Lianhua stands surrounded by Nei Wei's orderly escort as she watches the spectacle unfolding before her. The crowd is a sea of faces, a mix of cultivators who have secured passes to enter the Celestial Rift and onlookers who simply want to witness the opening of this mysterious phenomenon. The shouts, murmurs, and occasional arguments fill the air with an almost tangible buzz.
Zhāohuán Wen's thoughts appear in her mind, and she can't help but smile. Despite all the young woman's complaints about the injustice of missing a moment that only happens once every decade, Guifei Xiang flatly forbade her from coming, which is a relief considering everything. The deployment to ensure her safety would have been too complicated with so many people present.
Her gaze lingers for a moment on a nearby group of men and women who seem fascinated by her outfit. The multi-toned brown outfit, designed by Zhāohuán Wen and described by her as "desert camouflage”, has attracted too much attention for Lianhua's liking, and she still doesn't understand how such a striking outfit will help her go unnoticed in the desert. In the end, she decides to ignore the stares and turns to contemplate the strange phenomenon occurring behind the governor's troops, resisting the temptation to adjust the overly tight sleeves of the strange outfit.
In the air, just beyond the military cordon, space seems to ripple as if an invisible force were bending the very fabric of reality, and everything on the other side is distorted as if seen through fractured glass.
Lianhua stands still, watching the phenomenon as it intensifies. The governor, dressed in garish robes and flanked by his own guards, climbs onto a makeshift podium. A talisman glows in his hands for a moment, and its effect is clear when he begins to speak and his voice is heard magnified.
"Citizens of the Tianjing Empire and brave cultivators from all over! Today, in this place, the Celestial Fragment of the Sands opens its doors once again. This is a privilege and a test. May the heavens judge those who are worthy, and may glory be upon the brave who dare to challenge this unknown realm."
Lianhua pays little attention to the rest of the speech, as her gaze is fixed on one of the Nei Wei, who carries a peculiar bundle similar in shape to the bamboo baskets that peasants often carry on their backs. However, this one is covered with sturdy leather that gives it a strange appearance and which Zhāohuán Wen proudly calls a backpack.
"Give it to me”, Lianhua orders in a firm voice.
The Nei Wei obeys without question, helping her adjust the straps precisely over her back and waist. As every time she has tried on the backpack, Lianhua is surprised at how comfortable it is, despite how full it is with everything Zhāohuán Wen has decided to put in it to help her with her task, as she told her when she complained about the absurdity of it when she saw that she even put in a rope with a hook.
Deep down, she knows this is just another one of Zhāohuán Wen's crazy ideas, but she can't deny the practicality of the design, and at least she is confident that nothing she has invented has been a failure.
As she finishes, the leader of the Nei Wei approaches Lianhua with a serious expression.
"Gongzhu Lianhua”, she says respectfully. "The Nei Baihu has asked me to convey a request to you."
"What request?" asks Lianhua, turning to face her.
"The Nei Baihu wishes, if possible, for you to provide her with a detailed report on the usefulness of this backpack in an environment such as the Celestial Fragment”, the Nei Wei tells her.
Lianhua blinks, surprised by the request, but quickly realizes that she hadn't considered this from a military perspective. Cultivators who have completed Muscle Tempering and Tempering of Bones and tendons rarely need to worry about weight, but the comfortable and efficient design of the backpack could make a difference when soldiers carry their equipment and supplies.
"Understood”, she replies with a slight nod. "If I return, I will give you my impressions."
Before she can continue, the governor ends his speech with an amplified shout “The Heavenly Fragment is about to open! Those authorized, step forward in order as I call your names!"
With those words, the phenomenon behind him changes dramatically. The ripples in the air twist until, with a sound like muffled thunder, the space breaks apart and a translucent window appears, revealing a vast expanse of golden dunes.
"Representative of the Zhāohuán, come forward”, announces the governor.
Lianhua checks that the daggers on her belt are in place and, without looking back, leaves her escort to head toward the entrance. When she reaches them, the governor's troops step aside, opening a path that leads her to the edge of the portal.
The crowd holds its breath as Lianhua crosses the threshold and disappears into the sands of the Celestial Fragment without hesitation.
Sun Chao, the fifteenth imperial prince, stands at the foot of the stage, staring coldly at his younger sister's fox maid, who, surrounded by a Nei Wei escort, watches the spectacle in front of the Celestial Rift. The maid's outfit is completely ridiculous, a brown ensemble that seems more suited to a street performer than someone representing the Zhāohuán. Sun Chao suppresses a grimace of disgust, but his contempt is evident in the way he narrows his eyes.
"That bitch couldn't be satisfied with humiliating me at the Celestial Lotus Palace”, he says to the men around him as his gaze hardens and his hatred for his sister bubbles just below the surface. "Not only did she steal one of the passes that belonged to my delegation, but now she's putting on this show, sending her maid as if she were some grand representative."
His gaze drifts for a moment to Nei Wei's escort accompanying the woman. They are efficient, disciplined, and clearly alert. Sun Chao feels a pang of frustration and thinks bitterly how easy it would have been to get rid of her along the way if it weren't for them, but the voice of one of his companions pulls him out of his thoughts.
