The note arrived with evening meditation, delivered by a junior disciple whose nervousness suggested she'd been told this was important without understanding why.

Would appreciate your company for evening tea. No urgency, but the matter would benefit from discussion. —Wei Shuiyue

Xiaolong read it twice, parsing the deliberate gentleness of the phrasing. Not a summons. An invitation. But the reference to "the matter" lingered like storm clouds in the note's closing.

The study occupied the library tower's uppermost floor, accessible by stairs that wound past shelves of cultivation texts and historical records. Xiaolong climbed them as afternoon light painted the walls amber and gold, her horns clearing the stairwell ceiling by less than a hand's width.

She knocked. Elder Wei's voice called for her to enter.

The room held three people and enough tea service for an extended conversation. Elder Wei sat at his usual desk, though he'd pushed aside the administrative clutter to make space for porcelain cups and a pot releasing jasmine-scented steam. Elder Liu occupied a cushion near the window, her posture relaxed, already settled into comfortable territory.

The third cushion waited empty.

"Xiaolong." Elder Wei rose, gesturing toward the prepared seat. "Thank you for coming."

"Thank you for the invitation." She settled onto the cushion, noting how the two elders had positioned themselves—not across from her like interrogators, but in a loose triangle that suggested conversation among equals. "Though I suspect 'invitation' is generous phrasing for whatever this actually is."

Elder Liu's mouth curved. "Direct as always. I appreciate that quality."

"We do have matters to discuss," Elder Wei admitted, pouring tea with the careful movements of someone buying time to organize thoughts. "But nothing urgent. Nothing troubling. Simply... important."

He offered her the first cup. The gesture carried weight beyond simple courtesy—the host serving the guest spoke to respect, to relationship, to bonds that transcended formal hierarchy.

Xiaolong accepted the tea and sipped. Excellent quality, the sort kept for special occasions or significant conversations. "You're both being unusually careful with your words."

"Because we're not entirely certain how you'll receive what we want to discuss." Elder Wei settled back onto his cushion. "And because the conversation matters more than we know how to express through proper channels."

"Then perhaps we should abandon proper channels entirely."

"A dragon's solution to most problems," Elder Liu observed, warmth rather than criticism coloring her tone. "But in this case, probably wise. How is Master Yuan? The recovery continues well?"

The shift caught Xiaolong mid-sip. She set down her cup. "He's regaining strength. The corruption purification was thorough, but rebuilding takes time. Why?"

"And your student? Meihua's training progresses?"

"She's learning to balance analysis with intuition. We're both learning, actually." Xiaolong looked between them. "You didn't invite me here to discuss training updates."

"No." Elder Wei's expression shifted into something more serious, though his warmth remained. "We wanted to discuss the incident report you filed. More specifically, what happens now that it's been submitted."

He produced a small stack of letters from his desk, each bearing different sect seals. The topmost envelope carried the Golden Sun Sect's phoenix insignia pressed into red wax.

"Standard protocol requires sharing significant incident documentation with allied sects," Elder Liu explained. "Particularly cases involving leadership corruption. The report you and Meihua prepared has already been distributed."

Xiaolong's tea cooled untouched. "How many sects?"

"Twelve received copies. Seven have responded." Elder Wei spread several letters across the low table between them. "Most offer condolences and assistance—standard diplomatic language. But a few deserve attention."

He lifted the Golden Sun letter, breaking the seal and unfolding paper covered in bold calligraphy. "Master Jin Huoyan writes with what I suspect is genuine concern mixed with professional curiosity."

"What does he say?"

Elder Wei read aloud: "'Relief greets the news of Master Yuan's recovery. The technique employed for purification carries implications worth discussing among those who study advanced cultivation methods. Black Dao activity increases in our territories as well—three incidents this month alone, none achieving the severity of your situation but all suggesting organized effort. I propose an inter-sect conference at Clouded Peak Pavilion, neutral ground where we might coordinate response and share knowledge. I would value the opportunity to continue our cultivation exchange from the Cloud Summit.' The last part is addressed to you specifically."

"He remembers me."

"Hard to forget someone who creates prismatic water constructs that violate known elemental principles," Elder Liu said. "But his letter is strategic. He's positioning himself as organizer, which grants political advantage. At the same time, the concerns are legitimate. Black Dao isn't acting randomly."

"They targeted Master Yuan deliberately." The words emerged flatter than Xiaolong intended. "Tested our defenses. Found a weakness."

