Snow Flower, Fire Storm

VII

It was cloudy all morning, the sky gloomy and overcast, faint light sieving in through grey air. A quiet chill pervaded the whole valley, cold wind sweeping over the mirrorlike lake and caressing the wildflowers upon its banks.

It was good weather to fall asleep under a warm blanket, or to enjoy some heated sugar tea ensconced in his room. Xie Xiao yawned, eyes heavy-lidded, labouring not to fall asleep as their master droned on and on about the history of cultivation and its imperceptible deterioration. He'd stayed up all of last night trying to catch up on scrolls of pending homework and now he was feeling as droopy as a scarecrow.

Small sacrifice, Xie Xiao consoled himself with notable effort. It was for the best if he didn't give the master any explicit opportunities to discipline him. He'd narrowly missed getting punished for what he did to Xun Yuan—turning him into a human torch—just because students hosting private duels in the Academy grounds wasn't really against the rules. The masters who wrote the rules apparently believed that duelling helped improve one's endurance, perseverance, strength, dexterity and related martial skills. For all intents and purposes, their master had looked like he'd love to revise the rulebook just to punish Xie Xiao, but in the end he had to let him off the hook after a thorough reprimand.

Now it looked like finishing all that homework was going to be in vain. Not only did the master not ask for it, Xie Xiao knew he was going to fall asleep and end up getting punished anyway.

Another suppressed yawn leaked between his lips. He blinked his eyes blearily and stole a glance at Xun Yuan, who was seated just after Wang Guang two rows up to his left. He seemed to be so engrossed in the Master's lecture that it was hurting Xie Xiao's brain.

At least it's a relief that his injuries are gone.

The medical cultivators of the Sun Valley deserved more credit than what they got. They were passionate and diligent about their work and research, most graduates becoming doctors and curemakers after they left the valley. It was truly wondorous that after just a week of treating Xun Yuan's burns, his skin was back to its smooth, flawless appearance. The fire hadn't left even a single scar on him.

Seeing that Xun Yuan had healed eased a bit of his guilt. He just wished Xun Yuan stopped avoiding him as if he were something that crawled out of a grave. He wouldn't even let him apologise for what he did.

Xie Xiao watched him for a while, palm cupping the side of his face. Just what did he find so interesting about the history of cultivation? Why would he listen so intently when he can't cultivate himself?

Sleep fled Xie Xiao the moment an idea strobed in his head. He tore out a page from the back of his notebook and began inking characters onto it:

Xun Yuan, it's me XIE XIAO. I wanted to say SORRY for what I did. I REALLY didn't mean to throw fire at you. It was a complete ACCIDENT. PLEASE FORGIVE ME.

Xie Xiao scrunched up the paper, turning it into a little ball and aimed it at Xun Yuan. He was just about to throw when he remembered Wang Guang. Wang Guang was sitting right next to Xun Yuan. Xie Xiao knew he was a good enough shot to make the ball fall right on top of Xun Yuan's table, but there was a giant possibility that Xun Yuan would flick it off the table without even a glance and that Wang Guang would pick it up and snitch on him about passing notes in class.

He was determined not to get punished today. So Xie Xiao dropped the tiny ball into the lapels of his red robes and shut his eyes, concentrating.

He knew where Xun Yuan's notebook lay open upon his table. His brow furrowed as he focused, and slowly, carefully, he burnt words into Xun Yuan's book, copying the letter from before word for word.