A beautiful night unfolded, where even the silence seemed to hum a sweet lullaby. In this profound peace, Han Wuang Shi sat beneath the ancient tree. His eyes were like a still river frozen in time. Once again, the little black rabbit came hopping toward him with tiny, rhythmic leaps. It did exactly what it had done before, nestling comfortably inside his long, flowing sleeve. Wuang Shi said nothing; he simply watched the creature with a steady gaze.
He reached into his robes and withdrew the Jade Token. Untying the ribbon that bound his own hair, he used it to fasten the token around the rabbit’s neck. With a gentle touch, he lifted the fluffy creature and whispered:
"Go to Yun. Give this Jade Token to him."
He closed his eyes and swept his hand through the air, manifesting a Spiritual Zither. It appeared like the very soul of an instrument, glowing with a soft, ethereal blue light. He plucked the invisible strings, playing a melody that summoned a spiritual rabbit a spectral twin of the black one. The spiritual rabbit hopped forward, and the black rabbit followed, trailing behind its shimmering guide. They found a secret passage into the temple, bypassing the main gates, led by the spectral light.
Eventually, they reached the grand library where Gu Zong was surreptitiously searching for a counter-spell to Grandmaster Shung Gong’s seal. He was prowling between the towering bookshelves when he suddenly felt something brush against his feet. For a moment, his breath hitched; sweat beaded on his forehead, and his heart pounded as if ready to flee his chest.
However, when he looked down, he saw the black rabbit. Gu Zong let out a long, shuddering breath of relief. But then his gaze fell upon the spiritual rabbit sitting nearby, and he grew pensive. Noticing the white ribbon around the black rabbit’s neck, he knelt to untie it. The moment he saw the Jade Token, a wave of calm washed over him. A faint, genuine smile touched his lips. He recognized it this was Jun Wan’s protective talisman, the one she always gave him whenever they were apart.
But when he looked back at the spiritual rabbit (Wuang Shi’s creation), his face twisted in disgust, as if he had smelled something foul. Suddenly, the sound of approaching footsteps echoed through the library. Gu Zong began to bolt, but the rabbits remained stationary. He gritted his teeth and hissed at them:
"Are you planning to sit here and hatch eggs? Let's go!"
Sneaking back to his chamber, he slammed the door shut and placed the rabbits on the table. He looked at the Jade Token once more with a soft smile before tucking it away. He then sat down to study the book he had just liberated from the library a tome containing ancient incantations.
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After a period of intense study, Gu Zong devised a new plan for escape. Moving with the stealth of a hawk, hiding behind pillars and hugging the walls, he finally reached the main gates. He shot a mischievous grin at the rabbits following him. Then, biting his own finger, he used his blood to draw a sigil upon his forehead.
Instantly, his eyes turned a predatory crimson, and his pristine Zhi Zhu robes transformed into a shadowy black. In a flash of lightning-fast movement, he surged past the boundary. The rabbits hopped casually after him.
Gu Zong failed to notice Grandmaster Shung Gong standing upon the roof, watching him with an inscrutable expression. Once outside, Gu Zong collapsed to one knee, gasping for air as his stamina evaporated. The spiritual rabbit vanished into mist. Then, a silent presence manifested behind him. Gu Zong stood and turned to find Han Wuang Shi standing there, eyes cast downward in his usual quiet humility.
On the roof, Yan Yu approached the Grandmaster, holding the book Gu Zong had stolen. When the Grandmaster saw the spell Gu Zong had used on himself, his brow furrowed, a shadow of concern crossing his face.
"Forgive me, Master," Yan Yu whispered. "But this is not good. The Young Master has bound his own soul just to escape the Zishi Temple. Should we intervene?"
Shung Gong remained silent, his gaze fixed on the distance, but Yan Yu understood the gravity of what was to come.
Fukun Xueyuan
Beneath the same moon, Master Hun Zang and Master Ruie Gaojun arrived at the main gates of Fukun Xueyuan. Their eyes and twisted smiles left no doubt about their malevolent intent.
They stopped outside a common disciple’s chamber where a light was still burning. Peering through the window, they saw a young girl engrossed in her books. Hun Zang intentionally made a slight noise to catch her attention. As the girl looked toward the window to see what was happening, Hun Zang began to speak in a "stage whisper" loud enough for her to hear every word.
"Did you hear, brother?" Hun Zang said, feigning secrecy. "Something is brewing in the Lianxiao Clan. I’ve heard they are hiding a Cursed Zither. They are pretending to follow the path of cultivation just to seize control of all other clans."
Inside, the girl gasped, covering her mouth with her hands. Her eyes widened in horror, as if she were witnessing a murder.
Ruie Gaojun replied in a slightly louder tone, "But what will they do with a Cursed Zither?"
Hun Zang acted out a shudder of fear. "They want to kill us all! They plan to slaughter the students to weaken the Princes before launching a full-scale attack. Didn't you see? Even the Zhangwu Pillars are in on it! That’s why they stay hidden to protect that cursed instrument. Why else wouldn't they show themselves, even though they started the path of cultivation?"
The girl’s mind raced, trapped by the terrifying "logic" of their lies. Then, Ruie Gaojun delivered the final blow.
"So, brother... what should we do?"
Hun Zang looked at his companion and then glared toward the window with a venomous grin.
"What else? We should burn this clan to the ground."
The girl felt her heart leap into her throat. she pressed both hands over her mouth, paralyzed by a shock so profound it was unbearable. The seed of a catastrophic fire had been planted.