"Your Highness, don't worry”, the man says in a soft but venomous tone. "Once inside the Celestial Fragment, it won't be too difficult to find her and get rid of her."
Sun Chao turns to him, a cold smile curving his lips, and says “Spread the word among our people. Whoever brings me her head will receive a generous reward from me."
"As you wish, Your Highness”, murmurs the man as he bows his head obediently before retreating to convey the instructions to the nobles who have accompanied Sun Chao on his expedition. Some of them, those who are closest and have been able to hear the prince's words, exchange knowing glances and begin to whisper among themselves as they prepare for the hunt.
With the matter underway, Sun Chao turns his attention back to the front just as the governor, a thick, pompous man dressed in garish clothing, staggers up to a makeshift podium. Seeing the man, Sun Chao grits his teeth.
"That worm”, he says angrily to his men. "Having to pay him to get back the place my sister took from me in the rift is a humiliation that will be repaid in full when I return to the palace and speak to my older brother."
The governor raises a glowing talisman, amplifying his voice as he begins his speech. Sun Chao listens with disdain, not bothering to hide his boredom.
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"Citizens of the Tianjing Empire and brave cultivators from all over! Today, in this place, the Celestial Fragment of the Sands opens its doors once again. This is a privilege and a test..."
"Useless verbiage”, thinks Sun Chao, tapping his fingers impatiently.
Finally, after what seems like an eternity, the governor finally announces “The Celestial Fragment is about to open! Those authorized, step forward in order as I call your names!"
The phenomenon behind him begins to change. The ripples in the air intensify, twisting until, with a sound like muffled thunder, the space breaks apart. A translucent window forms, revealing a vast expanse of golden dunes stretching to the horizon.
"Representative of the Zhāohuán, come forward”, announces the governor.
Sun Chao watches helplessly as the maid strides confidently toward the entrance with a strange bulge on her back as ridiculous as her attire. Rage burns inside him as the woman's figure crosses the threshold and snatches away what was to be his moment of glory at the head of the entrance to the Celestial Fragment.
"Everyone get ready!" Sun Chao snaps sharply at the man who spoke to him earlier. "We're going in next. And make sure no one delays me, or they'll regret it for the rest of their lives."
Finally, the governor proclaims in an amplified voice: "Now it is the turn of His Highness Sun Chao, fifteenth imperial prince!"
Without hesitation, Sun Chao strides toward the entrance with determined steps as his escort of nobles and soldiers follow closely behind. His expression is a mask of cold determination as he steps into the portal toward the golden dunes stretching out before him. The heat of the Celestial Fragment greets him with a gust of dry wind, but Sun Chao barely notices it thanks to his cultivation.
"I will find you”, he silently promises, his gaze fixed on the endless sea of sand. "And you will pay with your body for the humiliation my sister put me through."
Ling Tian sits on a high tree branch, surrounded by a sea of leaves that hide him from prying eyes. From his elevated position, he surveys the vast ocean of people who have gathered in front of the Celestial Rift. The crowd, a jumble of colors and constant movement, vibrates with excitement and anticipation of what is about to happen.
In the distance, just beyond the governor's troops, the air seems to ripple as if something invisible is manipulating space itself. The sight is mesmerizing, but soon his attention is caught by a voice in his mind.
"You should have won the tournament”, his master's voice echoes with a tone laden with reproach. "You could have entered as the first of the independent cultivators, right behind the men of the four families."
Ling Tian, surprised but no less accustomed to his master's interference, instinctively brings his left hand to his chest where he keeps the letter given to him by the Zhāohuán maid.
"No, the Zhāohuán was right”, he replies quietly, making sure no one can hear him. "The risk of being discovered was too high. If they had asked me to remove my mask when I won, I could have easily escaped, but I would have lost any chance of entering the Celestial Fragment."
His master's voice snorts with disdain in his mind as he says “You could have entered anyway. You just would have had to force your way in."
Ling Tian bites his lower lip to hold back a sharp retort.
“Do you remember what it was like to fight at this level after so long?” he thinks, but quickly decides not to voice his thoughts. Knowing his master, such a comment would only start a pointless argument.
Instead, he calmly replies “Even if I had entered behind the members of the four families, I would have had to wait for them to split into groups to ambush them safely, so I wouldn't have gained anything in reality."
The snort in his mind returns, louder this time, but there is no immediate response. Ling Tian interprets the silence as tacit agreement, though he would never admit it out loud.
As the conversation with his master comes to an end, his eyes remain fixed on the front of the crowd. There, a plump figure dressed in extravagant clothes climbs onto a makeshift podium. The governor, with his characteristic excess, raises a talisman that amplifies his voice, beginning a speech that can be heard throughout the area.
"Citizens of the Tianjing Empire and brave cultivators from all over!" proclaims the governor in a theatrical voice. "Today, in this place, the Celestial Fragment of the Sands opens its doors once again..."
Ling Tian glances over at the crowd, watching them stir with excitement. Some are clearly here just to watch the show, but many more are cultivators with passes, eager for the riches they will earn within the Heavenly Fragment. A growing murmur begins to fill the air, a palpable energy that increases with each word from the governor.
