As the sun dipped below the horizon, the grand courtyard of the Chen Mansion glowed under countless spirit lamps. Ornate paper lanterns floated gently in the air, their soft golden light reflecting off the polished jade tiles. The banquet had finally begun in full. Music played, cultivators laughed, and a hundred flavors filled the air. But Long Tianyan's steps remained calm and quiet as he was led into the inner chamber.
Chen Yixuan's grandfather, the head of the Chen family, sat at the center, dressed in a long deep-blue robe embroidered with golden clouds. His aura was steady and deep—1st Layer of the Spirit Transformation Realm, a true foundation of Verdant Stone City.
Chen Yixuan stood beside him respectfully as Tianyan approached. "Grandfather, this is Long Tianyan, the one I mentioned before."
The old man opened his eyes slowly, sharp yet kind. "So you're the young alchemist who won the outer sect competition."
Tianyan nodded. Without unnecessary pleasantries, he brought out a small jade box and placed it on the low offering table. "Happy hundredth birthday, Senior Chen. This is a humble gift—a 3rd-tier Spirit Grade Breakthrough Pill. I refined it myself."
The room fell silent.
The Chen family elders and guests nearby looked surprised. A third-tier pill? Refined by a inner sect disciple?
Chen Yixuan's grandfather opened the box. The faint scent of medicinal fragrance wafted through the air—pure, balanced, and with a rhythmic medicinal flow that revealed no flaws. The pill glowed faintly, its luster sharp under the lantern light.
After a moment of examination, the old man smiled broadly.
"This purity… this structure… even among certified alchemists, it would be praised." He looked at Tianyan with new interest. "For someone so young, this gift is anything but humble."
He paused, then nodded approvingly. "You've earned my respect, boy. I'll remember this kindness."
Tianyan bowed lightly and stepped back.
Chen Yixuan watched with sparkling eyes, proud and happy—until a voice broke the mood.
"You give that old man a mere pill and suddenly you're a hero now?"
Liu Yan.
Though still bandaged and limping slightly from the earlier fight, he stood at the side with a mocking smile. Before anyone could speak, a cold voice cut across the gathering.
"Keep barking, and you'll leave with more broken bones."
It was Qing Yue. She stood near a stone pillar, her robes fluttering in the wind like moonlight. Her eyes were fixed coldly on Liu Yan, who instantly backed away with clenched teeth.
The old man narrowed his eyes slightly at the disruption but said nothing, and the party resumed.
Later that night, as the banquet slowly wound down and most guests returned to their courtyards or retired indoors, Tianyan stepped outside to the moonlit veranda near the spirit pond. He wasn't one for noise and crowds.
Moonlight spilled across the rippling surface of the water, and the faint hum of crickets sang in the distance. He closed his eyes for a moment, letting the silence wrap around him.
"I thought I'd find you here."
Tianyan turned. Qing Yue stepped forward, her long hair brushing against her shoulder, her steps quiet as falling snow.
"You always slip away," she said.
Tianyan glanced at her. "Noise tires me."
Qing Yue stopped beside him. "Same."
For a long moment, they said nothing. The pond reflected the moonlight, and their shadows stretched side by side on the jade tiles.
"I watched you refine that pill," she said quietly. "The balance of your flame, the rotation speed… not just instinct. You understand it."
"I listen to what the flame says," Tianyan replied simply.
She chuckled under her breath. "You speak like an old man."
Then, her tone softened. "I wasn't lying when I said my grandfather would be interested in you. He taught me that flame is not just fire—it's breath, intention, and silence. But what you use is older than that."
She turned slightly, facing him. "You promised to teach me."
"And I will," Tianyan said. "When you're ready to listen, not to control."
Their eyes met.
Before anything more could be said, footsteps approached from behind.
"Tianyan?"
It was Chen Yixuan.
She walked toward them with hesitant steps, her gaze flicking between the two. When she saw how close Qing Yue stood beside him, something in her eyes darkened ever so slightly.
"I was looking for you. I wanted to ask about… Liu Yan," she said, glancing at the bandages still tied on his arm.
"He won't bother you again," Tianyan replied calmly.
Yixuan nodded, then turned to Qing Yue. "You are…?"
"Qing Yue," she said with a faint smile. "Alchemy Hall. We've met before… but I suppose now we're both interested in the same flame."
Tianyan blinked at the double meaning.
Chen Yixuan's smile tightened. "I didn't know he was taking students."
"I didn't know he had friends," Qing Yue said with a hint of teasing.
The tension grew quiet but sharp.
Before it could stretch too far, Tianyan spoke, his voice like a cold breeze. "Enough. I'll teach when the time comes. For now—let the moon be still."
The girls looked at him.
Then, Qing Yue gave a short bow. "Very well. I'll see you again, Long Tianyan."
She walked away slowly, vanishing into the soft mist by the pond.
Chen Yixuan bit her lower lip. "Qing Yue asked you to teach her?"
"She's curious," Tianyan said.
Chen Yixuan looked away. "That makes two of us."
The moonlight rippled across the pond, casting reflections of three hearts—one curious, one proud, and one uncertain—onto the still waters.