"And you eliminated that weakness so thoroughly that other sects now wonder what resources Azure Waters possesses." Elder Wei's gaze held steady. "Specifically, they wonder about you."

The tea had gone cold. Xiaolong set it aside. "What are they saying?"

"Some express gratitude that such capability exists within our sect. Others wonder about the implications of Azure Waters possessing access to cultivation methods they don't understand." Elder Liu's fingers traced the rim of her cup. "A few see opportunity—if one sect can gain this mysterious cultivator's favor, perhaps others might as well."

"They're asking about me."

"Asking questions we've politely declined to answer in detail." Elder Wei tapped one of the letters. "The incident report documented the purification but not the purifier's background. Other sects know someone named Xiaolong performed unprecedented technique work. They remember the prismatic displays at the Cloud Summit. They're curious about who you are, what your cultivation level is, where you trained."

"And you've told them?"

"That you're an honored member of our sect who values privacy regarding your cultivation methods." Elder Liu's smile held diplomatic satisfaction. "Which is true and tells them nothing useful. But it won't satisfy curiosity forever. The inter-sect conference will put you in direct contact with sect leaders who will draw their own conclusions."

Xiaolong absorbed this. Other sects saw her as mystery rather than threat, curiosity rather than confirmed danger. The Azure Waters elders had protected her privacy while the sect benefited from her capabilities. It was more than she expected.

"I appreciate your discretion."

Elder Wei inclined his head. "Privacy is owed to those who have earned our trust. Though..." His voice trailed off, hesitation entering his tone. "Your true nature will inevitably become known to the rest of the cultivation world, in time."

"It's a question worth considering. How do you wish to handle such interest going forward?" Elder Liu asked. Her fingers tapped the Clouded Peaks letter, but her eyes never left Xiaolong's face. "The sect will protect your interests to the best of our ability, whatever form that takes."

She'd grown familiar enough with both elders to recognize the deliberate phrasing. These weren't theoretical musings. The conversation was an invitation to establish boundaries before formal requests arrived from other sects. Before the entire cultivation world turned its attention towards a dragon in their midst.

"The question we're asking," Elder Wei said, quieting the noise of Xiaolong's thoughts with careful words, "is how you feel about that. About being seen as part of Azure Waters' strength rather than a visiting curiosity."

The question landed with unexpected weight.

Xiaolong looked at her cold tea, at the letters scattered across the table, at the two elders watching her with expressions that combined concern and something deeper—something like family wondering if she'd stay or leave.

"I don't know," she admitted. "Being counted as belonging to something is... new."

"You've been here nearly a year." Elder Wei's voice gentled. "Long enough that people have stopped treating you as temporary."

"Long enough that you've stopped treating yourself as temporary," Elder Liu added. "I've watched you, Xiaolong. The way you move through the sect has changed. You don't navigate it like a guest passing through. You know where everything is. You recognize people's footsteps. You have opinions about how the morning meditation formations should be arranged."

Stolen from its original source, this story is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings.

"That's just familiarity."

"No." Elder Liu's correction carried certainty. "That's belonging. So I'll ask more directly: what does the Azure Waters Sect mean to you?"

The question demanded honesty Xiaolong wasn't certain she possessed. She'd come here to understand Li Feng's philosophy, to study human connection like humans studied stars and tides—to understand him.

When had observation become participation? When had she stopped watching the tide and begun helping to channel its waters?

"I came here to learn about mortals," she said slowly. "To understand why Li Feng valued adaptation and harmony over accumulation and dominance. To make sense of a perspective that seemed... unlike what my nature knows."

"And now?"

"Now I know where Meihua hides when overwhelmed. I recognize Ming Lian's laugh from three courtyards away. I can predict which training formations will give junior disciples trouble before they attempt them." The words spilled faster, carrying momentum she couldn't arrest. "I teach people. I defended your sect leader. I fill out administrative paperwork and let a perfectionist disciple correct my brush technique. I..."

Silence settled. Elder Wei refilled her cup with fresh tea, the gesture offering space without demanding explanation.

"I've spent five thousand years knowing exactly what I was," Xiaolong continued. "Dragons don't question their nature. We don't wonder about belonging because we simply are—vast and complete and requiring nothing beyond ourselves. But here..." She lifted her hands, examining her own fingers in lamplight. "Here, I don't know. And that uncertainty feels like a gift."

"You can be uncertain here," Elder Liu agreed, accepting a fresh cup from Elder Wei. "You can teach and learn, fight and protect, be absurd and exasperating and unexpectedly compassionate."

