Moonshadow Pavilion – Beiming Palace Guest Quarters
The guest quarters designated for sheltered cultivators such as Yu Xiao and Xue Wuya unfolded in an intimate wing of the Moonshadow Pavilion, an architectural marvel that seemed to breathe with ancient secrets. Designed meticulously to provide a haven of tranquility, these rooms reinforced the notion that true solitude was but a fleeting dream within the sprawling expanse of Beiming Palace.
Each suite radiated a sophisticated yet understated elegance, accessible through a narrow corridor of polished shadow jade that gleamed like liquid night. This unique material absorbed all sound, turning footsteps into whispers and muting the voices of the outside world. Ghostfire lanterns floated gracefully at intervals along the corridor, their ethereal pale blue flames flickering like distant stars, casting a gentle glow that illuminated the path while preserving the serene ambiance required for nocturnal cultivation.
"Your Highness, this room is your sanctuary for the time being. Everything has been arranged to your liking; maidservants will arrive shortly to attend to your needs. Simply express your wishes, and they shall be fulfilled," Xue Wuya declared, his warm gaze revealing a sincere concern for her comfort.
Yu Xiao turned slowly, taking in the details of her surroundings, her fingers clutching the edge of her cloak hood as her eyes darted inquisitively to every corner. After absorbing the atmosphere, she faced Xue Wuya with a soft but confident smile.
"Thank you, but it's really unnecessary to fuss so much. I'm perfectly fine," she asserted, stepping further into the room with a quiet determination that hinted at her strength.
The sliding doors, crafted from translucent spirit paper and reinforced with intricate, faintly glowing restrictive arrays, opened to reveal the main living chamber. At the center of this exquisite space, a low ebony table commanded attention, its surface polished to a mirror sheen, surrounded by four cloud-silk cushions in a soft, shimmering silver that seemed to capture the light. The palace maidservants had artfully arranged the evening's lunar dew tea atop the table: a delicate porcelain pot adorned with intricate frost phoenix motifs, cups as fragile as cicada wings, and plates filled with moon cakes infused with a hint of stellar essence, glimmering softly like tiny galaxies under the dim light.
To one side lay the sleeping alcove, elegantly separated by a veiled screen of woven yin threads that captured and held ambient qi like morning dew glistening on grass. The bed platform, slightly elevated and inviting, was draped in layers of frost phoenix down quilts, soft and warm, with pillows lavishly embroidered with protective talismans glowing gently in the twilight. A single moon-viewing window—simple yet striking—opened up to the world, framing the dance of perpetual auroras outside, allowing the pure, silvery lunar essence to pour into the room, soothing and invigorating as it pooled onto the bedding during full nights.
Across from the alcove, the meditation chamber awaited, a smaller, perfectly circular room that exuded tranquility. It housed no furniture except for a single jade cushion positioned in the center, inviting inner reflection. The walls, crafted from bare shadow jade, were veined with shimmering silver that pulsed gently in rhythm with the palace's grand array. Here, the thick presence of yin qi condensed, forming visible wisps that drifted through the air like ethereal mists—ideal for ice or water path cultivators eager for a breakthrough.
"I can't help but wonder how I might sleep tonight in such an extraordinary chamber," she remarked, her voice contemplative as she savored the ethereal beauty of her surroundings.
Xue Wuya stood behind her, observing her with a mixture of pride and admiration.
"Do you find it to your liking?" he inquired, his tone gentle yet probing.
Yu Xiao nodded subtly, but her confidence was unwavering.
"If you find it pleasing, then you must convince yourself to stay," he added, pausing thoughtfully. "Your Highness."
At his words, Yu Xiao's expression shifted, her smile fading as she focused intently on him.
"General," she began firmly. "Don't you feel fatigued from our long journey? You should rest now. You need not worry about my safety; I am here, and I assure you I am secure within your quarters," she stated, offering a slight bow as she made her intentions clear.
He responded with an understanding nod, a gentle smile gracing his lips as he recognized her strength.
"As you wish," he replied, stepping back with a respectful bow. "Should any trouble arise, please inform me without hesitation, Your Highness!" he urged, his voice sincere.
"I will," she affirmed with conviction, watching him depart with a sense of resolve.
Once he was gone, Yu Xiao confidently approached the sliding door and closed it with a decisive motion. She then walked over to the inviting bed and caressed the bedding, savoring the softness of the pillows and quilts, relishing the comfort that enveloped her. "I am certain I will enjoy a restful sleep tonight," she declared, radiating a sense of assurance.
