The golden feather — the living embodiment of Mingyan Zhu's phoenix fire — still rested in Hei Long's palm.
It pulsed gently with warmth, but not heat. Like a sleeping heartbeat. Like a child's trust made manifest.
And with it came the burden of a promise.
"Give it to the one I should call Mother."
He had made war against gods. Crushed empires. Outwitted immortals.
But this?
This choice felt heavier than all of them combined.
He turned his gaze to the four names engraved into his heart.
Mu Yexin.Zhao Yuran.Qingxue.Yan Yiren.
Each of them had bled for him. Waited. Loved. Fought.
And now — one would be named first.
But the rest… the rest still mattered.
Hei Long's Decision
He didn't call a court.
He didn't summon them to a throne.
He did something simpler.
More human.
He visited each of them.
Alone.
With the feather in hand.
First: Mu Yexin – The Dream of Laughter
She was waiting in the Dream Garden, reclining beneath illusion-blossoms that shimmered with memories.
