*Chapter 23: Shadows and Silver Eyes*
The arrival of Yan Shuren felt like a windstorm blowing through Jade Spirit Academy. Everything about her—her calm stare, crisp uniform, silent raven—hinted at secrets and discipline honed in the strict halls of Iron Lotus School. It wasn't long before whispers followed her: "Why did she transfer?" "Did she get expelled?" Most students were too intimidated to ask her face-to-face.
But Yan didn't care about fitting in. She set her sights on Li Wei's group almost immediately. Whenever the friends tried to slip away for midnight strategy sessions or a quick chat by the tea trees, it was as if she appeared from the shadows without making a sound. In class, Yan's hand was always first with an answer, and her spells—elegant and cutting—left even the older students nervous. At lunch, she sat at a distance, her black raven, Nightshade, always watching from a high beam as if memorizing every move.
Jin Ming joked that "maybe she's here to steal all the snacks," but nervous laughter followed his every word. Mei Fen's illusions became extra elaborate, more defensive than playful, whenever Yan was nearby. Bao Yu felt her eyes on him in the greenhouse, and not even Rui's squirrel dared approach Nightshade.
The first real test came in Advanced Runework—a make-or-break class for third-year students, with Headmistress Zhou herself sitting in as a judge. When the teams were called to the front, Yan was matched with Li Wei. She raised an eyebrow and gave a slight nod, as if recognizing a worthy opponent.
The duel was a careful dance—Yan's spells cold and precise, Li Wei's firm and quietly clever. Yan would shift a rune at the last second, forcing Li Wei to react, but he held his own, using techniques borrowed from every friend's specialty. Their magic intertwined in bursts of gold and blue, until finally, the bell sounded with no clear winner. The room fell silent, students clinging to the benches and teachers looking at each other in surprise.
After the match, Yan lingered by the steps, watching Li Wei as the crowd filed away. "You're hiding more than skill," she said with a knowing, slightly sad smile. "I respect that. But secrets are only fun for so long."
That night, the group gathered at their secret meeting spot, tension crackling between them. Chen Xiulan glanced at the door as if expecting Nightshade to swoop inside. "We need to be careful—she's not just talented; she's hunting for something."
Rui agreed, pulling a stray black feather from his pocket. "She's already left a mark—look." There was a faint, icy rune drawn along the quill. "A warning. Or a challenge."
As they shared stories and worried together, they realized this new rival would force them to grow even closer. Mei Fen summed it up: "Yan's going to test us. Whether we like it or not, she's part of our story now."
And that's how Yan Shuren—the rival with the silver eyes and raven at her side—became the school's newest mystery, shifting every plan the group had and shadowing every secret they kept.