The accidental proximity to truth momentarily startled Xiaolong. This crude human had stumbled upon an insight that most immortal beings with centuries of spiritual training failed to perceive. Perhaps there was something to be said for the blunt directness of earth cultivation after all.

  "Inhuman?" she echoed, allowing just enough draconic resonance to enter her voice that nearby pebbles trembled slightly. "An interesting choice of words."

  Something in her tone caused Tao Sheng to take an involuntary step backward before catching himself. The patrol members exchanged uncertain glances, sensing something dangerous they couldn't quite identify.

  Li Feng, displaying impressive perceptiveness, stepped slightly forward. "Perhaps we can reach a reasonable compromise. A brief demonstration that satisfies security concerns without violating territorial protocols?"

  Tao Sheng, apparently grateful for the face-saving opportunity, gave a curt nod. "Fine. But it happens here, now, under our observation."

  "The boundary stream would provide neutral ground," Li Feng suggested. "Both elements present for proper verification."

  After a moment's consideration, Tao Sheng agreed with a grunt that suggested the concession pained him physically. They proceeded to the stream crossing, tension humming in the spiritual atmosphere between the two groups.

  The boundary stream itself seemed to embody the contested nature of the territory—one bank lush with water-cultivated vegetation, the other structured with carefully arranged stone formations. The water flowed with unusual patterns, occasionally forming brief whirlpools or upward-moving ripples where conflicting spiritual influences interacted.

  "Here," Tao Sheng declared, planting his staff at the stream's edge. "Show your cultivation essence. Prove you're not hiding corruption."

  Li Feng performed his demonstration first, as befitted his senior status. With elegant efficiency, he executed a basic water circulation technique that raised a small sphere of water from the stream, guided it through a simple pattern that demonstrated control without revealing advanced methods, then returned it to its source with barely a ripple.

  "Typical water-walking showmanship," Stone Fist muttered, though even her harsh assessment couldn't entirely mask the grudging appreciation in her tone. "All flow, no substance."

  "Azure Waters verification confirmed," Tao Sheng acknowledged with minimal courtesy. "Now her." He pointed at Xiaolong with his staff.

  The challenge was significant: she needed to demonstrate enough control to satisfy verification requirements without revealing her true capabilities or nature. Too little would raise suspicion; too much would expose her disguise.

  Drawing on the careful limitations she had practiced under Li Feng's tutelage, Xiaolong extended her hand toward the water's edge. Rather than directly manipulating either element as she could easily have done, she instead created a subtle resonance between her energy and the natural elements present—like a musician finding the perfect pitch to make crystal sing without touching it directly.

  The response was both beautiful and unexpected. Where the water and earth met, a perfect miniature garden began to form—tiny crystal structures growing from the mud while water droplets arranged themselves like blossoms around them. The formation wasn't just aesthetically pleasing but spiritually harmonious, creating a perfect balance between opposing elements that enhanced rather than conflicted with each other.

  The display was modest in scale yet profoundly elegant in execution—demonstrating not raw power but perfect harmony with natural elements. Most importantly, it revealed absolutely nothing about her true draconic nature while satisfying the verification requirements completely.

  The patrol members stared in undisguised surprise. Even Li Feng appeared momentarily taken aback by the unexpected demonstration.

  "Well, crack my foundation stone," the wiry patrol member whispered, lowering his maces unconsciously.

  "Element-harmony cultivation," Stone Fist said, her voice dropping its harsh edge. "Haven't seen that since Master Jin demonstrated at the Five Peaks Gathering."

  Tao Sheng's expression had transformed from suspicious hostility to something approaching respect. "No corruption markers," he acknowledged, stroking his beard thoughtfully. "Clean essence, just... unusual structure."

  He straightened, visibly reassembling his authoritative demeanor like someone putting on slightly ill-fitting armor. "Verification requirements satisfied," he declared, though his voice lacked its earlier aggressive edge. "You may proceed through the contested territory."

  Unable to entirely abandon his territorial posturing, he added: "But stick to the main path! No wandering into Black Iron training zones or resource fields! Verification privilege extends to transit only, not exploration."

  "We understand and accept standard travel protocols," Li Feng replied with perfect courtesy, as though the entire confrontation had been a routine administrative procedure rather than thinly veiled intimidation.

  With verification completed, the patrol provided formal documentation scrolls—small parchments marked with earth-element sigils that would signal their approved status to any additional patrols they might encounter.

