Lay exhaled sharply. "Fine. But I want a full report on how this trade deal affects sect operations. We 't afford to rely entirely on outside merts."

  Meyu stretched zily. "Oh, don't worry, dear sect leader. We're in an era of… eic prosperity. You'll thaer."

  Lay shot her a warning look but chose not to press the issue further. Not yet.

  Meyu leaned ba a tree, her mind spinning with calcutions just like Ats. Ats always said, "trol the flow, and you trol the future." This wasn't just about making the sect wealthier—it was about ensuring sustainability.

  First, the workforce.

  She o divide the bour between Ryl Trading's people and Silver Lotus Sect's disciples. Merts and skilled workers would focus on trade, infrastructure, and specialized crafts, while the sect's disciples would be trained in essential survival skills—farming, ste ma, and resource servation. No one would be idle, and no work would be wasted.

  , the buildings.

  Two ructures had to be built.

  A school: Literacy was essential if they were going to modernize. A moderate-sized building, 20 meters long and 10 meters wide, with two s and a ste room for scrolls and writing tools. This would be enough to aodate a steady rotation of students without overwhelming resources.

  A sanitation building: Lay had requested better hygiene facilities in the carriage and previously, and now was the time to act. This one would be slightly rger, around 25 meters long and 15 meters wide, desigo house bathing areas, a water supply, and proper waste disposal.

  Finally, food ste.

  The seeeded a preservation system that would st through the harsh winters. She pnned for:

  Rice & Wheat Ste: A granary elevated on stone pilrs to prevent moisture damage.

  Meat Ste: A smokehouse built he northern edge of the sect, using traditional g methods to preserve protein sources.

  Vegetable & Fruit Preservation: Underground ste celrs, where natural insution would keep them fresh longer.

  Meyu's lips curled into a grin. With this, Ats's influence wouldn't just bring trol—it would bring long-term stability.

  She turo Lay. "Alright, I have a pn."

  Lay raised an eyebrow. "That was fast."

  "Efficy, dear sect leader." Meyu gestured toward the gathered sect members.

  "We divide the workforce between skilled trades and general bor. We struct two new buildings—one for literacy, the other for sanitation, per your request of course. Aablish proper food ste to ensure we never run out of supplies."

  Lay's expression shifted into deep ption. "Give me the specifics."

  As Meyu reyed the details, Lay's mind sharpened, slipping into the practiced calcutions of a ruler. A queen does not accept pns blindly—she dissects them, tests them for fws, and bends them to serve her vision.

  She assessed the workforce division first. Splitting bor between traders a disciples was logical. The traders handled erd craftsmanship, while the disciples learned practical survival skills. It ensured productivity without promisiraditions.

  Then the buildings. The school was necessary but had to be scaled properly. A 20-meter by 10-meter structure was reasonable, but she would ehe space could be expaer. A small iment now would prevent future stagnation. The sanitation building, oher hand, was noiable—liness equated to health, and a healthy sect was a strong one. She he 25-meter by 15-meter dimensions and approved without hesitation.

  Food ste required particur scrutiny. The granary's stone pilrs were ideal against moisture, but pt had to be strategic. If positiooo close to the river, flooding could be an issue. She would relocate it to higher ground. The underground celrs fetables and fruit were practical, but she would demand an iion routio prevent rot.

  Satisfied with the foundations, Lay gave her final adjustments. Only when she was certain the sect's future was secure did she nod her approval. When they were finished, Lay nodded. "Approved. Give the orders."

  Meyu cpped her hands together, turning toward the crowd. "Alright, listen up! Here's how we're going to ge this sect forever—"

  The Ryl Trading employees, almost on instinct, snapped into position, standing i, disciplined rows like trained soldiers. In stark trast, the disciples of the Silver Lotus Sect stood haphazardly, shifting uneasily as they observed the precision of their mert terparts. Some of the younger sect members whispered among themselves, clearly w when and how traders had beore ahan cultivators.

  Lay let out a quiet sigh but quickly refocused. She reached out as Lin Wuye handed her a paper and quill—something she hadn't seen in some time. The feeling of the quill between her fingers stirred old memories, but she pushed them aside. Now was not the time for nostalgia.

