Chapter 3 – "A Lotus for the Phoenix"
"A wise man does not chase beauty.
He stands where beauty must pass."
Two days after arriving in Qingmu City, Wudi Tian stood before the notice board in the central square. At the top hung a fresh parchment sealed with the crest of the City Lord.
> Notice: Competition for the hand of Yan Xue, daughter of the City Lord. Contestants must retrieve the Moon Tear Lotus from the Ghost Marsh within seven days. The victor will earn her hand in marriage.
Around him, young masters from every nearby clan boasted loudly, already imagining themselves holding the phoenix-like beauty.
> Young Master: "Hah! The Ghost Marsh will eat most alive. I will return with the lotus and claim her heart."
Another: "Her heart? You'll be lucky if she gives you a smile."
Wudi's gaze lingered on the parchment. Yue Lian, standing beside him, frowned.
> Yue Lian: "Don't tell me you're thinking of joining? Do you even know her?"
Wudi Tian: "A man need not know the moon to claim its reflection in the lake."
---
The Ghost Marsh
By the time Wudi reached the marsh, dozens of competitors were already inside, cutting paths through thick mist and knee-deep sludge. The air smelled of rot, and unseen things moved beneath the water.
"In darkness, the unprepared fear the path.
The prepared… fear nothing."
He moved without hurry, every step falling where danger wasn't. Snakes struck at him, only to fall dead before touching his robe. Leeches melted to ash before clinging.
By dusk, the cries of men echoed from deeper within — ambushes, monster attacks, drowning. Wudi ignored them, following the faint pulse of life energy only he could sense.
In the heart of the marsh, under a twisted willow, floated a single lotus, glowing with soft silver light — the Moon Tear Lotus.
And standing before it was Yan Xue herself.
---
> Wudi Tian: "I thought the City Lord was offering your hand to whoever brought the lotus… yet here you are."
Yan Xue: "I wanted to see for myself if any man was worthy. So far, I've seen none."
Her eyes narrowed as she studied him.
> Yan Xue: "And you? Who are you to walk this place without fear?"
Wudi Tian: "Fear is for those who plan to return weaker than they came."
She smirked — but the water stirred violently. A massive shadow rose, revealing a marsh guardian beast, scales black as oil, eyes glowing red.
---
The Beast's Trial
The guardian lunged at Yan Xue, but Wudi moved first, stepping between them. Without drawing a weapon, he raised his hand — and the beast froze mid-attack, as if the world had stopped.
> Wudi Tian (quietly): "Leave… or kneel."
The Chaos within him pulsed, unseen yet undeniable. The beast shuddered, then sank back into the water, vanishing into the depths.
Yan Xue stared.
> Yan Xue: "You… did nothing, yet it fled."
Wudi Tian: "The greatest chains are not forged of iron… but of will."
He plucked the lotus and held it out.
> Wudi Tian: "Take it."
Yan Xue: "Why give it to me? It's the prize."
Wudi Tian: "The prize is you. I will claim it in the arena, not in the mud."
---
The Arena
Seven days later, the competitors gathered before the City Lord. Yan Xue stood beside her father, holding the lotus Wudi had given her. One by one, men presented their spoils — broken, half-dead, or boasting of false victories.
When Wudi stepped forward, murmurs filled the crowd.
> Spectator: "Who is he? I've never seen him before."
Another: "Too young. He's here to be humiliated."
Yan Xue's father raised a brow.
> City Lord: "And you, boy? Where is your lotus?"
Wudi smiled faintly.
Wudi Tian: "In her hands. It has been there since the day we met."
Gasps. Yan Xue's cheeks colored faintly, but she said nothing.
---
The final test was combat — the remaining contestants facing each other until only one stood.
One by one, they fell before Wudi. He moved like wind through leaves, never wasting motion, never striking twice. His opponents collapsed without understanding how.
When the last challenger lay defeated, Wudi stood alone in the arena.
> Wudi Tian (to the City Lord): "I have no need to prove strength with trophies. My proof is in the fact that I stand — and all others kneel."
The City Lord looked to his daughter. Yan Xue met Wudi's eyes, and for the first time, she smiled.
> Yan Xue: "I choose him."
---
Aftermath
That night, as lanterns lit the city in celebration, Wudi stood on the balcony of his new residence. Yan Xue approached quietly, her crimson robes brushing the floor.
> Yan Xue: "You took the lotus, gave it to me, and still won me. Why?"
Wudi Tian: "Because beauty should be offered, not taken. And a woman worth keeping… is a woman who chooses you herself."
She leaned closer, eyes gleaming.
> Yan Xue: "Then I choose you… Wudi Tian."
From the shadows, Yue Lian watched, her heart tightening — but also warming. She did not yet know it, but she would soon stand beside him, not behind him.
"The moon does not fight the sun for the sky.
It waits…
and shines all the brighter when night comes."