Xueyan Huo Sect
The Daoren Academy...an academy where red and white silk draperies swayed in the wind, and apple trees flourished in every corner.
Apple blossoms were revered as sacred within its walls. The atmosphere was serene, white snow shimmering under the sunlight, though the chill of winter's breath still lingered in the air.
The academy housed five great halls, each devoted to a different art.
In the Hall of Dance Arts, disciples robed in violet moved with elegance and grace. Every gesture of their bodies stirred ancient incantations, and from the tips of their fingers burst forth strands of power, all born from the rhythm of their mystic dance.
In the Hall of Martial Arts, warriors clad in black trained with unyielding fervor. The hall echoed with vigor as their swords sliced through the very air. Before them stood a teacher, guiding each stance and strike. His disciples mirrored every movement in perfect unison, a storm of steel and discipline.
In the Hall of Medicine, calm reigned. Students in white robes sat silently, their gazes fixed upon their master, who imparted the profound knowledge of herbs. Still and steady, the disciples absorbed every word as if each syllable could heal worlds.
The Hall of Music Arts resonated with ethereal harmony. Disciples dressed in azure sat before their instruments, playing a single melody in perfect accord. The notes wove together into a soothing cadence, filling the hall with sounds so gentle, it was as if the snow outside had melted into spring.
And in the final hall....the Hall of Agriculture...rows upon rows of tender green plants stretched across the chamber. A master instructed the disciples on each sprout and leaf. Clad in sky-blue robes, the students studied every seedling with devotion, as though tending to life itself.
But…
Whispers spread across the academy.
Master Azhai Rong had been seized on the command of the Langshan Sect Leader and brought before the High Court.
The academy upheld a strict law: No matter what calamity befell the outside world, learning within must never be disrupted.
Thus, on the surface, neither teachers nor students faltered. Yet beneath that calm exterior, everyone knew what had taken place within the Sanctum of Healing, and the peril that had nearly consumed it.
Moments before the ritual could be completed, a sudden arrow from Lao Duan had struck Master Azhai Rong's chest, halting the dark ceremony in its tracks. Aid arrived in time, but as the old saying went:
"When one plucks a lotus from the mire, the filth clings not only to the hands of the sinner, but to the gaze of the witness as well."
Thus, all stepped back. Yet not completely.
The Chief Elder of the academy, a master physician of renown, had fallen into deep meditation, praying fervently that the demonic rite would be severed. His prayers did not go unanswered.
Now, the Chief Elder himself arrived, scroll in hand, at the chamber where Mo Yan and Yu Sui were kept. The atmosphere was heavy, hearts weighed down by despair. Each face seemed to dim with every passing breath.
Yet when the disciples Su Nian, Duie, Lao Duan, and Wey Xiong saw him, they rose to their feet, bowing in solemn respect.
The master immediately began his examination. His hands hovered with practiced precision, then at last he exhaled deeply. He turned toward the four disciples, about to speak.....
....but at that very moment, the heavens thundered with a cry unlike any other.
Twin phoenixes, their voices resonant as celestial bells, descended into the vast courtyard of the academy. Their cries shattered the solemn silence, stirring awe and dread alike.
Every student abandoned their practice and rushed outside. Even the masters themselves came forth, for such a sight could not be ignored.
What they beheld surpassed imagination.
Two phoenixes, wreathed in azure flame, had landed upon the snow. They shook their wings like divine birds bathing, scattering dust and ash with each majestic motion.
One of the phoenixes spread its wings and flew directly into the chamber where Master Yu Sui lay, the other close behind.
The instant the phoenixes entered, Duie's eyes widened. He remembered. This was Yu Sui's true phoenix.....the very same he had witnessed on that first day of the grand competition.
Duie's face bloomed like peach blossoms in spring, radiant with joy. Seeing him, Su Nian's heart also warmed. Though he did not know the reason, he trusted....if Duie could smile amidst such gravity, there must be cause for hope.
Everyone stepped back as the phoenixes approached the unconscious masters. The twin birds closed their eyes, their foreheads glowing with light. From each arose a shimmering stream of brilliance....one entered Yu Sui, the other Mo Yan.
At last, they conjured forth a blue scroll, which descended into Duie's hands.
He opened it swiftly. The words glowed:
"Master Yu Sui's soul slumbers. The curse upon him has been lifted, but the sudden absence of its malignant force drained his spirit, casting him into unconsciousness. His strength has already returned. All that remains is to wait. The Sovereign Yu Sui is safe."
At those words, the room erupted in joy. Laughter and cheers rang out as congratulations spread from heart to heart. Such fortune was not a common blessing.
It was then that Yin Fengxian and Su Ri entered. When they felt the radiance of hope within the chamber, their faces too lit up, as though the sacred season of peach blossoms had arrived solely within that room.
What was once still and cold now thrummed with life.
…Some time later.
Everyone had gathered around Yu Sui and Mo Yan, smiles bright upon their faces. All eyes, all hearts, all souls were fixed upon them.
And then.....Yu Sui's fingers twitched. Slowly, his eyes opened.
Mo Yan stirred as well, consciousness returning.
A thunderous cheer burst forth. Joy shook the room, rolling like a mighty tide.