The cool morning air whispered through the corridors of the Yang Cn estate. Yang Rui’s fingers trembled as she adjusted her robe, still unsettled by the dream that clung to her mind like fog. The image of her mother — eyes bck as coal, face twisted with sorrow — refused to fade.
*"It's just a dream…"* Yang Rui told herself, yet her heart remained heavy.
She walked briskly down the corridor, passing Xu Wang and Wang Li. Xu Wang knelt beneath a tree, struggling to channel his aura into his chest. His face was pale, sweat dripping from his brow. Mei Ling stood before him, her stance firm, one hand resting on the hilt of her short bde.
“You’re forcing it too much,” Mei Ling warned. “You need to let your core’s aura flow naturally.”
“I know what I’m doing,” Xu Wang muttered, frustration creeping into his voice.
Mei Ling raised her sword, pointing it at him. “Then let’s see you prove it.”
Xu Wang staggered to his feet, brushing dirt from his robe. “You sure you want this?”
“Afraid you’ll lose?” Mei Ling smirked.
They squared off in the courtyard. Mei Ling’s bde danced through the air, her movements light and precise. Xu Wang summoned his aura, green wisps flickering around his fists.
Mei Ling lunged first, her sword a blur. Xu Wang dodged, but barely — the bde grazed his sleeve. He retaliated, sending a pulse of Anahata aura toward her, but Mei Ling twisted mid-air, deflecting the attack with a spiral of emerald energy.
“You’re still too slow,” Mei Ling teased.
Xu Wang gritted his teeth and surged forward. He struck with his palm, sending a shockwave of aura that rippled across the ground. Mei Ling leapt back, flipping through the air before nding gracefully.
“You’re improving,” she admitted. “But not enough.”
Mei Ling’s aura condensed around her bde, creating a shimmering green edge. She dashed forward, faster than before, her sword sshing in a blur of light. Xu Wang barely managed to form a defensive barrier in time. The impact knocked him back several feet.
“Again!” Xu Wang demanded, scrambling to his feet.
“Enough,” Mei Ling said, lowering her bde. “You’ll burn out your core if you keep pushing like this.”
“I can handle it,” Xu Wang growled.
“I know you can,” Mei Ling said softly. “But fighting isn’t just about power. If you don’t learn control, you’ll end up like…” She paused, swallowing her words.
“Like who?” Xu Wang asked.
“No one,” Mei Ling said, stepping away. “Get some rest.”
---
Meanwhile, in the Yang Cn library, Wang Li sat hunched over a pile of dusty scrolls. The dim candlelight flickered across her face as she turned each brittle page. She had spent hours combing through forgotten texts, seeking knowledge few others dared to pursue.
Most of what she found was dull — old records, forgotten treaties, and ancient farming techniques. But then her fingers paused on a parchment bound in bck silk. The ink was faded, yet something about it felt... wrong.
The scroll detailed rituals once forbidden in the Yang Cn — twisted techniques that maniputed Qi through pain and sacrifice. Some symbols appeared simir to the ones Xu Wang had encountered during his training.
Near the bottom, she found a name written in crimson ink: "The Harbinger of the Bck Gate."
“What is this?” Wang Li whispered.
The text warned of a powerful technique that could awaken *"The Sleeper in the Dark,"* a presence said to consume both aura and life force. The text ended abruptly, but a final note was scrawled in hurried handwriting:
*"He walks among us now."*
Wang Li’s fingers tightened around the scroll. Whatever this meant, it was no coincidence. Someone had hidden this on purpose.
---
Yang Rui reached Zhen Rao’s quarters and knocked softly.
“Come in,” Zhen Rao’s voice called.
“My dy… I’m here,” Yang Rui said as she stepped inside.
Zhen Rao smiled warmly. “How many times must I tell you? Call me mother.”
Yang Rui bowed her head. “I’m sorry... but I can’t.” Her voice wavered. “I respect you deeply, but I only had one mother, and she's gone now.”
Zhen Rao’s smile faltered. “I understand,” she said gently. “What’s on your mind?”
“I’ve decided to leave,” Yang Rui said firmly. “I’ve stayed here long enough. I have no reason to remain.”
Zhen Rao’s expression darkened. “And where will you go?”
“With them,” Yang Rui replied. “I still believe in my mother… and I always will.”
Silence stretched between them. Finally, Zhen Rao sighed. “If that’s what you want... then go.”
Yang Rui bowed deeply. “Thank you... for everything.”
As she turned to leave, Zhen Rao called out, “Be careful out there.”
“I will,” Yang Rui said quietly before stepping away.
---
On her way back to her room, Yang Rui’s thoughts swirled like a storm. When she passed the courtyard, her eyes nded on Xu Wang once more. He was slumped beneath the tree now, breath shallow, his chest rising and falling faintly.
“Are you okay?” Mei Ling’s worried voice asked.
“I’m fine... just need a minute,” Xu Wang muttered.
“You need to remove the aura from your blood before it overwhelms your core,” Mei Ling insisted. “If you faint, I’ll...” She paused, blushing. “I’ll wake you up... with my mother’s... special technique.”
“What?” Xu Wang murmured, half-conscious.
“Nothing!” Mei Ling blurted, turning away.
Yang Rui frowned, about to step closer — but then she froze. Mei Ling gnced left, then right. Seeing no one, she knelt beside Xu Wang... and kissed him softly.
Yang Rui’s breath caught. She stumbled back, heart pounding.
---
That night, Yang Rui couldn’t sleep. The memory of Mei Ling’s kiss twisted her emotions — anger, confusion, and sadness crashing together. She hated how much it bothered her.
*"Why does it matter?"* she scolded herself. *"I’m leaving... it’s none of my concern."*
Before dawn, Yang Rui wrapped a folded cloth — her mother’s keepsake — and tucked it into her sleeve. Quietly, she walked through the halls, pausing when she reached the courtyard.
Xu Wang still slept beneath the tree. His face was calm now, free of pain. Yang Rui knelt beside him and pced the cloth near his hand.
“This will protect you,” she whispered. “Even if I can’t.”
She rose to her feet and walked away.
---
As Yang Rui passed the Yang Cn gates, she paused. The air seemed warmer than before — not stifling, but comforting. A faint pulse of familiar aura lingered in the air — gentle yet powerful.
Her heart raced. This... feels like her...
For a moment, Yang Rui swore she could feel her mother’s presence — watching, guarding. The warmth seemed to wrap around her like an unseen embrace.
“Mother…?” she whispered.
She turned sharply, but there was no one there — only a faint shimmer in the air, like golden dust scattering in the morning breeze. The presence drifted away, fading as swiftly as it had come.
Yang Rui stood still for a moment longer, tears stinging her eyes. She's still watching over me…
Drawing a steady breath, she pressed forward. As she reached the main path, she spotted Xu Wang, Mei Ling, and Wang Li waiting just ahead.
“You’re te,” Wang Li teased, arms crossed.
“Don’t tell me you got cold feet,” Mei Ling added with a grin.
Xu Wang chuckled. “I told them you'd come.”
Yang Rui wiped her eyes quickly and smiled. “Of course I did.”
Together, they stepped into the mist — their path uncertain, yet their hearts stronger than before.
To be continued......
