Night had fallen over the Raine Sect's mountain sanctuary, casting long shadows across the quiet courtyards and mist-veiled peaks. The stars blinked faintly above, scattered like fragments of forgotten realms. In one of the secluded meditation chambers, Jalen and Lloyd sat cross-legged, their breathing slow, their minds focused.
The silence between them wasn't empty—it was layered. Heavy with memory, with pain, with the weight of truths recently shared.
Earlier that evening, Jalen had told Lloyd everything. Everything about what the tragedy that befell their had happened to their family.
Lloyd had listened in stunned silence, fists clenched, jaw tight. Fury simmered beneath his skin, but so did guilt. He hadn't been there. He hadn't protected anyone. And though he knew he couldn't have done much against the enemy that struck them, the regret gnawed at him.
"I should've been there," he had said quietly.
"You would've died," Jalen replied calmly but firm. "I got there just in time. That's what matters."
Jalen had handled it. More than handled it. He had slaughtered an entire top-tier sect on the Reign Continent—one of the most feared and respected powers in the region. Lloyd still couldn't wrap his head around it. The sheer scale of what Jalen had done. The cold precision. The finality.
And yet, Jalen sat beside him now, meditating as if nothing had happened. As if he hadn't just rewritten the balance of power on an entire continent.
Lloyd had also shared his own story—his time in the Great Wave Continent. It wasn't as dramatic. No legendary battles. No sects destroyed. But it had been hard. He'd faced countless life-threatening situations, survived ambushes, rogue cultivators, and spiritual beasts. He had clawed his way up, step by step.
Joining the Raine Sect hadn't been a grand decision. It was survival. Rogue cultivators didn't last long here, especially not young ones who were stronger than average. Strength attracted attention. Attention attracted danger.
But it hadn't been just convenience.
He had met Master Alando in a sub-realm. The elder had helped him when no one else would. Guided him. Protected him. Taught him. Lloyd had grown to respect him deeply—not just as a cultivator, but as a person. They didn't study the same techniques, but Alando's experience and wisdom had been invaluable. It was under his guidance that Lloyd had achieved Peak Moon Realm.
Now, hours later, the two brothers sat in silence once more. The moon had risen high. The sect was asleep. The only sound was the faint rustle of wind through the trees.
Eventually, Lloyd stirred.
"I think I'm going to take a bath," he said, stretching.
Jalen didn't respond. His eyes remained closed, his breathing steady.
Lloyd left quietly.
He didn't return until three a.m. in the morning.
The door creaked open with care. Lloyd crept into the room, moving with quiet precision, trying not to disturb Jalen, who was still meditating in the center of the chamber.
He closed the door gently, tiptoed across the floor, and reached for his bed—
"Did you enjoy yourself?" Jalen asked, voice dry and unmistakably awake.
Lloyd froze. "What?"
"Your bath," Jalen said, opening one eye. "Did you enjoy it?"
"Um… yeah. Why?"
Jalen sat up, stretching his arms. "You dare lie to your older brother? You know I can smell her perfume on you. Not to mention the bite marks on your neck are dead give aways."
Lloyd blinked. "I don't know what you're talking about."
Jalen smirked. "I see why you're so weak. You're too focused on bedroom activity. You don't train like you used to."
Lloyd rolled his eyes. "Of course I train. But I'm young. The urge is real."
"I wouldn't know," Jalen replied. "Unlike you, I'm focused on cultivation."
"Not everyone's a robot like you."
"I do have urges," Jalen said. "I just don't let them control me."
Lloyd flopped onto his bed, groaning. "Don't you have someone you like? What about Lady Rana—your fiancée?"
"What about her?"
"Don't you two… you know…"
Jalen raised an eyebrow. "Are you trying to pry into your big brother's personal life?"
"Of course not," Lloyd muttered, rolling his eyes again. Isn't he the one who pried into my personal affairs first?
Jalen leaned back, arms folded. "Unlike you, who had an early exposure, I'm still unexposed."
Lloyd sat up, staring. "For real?"
In the cultivation world younger people than them—by a year or two—have already done the deed. Which is why Lloyd was shocked that Jalen was ding a long was still in plastic bag. He's strong so women should be flocking to him demanding some night time activities with him. As always occurred with strong cultivators.
"For real. I haven't," Jalen replied.
"You say that like it's something to be proud of."
"Isn't it?" Jalen asked. "What's wrong with being a virgin?"
"Nothing," Lloyd said quickly. "I just didn't expect it. You're… you know."
Jalen shrugged. "Not all men chase women like its a sports and keeping scores."
Lloyd lay back down, pulling the blanket over himself. "I don't want to talk about this anymore. I'm going to sleep."
Jalen nodded, closing his eyes once more. "Goodnight."
The room fell silent again.