Elder Lu Ya
The Moon Servant Qui Fragment is but a mere sliver of the complete essence of the Moon Qui. When the elder perished, countless fragments burst forth from his lifeless body, scattering across the entire village like shards of moonlight. His Majesty, Emperor Chen, has personally entrusted me with the responsibility of refining these fragments. Although my heart swells with honor, the task before me is exceedingly arduous. I will entrust this to Elder Zhuan Su later. His thin, stooped frame and long, flowing gray hair lend him an air of ancient wisdom, as if he himself is a relic of the mountain. The deep lines etched into his face speak of a lifetime spent studying Qui and guiding countless disciples. Seeing him hunched over ancient scrolls or pacing thoughtfully across the courtyard, I can think of no one better suited for this task. He is the perfect match to safeguard something so precious.
…
Elder Zhuan Su
I have discovered a strange power emanating from the Moon Servant Qui Fragment. I asked my peers what it might mean, and we have concluded that this fragment can boost one's Qui to incredible heights. If someone were to gather all the remaining fragments, they could become unimaginably powerful, powerful enough to challenge the heavens themselves.
The greatest obstacle lies within the Ratio Aspect. Though everyone continues to pour their strength into it, the effect on the Moon Qui remains negligible, like raindrops vanishing into the boundless sea. When one extracts Qui from a corpse and refines it before merging it with their own, they must recognize the peril involved: a single misstep, and death will claim them in an instant.
I am confident that His Majesty, Emperor Ju Chen, and Empress Xi Ping possess the fortitude to withstand the refinement unscathed. Yet our concerns do not end there. Another pressing matter looms before us: who shall represent us in the Bang Chi Village Tournament? Shall we send the Emperor himself to assert our dominance, or shall we entrust this honor to a promising young talent? It is a weighty decision one that only His Majesty can render with the wisdom befitting his station.
…
Empress Xi Ping
The women of our village and I have resolved to journey to Qingliu Village, where we shall convene with their esteemed girls and women. They have graciously accepted our invitation, and soon we shall gather beneath the moonlit sky. What matters shall we deliberate upon? Foremost in our hearts is the cultivation and recognition of the extraordinary talents blooming among our youth, especially the girls whose potential shines ever brighter with each passing day.
It seems the boys, enamored with martial prowess and the pursuit of brute strength, have turned their focus outward, while the girls have chosen a quieter path, dedicating themselves to the subtle refinement of their Qui. This new generation of maidens displays astonishing promise promise that cannot, and must not, be ignored.
Today, the air itself feels lighter; hope stirs within me. Perhaps, at long last, the seeds we have sown will yield a future brighter than any we dared imagine. Today is a good day. A very good day, indeed.
…
Zheng Tu, Bang Chi Village Meeting Room
We cannot accept this tragedy!" an elder shouted, his voice shaking with fury.
"It is a disgrace. We must retaliate!" another bellowed, slamming his palm against the table.
One of our own elders has died under tragic circumstances, a death born of a terrible misunderstanding with another village. Word of this spread like wildfire, igniting anger throughout our community. With each passing hour, the calls for vengeance grow louder.
The village they hold responsible is Qingliu Village. I pray for their safety and for ours. If this rage spirals out of control, both villages may soon find themselves trapped in a conflict that neither truly wishes for.
…
Empress Xi Ping
A tragedy. An unspeakable tragedy. I had just reached the outskirts of Qingliu Village with my companions when chaos erupted before my eyes. The moment we stepped inside, a brutal assault was already underway. Warriors from Bang Chi Village, furious and relentless, had stormed into Qingliu with deadly intent.
I stood frozen, torn between two impossible choices: should I stay and try to save as many as I could, or retreat to bring reinforcements? If I had returned to the Mountain Island Village and fetched Emperor Ju Chen, he could have ended the slaughter in moments. He offered to accompany me here, but I refused, foolishly believing this meeting was only for the women of our villages. Now, that choice haunts me.
