The next morning, the Grand Courtyard of the Celestial Academy stretched beneath a sky so vivid it seemed painted, the sunlight gleaming off marble statues and the ornate spires of the Academy like shards of gold and silver. A soft breeze carried the mingled scents of morning dew, polished stone, and the faint tang of distant incense, fluttering banners above in gentle waves.
All students gathered, their robes rustling, the murmur of anticipation vibrating through the air like an electric current. Master Li stood at the head of the courtyard, his figure calm, composed—but subtle shadows flickered behind his serene gaze, betraying the weight of what he carried. His hands rested lightly on the carved railing before him, yet the silence that fell when he spoke held the tension of mountains.
"Those who passed the trial are Suo and Yue," he announced, voice even, calm as a placid lake. "The others… will retake the test at the end of the year."
A ripple of murmurs spread through the gathered students, soft whispers of doubt and quiet discontent, like waves brushing against stone. All eyes turned toward Huo Feng, the girl whose presence drew more scrutiny than any other. Yet the real storm was still to come, as Master Li raised his head and let his gaze fall upon her.
"Except for one."
The words hung in the air, electric and heavy. Every whisper died in the courtyard as silence claimed it. His eyes, sharp beneath the weight of wisdom and caution, met Huo Feng's directly. The blue of his gaze seemed to pierce through the morning light, striking truth into the heart of every onlooker.
"She did not merely cross the River of Oblivion," he continued, voice steady but layered with reverence. "She dove into it… and emerged again. Such a feat has never been recorded in the Academy. Therefore, she has passed."
A strangled cry ripped from Mei's throat, raw and indignant.
"What?! She didn't even fly over it, let alone cross!"
Yue's voice rang out sharp, like steel on stone. "Perhaps if you hadn't tried to push her into it before the trial, she might have succeeded sooner — as might have the rest of us."
Gasps, sharp as broken glass, rippled through the students. Mei's face drained of color, and her lips trembled as she turned to Master Li in protest.
"Lies! Slander! I did nothing!"
Then Suo stepped forward, a figure of chilling composure. His voice cut through the tension, cold as obsidian.
"You stole her familiar — her earring — and tried to drown it in the river's depths."
Mei's eyes widened, then narrowed, her fingers clenching into trembling fists.
"You have no proof! It's all fabricated! And if she passed, then so did I — I flew over it. I deserve to pass too!"
The courtyard held its breath. Every gaze turned to Huo Feng, waiting for her response. She stepped forward with measured calm, each movement precise, deliberate, her voice flowing like a clear mountain stream over jagged rocks:
"I did not simply cross the river. I descended into it. I faced the shadows of the dead, survived them — and even saved the Grand Master himself. But you… you never crossed at all. You ran from your own failure — with a plan as pitiful as your heart."
She took a slow, deliberate step toward Mei, her eyes glacial, reflecting a light that seemed to burn away pretense.
"You want proof?"
Suddenly, she turned toward the girl who had once struck her. Stepping close, face to face, Huo Feng fixed her gaze upon her with an intensity that made the air itself shiver.
"Look into my eyes… and tell the truth."
The girl's knees buckled slightly, the wind seeming to swirl around her, carrying whispers of the River, of shadows, of the countless spirits Huo Feng had faced. She tried to look away, but the light in Huo Feng's gaze held her fast, like molten silver drawing out every lie, every hidden tremor of guilt.
"I… no… she didn't order me to strike her! She only told me to provoke her… and then… then she— she took the earring herself!"
Silence fell, heavy and absolute, pressing down like stone on the shoulders of every student. Yet Mei's cunning returned like a viper. She whispered to her trembling accomplice:
"Did you see me steal it?"
"No…"
"Did you see me throw it into the river?"
"No…"
"Did I tell you I planned to drown Huo Feng?"
"No…"
Mei straightened, defiance blazing in her eyes, a small flame against the cold clarity of Huo Feng's stare.
"Then tell us — do you believe Huo Feng lied?"
The girl stammered, voice faltering under the weight of truth:
"Lied? Maybe… maybe not…"
Mei smirked, venom hidden in silk. "There, you see? Even your witness accuses you now. What do you say, Huo Feng?"
Before she could answer, Yue interjected with a sly lilt, his eyes flicking with amusement.
"Why don't we ask her directly?"
In an instant, Mei cast a concealment spell over her own eyes, attempting to pierce the depths of Huo Feng's soul. But Huo Feng's gaze slid coolly away.
