Under celestial dreams, Xianxia and Wuxia worlds unfold
Ye Hua He snorted. So abrupt, fast and sharp, it hurt his nostril. Undoubtedly not a dignified sound for the future Celestial Emperor, but Bai Qian had that effect on him — like a sudden gale tearing through his intricately arranged mental scrolls, like the unruly tendrils of wavy hair at his temples that rebelliously […]
Chapter 20 Ye Hua~ “When emotions run high, people utter words they never mean in the heat of the moment,” my brother Mo Yuan murmured, his hand firm on my shoulder as he offered both gentle chiding and comfort. “I told you to keep your wife in check. There are lines no one should cross […]
Chapter 19 Ruilin~ “Father said you were to stay put until Princess Changying emerges from seclusion,” Feng Ming said casually, nudging pebbles with his foot and nudging my temper with his words. “But isn’t it odd she hasn’t contacted you directly after her trial and instead sent an impersonal messenger? Are you worried, Ruilin?” His […]
Chapter 18 Bai Qian~ There are fates far worse than finding oneself amid a lively celebration at a breathtaking mountain-top school, surrounded by cherished loved ones and with an abundance of wine flowing endlessly. For example, I might be relentlessly stalked by an unstoppable, tireless, formidable beast. I could be engulfed in flames, burning until […]
Chapter 17 Yi Nuo~ Ruilin tells me he needs me. This is a first. No one in my insignificant life thus far has ever told me such a strange thing, and it stirs something unfamiliar within me, nestling itself there. I should be overjoyed, yet all I feel is a whirlwind of confusion creating chaos […]
Chapter 16 Yi Nuo~ I’ve lost my purpose? This matter preyed on my mind lately, creeping into my thoughts unbidden no matter how often I pushed it away. If Mother Abbess were here by my side, she’d tell me to share my gifts of which she thought I had many with everyone I meet, but […]
Chapter 15 Ye Hua~ “Brother-in-law, are you still celibate?” I cringed beneath my composure. She brought up something she shouldn’t have, and the question landed like an accusation, casually yet pointed in its delivery. Had the servants overheard her, the whispers would have made it across all eight realms by noon. The silence from my […]
Chapter 13 Yi Nuo~ He cradled a glass jar filled with intricately folded paper swans, handling it like a vessel of precious gems. The glass caught the light and cast tiny rainbows on the walls. With utmost care, he extracted one swan and unfolded it, his fingers moving with the gentle precision reserved for treasures, […]
Chapter 11 Third Grand Prince Hongshi~ Dove trees, heavy with heart-shaped leaves and clusters of red blossoms, surrounded the gazebo at the heart of the imperial garden. Blooming wisteria draped the covered walkways, its lilac flowers hanging in fragrant cascades. “Hong’er,” my mother teased in a laugh like tinkling silver bells that hasn’t changed since […]
Chapter 10 Ruilin~ Feeling restless, I had been writing poems about Princess Changying when my attention was drawn outside by the familiar noises that seeped through the open window. It was before sunrise, a time of grey and uncertain light when the boundary between night and day is blurred, and the land is submerged in […]
Chapter 7 Yi Nuo~ Before dawn, far from the others in the temple’s secluded west wing courtyard, I practice martial arts. The spot’s avoided, whispered to be haunted by my mother’s ghost, but to me, it’s tranquil. A small pond that once held a twenty-five-year-old Coy fish mirrors the undisturbed sky above. Cherry trees in […]
Chapter 6 Yi Nuo~ Hot mung bean soup is usually my favorite, but not today. Ya Qi intentionally knocks my bowl as she walks by, causing it to end up in my lap, covering me with thick red soup. “Oops, I’m sorry, Yi Nuo,” she says, not looking sorry at all and smirking. She lifts […]
Abbess Lian Qian~ The temple reverberated with the sound of clapping thunder, while the scent of petrichor wafted from the damp earth. Lightning crackled in the night as storm clouds enveloped the sky in darkness, releasing a deluge of rain. The atmosphere hummed with an uncommon energy. Between 3 and 5 am, known as the […]
Ye Hua I dream about her often, but there’s this one dream I keep having nearly every night recently. Surrounded by peach trees, Qian Qian is in Zhe Yan’s orchard. She has a tender smile and sparkling eyes. Beckoning me closer, she calls out my name, “Ye Hua, come quick,” her lips forming the words. […]
Ye Hua Contrary to the Fox Princess’s description of modest living, Ye Hua’s temporary residence for the next three months was a large bungalow on a spacious private estate in a secluded part of Southern Qingqui. Clearly, he and Bai Qian obviously used different size scales. It was far from being a small quaint cottage […]
