The still air in the quiet room carried a heavy weight.
Mu Chen placed his sword down and rose to his feet. He walked to Ai Ning and gently placed his hand upon her head.....not as a brother, but with the tenderness of a father.
Her brave facade crumbled instantly. Tears welled up, spilling down as she threw her arms around him.
"No, Brother… I am not your sister. I am your burden. I know it. The money we saved… it is far too little. I heard the man's announcement myself… Brother, I don't want to study. I just want to stay by your side."
Mu Chen's own eyes burned as he heard those words from her lips. Her tears awakened a memory long buried in his heart.
---
Flashback
When he was young, Mu Chen would quarrel with Ai Ning almost every day. It had become their daily ritual. And every day, Ai Ning would run to their mother, crying complaints.....that her brother had pulled her hair, ruined her clothes, or bullied her in some way.
One day, his mother had called him close, her voice carrying a warmth like fire in winter, a gentleness like petals of a flower, and a clarity like running water.
"Lian Jue," she asked softly, "do you know why the lotus blooms in mud?"
Young Mu Chen tilted his head upward, thinking carefully.
"The book said… the lotus grows in the mud to protect its beauty."
His mother laughed, sweetly and lovingly. In that same tone, she replied:
"Very good, Lian Jue. But if the lotus only wanted to protect its beauty, it could have bloomed upon the most thorned vine, or at the peak of the tallest tree. It could have poisoned itself to ward off danger...or worse. Yet, why did it choose the mud instead? In mud, it is far too easy to crush."
Lian Jue fell silent, unable to answer such a deep question. But his mother had the answer.
"The lotus chose the mud because it knows whom to keep close, and whom to keep distant. The mud is its protection. The lotus knows that if anyone truly needs it, they will come to it.....stepping into its mud themselves.
And so, hidden within its muddy cradle, it preserves its purity, showing its beauty to the world while guarding its true essence in silence.
Remember this, Lian Jue....your sister is that fragile lotus bud. Until she blooms, it is your duty to protect her. And when the time comes… if you must become the mud to protect the lotus, then do so without hesitation."
Flashback Ends
---
Shouming Hall
All around, whispers filled the air. Faces turned to one another, murmuring that the Crown Prince had once again failed to appear at the gathering. Today, of all days, his presence had been crucial.
Patriarch Wen huan himself had come specifically to meet Heng Yao Ren, yet....just as before. ....another excuse had been given.
But this time, Patriarch Wen huan did not swallow his words. Standing tall before the assembly, he addressed them openly:
"As you all know, not long ago a great Cultivation Path came to its end, producing many powerful warriors and cultivators for our realm. And now, tradition demands that another group be chosen to embark on the next Path.
As is customary, when one chosen group finishes, the next must begin. This time, I shall personally oversee this Cultivation Path. My own daughter, Fushi Xuan Ten, will also be among those who participate."
With that, the Patriarch suddenly rose to his feet. His disciples moved in unison behind him, following their master's every gesture.
At once, every official, elder, and teacher in the hall also stood, unable to remain seated in his presence.
The Patriarch stepped forward. When he spoke again, his voice no longer carried the gentleness of flowing water. It thundered like lightning crashing against stone.....sharp, commanding, impossible to ignore.
"We have come today to extend an invitation to Crown Prince Heng Yao Ren to join the Cultivation Path. I trust we shall see him at Zhiyuan Hall.
But if he does not appear… then we will be left with no choice but to investigate the matter."
His words rippled through the Shouming Hall like a storm. It was less an invitation and more a threat.
Gasps and murmurs followed instantly:
"Patriarch Wenhuan is angry today…"
"Where is the Prince? He refused to enter the Path six years ago as well."
"It's true. For six years, no one has seen him at any gathering."
The air grew heavier with unease.
And though Queen Xiyen Zhaori'an stood calm, the sweat upon her brow betrayed her. The Patriarch's sharp gaze fell directly upon her, piercing like a blade.....leaving no doubt that he knew something was gravely amiss.
For Wenhuan was not a man easily deceived.