Back at Baoli Zong
The return to Baoli Zong was quieter than usual. Mei'yin sat in the carriage, her cheek pressed against the window, sulking as the wheels rattled over the stone path. Her sisters, Lingxi and Xiao, sat across from her, their eyes sharp but silent. Yangguang, ever restless, drummed his fingers against his knee before finally speaking.
"From now on, Mei, no more skipping classes. No more wandering in Moya. You heard what Mother said. You're tangled with Qin Yuxi now, and that means everyone's watching you."
Mei'yin puffed her cheeks, glaring at him. "I don't need everyone watching me. I'm fine on my own."
Xiao's voice was calm, but firm. "You're not fine, Mei. You were almost exposed in Moya. If Yuxi hadn't covered for your lies, what then? You can't just keep playing around as if there aren't consequences."
Lingxi's eyes narrowed, her tone sharper. "Exactly. You don't even realize what's at stake. Your name is tied to his now, whether you like it or not. You can't afford to behave recklessly anymore."
Mei'yin huffed and crossed her arms. "You all sound like Mother. I didn't ask to be tangled with him!"
Yangguang leaned forward, his voice dropping low, serious. "That's why we're going to train you harder. You'll join every class. No more excuses. If you're going to carry the Feng name—and now be linked to the Qin—then you'll do it properly."
Mei'yin's lips parted in protest, but the weight of her brother's gaze silenced her.
Xiao reached out, her touch gentle against Mei's hand. "We're not punishing you, Mei. This… engagement, whether you wanted it or not, changes things. If you don't want to drown in it, then you need to grow stronger. Let us help you."
For once, Mei'yin didn't argue. She only looked down at her lap, her thoughts tumbling too quickly to grasp.
Outside the carriage, Baoli Zong's towering gates loomed into view. The familiar sight that usually promised freedom now felt heavy—like the first step into a cage.
-----
The sun burned high over Baoli Zong's training grounds. Mei'yin sat cross-legged in the middle, her wooden sword dangling lazily in one hand. Her siblings stood around her like hawks.
"Again," Lingxi ordered sternly.
Mei'yin groaned dramatically, flopping backward onto the ground. "I've swung this stick a thousand times already! If Yuxi were here, he'd say it's fine—"
Yangguang cut her off sharply. "Yuxi isn't here. And that's exactly why you'll do it again."
Xiao, ever the patient one, crouched beside her, brushing sweat from Mei's brow with a cloth. "It's only hard because you keep fighting us instead of focusing."
Before Mei'yin could pout back, a familiar voice chimed from the walkway.
"Woah! little bride-to-be is looking exhausted already."
Mei'yin shot upright, face heating. "Yuming!"
Mo Yuming sauntered over, arms crossed and a teasing smile tugging at her lips. She circled Mei like a cat around its prey. " Sneaking around in Moya, pretending to be married with two children—oh, how far our Mei has fallen."
"Th-that was just a lie!" Mei'yin stammered, cheeks blazing.
Yangguang looked like he might scold Yuming for poking too hard, but before he could, soft footsteps approached.
A girl in golden robes stopped at the edge of the courtyard. Her presence was so quiet that even Mei didn't notice her at first. When she looked up, however, Mei'yin blinked in surprise.
"Bai Linyan?"
The girl offered a small bow, her voice as soft as the breeze. "I didn't mean to interrupt. I only came to return this." She held out a small book that Mei had left in the library days ago.
Mei'yin grinned, scrambling to her feet. "Ah, thank you! You're a lifesaver, Linyan."
Bai Linyan shook her head gently. "It was nothing." Her eyes lowered shyly, but just for a moment, Mei caught the way they flickered—toward Yuxi's absence.
Mei's grin softened. She knew that look. She had seen it before. But unlike Wu Ziyi's open hostility or others' whispers, Bai Linyan's quiet affection wasn't sharp or cruel. It was… gentle. Almost angelic.
Mei tipped her head, smiling sincerely. "You're really kind."
But Yuming's sharp gaze didn't miss the flicker in Linyan's eyes. Later, when the girl had left with another soft bow, Yuming leaned in close to Mei, voice low.
"Be careful with that one."
Mei tilted her head, confused. "Why? She's nice. She's actually sweet."
Yuming's lips curved into a wry smile. "That's exactly why you should be careful. Sometimes the ones who seem the most harmless are the ones who can hurt you without ever trying. Remember that."
Mei fell quiet, her playful spark dimming just a little.
But when she looked back toward the path where Bai Linyan had disappeared, she only sighed and muttered, "She didn't seem bad to me…"
Yuming crossed her arms, watching Mei thoughtfully. "I know. That's what worries me."