"Because you belong," Elder Wei added. He met her eyes without reservation, the look of an elder addressing a student he's invested in, not an ancient power he's humbling himself before. "This place is yours as long as you'll stay. Whether for one more month or the rest of time, Azure Waters is your home if you choose."

The words lingered like music in a still room. Xiaolong wrapped her hands around her cup, letting warmth seep through porcelain and into her palms. It seemed absurd that such a fragile container should offer comfort.

And yet it did.

Home. What a strange concept. Less a place and more a presence—the sensation of settling into something as fundamental as one's bones. Home meant belonging to a thing greater than itself, belonging not through force or possession, but through chosen connection. Home meant finding equilibrium between identity and responsibility.

"Home is not a terrible idea."

"Not a terrible idea?" Elder Wei arched an eyebrow. "High praise indeed from an ancient celestial dragon."

"A bit matter-of-fact," Elder Liu added.

"High emotion is for dragons with less dignity."

Both elders laughed, and the sound carried something rare: relief, like stones rolling off the heart. The tension Xiaolong hadn't realized weighed them down finally released. A new, brighter warmth suffused the tea-sweetened air.

"The conference," she said, circling back to practical matters because profound realization still made her uncomfortable. "Master Jin's proposal. You're planning to attend?"

"Yes." Elder Wei's shift into logistics felt like deliberate courtesy, granting Xiaolong space from overwhelming revelation. "Which brings us to the reason we invited you here. Or rather, the specific request we want to make."

He exchanged glances with Elder Liu, some unspoken communication passing between them.

Which brings us to the reason we invited you here. Or rather, the specific request we want to make."

He exchanged glances with Elder Liu, some unspoken communication passing between them.

"We would like to formalize your position within the sect. Offer you a role that acknowledges what's already true while providing a clear explanation to other sects and our own disciples."

"What role?"

"Guardian Elder." Elder Liu let the words settle, watching Xiaolong closely. "It's a position created for powerful cultivators who choose to affiliate without full-time commitment. Azure Waters hasn't had one in two hundred years—the last was a wandering immortal who stayed for fifty years before continuing his travels."

"What would it entail?"

"Protecting the sect when threats arise. Advising leadership on matters within your expertise. Teaching if you wish, though that remains optional." Elder Wei ticked points off on his fingers. "You'd be part of the elder council but not bound by normal elder responsibilities. Free to pursue personal cultivation, your relationship with Li Feng, whatever matters to you. The position acknowledges your capability while respecting your privacy."

"It would also give you formal authority that other sects can understand," Elder Liu added. "Rather than wondering who this mysterious Xiaolong is and why she has influence here, they'll see Guardian Elder—a recognized position with clear standing. That creates political clarity without requiring explanations you may not wish to give."

"And commits me to this sect over others."

"Yes."

The answer came without hesitation or apology. They were asking her to choose sides, to declare herself part of Azure Waters in ways that transcended friendly visitation. To say that these people, this place, held claims on her loyalty that others didn't.

Home. The concept settled deeper.

Xiaolong thought about Li Feng's hand in hers at the market. About Meihua's delight when the paperwork made sense. About Ming Lian's irreverent jokes and Master Zhen's enthusiastic plant discussions and morning meditation sessions, where water responded to collective cultivation with harmonious flow.

She thought about Master Yuan's words: Humble dragons are rare.

"I accept."

The words emerged quiet but firm. Final.

Elder Wei's expression transformed—pride mixed with relief in equal measure. Elder Liu's smile held something close to maternal affection.

"Then we should formalize it properly." Elder Wei rose, crossing to a cabinet that held ceremonial items. He returned with three cups and a flask of aged rice wine—the type reserved for important oaths and binding agreements.

He poured carefully, the liquid catching lamplight as it filled each vessel. "This isn't legally binding. No contracts, no spiritual oaths that would constrain your nature. Simply acknowledgment between equals that you stand with us and we with you."

They raised their cups together. Elder Liu spoke first: "To Guardian Elder Xiaolong, who chose us when she could have chosen anything."

"To the Azure Waters Sect," Elder Wei added, "which is stronger for her presence."

They looked at Xiaolong expectantly. She held her cup, feeling the weight of the moment press against her shoulders.

Humans made declarations all the time, attaching significance to events that passed without fanfare for immortals. It felt strange participating so willingly, crafting words that declared herself something she'd never imagined becoming.

"To belonging," she said finally. "And to the courage required to let it matter."

