A Song For The Ages

The breakthrough brought Feiyin a deep calm, but peace never lasted long. The Red Lotus headquarters was abuzz only a few days later. Runners moved quickly through the halls, carrying sealed scrolls. The disciples who had been stationed in Xu's capital gathered in the courtyard, their faces tight with anticipation. The winter air seemed sharper, the chill cutting through the murmurs of uneasy voices.

Feiyin arrived just as Qingling and Ruan were standing by the raised platform, a scroll unrolled between them. The crimson seal stamped at the bottom was unmistakable. Its characters glowed faintly with sect authority, binding every disciple to its order.

Qingling cleared her throat, though her usual grin had softened into something more formal and restrained. She read aloud, her voice carrying across the courtyard: "All disciples currently on outside assignments are to return to the sect. You have seven days to prepare."

The words seemed to hang in the air like a blade suspended above their heads. Conversations erupted in hushed tones. Some disciples looked eager, their faces brightened by the thought of returning to familiar grounds. Others stiffened with dread, their hands curling into fists. The sect's call could not be ignored- every disciple bore a parasite within their body, binding them. Refusal was unthinkable, unless they intended to sever ties completely and face an atrocious death.

Qingling rolled the scroll closed with a low whistle, shaking her head. "Well, they certainly didn't waste time. Seven days isn't much notice." Her tone was light, but Feiyin caught the flicker in her eyes- calculations already spinning.

Ruan, standing at her side, was calm as ever. Her dark eyes swept across the gathered disciples, steady and sharp. "It means the sect is moving," she said softly, but her voice carried. "Either they're tightening their hold… or preparing for something larger."

The courtyard quieted for a moment, the tension stretching taut. Before anyone could speak, heavy footsteps pounded across the stone.

Ba Shanyue appeared, breath misting in the cold air, his face drawn tight with frustration. He had returned in a rush, his hair unkempt, eyes shadowed. The others turned toward him with surprise, unused to seeing the usually composed disciple so unsettled. He scanned the scroll in Qingling's hands and cursed under his breath, shoulders slumping.

Though no one else knew, Feiyin caught the flicker of despondence in his gaze- the mark of someone who had failed to complete an objective. He didn't explain, simply clenched his fists and stood apart, jaw tight. The murmurs in the courtyard deepened, disciples whispering among themselves, unease rising like mist.

Later, in a secluded chamber, Feiyin sat with Qingling and Ruan once more. The firelight flickered over maps strewn across the table. Ink stains marked borders, notes of trade routes and troop movements scribbled in the margins. The three spoke in low tones.

Qingling tapped the scroll with her finger, leaning back. "We can't delay the inevitable. The sect's summon is obligatory. They'll be watching who returns promptly and who drags their feet."

Ruan folded her hands. "It also means we'll be drawn back into their gaze. Feiyin, your progress cannot remain hidden forever. If they suspect…" She let the words trail off, but the warning was clear.

Feiyin nodded. "Which is why we must use these seven days wisely. I cannot refine the Purifying Needle yet, not without Cleansing Gold. But this return may give me the chance to see if the alchemy branch holds any in reserve. If I can find it, then I can finally forge the needle- and free us all from the sect master's grasp."

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Qingling's eyes softened. "And what of your family?"

That evening, Feiyin returned to the courtyard house. Lanterns glowed softly in the garden, and the scent of jasmine drifted faintly through the crisp air. He slid the gate aside, and the sound of small footsteps came racing toward him.

"Fei-Fei!"

Meimei barreled across the courtyard on her stubby legs, arms flung wide. Feiyin swept her up easily, spinning her once as she giggled and clung to his neck. Her tiny hands patted his cheeks. "Play wish me"

Baiyu slithered gracefully from the veranda, scales shimmering in the lamplight, small blossoms woven through the ridges of her body by Mei Liao's careful hands. The serpent lifted her head and bumped Feiyin's chest with a soft trill, her eyes warm.

From the veranda, Mei Liao and Cai Feng stepped forward. Their faces were calm, but Feiyin read the subtle tightness in their expressions. They already knew.

"You've heard?" Feiyin asked.

Cai Feng's eyes were steady, the flicker of lamplight sharp across his features. "Word spreads quickly when the sect moves. The mercenaries are unsettled. Even the guards on the street are whispering."

Mei Liao's tone was gentle but heavy with sorrow. "The summons cannot be ignored. You will have to return for your plans." Her fingers tightened on her robe, reluctant to let the moment slip away so soon after their reunion.

Feiyin set Meimei down gently, the child clinging to his leg. He nodded. "Seven days. That is all they have given."

Silence settled over the courtyard, thick with unspoken words. Finally, Mei Liao stepped forward and placed a trembling hand on his arm. "Then we will use those days well. Your father and I will prepare the children- they cannot remain here alone when the city stirs. But know this, Feiyin: I'm immensely proud of you, but every step you take tears at my heart. I would keep you here with me if I could."

Cai Feng's voice, rougher than before, carried both pride and grief. "We will take them back to the skyship that escorted us here, and from there head toward Spirit Slaying Alliance territory. It is the only way we can rally safely. We will wait for word from you, so you better keep in touch, to let us know how you are doing."

Meimei tugged on Feiyin's sleeve, her eyes wide and wet. "Fei-Fei, you go? Again?" Her voice wavered, small and uncertain.

Feiyin knelt, drawing her close. "I must go, Meimei. But only for a while. I promise, I will return. And when I do, I'll bring you stories brighter than the stars."

She sniffled, then nodded fiercely, pressing her forehead to his. "Then you have tho come back. Promishe!"

"I promise," he whispered.

That night, the family gathered around the low table. The orphans Feiyin had asked his parents to watch over huddled nearby, their eyes wide as they listened. Mei Liao spoke to them with gentle firmness. "You will come with us when we leave. No matter what happens, you will not be left behind." Relief showed plainly on their young faces.

Feiyin explained what was to come. "The sect is moving, and we must move with them. But it won't be for long. I will break the chains they have woven and cut free the lives they mean to consume." His voice steadied, carrying across the quiet room. "For that, I need your trust, and your patience."

Cai Feng placed a hand on his shoulder, pride and resolve burning in his eyes. "You have both."

The following days were a storm of preparation. At the Red Lotus headquarters, disciples polished weapons and packed supplies. Qingling moved swiftly, spreading word through her network, gathering whispers of sect movements. Ruan vanished into the city's alleys, returning each night with coded reports from informants. Feiyin spent his hours in study and refinement, sketching models of artefacts he could make to increase his companions' might.

At home, Mei Liao organized the orphans with calm efficiency, preparing food, clothes, and travel packs. Cai Feng drilled the older children in simple formations, teaching them how to move as one for their travel. Meimei trailed after them, insisting she could help, her stubby arms carrying small bundles of cloth which she ended up playing with. Baiyu curled protectively around the youngest at night, her floral garlands shaking as she shifted.

Every evening, Feiyin returned to the courtyard, dividing his time between quiet talks with his parents and playful moments with Meimei.

On the sixth night, as snow drifted softly across the city, Feiyin stood once more on the rooftop, looking toward the distant horizon. The sect's call echoed in his mind, but so too did the promise of freedom.

The countdown had begun.