The stone paths of Baoli Zong glowed under the late afternoon sun, warm and quiet. Mei'yin slipped outside again, restless as ever, her sandals tapping lightly as she walked along the covered walkway.
Her thoughts, as always, drifted to the same person.
Yuxi…
Just as she rounded a corner, she spotted a tall figure standing by the lotus pond, hands behind his back, posture steady as a drawn blade.
"... Brother Qin?" Mei'yin blinked, tilting her head.
He turned, his expression calm but not unkind. "Lady Feng Mei'yin. Out for another escape?"
She pouted, cheeks puffing slightly. "Not an escape! Just… fresh air." Then, with a mischievous tilt of her lips, she added, "You sound exactly like my sister Lingxi when she nags me."
Yijun arched a brow. "Then perhaps Lingxi is right."
Mei'yin groaned dramatically,
For a while, they spoke of nothing important: the changing weather, the training of the younger disciples, even a silly moment where Mei'yin tried (and failed) to imitate Yijun's perfectly serious tone.
"You sounded more like a sleepy duck than me," Yijun finally said, his voice steady but carrying the faintest trace of amusement.
Mei'yin burst into laughter, then quickly covered her mouth. His eyes softened, almost like an older brother indulging a younger sibling.
The playful air lingered for a moment, until Mei'yin's smile faltered. She fiddled with the petal in her hand, her voice dropping softer, shy but edged with sincerity.
"…Brother Qin. Do you know when Yuxi will come back?"
Yijun's gaze shifted toward her, steady and thoughtful. For a moment, he didn't answer. Then, with the weight of someone both protective and honest, he said, "Soon. Missions like his take time. He doesn't return early because he refuses to leave things unfinished."
Mei'yin bit her lip, glancing down.
"When he does return, it will feel shorter than you expect. Be patient, Mei'yin. My brother is not one to abandon what he's chosen." Yijun said simply. His tone carried no mockery, only truth.
Her chest warmed at the words, though she quickly tried to mask it with a mischievous grin. "Hmph. You say that like you know he's chosen me."
Mei'yin sighed, tucking her hands behind her back as she turned away and as she walked back toward the halls, her heart whispered the same thought it had carried for days.
------
Torches burned low, their flames bending unnaturally, as though afraid of the man who sat at the head of the table.
Ye Xuan.
His presence filled the hall like smoke—thick, suffocating, and dark. His gaze was cold, a depthless abyss that seemed to devour both men and spirits alike. Around him, the very air crackled faintly, restless wraiths whispering at the edges of the room.
At his side stood Ye Yubao, his son. Behind them, silent but ever-watchful, was Su Yeng, Ye yubao's most loyal right hand.
"Father," Yubao spoke first, his tone impatient. "The Feng and Qin move closer with each passing day. The Bai hide behind their false modesty, and the Mo watch carefully from Moya. Yet we—" his hand clenched into a fist "—we wait. Why?"
Ye Xuan's eyes slid toward his son, slow and deliberate. His voice was a low rumble, carrying both authority and menace."Because, ..... men are predictable. They cling to rules, to honor, to alliances. But spirits—" his gaze shifted toward the faint ghostly shapes writhing in the corners of the hall "—spirits whisper truths men dare not speak." A thin smile curved his lips.
Yubao swallowed, torn between awe and unease.
Su Yeng finally stepped forward, bowing low. His voice was calm, sharp as steel. " I received a report of our men in Moya that weeks ago one of the Qin and Feng are helping each other to catch our spirits in the forest."
" Who they are?," Ye Xuan asked, his aura flaring just enough to make the torches sputter.
"The Youngest daughter of Feng Lei and the Youngest son of Qin Jian." He answered.
Ye Yubao's eyes flickered, thinking about those two made him tremble.
The room fell silent, save for the distant hiss of spirits lingering in the shadows.
The evening lamps flickered along the long stone corridors of Baoli Zong. The disciples had just been dismissed from their studies, and silence wrapped the halls like a thin veil.
But silence and Mei'yin never got along.
The girl tiptoed barefoot, shoes in hand, her braid swaying behind her as she slipped past the courtyard gates. She glanced left and right, her mischievous grin spreading.
Just a little look around the markets outside….
"—And where do you think you're going, Mei'yin?"
Her whole body froze. Slowly, she turned, only to see her brother Feng Yangguang leaning against the wooden pillar, arms crossed, eyes narrowed like a hawk catching its prey.
"Ah—b-brother…" She laughed nervously, tucking her shoes behind her back. "I was just… admiring the moon. Look how round it is tonight!"
Yangguang raised a brow, unimpressed. "Admiring the moon? Outside the gates? At night?"
Mei'yin pouted, stomping her foot. "You're no fun! I can't stay locked up forever. It's boring here—training, lessons, lectures. I just want to breathe."