The wine burned on the way down, sharp and clean. When they set their empty cups aside, the air carried something new: commitment. Not the ephemeral, temporary variety that humans traded with ease, but the kind forged through choice rather than inevitability.

"Welcome home, then, officially." Elder Wei's smile carried the satisfaction of seeing months' worth of careful work bear fruit. "We can have formal scrolls and ceremonies drawn up. An event to celebrate your appointment within the sect, perhaps a banquet if the timing aligns well—"

"A banquet seems excessive."

"It's an opportunity," Elder Liu countered, gathering their emptied ceremonial cups. "To formally acknowledge your part in Azure Waters to everyone. And to do it surrounded by community, rather than just administrative paperwork."

Xiaolong weighed this. "I'm not a social creature by nature."

"And yet, here you are," Elder Wei said gently. "Engaging in social interaction rather spectacularly."

She couldn't argue that. Her objections lacked force, undermined by the undeniable reality of her actions.

The moment stretched, warm and comfortable and profound. Then Elder Liu shifted back into practical matters with the smooth transition of someone who recognized emotional saturation.

"The conference will be in three weeks. Master Jin is organizing it at Clouded Peak Pavilion—neutral territory between major sects. Azure Waters will send Master Yuan, Elder Wei, myself, Li Feng as promising disciple representative, and now you in your formal capacity."

"Will Master Yuan be ready?"

"His recovery progresses well, but the corruption incident damaged his standing. Other sects question whether he's fit to lead." Elder Wei's expression grew more serious. "Your presence as Guardian Elder actually helps him. Shows our leadership has depth, that we have strength supporting him during recovery. But he needs to demonstrate capability himself."

"What about Black Dao? If they targeted Master Yuan deliberately, won't they target the conference?"

"Possibly." Elder Liu's fingers tapped her cup rim in rhythmic pattern. "Which is why having a Guardian Elder present serves multiple purposes. Protection alongside politics."

Xiaolong considered the implications. "Other sects will test me. Try to establish hierarchies, determine relative strength."

"Master Jin certainly will." Elder Wei's tone carried amusement. "Though his tests will be friendly. He respects capability and enjoys good-natured competition. Others may be less gracious."

"I'm better at intimidation than diplomacy."

"Then we'll practice the diplomacy part." Elder Liu's smile suggested this would be entertaining. "You'll need to find balance—enough strength that people respect you, not so much that they fear what Azure Waters might do with a mysterious Guardian Elder in residence."

"There's also the matter of formal regalia." Elder Wei gestured vaguely at Xiaolong's head. "Guardian Elders traditionally wear ceremonial robes and specific accessories. Though given your horns, we may need custom arrangements."

"Please tell me this doesn't require more paperwork."

"Only a moderate amount." Elder Wei's expression remained carefully neutral. "Standard position acceptance documentation, authorization forms for elder council participation, updated sect roster submissions..."

Xiaolong groaned. Both elders laughed—genuine mirth that dissolved the last traces of formality.

They talked through logistics until full darkness pressed against the windows. Tea was refilled multiple times. The conversation drifted from conference preparations to cultivation theory to humorous anecdotes about previous inter-sect gatherings. At some point the discussion stopped being about planning and simply became three people enjoying each other's company.

When Xiaolong finally rose to leave, muscles stiff from prolonged sitting, the evening had transformed into night. Stars visible through the window mapped patterns she recognized from dragon flight, though seeing them from ground level created different perspectives.

"Go tell Li Feng the news," Elder Wei suggested. "He'll be pleased."

"How did you know I was thinking about that?"

"Because we know you." Elder Liu's simple statement carried profound meaning. "That's what belonging creates—being known."

Xiaolong paused at the door, looking back at the two elders now cleaning tea service and organizing scattered letters. They'd interrogated her when she first arrived, probed her nature with careful questions and perceptive observations. Now they planned conferences together, laughed over administrative complications, offered trust she was still learning to accept.

"Thank you," she said again. "For everything."

Elder Wei waved dismissively. "Go. Your partner is probably wondering where you've been."

She left them to their planning, descending stairs lit by spiritual lamps that flickered in rhythm with sect formations. The compound stretched quiet around her, most disciples retired for evening meditation or sleep. But light showed in Li Feng's quarters, warm against darkness.

Xiaolong walked toward it, toward the person who'd started this entire transformation through simple dedication to water's wisdom. She belonged here now. She'd chosen these people, this place, these bonds that constrained and freed her simultaneously.

For the first time in five thousand years, belonging didn't feel like weakness.

It felt like coming home.

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