  She k and begag the yout of the ructures with swift, precise strokes. "We o plete this before wirikes in full foro ter than two weeks from now. Otherwise, survival will be a problem."

  She poio the ses of the map. "The workforce will be divided effitly. Masons and builders will focus on strug the school and sanitation building. Farmers and general borers will set up the granary and preservation systems. The sect disciples will have desigraining times to ensure physical strength and qi refi aren't ed."

  She paused, adjusting a few details. "We o set dedicated training hours—early ms and evenings. That way, no one loses focus on cultivation while we prepare for the ing months."

  Before she could tinue, Lin Wuye stepped forward.

  "We should modify the bor schedules slightly. While your pn is strong, we o ensure proper breaks and alternate shifts. Overw will lead to mistakes, and in winter, mistakes are fatal."

  His voice carried more authority than before, a subtle but signifit shift. For years, he had remained passive, but now, he was stepping forward—an unmistakable decration that the Silver Lotus Sect was no longer idle.

  Jiang smirked, stepping forward. "I'll take charge of the rainees. We'll need someoo lead the physical drills and qi refi."

  Lay gave him a pointed look. "Wasn't that a given?"

  The murmurs among the elders grew louder. The eldest of them, Elder Jian Bo, narrowed his eyes. "Why this sudden shift? We have followed the same traditions for decades. Now, we're suddenly restructuring everything? Are we not straying too far from our foundations?"

  Lin Wuye, his voice firm, interjected before the whispers could grow into ht protest. "We wo war not through brute strength, but through Meilin's strategy. Yet we nearly lost because we cked the power to support it. Tell me, elders, if we had to fight warriors all as strong as Shen Mu, would we survive?"

  A heavy silence followed, some of the elders shifting uneasily. They khe answer but refused to speak it aloud.

  Meyu clicked her toepping forward with a dramatic sigh, her voice ced with mockery. "Oh, e now, elders. If your answer isn't a fident 'yes,' then what are we even arguing about? Or are we just debating how long it would take before we're wiped out entirely?" She smirked, eyes gleaming. "Because that's certainly an option. Maybe if we pray hard enough, the war will be kind enough to ignore us."

  A few disciples stifled nervous chuckles, while some elders bristled at her words. However, no one dared to refute her ht. Meyu, much like Ats, had a way of cutting through pretense and ensuring no room fument remained.

  A young disciple hesitated before raising his hand. "How will we train? Will it be different?"

  At that moment, a ripple of realization passed through the gathered sect members. Lay, Jiang, Bao, and Lin Wuye all exged gnces, recalling their own training under Master Daokan. The elders, especially the eldest, Jian Bo, and even Elder Zhao Lihua, scoffed at the notion. "Master Daokan training people like us? That's nonsehe man is an untouchable legend."

  Lay, uerred, turo Bao. "Step forward. Show them your improvements."

  Bao moved to the ter, taking his stance. He executed the first step of the Steps of the Gale—Whispering Breeze. His movements became elusive, his body gliding like a wisp of air, each step calcuted, each strike a blur of precision. The gathered elders and disciples murmured among themselves—this was expected. Bao able fighter, after all.

  Theransitioned into the sed step—Rushing Wind. His speed doubled and the wind howled around him, his attacks being harder to follow.

  Theransitioned into the third step—Gale's Kiss.

  The pressure of his attacks became suffog, his strikes f shockwaves that forced the air itself to part around him. The murmurs in the crowd ceased, the disbelief among the elders now turning to stunned silence as they watched a teique that Bao never used before e to life before their eyes.

  Silence fell over the crowd as they watched the sheer iy of his form shift into something beyond what they had previously seen.

  Lin Wuye crossed his arms, his gaze sweeping over the crowd. "Is anyone else doubting our words now?"

  The Rebuild Begins

  Lay oversaw the rebuilding efforts with the keen eyes of a ruler. The sect had been stagnant for too long, and now was the time for a. The first step was clearing the necessary nd. To everyone's astonishment, the Ryl Trading workers, disciplined and effit, mao clear the designated areas within half a day—a feat that left the sect disciples in stunned silence.

