Hong Meiling was a naturally suspicious person. She had always been the stick in the mud who had hung back when their village met new people, eyes searching for any hint of treachery. In her experience, that character trait at least had served her and her family well… and even if Gou and Yun liked to tease her about it sometimes, they trusted her when she said something was wrong. Overly friendly people were the most likely to be the ones trying to pull something. But as she watched the Disciples of Soaring Heaven’s Isle Sect, Meiling was rather certain that nobody was being dishonest. Bailu and Seiyu were nodding along to Wa Shi’s instructions, eager looks on both of their faces. Seiyu’s hand went to her cheek as she tried a particular bite, a pleased sound erupting from her lips. Bailu and Seiyu were apparently just like that. They were in the Earth Realm. Meiling could smell the raging storm that fueled both cultivators, but rather than being dangerous they smelled… well, free. Unrestrained. They were like older versions of Tigu with how vivacious they were. In between bites, Seiyu was speaking proudly of the island she was from and how the Sect recruited women from all over the Empire. Jin was nodding along, scratching at his chin. He looked very interested in Wa. Speaking of Tigu, she was chatting away with some of the other Soaring Heaven’s Isle Sect ladies as well. One of them had rolled up her sleeve to expose a rather large tattoo of a crimson bird with rainbow-coloured (...)