One night, beneath the soft light of the inn's lanterns, with the streets outside silent, Max had accepted them both into his bed — an unspoken understanding shared between the three. No messy confessions. No promises. Just a natural progression of closeness.
And despite their usual teasing or cold exteriors, both Lan Xue and Mu Qing had quietly accepted their place beside him, in more ways than one.
They still bickered, of course.
"Stop hogging the blanket, Xue," Mu Qing muttered one night, elbowing the rabbit girl.
"I'm cold! Blame Feng, he keeps the windows open!" Lan Xue pouted, pressing closer to Max, her arms curling around him.
Max only chuckled softly, closing his eyes as the two continued their hushed argument — both practically glued to him, their warmth surrounding him as sleep crept in.
The days passed quietly like that.
Training during the day. Arena fights in the evenings. Soft, tangled limbs in the dark of night.
But Max — no, Feng — never forgot his purpose. His true strength remained hidden. His Twilight Scepter's full potential never revealed.
For now, he enjoyed the simplicity of being a lone traveler with two trusted companions… and lovers.
But Douluo Dalu was vast, and soon, they'd be moving on.
The journey northward had taken them weeks, the bustling roads and winding trails slowly giving way to the sprawling landscapes of the Shui Yun Kingdom — a nation known across the continent for its countless lakes, rivers, and cities built upon waterways.
Compared to Barak City's dusty trade routes and rugged military atmosphere, Shui Yun Kingdom felt like a different world entirely.
Here, the cities glimmered with polished stone bridges arching over sapphire-blue canals. Boats replaced carriages on many streets. Spirit Masters with water-related Martial Spirits were common — some manipulating mist to veil their presence, others casually walking over water surfaces with practiced ease.
It was a kingdom that revered the flow of water — flexible yet powerful, calm yet unpredictable.
Max, still moving under the name Feng, found the place refreshing in its own way.
Together with Lan Xue and Mu Qing, they entered Lanshui City, one of the kingdom's major cities nestled along the shore of the vast Mirror Lake — a lake so wide its surface often reflected the sky perfectly, earning its name.
Lanshui City was a place of refinement, where merchant ships bobbed along quiet harbors, stone streets gleamed clean under constant rainfall, and Spirit Masters with aquatic beasts or water-affinity spirits patrolled with pride.
For a small, unknown team like theirs, blending in was easy — especially since few here cared for the dry-land fame of Barak's arena fighters.
"Whoa… even the street lamps look fancy," Lan Xue muttered, eyes wide as they walked along the polished canals, her long rabbit-like ears twitching as droplets from the morning drizzle clung to her silver hair.
Mu Qing, ever composed, simply observed their surroundings. "The water here isn't ordinary. It's infused with spiritual energy — cultivated, likely, by the city's Spirit Masters over generations."
Max nodded slightly, keeping his expression calm as he studied the people passing by.
Most were ordinary townsfolk, but the occasional Spirit Master clad in deep blue robes, marked by water-affiliated emblems, passed them by — some carrying martial spirits visibly, others keeping theirs hidden but their presence unmistakable.
They weren't here to stir trouble. Just roam. Experience. Grow.
The local Lanshui Spirit Arena, though smaller than Barak's, still held regular fights. And for wandering Spirit Masters, it was the perfect place to earn coin, test strength, and gain a little recognition.
Their first few matches were unremarkable — against small-time fighters and locals trying their luck.
But soon enough, the city's more established teams began to notice them.
A traveling trio — a young Spirit Elder with a mysterious rod-like Martial Spirit, a rare Lightning Rabbit girl with shocking speed, and a poisonous Sky Ivy user whose vines were as deadly as they were graceful.
Rumors whispered quietly:
"Foreigners… from Barak side, I heard."
"That Twilight Scepter of his… never seen a Martial Spirit like that."
"They're strong, but low-key. Odd…"
Max never revealed his full strength. His Twilight Scepter, forged from the fused remnants of Light and Darkness gods, appeared as an elegant yet understated staff to the casual observer. His techniques? Precise. Efficient. But restrained.
He wasn't here to dominate — just to drift. To gather experience. To quietly let the world reveal itself.
In the evenings, they wandered the piers, watching the glowing lanterns float across the Mirror Lake's glassy surface.
Sometimes, they'd sit in cozy taverns, nursing warm tea or sweet rice wine while music drifted through the air.
Other times… their nights ended entangled in the small rented apartment they'd secured — soft laughter and whispered promises shared beneath thin blankets, their bonds deepening beyond words.
The Shui Yun Kingdom was vast, and they had barely scratched its surface.
The days in Lanshui City passed smoothly.
Max, Lan Xue, and Mu Qing quickly settled into a quiet routine — one that suited a low-profile Spirit Master team well.
In the mornings, they trained along the lake's edge. The Mirror Lake wasn't just beautiful — its surface was rich with spiritual energy, making it ideal for refining Soul Power. Lan Xue practiced her Lightning Rabbit techniques, bursts of electric-blue light crackling around her slender figure as she sprinted across the water's surface.
Mu Qing stood farther back, her delicate, vine-like Sky Ivy weaving through the air with unnatural grace, responding to her every thought.
Max, of course, kept to himself — his Twilight Scepter gleaming faintly in the early sunlight as he refined his control, careful not to reveal its true potential. The scepter's core, forged from the lingering powers of Light and Darkness gods, pulsed gently beneath his hand — its power hidden beneath layers of subtlety.
Locals occasionally passed by, curious but wary. Travelers were common in Lanshui City, but Spirit Masters like Max's group, blending strength with anonymity, always caught quiet attention.
The afternoons were spent roaming the city.
Lanshui had much to offer — bustling marketplaces, serene tea houses, training halls where one could spar for coin or pride. Max and his group avoided making a scene, but small matches at the local Spirit Arena kept their names afloat among the casual crowd.
***
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