"I have no time to waste on you now," she said, voice crisp, cold as autumn frost. "But when the time comes… you will regret everything. You'll taste the most bitter defeat imaginable."
Master Li's voice cut through the tension like a bell tolling over a storm-tossed sea:
"The result stands. Huo Feng has passed — and that is final! From this day forward, anyone who resorts to deceit will face a trial far harsher than crossing the river."
Then, his tone shifted. Sharp. Unyielding. For the first time, he addressed her directly.
"As for you… follow me."
He walked slowly toward his private study, each step measured, deliberate, leaving a trail of calm authority behind. She followed silently, her usual mischief muted, her mind still drifting in the echoes of the River, of shadow and flame.
Inside the study, a small pool mirrored the soft light filtering through the lattice windows. Its waters shimmered like wounded thought, reflecting a world half-real, half-memory. Master Li stood before it, still as stone, voice softer now, almost reverent.
"Why did you run away yesterday, Huo Feng?" he asked, words laden with sorrow, concern bleeding into each syllable.
She remained silent, eyes fixed on the depths as though she could see the whirlpool of memory swirling in the pool—the river, the shadows, the echoes of anger and vengeance, the whispers of spirits still clinging to her heart.
He asked again, voice almost a plea:
"Did you recognize me yesterday? Did you know who I was? Is that why you ran?"
She raised her gaze, defiance etched across her features, eyes meeting his with the calm ferocity of a storm:
"Yes. I knew."
Then, leaning forward slightly, her tone sharpened, cutting like a sword through the fragile distance between them:
"So tell me — what do you want from me? My forgiveness? Something you lost long ago? Or… do you want me to fulfill my promise—and kill you?"
Master Li lowered his head, the weight of grief and remorse pressing on his shoulders. His voice was quiet, clouded with unspoken pain:
"I will not tell you what I want… because I don't yet know myself."
He lifted his gray eyes to meet hers. "I will only ask you three questions. Answer truthfully — not for me, but for your own peace."
Huo Feng crossed her arms, standing tall, a teacher judging a student as much as a pupil answering a master.
"Hmm…" she muttered, voice soft but commanding.
He began, voice low, deliberate:
"Do you remember what I was seeking when I entered the Celestial Furnace that day? I sought the forbidden incantation — for her. For a friend I once swore to protect. Was that wrong?"
"No," she replied instantly.
He nodded, then continued, voice thick with memory and regret:
"Jin Hai… he was betrayed that day — perhaps by someone close, perhaps by his enemy. He was struck by a poisoned arrow, cursed by the Realm of Shadows. He would not have survived. He would have become something else… something evil. I spared him that fate — spared you that pain. Was I wrong?"
This time, she hesitated, eyes tracing the ripples of her own thoughts. "Perhaps."
He stepped closer, voice dropping to a whisper, thick with weight:
"I was with you… before you were even born — before you emerged from the Celestial Furnace in this form. Did I ever harm you?"
"No," she said firmly, voice steady as stone, "but you wished to harm my master — the Furnace Elder."
His expression hardened, shadowed by memory.
"Did he tell you I was the one who betrayed him first?"
She closed her eyes, words drawn from the deepest wells of recollection:
"No… but if you hadn't, he would have."
Master Li inhaled slowly, the air heavy with remorse and understanding, then met her gaze with quiet gravity.
"My last question…" He paused, swallowing the tremor in his voice. "I know you hate me now. But could there still be love, hidden somewhere between the shadows of that hatred? Even just a flicker… a spark… a single point of light?"
Huo Feng did not answer immediately. Her face shifted, caught between denial and confession, past and present intertwining in the faint glow of the study. Her fingers trembled near her lips, then she finally spoke, voice carrying a teasing edge:
"You were allowed only three questions, Master. So I won't answer this one."
Without another word, she turned, walking away. Each step echoed like soft chimes in the quiet room, leaving behind a silence heavier than any reply.
Master Li remained, rigid at first, wounded yet strangely relieved. Slowly, the sorrow etched into his features began to fade. The blackness in his eyes softened, replaced with a gentle sky-blue light, as though a storm had passed.
Because she had answered him — in her own way.
Because she had called him "Master."
Was it forgiveness? Or the first whisper of love? The answer lay somewhere in the space between her retreating form and the quiet reflection of the pool—a space filled with unspoken understanding, fragile and luminous as a new dawn.