Surrounded by the sacred sandalwood forests, the lush grassy meadows still held the echoes of chants whispered by the wind.
The ritual, which had begun with reverence and silence, now lingered like incense in the air. The same earth that once cradled countless students' tired hearts in comfort now lay still.....empty, and yet not lifeless.
It was as if the land, once alive with footsteps and soft prayers, had finally lain down to rest.
The petals danced gently in the breeze. The scent of wildflowers filled the emptiness. The silence of the field felt not abandoned but sacred, as though unseen spirits still walked through it, their presence blessing every blade of grass.
But elsewhere…
Within the revered gates of the Legacy of the Peach Blossom Academy, terror had taken root.
A thick silence, heavy like fog, had descended over the ancient courtyard. Dozens of students stood in formation, swords gripped tightly in their hands .....blades granted by their spiritual beasts, only days prior. But now, those hands trembled not from reverence… but from dread.
At the center of it all stood Grandmaster Kinji Yo, wrapped in crimson ceremonial robes now blackened by the reflection of the flames flickering beside him. His expression was a cold stone mask, but his eyes ... those were volcanoes, burning with wrath.
He scanned every face before him, searching ..... searching for six.
Six who were no longer here.
Six who had vanished just before the sacred ritual began.
Joye,shu bi suan,wang gung, ming heng, zhi yao and fui lon.
But none of the faces in front of him matched the ones in his memory.
And then it happened.
With a thunderous voice that rolled like a storm across the valley, Grandmaster Kinji Yo roared his decree:
"Those six… traitors of the sacred rite… are to be punished with a thousand lashes and six months of confinement in the northern cavern."
A collective gasp swept through the crowd. Students flinched as if the lash had already struck their backs. The courtyard trembled with fear. No one had ever heard such a sentence. No one had imagined such cruelty.
But behind that righteous fury… hid something darker.
This was no true punishment for rule-breaking.
No act of justice.
This was a trap.
Kinji Yo, ever cunning, was wrapping a blade in the cloth of law. What he truly sought…
was the death of Mo Yan.
If he could declare their crime as abandonment of the sacred ritual, and their death as the result of "resisting the law"… then no one could question him. The academy's sacred rules would protect him. The truth would drown in fear.
While the whispers of betrayal began to echo through the academy halls…
Far away, deep within the tranquil realm of the Seven Peaks, the real story was unfolding.
---
The ritual was complete.
Peace hung in the air like the lingering hum of a temple bell.
Even the wind dared not speak now.
Wuzu's eyes were the first to open .... half-lidded, adjusting to the twilight's soft glow. The golden-orange sun dipped low in the sky, casting gentle light upon her face.
And before her…
stood a Fire Fox, its flames smoldering but controlled, its proud head bowed low in reverence.
Not just her.
One by one, the others awoke .... each greeted by their spiritual companions.
Mo Yan opened his eyes to see Bai Long standing silently, a vision of purity, his sapphire eyes shut, head bowed, heart aligned.
Duie smiled as a majestic eagle appeared before him ..... wings folded, gaze loyal.
Su Nian was met by a fearsome yet regal silver wolf, its eyes glowing with ancient knowledge.
But when Lao Duan blinked awake… his heart skipped.
No one was there.
Panic set in. Where is he? Did he leave me?
The memory of that mischievous rabbit flickered in his mind ... the one who had appeared on the day of the selection, full of tricks and curiosity.
And then… he turned.
There he was.
Sitting behind him, the same naughty rabbit, now calm, now respectful, head bowed.
Lao Duan sighed. Of course, he thought. Why would he do anything the normal way?
---
And now… the final step.
Each student had to call upon their spiritual companion by name.
Only if accepted… would the beast present its truest gift ....
A sacred, ancient weapon.
A soul-bound blade that could only be wielded by the one chosen by fate.
Their hands moved to their hearts. Their breath steadied. Their lips parted.....
The names had to be real.
Earned.
Spoken with trust.
The moment had arrived.
Not just for strength .....
But for unbreakable bonds.
---
And yet far behind them...
a hunt had begun.