When the speech finally ends, Ling Tian turns his attention to the front just in time to witness the undulating space behind the governor twist and break with a muffled rumble. The entrance to the Celestial Fragment appears, a translucent window revealing an endless desert of golden dunes.
"Representative of the Zhāohuán, come forward”, announces the governor.
Ling Tian straightens slightly on the branch as a woman dressed in strange clothing and carrying a bundle on her back advances toward the entrance. His eyes narrow as he recognizes her, for she is the maid who delivered the letter from the Zhāohuán and who always accompanied her when he met her.
Suddenly, his master's voice breaks the silence in his mind as he says “Oh, I never thought I'd see that kind of clothing in a place as backward as this."
"What's so special about the clothes the Zhāohuán maid is wearing?" Ling Tian asks quietly, his eyes fixed on the woman disappearing into the dunes of the Celestial Fragment.
"If you cultivate enough to reach Harvest Tribulation and ascend, one day you will realize it for yourself”, his master replies, his tone laden with mysterious condescension.
Ling Tian lets out a sigh. Over time, he has learned that his master tends to be deliberately cryptic as a way to motivate him to advance more quickly in his cultivation, so he ignores what he says and turns his attention back to the front.
"Now it is the turn of His Highness Sun Chao, the fifteenth imperial prince!" proclaims the governor.
Ling Tian watches as the prince, followed by his large entourage, strides forward with an air of superiority toward the entrance and soon begins to disappear into the dunes.
After Sun Chao and his followers disappear, Ling Tian hears the governor begin to call his own men and knows that the men of the four families will follow them.
As the procession of people passes by, Ling Tian settles himself on the branch, preparing for what he knows will be a long wait before he can enter the Celestial Fragment and begin his hunt.
Ling Xia is sitting in a corner of the room, with an open book in front of her, though her gaze is lost between the pages. On the other side, Zhāohuán Wen is bent over her own book , but Ling Xia notices that she is not really focused either. Her serious expression and occasional sighs betray that her mind is elsewhere.
"She must be thinking about Lianhua”, Ling Xia thinks, as today is the day Lianhua has left to enter the Celestial Fragment, and the worry weighing on Zhāohuán Wen seems almost palpable.
As her mind wanders, the Celestial Fragment reminds her of her own brother. Although no one has mentioned it directly in front of her, Ling Xia has overheard enough snippets of conversations between Wen and Lianhua in the Palace to know that he also plans to enter, and the idea fills her with unease.
"I know why he'll do it”, she thinks. "Revenge."
The word settles in her mind like a stone. Despite her age, Ling Xia heard enough arguments in her former family to understand the endless struggles between the houses of the city.
A soft sigh from Zhāohuán Wen pulls her out of her thoughts. Ling Xia turns her head to look at her, but says nothing. She doesn't want to interrupt her, nor does she want her to notice her own emotional state. Instead, she pretends to read again, even though the words on the pages in front of her make no sense.
Her mind wanders back to the past, to the day her life changed forever. She thinks of her father, of how her world fell apart, and of how her brother abandoned her, entrusting her to the care of the Zhāohuán. She thinks of how he is risking his life for something that will not bring anyone back.
Lost in her dark thoughts, Ling Xia feels tears begin to roll down her cheeks and quickly rubs her eyes to wipe them away and hide them. She doesn't want Zhāohuán Wen to notice them, as that would only make her worry even more, and Ling Xia doesn't want to repay the kindness she is receiving with more worries than she already carries at this moment due to Lianhua's departure.
But the silence in the room is abruptly broken when Zhāohuán Wen slams her book shut and exclaims “Enough! I can't go on like this! Worrying won't change anything that happens."
The shock causes Ling Xia to drop the book she was holding. She quickly dries her eyes completely before Zhāohuán Wen can notice anything, turning just in time to see her resolutely put away the book in front of her as Zhāohuán's words echo in her mind.
"Worrying won't change anything”, Ling Xia repeats to herself. "Maybe I should learn something from this too."
Zhāohuán Wen picks up the bell she always uses to summon the maids and shakes it decisively. Ling Xia watches curiously as a maid quickly enters the room.
"What do you want, Zhāohuán?" the maid asks respectfully.
Zhāohuán Wen ignores the maid for the moment and looks directly at Ling Xia with a spark of determination in her eyes.
"I need your help”, she says firmly. "I've decided that, to stop us from continuing to feel depressed about Lianhua's departure, we're going to try to create several recipes for some exotic dishes I read about in a book. We'll use them to celebrate her return."
Ling Xia blinks in surprise, completely forgetting her dark thoughts.
"New dishes?" she asks as she eagerly rises from her chair. "What are they like?"
Zhāohuán Wen tells the maid to take her to the kitchen, and she pushes the chair out of the room, followed by Ling Xia, who eagerly awaits the answer to her question.
"I have several dishes in mind that I think we can make here”, Zhāohuán Wen replies to Ling Xia. "But I think the first one we're going to try is one they call pizza."