I watched in horror as people fell all around me. Screams split the night, mingling with the clash of steel and the roar of flames. My heart ached as I saw so many innocent lives cut down, and I realized how powerless I was.
In the end, I made the coward's choice. I gathered as many young girls as I could and fled into the darkened forest. I saved only a handful. My hands trembled as I held them close, each step filled with the cries of those I failed to protect.
Now I sit in silence, the weight of regret suffocating me. I wish I could turn back time. I wish I had brought Ju Chen. Perhaps then this tragedy could have been prevented.
…
Empress Xi Ping
I have never seen Ju Chen so enraged. The moment he heard what had happened, he gathered the elders and stormed into Qingliu Village, cutting down the invading warriors with ruthless precision. His fury was like a raging storm swift, merciless, unstoppable.
But he did not stop there. Ju Chen marched straight to Bang Chi Village and demanded an audience with their emperor, Yi Feng. Their conversation was fierce, filled with rage and accusations. I can only imagine the words exchanged. In the end, Yi Feng realized the weight of his mistake and offered a deep, humble apology, bowing low before Ju Chen.
I had always known Ju Chen was powerful, but witnessing this revealed the true extent of his might. He is not only one of the strongest in the Mountain Island Sect, but a force capable of changing the fate of entire villages with his presence alone.
Yet the cost of this tragedy was staggering. Qingliu Village suffered between twenty and fifty casualties, mostly young boys who died trying to protect the girls. I suspect word of our plan to nurture the girls had spread, and the boys, fearing their own worth was diminished, threw themselves into danger to prove their value.
This thought torments me. By placing so much focus on the girls, I may have planted seeds of resentment and desperation among the boys. My heart aches for the young lives lost. Their sacrifices weigh heavily on my soul.
I have not been able to sleep for days. My mind is a storm of regret and grief. I fear I may never find peace.
…
Ju Chen, 19th July 1293
Ungrateful bastards. I had a furious confrontation with that wretch, Emperor Yi Feng. He and his warriors butchered dozens of children under the age of fifteen innocent lives who had not even undergone the Qui Ritual. Yet he dared to speak to me as if I were a commoner. I made sure he understood his place.
Bang Chi Village has been indebted to Qingliu Village for decades, and to us for the last five years. I trust this will stand as a warning to the neighboring villages within the Mountain Island Village's domain: do not provoke others without cause, or you will invite ruin upon yourselves.
Because of this disgrace, the yearly tradition of the Martial Arts Tournament in Bang Chi Village has been abolished. Neither we nor any other village will participate there again. Shi Xia Cun Village has stepped forward to host the tournament instead. It lies miles beyond Bang Chi; it took me five hours to reach Bang Chi, so I estimate it will take seven to eight hours to reach Shi Xia Cun.
…
Emperor Yi Feng
I screwed up. Badly. Qingliu Village took a scripture from one of my men. When he went missing, we assumed they had murdered him, so we retaliated without hesitation. That proved to be a grave mistake.
Yet I feel nothing. I see this outcome as both a loss and a victory. The loss is clear: our warriors are dead and our reputation is in ruins. The victory is that no one will ever know what that scripture contains. It holds the secrets of the Sun Qui and the method to obtain it. There are those who would do anything to seize that knowledge, and I could not risk it falling into their hands.
So I acted in desperation. Perhaps it was the wrong choice, but it is done. My men have perished, but the scripture remains hidden. For now, that is enough.
…
Empress Ma Yimu
The Martial Arts Tournament has officially been entrusted to our village. I am both overjoyed and deeply honored by this opportunity. But there is one problem: I have no idea how to organize such an event.
I suppose I could gather the elders for their wisdom and ask the young warriors what they would like to see. They know the spirit of our village better than anyone. Still, I cannot help but laugh at myself. The weight of this responsibility feels almost comical. How does one even start planning a tournament that entire villages will attend? Where should the arenas be built? What rules must we set?
Nonetheless, I will give it my all. If we do this well, Shi Xia Cun Village may finally earn the respect it has long been denied. For now, I will start by listening. Perhaps the answers lie in the hearts of my people.