The sky had only just dimmed into lavender by the time Yu Bin stepped down from Longwei's back. Her hands still tingled from gripping his shimmering scales, and her heart fluttered with the thrill of their flight. Flying through the clouds with Longwei and Xian Chen had made her forget the weight of royal expectations, if only for a moment. The dragon had landed with the grace of a falling leaf, his silver wings folding into his back with quiet strength. A light mist clung to the garden's mossy stones, stirred by the breeze from his descent. As soon as her feet touched the ground, Yu Bin glanced over her shoulder to catch Xian Chen giving her a rare, unreadable look. His eyes were shadowed, but something in them shimmered—soft, fleeting, and unspoken. Before she could ask what it meant, he turned and vanished into the winding garden path. She blinked, puzzled, a whisper of disappointment blooming in her chest, but had no time to dwell on it. That night, sleep wouldn't come. Yu Bin w

Some days are too full to carry. And some hearts—too quiet to ask for help. The palace gardens glowed beneath the melting sun, its last light gilding the stone paths with hues of amber and rose. Long shadows stretched like reaching fingers, swaying gently beneath the jasmine and cherry blossom trees. The air was soft—sweetened by the scent of flowers and the lingering breeze stirred by dragon wings. Yu Bin still felt the wind in her hair, still heard her laughter echoing from earlier when she’d soared through the clouds with Longwei and Xian Chen. It had felt like flying through a dream. The kind of memory you hoped would never fade. It should have been a perfect day. But even beauty, she was learning, came with a cost. From the heights of heaven, she had fallen into exhaustion—mentally frayed from battle, training, and the raw truth of her weakness. Fighting corpses in the forest, enduring Bao Fang’s ruthless teaching, and now—this: bound by a glowing rope to the one person who co

"I don’t like Master’s secrets," Yu Bin murmured, leaning gently against Bao Fang’s shoulder. The comfort surprised her. It was soothing… but not quite as warm as the arms that had held her the night before. Still, with the sun warming her cheeks and the wind teasing her hair, peace wrapped around her like a soft shawl. The world, if only for a breath, felt calm. Her master, dressed in robes softer than usual, almost looked like the refined, graceful woman Yu Bin had once imagined as a child—before she’d met the chaotic whirlwind that was Bao Fang in reality. From the side, Xian Chen muttered, “Annoying…” Yu Bin turned her head, mockingly sticking out her tongue. “Hmph. I forgot you were here. You always ruin my fun.” Before he could answer, Bao Fang cut in with a knowing smile. “Let’s go down. I want to show you something.” Yu Bin’s curiosity sparked. “Oh? Then let’s go!” They descended through the clouds, down toward a vast forest alive with the sounds of birds and breeze. As

Morning sunlight spilled through the window like soft gold, weaving gentle patterns across the floor and creeping up the bed. It pooled on Xian Chen's face, warm and quiet, coaxing him from unconsciousness. His lashes fluttered. The first thing he saw was Yu Bin—curled beside him, breathing softly, her hand wrapped tightly around his as if letting go might unravel something vital. His chest tightened—not from the wound this time, but from something far more unsettling. Carefully, he tried to slip his hand away, not wanting to wake her. But the moment he moved, his heart betrayed him, thudding louder in his ears. What is this? Do I have heart problems now? he thought, unnerved by the erratic rhythm. “You have heart problems?!” Yu Bin bolted upright, her voice cracking the stillness like lightning across a calm sky. He flinched. “Do you want to kill me? Why are you shouting this early?” “Shut up and answer me! Did you just say something’s wrong with your heart?” “When did I say t

The morning air was still cool when Yu Bin slipped from her chambers in haste, heart caught between duty and instinct. The once-comforting palace walls now felt too narrow to contain the restless storm inside her. Ever since the bond between her and Xian Chen had been severed, something within her felt hollow—an ache her pride refused to name. She had run to him. Not as a princess. Not as a disciple. But simply as Yu Bin—a girl whose heart had quietly, stubbornly tethered itself to another. Now, seated inside her master’s home, caught between Bao Fang’s sharp gaze and Xian Chen’s quiet presence, Yu Bin tried to act as if everything was fine. But the words spilled from her mouth before she could stop them. "I'm fine, thanks. And you? How are you?" she said casually. But Bao Fang’s knowing smirk, paired with the weight of her stare, made Yu Bin shift awkwardly. "You nearly killed me. Sometimes I wonder..." she muttered, half-laughing, her voice trying to carry humor but laced with