The next morning dawned crisp and golden over the peaks of Tianlong Sect. Mist swirled across the lake, bell chimes echoed from distant pavilions, and the disciples assembled once again before the masters.
From the center row stepped a youth in dark silver robes. Calm, composed, eyes carrying the quiet steadiness of water after storm.
“Disciple Xing Hanxu, courtesy name Hanzhen, gives his greetings to the elders.”
The masters nodded approvingly — his posture, his voice, his very presence reminded them of someone long past. One of the elders, after unwrapping the gift Hanxu presented — a jade carving of two dragons circling the moon — smiled faintly.27Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡmV67VI6b21
“This boy has taste. The craft carries patience.”27Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8LjwgGbz20
Even Liuyue, standing in the corner, said nothing but the faintest pride glimmered behind his still expression.
The morning lecture began with solemn grace — until Huo Yulian decided to exist.
Hidden between stacks of parchment, he scrawled something quickly onto a folded sheet, passed it across the row to Feng Jinluo, who smirked and slid it to Long Tianyao, who passed it to Long Jianxu, who—27Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡB9x6EzFgnT
—handed it straight into Hanxu’s waiting palm.
Hanxu unfolded it quietly.27Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡkNsnwysXtH
On the paper: “Meet near the waterfall after class.”27Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡydo32g0LmH
Hanxu sighed, scribbled something back, and sent it on the reverse path like a messenger bird flying home.
By the time the note reached Yulian again, the four of them were barely holding back laughter.
Then, from across the hall, came Yulian’s low mutter — “That prick…”
The master’s voice froze mid-sentence.27Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡumtPxsqz5d
“Prick? Who is this prick you speak of, young man?”
The entire class erupted. Even the usually reserved Jinluo coughed to hide his grin. The laughter spread like wildfire — except for Yulian, who turned pale as the moon.
A few hours later, the culprit could be found hunched in the Tianlong Library, ink stains on his fingers, eyes dull with regret as he copied the Sect Rules.
“Ten times,” Hanxu had said. But for Yulian, somehow, ten became a month.
The door creaked open. Feng Jinluo entered, voice even and teasing.27Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZiczvEPzjf
“Hanxu, I can’t just sit and watch you bully him like this.”
“Who’s bullying?” Hanxu replied from the shelves.
Yulian sniffled dramatically, his brush shaking.27Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡtwmyl7WRhW
“See? He doesn’t even let me breathe!”
Long Tianyao poked his head in. “Why are you crying again?”
Hanxu folded his arms. “Let him cry. When he’s done, drag him outside.”
“I—what—” Yulian started, words tripping over each other.
“One more word,” Hanxu interrupted calmly, “and it’s two hundred times.”
Yulian froze. The others burst into laughter so loud even the sect guards outside chuckled.
and then Add to home screen.