  "The Azure Waters boundary starts after Three Stones Bridge," Tao Sheng informed them, gesturing toward the path that followed the stream's course. "Once across, you'll be in your own watery territory." He hesitated, then added with gruff acknowledgment: "Your harmony technique is... impressive. Unusual to see earth responding so well to a non-Black Iron practitioner."

  Coming from an earth cultivator, this clumsy compliment represented extraordinary praise. Xiaolong acknowledged it with a gracious nod, finding herself unexpectedly appreciative of the direct, unembellished assessment.

  As the patrol departed—marching in perfect unison with footsteps that left small indentations in the soil—Li Feng turned to Xiaolong with undisguised admiration.

  "That," he said once the patrol was safely out of earshot, "was the most elegant diplomatic navigation I've witnessed outside formal sect negotiations. Where did you learn such precise protocol application?"

  Xiaolong considered how to answer without revealing too much of her extensive diplomatic experience in immortal courts. "Observation and adaptation," she replied with deliberate vagueness. "Conflict resolution follows similar patterns across different contexts."

  Li Feng studied her with that penetrating gaze that continued to see more than she intended to reveal. "Your element harmony demonstration was particularly impressive. Most cultivators require decades to achieve such perfect balance between opposing forces."

  The observation was uncomfortably perceptive. In truth, the demonstration had been trivially simple for Xiaolong—like a master calligrapher drawing a single perfect circle when asked to demonstrate basic brush technique.

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  "Elemental affinity comes naturally to me," she replied, which was true in the sense that oceans contained "some water."

  They resumed their journey along the stream path, the tension of the confrontation gradually fading as they put distance between themselves and the patrol. The contested landscape continued its visual division—water-influenced terrain to the right, earth-dominated features to the left—but Xiaolong found herself viewing this division with new perspective after her harmony demonstration.

  "The patrol's behavior seemed excessive for routine verification," she observed after they had walked in companionable silence for some time. "Their approach suggested more personal animus than professional caution."

  Li Feng nodded, his expression thoughtful. "Relations between our sects have deteriorated significantly in recent months. What began as philosophical disagreement about resource management has evolved into territorial posturing."

  "You handled the confrontation with remarkable restraint," Xiaolong noted, genuinely impressed by his approach. In draconic society, such challenges would have been met with immediate dominance displays or outright elimination of the offending parties.

  "Water yields before stone yet eventually reshapes mountains," he replied with a small smile. "Immediate conflict serves neither our journey nor larger sect interests. Elder Wei taught that true strength often manifests through restraint rather than display."

  This philosophy—finding power in limitation rather than expression—continued to fascinate Xiaolong precisely because it contradicted fundamental draconic understanding. Dragons measured worth through accumulation and demonstration of power, not its deliberate restriction.

  Yet she couldn't deny the effectiveness of Li Feng's approach. Through careful restraint and diplomatic exactitude, he had navigated a potentially dangerous confrontation without compromising either their safety or his principles.

  More unsettling was her own emotional response to the situation. The protective anger she had experienced was entirely foreign to draconic nature, which viewed lesser beings as either useful resources or irritating obstacles—never as individuals deserving protection or respect.

  "Your intervention was unexpected but appreciated," Li Feng added after a moment's reflection. "Most independent cultivators avoid involvement in sect disputes, yet you positioned yourself as my ally without hesitation."

  The observation caught Xiaolong off-guard. She hadn't consciously decided to align herself with Li Feng against the patrol; the response had emerged unbidden from something deeper than calculated decision.

  "Their behavior was procedurally inappropriate," she replied, falling back on formal justification rather than acknowledging the emotional component. "Protocol adherence benefits all cultivation traditions."

  Li Feng's expression suggested he recognized this explanation as incomplete but was too tactful to press further. "Whatever your reasoning, I value your support in that exchange. Traversing contested territories alone has grown increasingly challenging in recent months."

  As they continued along the path, the landscape gradually shifted to favor water influence more prominently. The stream widened into a proper river with carefully engineered banks that maximized spiritual resonance while preventing erosion. Waterside plants displayed the distinctive blue-tinged leaves characteristic of Azure Waters cultivation techniques.

  "We're entering peripheral Azure Waters territory," Li Feng explained as they approached a stone bridge spanning the widened river. "The Three Stones Bridge marks the formal boundary where our sect's influence becomes primary rather than contested."

  The bridge itself was a testament to cultivation engineering—three massive stone pillars supporting elegant arches that seemed to float above the water rather than merely crossing it. Water flowed not just beneath but also through carefully carved channels in the pillars themselves, creating a harmonious integration of opposing elements that enhanced both rather than diminishing either.

