Legacy of Peach Blossom Academy
The rain had finally ceased.
The sun had emerged from behind the clouds, scattering faint, delicate rays across the land.
Snowfall began anew.....gentle, unhurried, as though it had paused for a breath and now returned to its task.
The rain had washed away the thick white sheet of snow, yet with the snow's return, the air grew colder still.
Tiny, pure-white flakes drifted down from the sky, glimmering softly in the pale sunlight.
But amidst this serene winter scene, there was one man whose back was damp with sweat despite the freezing air.....Master Azhai Rong.
Standing before Lady Duan Shou, he felt the weight of unease settle heavily on his chest.
He knew well.....if the matter fell into her hands, she would not back down.
Better to leave before she could read his intentions.
With a courteous bow, Master Azhai Rong spoke, his voice formal yet hurried:
"Your arrival brings us great joy. We had wished to discuss certain matters with you, but alas...time is short. At the Xueyan Huo Sect, a ritual is about to begin, and we must personally oversee it. We beg your leave."
Lady Duan Shou merely smiled and nodded, silent as moonlight.
And so, without lingering another moment, Master Azhai Rong mounted his horse alongside his officers.
Like thunderclouds scattering across the horizon, they vanished.
Yet Lady Duan Shou knew the truth.
The instant Azhai Rong departed, the atmosphere shifted.....as though the season of peach blossoms had arrived in the heart of winter.
A genuine smile touched her lips.
The sword she had been holding before her Waist .....she now slipped to rest upon her back.
This was the etiquette of the Lan family.
A sword held before one's body meant danger to oneself and to the other.
A sword worn on the back meant trust....signifying that those before her were allies.
She walked directly toward the Fengxian family.
With a graceful movement, Lady Duan Shou drew a sigil in the air.
From it, glowing incantations spilled forth, unraveling every binding spell that restrained them.
Chains of magic dissolved into nothingness.
She gently and respectfully helped Yin Fengxian to her feet, then Su Ri Zhen.
Turning, she bowed her head before Master Ren Zhou and Lady Mei, offering them the salute of an equal.
Gasps rippled through the academy...Lady Duan Shou… showing respect to supposed criminals?
It was then that Wey Xiong, who had until now remained hidden, stepped into the Legacy of Peach Blossom Academy.
Without hesitation, he came to stand at Lady Duan Shou's side.
Master Ren Zhou, his tone respectful yet tinged with surprise, asked:
"Master Duan Shou… you are here?"
Lady Duan Shou laughed.....a clear, sincere laugh, and at once, a sacred resonance seemed to echo across the academy like a holy chant.
Reaching out, she seized Wey Xiong by the ear, twisting it playfully.
In a teasing tone, she said:
"If this little troublemaker hadn't run to tell me everything, you would have been trapped inside a deep moves ."
Wey Xiong flailed, caught in her grip like a mischievous child before his mother.
The sight of their lighthearted exchange sent waves of laughter rolling through the academy.
Students, officers....everyone found themselves unable to suppress their smiles.