In late spring, April, the sky is blue and the water is clear, the vegetation is lush, and flowers are blooming everywhere, creating a vibrant and lively scene.
In the northern part of the south, Mount Luoying stretches for thousands of miles, marking the junction of the kingdoms of Feng, Yan, and Xuanyuan. The mountain is steep and perilous, like a giant raising its fist to the sky, directly pointing towards the heavens.
As night falls, the forest becomes even quieter. Through layers of green leaves, one gazes up at the sky, where the tranquil night is dotted with stars, shining with a cold light against the dark blue canvas of the sky. The crescent moon hangs low, bright and clear.
At the foot of Mount Luoying, a small river, several yards wide, flows from west to east, cutting through the dense woods. Under the moonlight, it emanates a cool glow, the water babbling gently, composing a charming melody in the night.
On the north bank of the river lies a vast expanse of green grass. A bonfire leaps with bright, warm light among the trees, and in the silent night, crackling sounds occasionally erupt from the fire.
On either side of the bonfire, two stands made of branches support two smooth wooden sticks, which are skewering wild chickens and hares, roasting them over the fire. As the fat drips down, the flames leap up, producing a "sizzle" sound, and the aroma wafts into the evening breeze.
Beside the bonfire sit three young men, all with impressive appearances. Among them, the one sitting in the middle is the most striking.
Wearing a white jade crown, dressed in a purple brocade robe, and with a jade-green belt around his waist, his handsome face, like a finely carved piece of jade, carries a gentle and leisurely smile. He appears unfazed even in the wilds, as if the elegance of the White Jade Palace has permeated the entire mountainside.
Around him, the grass shelter is meticulously trimmed. He sits on a clean mat, leaning against a large tree adorned with golden brocade.
At this moment, he sits with his legs folded, hands resting on his knees. His long, slender fingers emit a shimmering glow as he leans back against the wrapped trunk of the tree, closing his eyes to rest.
The other two are sitting upright, their attention focused on the delicious food roasting over the fire, occasionally using their left hands to turn the meat while keeping a silver-sheathed sword ready at their right.
On the other side of the tree, four tall, robust, snow-white steeds quietly graze on tender grass at their feet, always prepared to harness the luxurious carriage for their master.
As the aroma of the roasted meat grows stronger, the purple-clad young man, who had been resting against the tree, suddenly opens his eyes, a sharp gaze directed towards the southern bank of the river.
The sleeping birds in the mountains are startled into flight. The two gray-clad young men, focused on cooking their evening meal, seem to sense something and turn to look at their companion simultaneously. One grabs the sword hanging by his side, ready for action.
Suddenly, a young woman in a white dress appears before them.
The dress is splattered with flecks of red plum blossoms, making it quite beautiful. Her steps are heavy, but her breathing remains light. Her disheveled hair covers her face, and her clothing bears clear signs of being scratched by trees, rendering her quite disheveled. It is impossible to see her features clearly, but from her figure, she appears to be a young girl.
With the guidance of the Young Master Meng, the two young men, skilled as they are in the martial world, find it surprising that they hadn't noticed such a young girl before.
"I almost lost my life," the girl says, brushing aside the hair that obscures her face. Her complexion is both pale and delicate, like spring snow and plum blossoms. In the flickering firelight, her smooth skin is marred by multiple scratches of varying depths, with dried blood stains accentuating the brilliance of the cinnabar between her brows. At her waist, she carries a delicate jade flute. This girl is none other than the renowned Princess Xihe of the Feng Kingdom, Feng Xianyue.
Years ago, after Feng Jiulan awoke, his body was weaker than before. Xianyue dared not tell him the truth, saying only that she had a great master and was learning skills in the mountains. She then left with Liu Xinyou and settled in a place called Lihua Studio at the border of Lan and Yan, staying there for a decade.
A month ago, a letter arrived from the Feng Kingdom, stating that in six months, a grand martial arts conference would be held in the imperial capital of the Zhou Dynasty, Pan City. If one could win the championship at the conference, they would receive the holy medicine for healing injuries in the martial arts world—the fire toad, attracting many in the martial world.
The holy medicine, the fire toad, is just a bait. In recent years, various feudal states have grown stronger, particularly Lan and Xuanyuan, which are considered the top among the five kingdoms. The Zhou Dynasty has long lost its status as the ruler of the world, with King Zhou Hui more focused on poetry and painting, while the officials flatter him. Aside from a few old generals, there are hardly any good young generals available.
Though the world maintains a facade of peace, small conflicts persist as countries compete for land and people. The sixteen states of Yunan in the Zhou Dynasty are gradually being consumed. The true goal of this martial arts conference is to recruit talented individuals.
Regardless of the intentions of others, Xianyue is determined to obtain the fire toad. However, her master has ordered that she must not step into the martial world before her coming of age, so she can only sneak out. Unexpectedly, when leaving, she triggered a mechanism set by her master. After much difficulty escaping, she didn't anticipate being pursued by her master.
Over the course of ten years, she has grown up, yet her master seems as youthful as ever, with boundless energy, having chased her from Lihua Studio for over half a month. The cat-and-mouse game was finally reaching its conclusion.
Xianyue let out a sigh of relief, wiped the blood from her face with her hand, and smiled.
"It smells so good."
Her blood-stained hands finally brushed aside the hair obscuring her face, and she wrinkled her nose, narrowing her eyes as she stared at the wild chicken roasting over the bonfire, nearly drooling.
For over half a month, to escape her master's pursuit, she hadn't slept well or had a decent meal. Now, delicious food was right in front of her! She extended her tongue to lick her lips, only to remember that she hadn't had a drop of water all day.
"The wild chicken isn't ready yet; would you like some tea and snacks in the meantime, young lady?"
The young man in purple seemed to sense Xianyue's hunger and thirst. He smiled gently at her, like a cool breeze in summer, making the burning bonfire appear to lose its color, leaving Xianyue momentarily dazzled.
In the wilderness, the surroundings were clean and tidy, with the large tree behind them adorned with colors that didn't belong there. The smiling young man in purple looked like a black orchid among flowers—beautiful to behold but unattainable.
"Of course," Xianyue said, tucking her hair behind her ears and nodding.
"Leiyun, get some water for the lady to wash her hands and face."
"No need," Xianyue said, reaching out to stop the gray-clad young man who was turning to fetch water. She smiled and pushed aside the other gray-clad man blocking her way. "Please step aside."
"Then I won't hold back, my lord."
She sat down next to the young man in purple, making sure to scoot closer to him. The moment she moved even an inch, he instinctively shifted back half a step until she completely occupied his original position. Only then did she stop.
Xianyue smiled in satisfaction, patting her stomach. "She says she's very hungry."
As she spoke, she picked up a piece of tea cake with her dirty hands, popping it into her mouth. "So fragrant, so delicious! My lord, would you like to try? It's really good!"
She held out a piece of perilla cake to the young man in purple, a mischievous smile on her lips.
"You don't need to be so polite; I am Lan Yixuan. These two are my attendants, Leiyun and Leian."
His demeanor and speech were refined and elegant.
"Ah, so you are Young Master Lan. It's a pleasure to meet you."
In the firelight, his face remained somewhat indistinct, but the cinnabar on his brow flickered, and his bright eyes seemed to penetrate her soul, revealing all of his thoughts.