  Meanwhile, Meyu took some of the sect elders, particurly those not crucial to bat or stru, and redirected them into assisting Ryl Trading's business sector. The extra workers were guided in skills that beed the tradiwork—logistics ma, iory trag, and traegotiations—ensuring they tributed to the sect's new eic structure rather than standing idle.

  "I hought I'd see the day when an elder had to learn bookkeeping," one disciple whispered, watg as an elder struggled to calcute trade values uhe watchful eyes of an amused Ryl employee.

  The school was the first priority. In just three days, the foundation had bee, and the framework for the 20-meter by 10-meter building took shape. Lay walked the site, iing every wooden beam, ensuring that the structure would not only hold but st feions.

  To her surprise, Meyu was also on-site, not just overseeing but actively helping. With shog ease, she lifted aire log of wood onto her shoulder, carrying it across the work site. The disciples gawked in disbelief.

  Lay blinked. "Meyu, since when could you do that?"

  Meyu grinned. "Oh? You thought I was just here to order people around? Strength is an important part of iations, you know. Sometimes you have to carry deals—and lumber."

  came the sanitation building.

  The 25-meter by 15-meter facility was a rger uaking, requiring careful pnning for water distribution and waste ma. As they walked through the pns, Meyu raised an eyebrow.

  "Why do we evehis again? Wouldn't it be easier to just dig some holes a nature hahe rest?"

  Lay shot her a sharp look.

  "Do you really want to train alongside people who stink so bad you 't focus? Proper sanitatios disease, preserves morale, and improves living ditions. If you want strong warriors, they o stay healthy."

  Meyu hummed. "Fine, fine, you win. But you have to admit—my way was the low-cost option."

  The granary and ste facilities progressed steadily. The stone-pilr design was implemeo protect grains from moisture, while the smokehouse's stru ensured a steady supply of preserved meats. Lay had personally ied the underground celrs to firm their pt—far enough from any potential flooding zones yet close enough for accessibility. With winter looming, every decision is calcuted.

  Even as she led the logistics, she didn't her own training. Every dawn, before the sect awoke, she trained—repeating the Steps of the Gale in solitude. Eaent refined, each breath measured.

  One evening, as she practiced in isotion, her father, Lin Wuye, approached. "Meilin, your footwork is sharper now, but you still ck the trol to execute the first step properly. e, I'll teach you."

  Lay listened ily as her father guided her through the intricate teique of Whispering Breeze. He demonstrated the delicate shifts in band the precise qi circution required to make the movement seamless. Lay attempted to replicate it, but each time she tried, she felt the strain on her body, her Qi dispersing too erratically.

  She repeated the step over and over, frustration growing, but she reminded herself—a queen is not fed in fort, but in discipline.

  Through her training, she noticed subtle ges in her body. Her muscles adapted, being leaner, more refined. Her Qi reserves, once limited, expanded, allowio sustaier exertion. She felt herself evolving, no lohe same woman who had first arrived into this world.

  Jiahe rainees in drills, reinf strength and discipline, while Lin Wuye provided invaluable insight into qi refi. Lay often joihem at night, training alongside them, proving that leadership was not about and alone, but example.

  However, the bined effort of bor and training was taking a toll. Lay caught a glimpse of herself in the refle of a nearby water basin—her once delicate form had gained sharper muscle definition, her frame more hardehan before. She frowned slightly.

  Meyu, naturally, took notice. "Oh no, Meilin. Don't tell me you're upset about losing that delicate princess look?"

  Lay scowled. "I didn't mind being strong, but must I look like I could wrestle Jiang?"

  Meyu snickered. "Oh, don't be so dramatic. Besides, this is just proof that all my effit bor pns worked. gratutions! You've evolved into a stronger model of yourself."

  A week before winter hits in full force, the Break of Dawn

  Jiang smirked as he took a stance across from Lay in the sparring ring.

  "Meilin, you've improved since your st beatdown. I'd almost say you're unreizable—though that might just be because you're still standing this time."

  Lay rolled her shoulders, letting the tension ease from her muscles. "Funny. I was just thinking how predictable your footwork is."

