54 I know...

There was a reason why they called it the calm before the storm. The days went by without any big trouble. Xiao Hei had lost a hairpin at some point and enlisted the entire reserve of servants to help her search for it. There was a village girl that stormed up the mountain to shout curses at the Guanghai Elder. Said Elder disappeared with the wind the following day, an act that was normal and uninteresting, one of the Heavenly Sword disciples informed Yuan Xuelan.

To say the least, there was hardly any drama to speak about. Some people still shared whispers about the Ivory Sword Saint's wedding that would undoubtedly be postponed due to the upcoming events and the threat of war looming. Yuan Xuelan's stomach churned with his secret knowledge that he dared to share with no one. It was up to Liu Sumeng to break it to his Shijie. Which he knew that the Ivory Sword Saint had intended to do, but was currently was plagued with swarms of meetings and affairs. Talks and plans that Yuan Xuelan, as an outsider, was not privy to.

And thus he spent his time days reading up about spells and tinkering with his magical tools and treasures as he always had. He was working on refining the Tiger Heart Amethyst that Liu Sumeng had given him. Its power rumbled and roared. Little tendrils of electricity within the stone reached for his fingers every time he touched its smooth glistening surface. Yuan Xuelan couldn't help wonder what would happen if he used this sacred jewel to craft a sword.

"A-Zhang!" Chen Anyue's voice snapped him out of his concentration. He put the Tiger Heart Amethyst down with gentle caution beside the myriad of engraving and refinement tools on the table. Chen Anyue was in the door frame and beckoned his attention with a smile.

"Shijie? What is it?" He asked.

She held her hands behind her back and giggled, "You've been cooped up here for a few days now. Come and take a walk with me!"

Yuan Xuelan was a little reluctant to leave his work but who was he to say no to her? He nodded and quickly organized his things and put away any valuables before following her lead.

It had snowed quite hard the night before and left a coat of white as deep as their knees. The disciples and servants have been work hard to clear the main paths that snaked around the manor like trenches. It was noon and the sun sat high in the winter sky, reflecting bright blinding beams upon the shiny, reflective snow.

They talked about mundane things. Chen Anyue told him about her progress in her martial skills training while he told her about his work on the Tiger Heart Amethyst. They shared their laughter and matched their steps like a perfect pair of brother and sister.

It was only when they were beyond the Heavenly Sword Manor gates did Chen Anyue say to him, "I think we have to go home soon…" There was a hint of sadness in her voice alongside anxiety. "I don't think my wedding will be happening any time soon."

Yuan Xuelan felt his throat dry. He nodded, "Yeah. We should be home for the New Year." He tried to keep him mind off Liu Sumeng and Chen Anyue and instead thought of home. Thought of Reling and the Ascending Dawn Sect.

Chen Anyue nodded, "Yes…who knows when we'll get a chance to spend some relaxing time with our loved ones after the war begins." Yuan Xuelan would argue that things were hardly peaceful now. Not with the cloud of unseen tension that weighed down upon them all, making the air feel thick and itchy. "I wonder how my brothers and father are doing?"

Yuan Xuelan scoffed and rolled his eyes. "I'm sure they're fine and are causing trouble as always."

Chen Anyue giggled behind her sleeve, "But they were never as big of troublemakers as you were!"

Yuan Xuelan grumbled and pouted, "Hey! There's no way I was that bad!" He nudged her side and she nudged him back with glowing mischief upon her eyes.

They followed the main trail towards the village until they decided upon a different path that was still covered with dense snow. Chen Anyue smirked, her eyes twinkled mischievously. She hopped up on the snow's surface and stood on top of it as though she weighed but a feather.

Yuan Xuelan smirked after her and did the same, "I can do that too!"

She smiled and took off running. The two dashing atop the snow with their light step technique, giggling like a part of playful magpies.

They zipped through the trees until they came upon a clearing. This was where Yuan Xuelan had his nightly sword lessons with Liu Sumeng. Though the ground was covered by a fresh layer of snow, there was still some evidence of their training sessions, with scars and gashes carved into the surrounding trees and branched that hung broken. It seemed that Yuan Xuelan had unwittingly led Chen Anyue to his secret spot with the Ivory Sword Saint. Embarrassment was upon his face but he was doing his best to ignore it.

Chen Anyue looked around. If there was anything she noticed, she kept it to herself. Instead, she looked to Yuan Xuelan and said, "Let's spar."

He blinked at her and then smiled, "Are you sure?" He was certain that she was excited to show off her new martial skills. And Yuan Xuelan was a bit excited as well, because she wasn't the only one that had new moves to test. And he didn't want to brag or anything but he had definitely grown a little since they first came to Wangyun Peak, not only in height but in muscle as well.

"Prepare to get your ass beat!" Chen Anyue giggled and summoned her Golden Rope.