He sighed, stepping closer, his expression softening slightly. "You're not locked up. You're being protected. Do you think Father and Mother agreed to send us here just so you could cause more trouble?"
Mei'yin's lips wavered into a guilty frown. "…I just miss Yuxi."
For a moment, Yangguang's eyes flickered, almost gentle. But then he flicked her forehead lightly, making her yelp.
"Then wait for him properly. If he comes back and hears you've been sneaking around like a wild cat, he'll scold you worse than I ever could."
Mei'yin puffed her cheeks, muttering under her breath, "I'd rather Yuxi scold me than you…"
Yangguang caught it and gave her a look, half-annoyed, half-amused. "Hmph. Inside. Now."
With a dramatic groan, Mei'yin trudged back toward the halls, dragging her feet like a child.
–––––
Xiao knelt at the edge, feeding crumbs from her hand, her laughter soft as the fish gathered.
A few paces behind her, Bai Yujing stood with his hands tucked into his sleeves, watching. He rarely smiled in public, but with her, a gentleness always found its way to his expression.
"You spoil them," Yujing said finally, his voice calm, steady.
Xiao looked back over her shoulder, her eyes playful. "And what's wrong with that? Even koi deserve kindness."
He walked closer, his shadow falling beside her, and crouched down. "If you're this kind to fish, what hope do people have of resisting you?"
Xiao blinked, surprised by his words, and quickly turned back to the pond to hide her flushed cheeks. "You… you're teasing me again."
"Am I?" Yujing's tone was low, smooth, but there was no mistaking the sincerity in his gaze. He reached out, brushing a strand of her hair that had slipped loose. "I don't waste words, Xiao. When I say something, I mean it."
Her heart thudded. She looked down at the water, at her reflection beside his. The world felt quiet here—safe, warm, and unshaken—because he was beside her.
And for once, Xiao allowed herself to lean closer, whispering so only he could hear. "Then… don't take those words back."
Bai Yujing's lips curved into a rare, soft smile. "I won't."
Before she could reply, his hand cupped her cheek—steady, unhurried. Xiao's breath caught as he leaned closer, and then, under the soft glow of the lanterns by the pond, his lips met hers in a kiss.
It wasn't fiery, nor rushed. It was a quiet promise, sealed in the stillness of the garden.
When they parted, Xiao's cheeks burned crimson, but Yujing remained calm, his thumb brushing lightly over her skin.
"Now," he murmured, his eyes holding hers, "you can't accuse me of teasing."
Xiao could only bury her face against his shoulder, flustered but smiling, while the koi swirled below as if celebrating their secret.
Meanwhile, in the training grounds, the air carried a sharper edge. Feng Lingxi, sword in hand, had just finished her drills, her expression as serious as always. Beads of sweat clung to her brow, but her stance remained steady, almost defiant.
From the sidelines, a voice broke her focus.
"You train like you're preparing to fight the heavens themselves."
Lingxi glanced over her shoulder. Qin Yijun leaned casually against a pillar, arms crossed, his eyes gleaming with amusement. His usual cold authority was nowhere to be seen; instead, there was a teasing warmth in his tone.
"Better than standing around doing nothing," she retorted, sheathing her sword with a sharp flick.
Yijun pushed off the pillar and walked toward her, deliberately slow. "Ah, but standing around lets me admire the view."
Her brows knitted. "Are you mocking me?"
"Mocking? No." He tilted his head, lips curving into a playful smirk. "Appreciating? Yes."
Lingxi rolled her eyes, though the faintest pink dusted her cheeks. Yijun's smile lingered, softer this time. He stopped just close enough for her to feel the weight of his presence.
For a moment, her serious facade cracked—just a flicker—but she quickly turned away, pretending to adjust her grip on the sword.
"Then maybe you should think less," she muttered, though her heart pounded loud in her chest.
Yijun chuckled under his breath, stepping back with a rare ease. "If only it were that simple."
Feng Lingxi stood, arms crossed, her sharp gaze fixed on Qin Yijun. He, in turn, leaned casually against the railing, his tone light, his smile teasing—so unlike the stern composure he showed others.
"You should loosen up, Lady Feng Lingxi," Yijun said, his voice carrying a rare playfulness. "If you keep frowning, people will start to think you hate the world."
Lingxi narrowed her eyes, though a faint blush betrayed her irritation. "I don't hate the world. Just the noisy people in it."
Yijun chuckled, shaking his head. "And yet you're standing here talking to me."
The air between them shifted—serious and charged, though neither admitted it. For Lingxi, his playful tone was both infuriating and strangely comforting. For Yijun, her brattish sharpness felt… refreshingly honest.