  Their sparring began, the csh of bdes and shifting footwork eg through the training grounds. Jiang pushed harder, f Lay to match his iy, but unlike before, she did not falter so easily. Her movements were sharper, her responses quicker, and though she still struggled to fully utilize Whispering Breeze, the progress was undeniable.

  From the sidelines, Yuxe Wuye watched with a soft smile, arms crossed as she observed her daughter.

  Meyu, naturally, couldn't resist making her own entary. "Ah, look at that. Just a little while ago, she was getting passed around by Yan Shuren like a training dummy. Now, she's still getting passed around—just a tiny bit less. Improvement!"

  Lay shot her a gre mid-movement, nearly missing Jiang's feint. "Meyu—"

  Jiang capitalized on her distra, tapping his bde lightly against her shoulder.

  "Still getting distracted, Meilin. You'll never win like that."

  Lay exhaled sharply but allowed herself the smallest smile. She wasn't there yet, but she was getting closer. Closer to masterieiques. Closer to being stronger.

  She adjusted her stand readied herself for another round, but as she moved, she muttered,

  "And I will always lose…"

  Jiang chuckled. "Good to know you've accepted your fate. Let's keep going."

  They tiheir sparring, each csh of bdes eg across the training grounds. Sweat dripped down Lay's brow, her muscles ag from the relentless pace, but she refused to slow down. They fought until exhaustio in, until the movement became instinctive, until her mind was forced to sharpen under pressure.

  Meyu, who had been watg with crossed arms, finally sighed.

  "Alright, enough of this. I let you have your fun, but we have actual work to do."

  Lay, breathing heavily, took a cautious step back. "I think I'll pass. I did my fair share of bor already."

  Meyu smirked. "Oh, Meilin. You must have hit your head too hard if you think you get special treatment just because you're exhausted. You're the sect leader—your presence is an inspiration. Your strong, capable hands should be leading the bor force."

  Lay's eyes darted toward the exit. "Actually, I—"

  Before she could make her escape, Meyu grabbed her by the colr with surprising strength, dragging her forward like a child being taken to task.

  "e along, dear leader. Nothis an example better thaing your hands dirty."

  Lay groaned, limbs filing uselessly. "Meyu, let go! I 't feel my legs! I—"

  Meyu, ever unfazed, waved to the stunned disciples as she hauled Lay away.

  "Fear not, everyone! reat and benevole leader is merely showing you all how NOT to sck off. A lesson in perseverance!"

  From the sidelines, Yuxe Wuye calmly sipped her tea, watg the spectacle unfold. She turo Jiang with an amused expression.

  "Tell me, Jiang, do you think Meyu is worse than Ats?"

  Jiang snorted, crossing his arms. "Lady Yuxe, that depends. If you mean in terms of sheer chaos, Ats still wins. But if you're talking about immediate suffering, well… Meyu does have a talent for making people regret their choices faster."

  Yuxe chuckled lightly. "An effit tormentor. Fitting."

  Jiang smirked. "Indeed. Ats at least gives you the illusion of choice. Meyu? You realize too te you never had oo begin with."

  Two days before winter hit full force.

  Lay found herself sprawled across the snow-cround, exhaustion seeping into her bohe bination of releraining aless bor had finally caught up to her. Her breath came in slow, visible puffs, her limbs ag from days of ceaseless movement.

  Jiang crouched beside her, nudging her side with the hilt of his sword. "You're not dead, are you? Because that would be really inve."

  Lay groaned, barely lifting her head. "I wish."

  Jiang chuckled, shaking his head. "You've ged, Meilin. Your body's sturdier, your movements sharper. Even your qi—it's more refined, trolled." He eyed her with something almost like pride. "Still not quite at Bao's level, but you're sitting at least to his level now."

  Lin Wuye stood nearby, arms crossed. "She's improved a great deal," he firmed. "Her qi flow is steadier, and she's not burning out as quickly. Before, she relied too mu precision and intellect to survive. Now? She's built the endurao back it up."

  Lay's fingers curled into the snow, her mind instinctively cheg her reserves. Her qi, oid barely manageable, now moved like a steady current, no longer spilling untrolbly at the slightest exertion. It wasn't limitless, but it was effit. Strong.