Yuan Xuelan laughed as well, thinking how poor Chen Gaoyong would get a heart attack if he heard his beloved daughter utter such crass words. Yuan Xuelan's hand curled around his sword hilt. They slowly circled each other and measured the other's power.

Yuan Xuelan didn't except Chen Anyue to make the first move. She threw out her rope, whipping it against the ground. It snapped against the snow before striking at Yuan Xuelan like a snake.

If he hadn't dashed aside, his leg would have looked much like the splintered tree behind him! "Not bad, Shijie!" He drew his sword and circled her.

"I have more moves than that up my sleeve!" She grinned and raised the rope again. It chased after Yuan Xuelan as though it had a life of its own. Yuan Xuelan dipped, hopped, and rolled away from it. He kept on the defensive, for now, testing his own balance.

Liu Sumeng had been giving him a lot of lessons about balance lately. Yuan Xuelan felt like his focus had improved a lot as well. After all, with Liu Sumeng's hands had constantly been on his hips to guide his movements…of course, he needed an iron will and divine concentration to be able to maintain his focus.

Slowly, he realized that Chen Anyue was skillfully keeping him at a distance by forcing him on the defensive. Her Golden Rope was the perfect mid-range weapon that didn't do so well in close quarters.

She pulled on the rope and swirled until a golden circle surrounded her like a barrier. The way sunlight reflected the rope and sparkled upon her vibrant smile made her no different than a goddess in appearance. Once she had been but a pretty lunar flower, but now she was a powerful stunning immortal.

She was gorgeous and Yuan Xuelan couldn't understand why Liu Sumeng wouldn't want her.

There was an ugly feeling inside of him that bit its way through his stomach.

Why was he so relieved that Liu Sumeng didn't want her? Wasn't his wonderful Shijie in love with Liu Sumeng? She who tried desperately to win his favor…who failed to make him look her way…

Yuan Xuelan gnawed on his bottom lip. He thrust his sword forward and guided the running rope with a subtle movement in his shoulder and wrist. A calm memory of Liu Sumeng whispering in his ear muttered, "Do not strain your strength, lead it instead, like running water."

And even when Chen Anyue's strength was multiplied with the Rope's power he avoided its monstrous force and was able to guide it over his head, creating an opening. He slipped through the golden circle and dashed towards Chen Anyue.

Chen Anyue gasped but quickly regained her composure. She was not ready to meet defeat so easily. She flicked her wrist and the Rope recoiled like a serpent, creating a shield between herself and Yuan Xuelan.

But she was so slow compared to Liu Sumeng. Yuan Xuelan's focus was deadly and he slid his blade between the coil of rope and just like, flicked his wrist and-

Chen Anyue squeaked and Yuan Xuelan was struck out of his stupor. He flinched and stumbled back in horror. "Shijie-"

She dropped her rope and clutched her right wrist. The hand was red with blood, trickling down on and blossoming upon the white snow like little red flowers. Yuan Xuelan's eyes were open wide with abject horror, "S-Shijie I-"

She smiled at him, though her complexion was a little pale, "It's ok, A-Zhang. I'm fine."

"No, no, no! It's not fine at all!" He rushed up to her, quick to tear a piece off his sleeve to bind her bleeding hand. Even as he wound the fabric around her delicate skin, the blood was seeping through.

"I'm fine. It's really not so terrible," she hummed in a sweet voice. But Yuan Xuelan wasn't listening and stared at her wounded hand at with wide fearful eyes.

"We need to get you back to the manor. Let's hurry." The way he was clasping her wrist hurt more than the cut itself but she didn't tell him. "I'll carry you." He said.

Chen Anyue laughed, "My hand is cut, not my leg or foot. Seriously, A-Zhang. I'll be fine." But he was still fussing over her. Chen Anyue shook her head. She refused to be carried but obediently followed her Shidi back to the manor.

The injury looked a lot worse than it was. Though there appeared to be a lot of blood the cut itself wasn't deep, an Elder explained, as he carefully rewrapped Chen Anyue's injury. "See," she looked up at Yuan Xuelan whose eyes were still dark from guilt and upset, "it's not that bad. Stop beating yourself up over it."

She was still seated on the little wooden stool in the doctor's room and reached over to hold Yuan Xuelan's trembling hands into hers. "I'm okay. Stop worrying about it."

"Sorry…" He said again, like a depressed beaten dog. But luckily Chen Anyue maintained her patience and accompanied him for the rest of the day.

When night fell, she was the one to tuck him into bed and made sure that he had peacefully fallen into sleep. The poor boy could use some rest.

And when everything was dark and Yuan Xuelan's breaths had evened out she watched him from the bedside, recalling the young boy that was brought to the Ascending Dawn's footsteps by a wild and untamed rogue cultivator. He had grown so big.

Chen Anyue watched her with her secret smile but slowly her expression darkened. She sighed.

And in the darkness of nighttime with only herself and a sleeping Yuan Xuelan, she muttered a confession to no one, "I know you like him too."