The chains didn’t hamper her normal movement, and since she didn’t interact with anyone else except for those already present on the Mourning Peak, An Fei didn’t care too much for the metallic symphony that followed each footstep. What hung more on her mind and heart was the memory of the usually amiable celestial maiden drawing her blade in fury. …

The birds chirped their songs of starvation and sorrows as they sat along the vast bridges of the trees’ overgrowth. Their thin and delicate legs trembled as they previously perched on the twisting rivers of branches and vines as they fought for an under-ripe nut hanging just below their feet. They didn’t dare allow their claws to release their death …

“Who are you – wait!?” The abrupt disturbance caused An Fei to quiver in surprise, and pitch forwards towards the listless surface of the pond. The young girl flailed her arms and legs in an attempt to regain her balance, but ultimately plunged into glacial torment sealed underneath the thin layer of warmed water. It took great mental fortitude to …

Xu Lingxin’s words served as an excellent reminder for An Fei. The young girl didn’t dare enter the forbidden sanctuary nestled in the unforgiving depths of the Mourning Forest, and could only roam the outermost fringe wherein the Morning Star Temple’s young disciples periodically arose to cultivate. The dull and enforced stillness caused her hands to become stir-crazy, and soon, …

The loss of the crystalline sanctuary had forced An Fei to fall into unfavorable circumstances. The young girl glanced at her trembling hands and winced at the numbness that raced through her veins, but grit her teeth. Her brows knit in determination, she rushed towards the wooden cabin to fill an entire wineskin bag with water from the pond, ignoring …

Xu Lingxin’s simple and barely sufficient explanation was hardly enough to answer An Fei’s questions. The best it could achieve was to open the floodgates of questioning, and the young girl sat alone in the depths of the Mourning Forest, her legs crossed as she meditated in the darkness. Perhaps… meditation wasn’t the correct description, for An Fei lapsed between …

Before An Fei’s glistening pupils, the fragile twig carved an elegant dance through the darkening skies. It bobbed, pivoted on its tip, and rotated with a drunken swing, but refused above all else to settle onto the earth where it had once remained for the majority of its lifespan. Xu Lingxin waved her sleeves as she returned to her seat, …

“Youngest Aunt, you are saying that this Little Sister was picked up from the western regions of Bei Tang?” Four women sat besides a crackling fire as they waited for the cauldron to finish boiling. When the black iron lid began its mournful screech, He Xin pried the cauldron open with a set of tongs, then proceeded to distribute four …

Inner disciple? An Fei balked at the unfamiliar address, but found herself arriving at a realization once she recalled Xu Lingxin’s words about the Morning Star Temple. The young girl pressed down on her silk gown, and directed a wary glance towards the woman with the smiling countenance. “I… this one is Xu Lingxue…” The inner disciple named Xu Meilian …

An Fei witnessed her life settle into a relaxed and mundane pattern over the next few days. She bathed by the pond, ate the meals provided by He Xin along with Xu Lingxin, and when she wasn’t sleeping, she was forced to roam in the depths of the forest. The celestial maiden had demanded that to preserve her health, the …