  She exhaled. Progress.

  Before she could savor the moment, Meyu cpped her hands together, instantly ruining the quiet.

  "Alright, everyo's time for the moment you've all been dreading—education!" She held up a scroll dramatically, unfurling it to reveal a perfectly structured schedule.

  fused silence followed.

  The elders exged ghe disciples blinked in unison. Even Lay, barely rec from her colpse, squinted up at Meyu in sheer disbelief. "...What?"

  Meyu's smirk widened as she shifted into full Ats mode. "Oh? You thought we were just going to build a school and not use it? e now, dear sect members. Reading, writing, mathematics—all critical tools for any cultivator! What happens if you're tricked in a tract? If you 't t the enemy forces properly? If you don't uand basic business etiquette?" She pced a hand over her chest, her face almost sorrowful. "Truly tragic. It's like leaving a sword to rust."

  "That's—" One of the younger disciples hesitated. "That's actually… kind of reasonable?"

  "Of course it is!" Meyu decred, ign the baffled stares. "And to make sure this happens, we've brought in the fi instruoney bribe!"

  As if ohe Ryl Trading workers, who had been seen building the buildings just a day ago, emerged from the side—dressed in full schor attire. Long robes, ink-stained sleeves, even gsses that made them look ten times more intellectual than before.

  The transformation was too much.

  "What—" Lay's eye twitched. "When did they—?"

  "Oh, please," Meyu waved a hand dismissively. "You think we were just clearing nd? We were preparing for the future. These men will teach you English, Mathematics, Sce, and Business." She paused dramatically. "Because you, my dear disciples, are Ats' iment. And this… is how you start repaying the deal."

  The Zhao Lihua gaped. "This is the most absurd thing I've ever heard!"

  "Yet you 't argue with the logic," Meyu shot back smoothly, her smirk unwavering.

  Zhu Fen scratched his head. "So… we're learning now?"

  One of the "schors" stepped forward, clearing his throat. "Yes! First lesson—how to t beyond what's needed for simple market haggling. And by the end of the month, you will know how to read a tract without being swindled!"

  Jiang sighed, rubbing his forehead.

  "Meilin, if we don't stop her, she's going to turn this seto a corporate empire."

  Lay, still lying in the snow, covered her face. "It's already too te."

  The Arrival of Winter

  Winter came swiftly, bing the se an unfiving yer of snow. Lay observed the way the ice crystals g to the trees, how the wind howled through the mountain paths, pierg evehickest of robes. Without a proper firepce or insuted shelter, surviving out here would be nearly impossible.

  The warmth of the thick, fluffy cloaks provided by Ryl Trading roof of the pany's resources. They weren't just well-off—they were thriving. Every sect member had received proper witire, ensuring no one froze within their quarters. Temporary barracks had also been structed by Ryl Trading's workers, their effiever waning, even against the harsh climate.

  But despite the aodations, the cold seeped in.

  Meyu, however, seemed entirely ued—probably because she was currently tched onto Lay like a leech.

  Lay groaned, shifting slightly, but Meyu only held on tighter, burying herself against her side as though she were a living firepce.

  "Meyu," Lay muttered, voice still groggy.

  "Why are you sleeping beside me?"

  "Haven't you heard? Body warmth is the best way to fight the cold," Meyu half asleep replied, not even b to lift her head.

  Lay's eye twitched. "You have your own quarters."

  "Too far. This is better." Meyu snuggled in closer, pletely shameless before falling asleep again.

  Lay was about tue when she suddenly felt Meyu twitch slightly in her sleep. Her breathing hitched—just for a moment—before settling again. The usual smug expression she always wore was gone, repced by something tense, something fragile.

  Lay reized that look all too well. Memories. Painful ones.

  Meyu murmured something i, gripping Lay's sleeve as if she were afraid it would be taken away.

  Lay sighed quietly. A queen does not turn away from her people, no matter how insufferable they may be.

  Gently, she adjusted the b, making sure it covered Meyu properly. She did not wake her, nor did she pry. Instead, she simply whispered

  "Rest. You've ear."

  And for the first time, Meyu's grip loosened just slightly, as if something—just for tonight—had been lifted from her shoulders.