Sunrise spilled across the Lin clan's martial arts ground, shaping the shadows of hundreds of disciples and the elders on the floor. The war drums thundered against the mountain peaks, a deep, resonant sound that vibrated in the chest. This day wasn't any other day.
The announcement had been made the previous day. A grand martial arts competition.
The prize? A recognition to become the next best disciple in the Lin clan, and to be able to be a mentee of the great lotus general herself. A chance to cross blades with her, legally.
By mid-day, the central training grounds were a sea of nervous energy. The high dais was occupied by the elders, but the seat of honor—the Matriarch's—was empty. Instead, seated to the right of the empty throne, was a guest who drew almost as many stares as the Lotus General herself, who was seated at the left.
General Han RuiYing. Commander of the iron wind cavalry of the west. She was dressed in a Black-golden armor with a lion headed chest plate, signature style of the western army.
At the left of the seat of honor, sat the lotus general. Her posture rigid and proper, like a statue craved from a Jade stone. Her dark eyes swept across the sea of disciples making some even more nervous as they were already.
" They are more afraid of Yuehan than the actual combat.." one of the elders whispered to another commander.
" very well, fear sharpen the survival instinct.."
Han RuiYing's gaze slide past the high dais, her eyes searching for a specific person. Her gaze drifted towards the weapon racks. There she was, her younger sister, her cousin – Han JiLan.
JiLan saw RuiYing looking at her. A microscopic nod passed between the two, without anyone noticing.
JiLan couldn't help but smile at her older sister, whom she hasn't seen for months. However, that tiny smile was caught in the hawk eyes of someone else.
Yuehan had been watching this new girl, who dared to threaten her in a way no one ever had the guts to— or the person who had the ability to make her heart question her own principles she had been serving for almost 16 years.
The smile wasn't the usual mocking smirk JiLan gave to Yuehan. This was different— warm, bright and beautiful, filled with longing— which startled Yuehan. She has never seen this girl smile at anyone like this. Her heart skipped a beat. Just once.
But it was enough to unsettle her.
" Hey.. did you saw that?" Some of the disciples started to murmur.
" Saw what?"
" That general, the pretty one, she smiled at that new girl. Didn't you see that?"
" really? Do they know each other?" the disciples seems to look jealous.
" How is that possible? That girl Lian barely even talk to us."
" But didn't they said she came from North. Maybe she went to west too…." some were irritated. Especially one....
Finally the bouts begun.
It was more of a show of ambition than skill. But the first few battles shouldn't even be called as battles. They were a full blown of chaos— screams, dust clouds, shattered prides and awkward poses which they called martial arts. The elders watched with boredom.
Bai Suwei also took the field early to show her 'martial art skills', but only lasted 3 seconds. She tripped over the hem of her own gown, which was not at all suited for a battle field. Her opponent stood there dumbfounded as she fell flat on her doll face.
The audience roared with laughter.
" Oh heaves, look at that….so embarrassing—"
" even senior Ji's chickens last longer than that"
Suwei had to stagger back to her seat with her face— a masterpiece of mud streaks and a broken ego.
More battles followed. Some brilliant, some flashy that would only last for couple of minutes – some utterly pitiful. A few new disciples fainted even before they stepped into the arena. But the crowd seems to barely notice….why ?
The woman of the question fought with such an ease, she barely even seems to breathe harder. For most of the disciples, it was their first time they witnessed such a grace from someone rather than the lotus general.
"Arrogant."
The word was spat onto the arena floor. Zhao Feng, the son of a high-ranking military family, stepped into the ring. He was large, brash, and had spent the morning bullying the younger disciples.
"You think you're untouchable because you beat a few farmers?" Zhao Feng sneered, brandishing a heavy broadsword. "You're just a merchant's stray dog. This is your last chance to walk away before I break those pretty legs… you shrew..."
JiLan looked at him silently, her silver eyes scanning the opponent in front of her. Her silence aroused quite whispers.
" Maybe she'll loose this time…" one said.
" I hope she'll win. Anyone but that Zhao guy…. He's such a bully…" other replied.
JiLan's silence made Zhao Feng mad. He charged. It was a brutal, clumsy strike meant to maim. The crowd gasped.
JiLan vanished.
Or as it seemed. The speed she sidestepped made her look like a blur of lavender. Her wooden sword smashed with his wrist making a very audible cracking sound. Zhao Feng could only scream, because even before he recover, JiLan spun around, her blade stopping a breathe away from his throat.
The unnerving silence broke into a roar of applause. The disciples cheered—not for the merchant's daughter, but for the one who had humbled the bully.
From the high dais, RuiYing stood up, clapping softly. A wide, genuine grin was playing on her lips. JiLan finally turned around to look directly at her sister, and smiled back.
Even though the exchange was very normal for sisters— it was pretty odd for outsiders who didn't knew anything about the relationship between the two women. JiLan's smile was so warm and unchecked, for an outsider it would seem like that these two were entangled a very close relationship before— which they totally misunderstood.