But not everyone watching from the shadows felt the same.
Across the courtyard, Wu Ziyi stood half-hidden behind a pillar, her fists clenched so tightly her knuckles whitened. Her chest burned with a jealousy so fierce it almost shook her body. She had fought off every girl who dared get close to Qin Yijun—but Lingxi? Lingxi wasn't someone she could push away so easily.
Her lips pressed into a thin line, eyes blazing. Why does he smile at her like that? He never smiles at me that way…
Beside her, Bai Linyan stood with her hands folded neatly, her expression calm—almost too calm. Her beauty was soft, her aura angelic, but her words dripped like honey laced with hidden venom.
"Painful, isn't it?" Linyan said gently, her voice so soothing it almost sounded like sympathy. She tilted her head, her eyes still fixed on Yijun and Lingxi. "To see him treat her differently than the rest."
Wu Ziyi whipped her head toward her. "What are you implying?"
"I'm not implying anything," Linyan replied sweetly, her smile serene. "But… I noticed, haven't you? The way he looks at her. It's not the same as when he looks at you. Or anyone else."
Ziyi's breath hitched, her jealousy flaring hotter, threatening to consume her whole.
Linyan, still calm, touched Ziyi's arm lightly, as though consoling her. "Don't misunderstand me. I only mean… perhaps you should be careful. If you don't guard him closely, Feng Lingxi might take a place in his heart that you never could."
Wu Ziyi's entire body trembled. Her fury burned brighter—no longer just a flame, but a roaring fire.
And Bai Linyan, angel in disguise, stood by her side with an innocent smile, adding fuel to that fire as if it were the most natural thing in the world.
The training grounds were buzzing with heated sparring matches, disciples showing off techniques under the watchful eyes of their peers. Among them, Mei'yin and Bai Chengxing clashed once again.
"You really don't belong here," Chengxing sneered, spiritual energy crackling around his hands. "A Feng with no real power—just a child hiding behind her siblings' names."
Mei'yin, breathless but grinning, stood her ground. "Funny… for someone so proud of his strength, you spend a lot of time chasing after a girl you call weak."
The crowd around them murmured, sensing the tension rise.
Chengxing's face darkened. He thrust his palm forward, a surge of energy exploding toward her. The ground cracked under the force. Mei'yin dodged once, twice—barely—until her footing slipped. She stumbled, leaving her wide open.
Chengxing's final blast shot forward, deadly and fast. Gasps rang through the air.
"Mei!" Xiao shouted.
But before it struck, a brilliant blue flare of energy surged into the arena, colliding with Chengxing's attack and scattering it into harmless sparks. The shockwave rippled through the field, silence falling over the spectators.
At the edge of the blast stood Qin Yuxi, robes stirring in the wind, his eyes sharp and steady as he lowered his hand.
"Enough," he said flatly, his voice cutting through the silence.
Mei'yin's eyes widened, her chest tightening. Relief, joy, and something softer surged through her all at once. Without thinking, without caring about the dozens of eyes on them, she dashed across the ground and threw her arms around him.
"Yuxi!"
The word was half a laugh, half a sob of relief. She buried her face into his chest, her mischievous grin hidden but her heart racing wildly.
The crowd erupted in whispers—shocked murmurs of recognition. Engagement or not, everyone could see what that embrace meant.
Yuxi stiffened for a moment, caught off guard, but then exhaled softly, letting his hand hover just briefly above her back before pulling away enough to look at her. His expression was calm, but his ears burned faintly red.
"A'yin…" he said lowly, his tone a warning.
Only then did Mei realize what she had done. Her eyes darted to the gawking disciples, then back to Yuxi. Her cheeks flared pink, and she pulled back slightly—though not enough to fully let go.
With a sheepish, mischievous smile, she whispered, "Oops…hehe.. sorry..."
Yuxi sighed, though a flicker of warmth broke through his stoic mask.
The whispers of the crowd grew louder, rippling through the training grounds like wildfire.
"She hugged him—did you see that?"
"Qin Yuxi… protecting her?"
"Wait—are they…?"
Bai Chengxing's fists trembled, his face burning with humiliation. All eyes, once on his "victory," were now locked on Mei'yin clinging to Yuxi. He clenched his jaw, teeth grinding as he spat, "You dare—"
But Yuxi's gaze cut to him, sharp and unwavering. "If you value your place here, step back."
The cold weight in Yuxi's voice made Chengxing falter, even as rage simmered beneath his skin. His pride screamed for retaliation, yet the sheer authority in Yuxi's stance pinned him in place.
The jab only deepened Chengxing's fury. He turned on his heel, storming away, his spiritual aura crackling in his wake. But in his heart, he vowed: this wasn't over.