Chapter 30- Joining Hands Against The Heavens

Tian’s heart felt like it was on fire, but not burning. He couldn’t make sense of it, but since it wasn’t uncomfortable, he didn’t try to change it. He just enjoyed feeling his hand in Liren’s, enjoyed the warmth of her, enjoyed his five pale fingers woven between the rich bronze of hers.

That thought lingered a moment, before his head snapped down for another look. Three fingers on his right hand, no problem there, but his left hand had suddenly grown a pinky. When had that happened? How had that happened? And why was it suddenly getting dark? Had the sun set already? How long had they been under the tree?

“Ah. This again.” Liren muttered. “Sorry. I think this one is on me. I lit the second sun, and if that’s not heaven defying-”

“Liren?”

“Mmm?”

“It’s not you.” Tian lifted their hands and gently squeezed. “My fingers are too powerful, you see. The mad god cannot stand to see them back in the world-”

“Tian?”

“Mmm?”

“That is the dumbest thing I have heard in years.”

“Is it? Oh well. Let’s get out on the ice so the tree won’t be implicated.”

“Did you suddenly learn how to swim?” Liren asked.

“I did not.”

“Do you want to be standing on a frozen lake when lightning strikes it?”

“Why do I feel like there is a new contender for “dumbest thing you have heard in years?”

“Well, my brother has always been an over achiever, which is a hell of a thing for a shorty.”

“I think I got taller.” Tian dusted himself off, though his left hand seemed inexplicably stuck to Liren. It was quite a mystery. The clouds were gathering, getting denser and more pressing. Faint bursts of crimson lit up their dark interiors.

“You did, a little. Honestly, I think it’s coming for both of us. I think our body cultivation arts boosted each other.” Liren said. She wasn’t in any hurry to shake his hand loose either. Another mystery. “I should be jittery, bouncing around from all the fire qi in me, but instead I feel condensed. Like the suns burning in me are smaller, but brighter. Closer to white than red. And my strength…”

That wasn’t all that had changed. Tian found it impossible to stop smiling. Liren had always worried that she looked mannish. She certainly wouldn’t have that worry now. She was still slim and strong and tall, but what she had looked damn good on her.

“And then you turned into even more of a pretty boy. When we get back, you will have to start wearing a veil. I cannot protect you from all my sisters.”

“I don’t think a veil would suit me. I’d worry about being courted by some of my brothers. I’ve had offers.”

“No! Who?”

“I decline to answer. I was quite flattered, but I just don’t think that kind of brotherhood is for me.”

The two shifted out from under the Heartsear Tree, finding an open patch of pebbles on the shore of the lake. The effects of the tree and the ice on their mentality had stopped. They knew they were distracting each other from the sky. Whatever those clouds were fermenting, it was going to be uncommonly vicious.

“How dare you withhold such vital information from the gossip circuit? Oh, my sisters are going to be unmanageable trying to guess who it was. Also, why are you glowing?”

“I’m glowing?” Tian looked at his hand. It was still rather pale, but not to the point of glowing.

“Very faintly, but yes.” Liren smiled slightly, and Tian had no choice but to believe her.

“Maybe it’s because my heart is on fire? It’s not painful or anything. It feels really nice, actually. Maybe your art affected me. Did I light a sun too?”

“Definately not, I could tell. But… oh damn. I know what happened.”

“What?” Tian asked, trying not to pay attention to the increasingly loud wailing noises coming from the cloud.

“Your Yang converged and condensed. It’s not like it is a bad thing. Clearly. Clearly not a bad thing.” She was finding the clouds fascinating. Tian didn’t blame her. The last bolt of lighting he saw snaking through the clouds reminded him of a snake made of knives.

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“If it’s anything like my suns, your yang qi has gotten a lot stronger and a lot more pure. It’s just also a lot more converged around your heart now, as opposed to more scattered through your body. There is still some yang qi and vital energy in there, though. Obviously. Or you would die.”

She kept sneaking looks at him.

“We can slowly discover all the changes later.” Tian rolled his shoulders. “I’ll take the first wave-”

“No, you won’t.”

“Liren, I am entirely-”

“WE will stand the tribulation together.” She drew her snake headed spear and glared heavenward.

Tian snorted, but nodded. She was right, after all. Then she coughed.

“Incidentally, it’s not that I don’t like it, but I need two hands to use a spear.”