The wind sect.

He decided to go into his father's study not caring about his father's thoughts regarding where is loyalty and support lies, to him, knowing what is going to happen to the woman he loved is more important than anything else even if it earns him another beating from his father.

​​

"Sect leader, I would like to see you to discuss something,". Bohai announced from outside the study not wanting to sound endearing.

"Come in," sect leader Lin answered with his back turned at the door while the elders sat back on the seats, he entered the study and bowed his head with his hand cupped in front of him to greet his father who still didn't bother to turn around.

"What is it?" he questioned, showing his dissatisfaction with his son but Bohai wasn't concerned with his father's cold attitude, he had already made up his mind to never regard him as his father again but the sect leader.

"I heard from the disciples that the emperor's decree has arrived at the sect so I decided to inquire about the content of the decree," Bohai answered.

"It is really unexpected that you rushed here just to know the content of the decree, humph!" he turned around with a disappointed and quizzical look in his eyes as he fixed his eyes on his son, while the elders were wondering what his true intentions are.

"As the young master of the sect, it is my duty to care about this matter as it affects not only our sect but the entire Jianghu world, I hope father will not misunderstand my intentions," his face showed that he meant every single word he had just spoken but his father still couldn't help but feel that is not the only reason why he wants to know about the decree even if it is something everyone is eager to know.

"In that case, see for yourself," he responded and signalled the first elder to hand the scroll over to Bohai who collected the scroll and hurriedly opened it.

{....the second young mistress of the flame sect has been permitted by the emperor himself to return to the flame sect for a day, decreed by the emperor himself!}

His eyes widened at the last sentence, he felt the urge to widen his lips into a smile but for the fear of his father, he constrained himself and smiled inwardly, he wished he could run out of the study right now and break the news to her.

But he had to pretend with the elders and his father's eyes on him.

"How could this have happened?" He falsely complained with a frown on his face, his father squinted his eyes at him in suspicion, he paused looking at his face for a while to see if his discontentment is genuine.

"I will never let that happen, Bohai, send a message to all the sect leaders and inform them of the content of the decree and my decision to appeal to the emperor regarding this issue, we can only use the excuse of her power not being stable to stop the flame sect from getting her back," Sect leader Lin instructed with resolution resounding in his voice, he feared that Huo Lan might disclose the secret that they tried to dispel her power.

"Y-Yes father," he bowed his head and left the study with his father watching his back, the elders were still thinking of the sect leader's decision.

"Sect Leader, what if the emperor has his own difficulties and he refuses to renounce his decree?" the third leader questioned while the others fixed their gaze on the sect leader, awaiting his answer.

"Then I can only use another card," sect leader Lin answered vaguely.

"Another card...."

Judging from his tone, it was quite obvious to them that he has no intention of telling them what his other card is so they can only leave the topic be.

- - - - - - - - -

Blossom Pavillon.

Xi Feng stood in the middle of the garden, while he practised his sword techniques, he was still meditating before he started practising when the fourth prince entered into the garden wearing a black robe with his black hair cascading his back, his lips curved into a faint smile seeing Xi Feng meditate in a lotus position.

He decided to sit back and watch how much this bodyguard of his has improved, he took his seat on the stone seat, just outside the open space in the garden and placed his elbow on the stone table while he fixed his eyes on the bodyguard.

He raised his hands, prompting one of the servants in the pavilion to walk up to him, she bowed her head as soon as she arrived at his front.

"Fourth prince," the servant greeted.

"Get me peach blossom tea," the fourth prince ordered.

"Understood," she answered and made her way towards the kitchen, just as she left, Xi Feng opened his eyes and sprang up from the lotus position, he swirled his body in the air with his unsheathed sword stretched in front of him, as he landed on the ground, he pushed his sword forwards and pulled it out of its sheath then he kicked the sheath to the ground.

He swirled his swords around, causing the leaves from the trees to fall under the impact of his sword, the fourth prince watched him while he fondled with his fingers with keen concentration until the servant arrived with the clay pot of tea and a wooden teacup which she guessed he would prefer using to drink the peach blossom tea, compared to the jade cups.

Extremely satisfied with the choice of teaware, he signalled her to place it on the stone table, she was about to pour the tea into the teacup when he waved his hand to dismiss her, she bowed her head again and walked away.

Xi Feng who has already noticed the presence of his master was now doing his very best to impress his master and show the best of his skills, Xi Feng was born and bred in an assassin creed where he was trained to become a soulless and heartless killer, he was giving a mission to kill a whole family of more than thirty people and as he always does, he received the mission with no question, after he had killed everyone in the family and was about to leave, his eyes caught a young girl hiding under the many bodies of her family which he had killed.

He immediately recognised the girl as the girl he had met a few days ago and told all of his struggles to, he realized that his superiors found out his newfound relationship with the girl so they ordered him to kill her family.

He was about to leave, pretending like he didn't see her when his superior and assassins came into the family manor, they had been watching him the whole time, one of them dragged the girl who was quivering in fear out and ordered him to kill her, she looked at him with fear and hatred in her eyes, for the first time in all his missions, he felt guilty of what he had done.

Under the pressure of his superiors, he raised his sword to kill her but he couldn't bring himself to bring the sword down on her, instead, he turned around and pointed his sword at his superiors while he pulled the girl to her feet.

He has always done their bidding but he couldn't believe that the one time his heart felt emotions, they will try to snatch it away from him, the head of the assassins ordered the others to kill him and the girl but he killed every one of them that raised their sword against the girl while receiving multiple cuts to his body, he ran away with her into the forest with the assassin creed at their heels.

She couldn't understand why he was trying to save her even after killing her family, his ears picked up the sound of a bow being stretched then he stopped and turned around only to see arrows being pointed at them, he quickly pulled the girl away but she was frightened so she snatched his sword and stabbed him in his chest while the arrows pierced through his back.

She realized that he was only trying to protect her, she dropped the sword in fear of what she has done but he only smiled at her and told her to continue running while he stays behind to fend them off and that was the last he saw of her but the fourth prince saved him the next day, so his loyalty lied with the fourth prince since the day he opened his eyes in the blossom pavilion.

"Master," a familiar voice called, he turned back to see Xiaodi running towards him, he sighed thinking of what trouble she might cause him again but he quickly smiled when she arrived at the stone table and took her seat next to him.

"Didn't I tell you to meditate in the meditation room, what are you doing out here?"

"Master, I couldn't concentrate so I decided to ask for your guidance," she replied while pulling the edge of his sleeve, he shook his head and flicked her forehead.

"I have really spoiled you, you are already over a hundred years old but you can't even meditate on your own, why can't you just be like Xi Feng?".

She pouted her mouth and humphed as she watched Xi Feng practice.