A teacher stood before the disciples, his demeanor one of deep respect and solemnity. Though his voice crackled like thunder, it carried a sweetness....like syrup.....and the calm patience of a still lake.
"Welcome, all of you, to the Legacy of the Peach Blossoms Academy.
For centuries, we have upheld the sacred tradition: before a disciple may raise a sword, they must first take on the weight of the rules.
This is not merely a ritual.....it is a profound inner lesson.
These rules shall teach you restraint, awareness, discipline, and the strength to act with peace even in the greatest of storms.
They are not meant to crush your spirit or break your wisdom.
We hope that you will follow them with diligence and honor.
But take heed...for every violation, there is a price."
And with that, the first 25 sacred rules were recited aloud.
A Grandmaster stepped forward and sat gracefully before the ancient scroll, his voice rising like sacred wind across the courtyard.
As the rules began, the very air shifted.....silent, reverent.
---
Rules of the Academy
1. Unauthorized entry into the Academy is strictly forbidden.
Punishment: Three days without food or training.
2. All disciples must engage in daily prayer, cultivation, and meditation.
Punishment: Spiritual energy sealed for one day.
3. No spells or mantras outside the Academy's teachings may be practiced.
Punishment: Spiritual aura bound for three days.
4. Art spells may be used freely, but not with deceit or violence.
Punishment: Arts sealed for half a month.
5. Dark arts, soul seals, and curse spells are strictly forbidden.
Punishment: Expulsion or trial before the Spiritual Tribunal.
6. Combat practice may only take place in designated fields under senior supervision.
Punishment: Barred from practice for one week.
7. Experimental spells on living creatures are strictly forbidden.
Punishment: Closed training and spiritual investigation.
8. No disciple may enter the Spiritual Forests without a mentor.
Punishment: Ten days of solitary cultivation without food.
9. All disciples must recite the Oath of Blossoms once a month.
Punishment: Must retake the Path of Spirituality examination.
10. Raising a sword against a fellow disciple is a grave offense.
Punishment: Spiritual sword sealed for one month.
11. Respect toward teachers and elders is of highest priority.
Punishment: Seven days of silent reflection and apology.
12. Soul Melding without permission is prohibited.
Punishment: Soul inspection and surveillance.
13. Every disciple must attain mastery in at least one sacred art....music, dance, or healing.
Punishment: Must reread foundational scrolls.
14. Healing mantras are to be used only for genuine illness; experiments on life and death are forbidden.
Punishment: Healer's license revoked.
15. Participation in Peach Blossom Meditation once a week is mandatory.
Punishment: Three days of mental tranquility cultivation.
16. Harming peach trees is akin to committing spiritual sin.
Punishment: Ten days of garden labor.
17. Fraudulent claims or deceit in gaining titles or honors is forbidden.
Punishment: Rank revoked and public apology required.
18. Mistreatment of Spiritual Beasts is forbidden.
Punishment: One month of service in the Beast Care Division.
19. No one may teach until they have officially attained the rank of mentor.
Punishment: One-year delay in advancement.
20. Every disciple must pass three fundamental trials: Healing Arts, Martial Arts, and Spiritual Harmony.
Punishment: Retesting under special supervision.
21. Defeat in battle is not shameful.....but false pride is forbidden.
Punishment: Three days in the Chamber of Introspection.
22. No sects, factions, or secret alliances may be formed within the academy.
Punishment: Disbandment and one month of observation.
23. Gold-tier mantras may only be taught to gold-tier disciples.
Punishment: Sealing of powers and confiscation of scrolls.
24. A master's command is absolute, so long as it does not violate Dharma.
Punishment: Summoned before the Tribunal of Justice.
25. Blasphemy against the sacred Chwen language or misuse of its mantras shall bring severe consequences.
Punishment: Expulsion or lifelong banishment.
---
Some faces were struck with fear. Others sighed with relief. A few showed silent dread.
But there were three whose stillness remained unbroken.
Not a twitch of worry.
Not even the faintest ripple across the lake of their faces.
Ming Heng, Wang Gung, and Zhi Yao.....stood as if they hadn't heard a word.
As if chaos erupted beneath the surface of a lake, yet the water remained as still as frozen glass.
Their faces were neither pale nor sorrowful...only quiet, profoundly so.
The gathering came to an end. The crowd scattered. The courtyard emptied.
As Wang Gung stepped forward, Ming Heng and Zhi Yao silently followed him.
Truly, they had forgotten that expressions were even a thing to wear.
Night fell.
Most students rested in their quarters. But somewhere, a heart.....carrying two watchful eyes....gazed upward at the full moon.
Wang Gung sat quietly at a desk near the open window, staring into the sky as if awaiting someone.
He moved his fingers in sacred mudras, and from the air, an ancient instrument emerged.....a musical relic of memory.
The very same instrument "Zixion."
he had once used, years ago, to send a marriage proposal to Yu Sui in Black Heaven.
To express his love… even if only through music.