Year of the Silver Horizon, 100,015 — Tianlong Sect43Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡo4pC6AOD2x
Last Day of the 3-Month Discipline Course
Lanterns glowed like drifting stars across the courtyard, painting the night in warm shades of amber and gold. The final night of the discipline course had arrived, and Tianlong Sect — usually strict, cold, upright — shook with the noise of laughter, music, and running footsteps.
As always, the source of the chaos was unmistakable.
Huo Yulian.43Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡm024o83TiC
Feng Jinluo.43Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡiOor5mE2rt
Long Jianxu.43Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡvEI01NuaX2
Long Tianyao.43Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0Xfs1sDumY
Xing Hanxu.
Together, they were a calamity disguised as teenagers.
Someone screamed as a lantern crashed onto the roof.
Someone else yelled when Tianyao “accidentally” lifted a lantern string and sent ten drifting into the elder’s pond.
A group of disciples pointed as Yulian and Hanxu chased Jinluo around like rabid ducks, laughing so loudly the mountains echoed.
Even Tianlong Yuhan, watching from the terrace with her arms crossed, couldn’t hide her smile.
“Those boys,” she sighed. “If the heavens have any mercy, may they never gather as adults.”
Her husband Xing Lianchen chuckled.43Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡXGvo2Yu0ad
“That’s exactly why they will.”
Far below, the festival glowed around them — the last night the students would all be together before returning to their clans.
And seeing Hanxu laughing—really laughing—was enough to make even the elders smile.
But someone wasn’t smiling.
Kaixuan Snaps
Sheng Kaixuan stood alone near the lantern stalls, his gaze icy as he watched Hanxu surrounded by friends, warmth, family he didn’t grow up with.
The jealousy simmered, then boiled.
Finally, he stepped forward like a poisoned arrow.
“So this is the Xing Clan’s miracle child,” Kaixuan announced loudly, “the abandoned baby now treated like treasure. How noble.”
The laughter stopped.
Yulian was the first one to move.
His fist smashed into Kaixuan before anyone could stop him, sending the boy staggering into the lantern table.
“What did you say?” Yulian growled, ready to strike again.
Jianxu and Tianyao grabbed him.43Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡzDSD0a4NXE
Hanxu stepped between them.
Kaixuan spat blood.43Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡtzm3neHz0M
“You think being reckless makes you strong? That imprudence and stupidity of yours will drag all of us into trouble!”
Yulian lunged—but Hanxu caught him by the wrist.
“Lan Hao,” he murmured. “Enough.”
It took ten whole seconds before Yulian finally stopped shaking.
The festival slowly resumed, but the tension stayed like smoke in the air.
Farewell
The next morning, at the sect gates, the five boys gathered together.
Jinluo ruffled Hanxu’s hair.43Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡRhpa0eKyVG
“Don’t become stronger than me. I mean it.”
Tianyao elbowed him.43Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡTsI1PESBgf
“He already is.”
Jianxu hugged him tightly.43Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9FbKbiWjyT
“Come visit. If you don’t, I’ll drag you from your clan.”
Yulian punched Hanxu lightly on the forehead.
“Don’t forget your punishment from last time.”
Hanxu laughed.43Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡPxLPxDWVJt
“I won’t.”
Then he added softly, “Come back safe, all of you.”
One by one, the clans departed.
For the first time in his life—
Xing Hanxu was going home.
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and then Add to home screen.