Yuehan couldn't help but shift on her seat slightly. Her situation was getting out of hand. Her hands clenched into fists as she felt her heart drop.
One of the very curious elders stepped forward in the end.
" Pardon me, general. But it seems like you are well acquainted with our disciple. Dare we ask, have you known her before?"
RuiYing's smile deepened as she replied.
" Of course I know her. We… used to train together— for years….During her stay at the western boarders."
A ripple of shock ran through the entire crowd.
" P-pardon me, general— but y-you two used to train together?"
RuiYing looked right at the shocked elder.
"hard to believe? Why? Maybe because you still haven't seen her real skills.. is it?" her laugh that followed managed to send shivers down his spine.
" But I must tell you, even though you call her 'your disciple' , she's actually a product of the West, one of the finest. It's just that my little one likes challenges – a lot."
Yuehan felt her jaw tightened. She unintendedly hated how naturally, ZhiQiu fit into someone else's past, but not her's.
"Since everyone of you already know this, may I test her myself? I want to see if she still has that edge.."
The elders couldn't oppose someone from such a major military clan. " as you wish, general...."
When RuiYing stepped into the arena opposite to JiLan, something shifted. The air itself seemed to hush. Their stances mirrored one another without planning. Their gazes softened—light, nostalgic and warm.
The disciples felt like intruders.
"This… this is beautiful." One of the disciples couldn't help but awe at the scene.
"They're smiling—why are they smiling?"
The whole exchange again aroused the previous misunderstanding.
" were they…very close?— I mean— like in a relationship?"
" no way!"
" but look at them— doesn't it look like a reunion of long lost lovers?" one of the girls shrieked. Yuehan was at her edge after listening to all these nonsense. She could only lean forward with her hands on her knees.
There was a teasing glint in RuiYing's eyes. " Show me you haven't gone soft living in this flowery place…. Little one.."
JiLan laughed softly. Her stances ready to attack. " try to keep up…general…"
The fight was electric. It was more like a conversation than a duel. To the onlookers, it looked like a dazzling display of high-level combat. But to JiLan and RuiYing it felt like how they used play when they were kids. JiLan wasn't using her full power, she was using her home style—the fluid, adaptive style of the Han Clan. RuiYing pressed forward, making JiLan battle for real this time.
The sisters clashed their blades with laughter in their eyes. Memories spoke through every strike--shared bruises, running through training fields, warm hands pulling each other back to their feet. There were many…
When JiLan finally tapped RuiYing's waist with her wooden sword in a gentle, final blow, the general grinned widely.
"Well done…little one.." she murmured, starring at her younger sister, before pulling her into a tight hug. " You've grown up."
JiLan smiled, her eyes slightly closed. "glad to see you again.."
Yuehan looked away, the sour taste of jealousy almost unbearable now. Her mind screaming with the same line. "Why does she let her touch her? She flinches away from everyone else."
The competition wound down. JiLan stood alone in the center of the ring. The winner.
"General Lin," the head Elder announced. "The victor awaits."
Yuehan stood up and vaulted into the arena, landing with a heavy thud that cracked the stone beneath her boots. She was not smiling. She was burning.
The duel began.
And immediately, the air changed. This was not a friendly spar. Yuehan attacked with the ferocity of a wildfire. Her strikes were heavy, fast, and fueled by a confusing mix of admiration and biting jealousy. She wanted to wipe that smile off this woman's face—or maybe, she just wanted to claim it for herself.
JiLan had already realized that Yuehan wasn't holding back, she was angry. But she couldn't use her real powers – she couldn't loose either. To lose now would insult the West. The only choice that's left was to met the opponent head on.
Yuehan ramped up her speed. JiLan matched her, step for step, parry for parry. They moved faster than the disciples could even track. JiLan was pushing Yuehan to an edge, forcing the General to use her real skill, making her work for it. For the first time in years, Yuehan felt she wasn't fighting a subordinate, but a mirror. She had never fought a disciple who understood her rhythm so perfectly.
After what it felt like an eternity, they separated, panting, sweat glistening on their foreheads. The crowd was dead silent. Even some of the Elders had stood up.
Yuehan's eyes narrowed as she channeled her qi into the wooden blade, reinforcing it, preparing for a final blow. She lunged, her strike meant to shatter defenses.
JiLan saw it coming but she didn't dodge. She stepped in, channeling her own strength into her wooden sword to meet the strike perfectly.
But—
The wood simply couldn't handle the clash of two monsters. With a sound like a cracking whip, both swords exploded.
Total silence reigned over the arena.
"is this… a tie?" one of the disciple whispered, in utter disbelief.
Yuehan stared at the broken hilt in her hand, her hands trembling from the sheer adrenaline coursing through her. She looked up at the woman in front of her.
JiLan tossed her broken hilt aside. Then she bowed, respectful. "An honor, General."
Yuehan swallowed hard, her heart pounding against her ribs like a trapped beast. She had wanted to win. But this… this feeling of finding someone who couldn't be broken… was infinitely more dangerous—and thrilling.
"The honor… is mine…."