  "An older approach to sect boundaries," Li Feng noted with evident approval. "Built during the Harmony Cultivation Era when sects emphasized complementary development rather than segregated purity."

  As they crossed the bridge, Xiaolong felt the subtle shift in spiritual pressure—not a harsh boundary like those marked by the recent territorial pillars, but a gentle transition like moving from cool shade into pleasant sunlight. The ambient energy here favored water affinity without suppressing earth essence, creating a more balanced environment for diverse cultivation approaches.

  "From here, we should encounter only Azure Waters patrols," Li Feng explained once they reached the far side. "Our journey to the sect's main compound should proceed without further diplomatic complications."

  No sooner had he spoken than Xiaolong detected movement ahead—another patrol approaching along the riverbank path. Unlike the Black Iron cultivators, however, these figures wore the distinctive flowing robes of the Azure Waters Sect, with water-pattern embroidery along the hems and sleeves that rippled even without a breeze.

  "Perfect timing," Li Feng observed with evident relief. "The mid-day patrol will escort us directly to the outer compound, eliminating any further verification requirements."

  Xiaolong studied the approaching cultivators with scholarly interest, noting the differences in their movement patterns compared to the earth-influenced patrol they had encountered earlier. Where the Black Iron cultivators had moved with sturdy, grounded efficiency, these water sect members seemed to flow across the landscape with fluid grace, their steps almost dancing across the terrain.

  The patrol consisted of three cultivators—two male, one female—led by a slender woman whose bearing suggested significant cultivation advancement despite her apparent youth. As they drew closer, Xiaolong noticed the woman's eyes widen with recognition.

  "Elder Brother Li!" she called, her formal address contrasting with the genuine warmth in her voice. "Your return gladdens the sect like spring rain after winter drought!"

  Li Feng's posture relaxed visibly at the friendly greeting. "Junior Sister Song," he replied with matching warmth. "My communion with the Fourth Waterfall concluded earlier than anticipated."

  The patrol leader approached with the fluid grace typical of advanced water cultivators. She moved like someone who had spent years perfecting the art of appearing to float just slightly above the ground while technically maintaining contact with it—a cultivation trick that impressed humans and mildly amused dragons, who could actually fly without such elaborate pretense.

  "Your early return brings joy to the sect," Junior Sister Song continued, performing the formal Azure Waters greeting with exceptional elegance. "Elder Wei has spoken of you often during your absence."

  As she approached, Xiaolong observed the cultivator more carefully.

  Song Bai—for this was clearly the disciple mentioned in Li Feng's earlier conversations—embodied the classical beauty standards of human cultivation society. Her features displayed the perfect symmetry that came from years of facial meridian refinement, while her movements carried the unconscious harmony of someone who had internalized water's flowing nature so completely that even scratching an itch would resemble a dance movement.

  What Xiaolong found more interesting, however, was the subtle shift in the woman's spiritual energy when she looked at Li Feng—like ripples spreading across a still pond when a stone is dropped into it. The reaction suggested emotional currents running beneath professional courtesy.

  "Junior Sister Song oversees the eastern boundary patrols," Li Feng explained, turning to include Xiaolong in the conversation. "Her water mirror techniques have twice earned recognition in the sect's seasonal demonstrations."

  Song Bai acknowledged this introduction with appropriate modesty—a brief lowering of eyes that somehow managed to draw more attention to their exceptional clarity. "Elder Brother Li exaggerates my humble accomplishments. My techniques remain mere ripples compared to his flowing mastery."

  The exchange followed the precisely choreographed steps of cultivation society's humility dance—each participant carefully diminishing their own achievements while elevating others', like konkurito masters politely insisting the other person enter a doorway first until someone eventually had to give in or they'd both die of old age in the doorway.

  "Junior Sister Song, this is Cultivator Xiaolong," Li Feng continued. "She studies specialized techniques beyond traditional frameworks and accompanies me to observe Azure Waters methods."

  Song Bai turned her attention to Xiaolong, performing the appropriate greeting for a guest of uncertain rank but presumed significance due to Li Feng's sponsorship. Her assessment was swift but thorough—the spiritual equivalent of a shopkeeper evaluating whether a customer could afford the merchandise or was merely browsing.

  "The Azure Waters Sect welcomes cultivators who seek harmonious knowledge exchange," she said, the formal phrasing delivered with perfect intonation. Yet beneath the courtesy, Xiaolong detected a hint of something less welcoming—a subtle tightening of spiritual energy that suggested protective instinct rather than open curiosity.