Standing tall, she unlaced her cloak and hung it on the wooden rack, asserting control over her environment.
After a while, she moved to the open window, gazing at the round, luminous moon that hung in the night sky like a guardian. A tranquil smile spread across her face as she savored this moment, feeling the weight of her journey wash away, leaving only a sense of possibility and peace.
Suddenly, a thought ignited in her mind like a bolt of lightning, extinguishing the warmth of her smile and leaving a chilling sensation in its wake.
"Maybe I can't return to my own world now; I find myself consumed by worry for those I've left behind," she whispered, her voice trembling in the heavy silence. Lowering her head, a deep frown etched across her brow, a solitary tear shimmering in her eye. "I can hardly comprehend how I ended up here, as though swept away by an unseen tide. Adrift in this bewildering land, stripped of ideas and clues, I feel like a mere specter—a lost soul wandering through the dense fog of an alien existence. Yet, I have no choice but to confront the strange and unsettling realities surrounding me. Must I fully embrace this relentless journey through uncharted territory? Or am I simply a fleeting traveler, pausing momentarily in a place that feels utterly foreign?"
A heavy gasp escaped her lips as those thoughts flooded her mind, and she wiped away the tears that lingered in her eyes.
"I'm still alive, which means I'm okay," she stated confidently.
"Yu Xiao," she declared to herself. "You are brave, independent, and smart. Be yourself; that's all that truly matters!" She asserted with a firm smile. "Now, it's time to shower, change into a fresh robe, and take charge of your day."
Hours passed, and Yu Xiao had cleaned herself thoroughly. She stood confidently in a royal blue inner hanfu, her hair styled simply, holding a spirit herb oil infused with a calming lavender scent.
Suddenly, she rushed to the window, her eyes fixed on the luminous moon.
A thought struck her, recalling what Xue Wuya had said about the Aetherbloom trees.
**Flashback:**
"Seriously? Do these trees really cure sickness? They look like ordinary trees—though exceptionally beautiful." - Her
"To most, they seem like mere trees, but at night, they unleash their true nature—transforming into what appears to be woven from solidified moonlight." - Xue Wuya
Consciously, her lips parted with an intentionally clenched jaw.
She returned to her bed and gently placed the spirit herb oil with the lavender scent down. Her brows furrowed as she crossed her arms and walked back to the window to watch the luminous moon.
"Xue Wuya won't lie," she murmured, filled with doubts. "I want to see what those trees look like," she added, then quickly headed out.
The distance from the palace courtyard to the guest quarters was about seventy meters.
Yu Xiao bravely stepped outside, her curiosity driving her to see the Aetherbloom trees.
The air grew cooler with every step downward, carrying the faint, clean scent of snow and something sweeter—like night-blooming jasmine mixed with the freshness of rain. Before long, she reached the wide courtyard, marked by a simple arch of frostwood carved with protective runes, and paused. There were no guards, no attendants—just her, the mountain, and the hush of eternal winter.
For a moment, there was nothing. Just dark silhouettes of slender trees against the deeper darkness.
Then the moonlight found her.
The first bloom opened shyly—a single bud high in the nearest tree unfurling its sapphire petals one by one. A soft pulse of white light blossomed at its heart, and tiny motes of aether drifted upward, catching the moonbeams and scattering them into faint halos. Another bud followed. Then a dozen. Then hundreds.
Yu Xiao stared in silent wonder.
The entire grove was awakening. The trunks, pale silver-white, began to glow from within, azure veins threading through the bark like delicate embroidery. The branches arched and shimmered as if spun from solidified moonlight, every curve impossibly graceful. The blossoms opened in waves—layers of pale sapphire deepening to indigo and violet, their translucent petals refracting the light into soft, cool rainbows. At each flower's center, a pure crystalline glow pulsed gently and steadily, as if the garden itself had a heartbeat.
She stopped beneath the largest tree, feeling a mix of awe and desire to explore this enchanting grove further. In silent wonder, her heart swelling at the sight.
With tentative steps, she moved closer, afraid to disturb the sacred hush. The ground beneath her feet was dappled with shifting silver patterns cast by the shimmering canopies above. Motes of aether floated around her, brushing her skin like cool sparks—weightless, tingling, and gone the instant she tried to grasp them.