perfect, as if they’ve know each other intimately inside and out for a long time despite meeting as strangers.

To unknowingly fall in love with the person you hate most is a painful experience for as long as your heart is unwilling to change.

—

All chapters will be publicly available for free and published on this account. Content release is going to be slow (~1 chapter per month) but I am also recruiting beta readers for anyone interested! Please follow this account for updates if you are interested 🙂‍↕️👉👈