Two nights had passed. Since their chance encounter at the market, neither Yuan Yu nor Han Liang had been able to forget.
Yuan Yu spent his days in the sect's garden, meditating beside the waterfall, and his nights filling the pages of his journal. Yet no matter how much he wrote, no matter how much lotus tea he drank, his thoughts always returned to the same place—
that quiet smile across the table…
those eyes…
that faint bluish glimmer.
They were both men, and yet the attraction felt dangerously real.
Han Liang, meanwhile, patrolled the crowded streets of the city, gathering rumors. Whispers spread quickly: the Tiger Sect had arrived, and soon they would visit the Jewel Sect.
Han Liang's curiosity sharpened.
What could the two great sects possibly discuss?
But as Han Liang moved through the market, every step carried the same unconscious search.
What if they crossed paths again?
Each night, before exhaustion finally claimed him, the same image returned—a delicate white wrist… the brief touch when the bracelet had brushed against his fingers.
His heart raced as Han Liang whispered into the dark:
I must see him again…
I must not lose him again.
On the second night, Xu Mei entered her son's chamber. Her expression was grave.
"Yuan Yu," Xu Mei said, "you can delay no longer. Rumors have reached me."
Yuan Yu remained silent.
"They speak of the Tiger Sect… and their young leader, Myung Moon. It seems he has taken an interest in you."
Still, Yuan Yu said nothing. Xu Mei's voice grew sharper.
"These rumors trouble me. My son, you must marry a woman. Our lineage must continue. Otherwise, who will inherit this sect?"
She stepped closer.
"Your beauty brings danger. Men and women alike look at you, and I fear what such attention may invite."
Her sigh was heavy.
"I am already searching for a suitable young woman, and word has been sent to the surrounding towns."
Yuan Yu lowered his gaze.
His chest tightened.
His mother was not wrong—his face drew attention wherever he went.
But deep in his heart… there was only one person he wished to see. And his mother would never speak that name.
Not long after, golden banners appeared on the horizon.
The Tiger Sect had arrived.
Flags embroidered with fierce tigers waved before the Jewel Sect residence as Myung Moon entered with slow, heavy steps—proud, stern, and utterly self-assured. His presence alone silenced the courtyard.
Yuan Zhen, the leader of the Jewel Sect, greeted him at once. The courtyard filled with gathered disciples and family members.
Yuan Yu stood beside his uncle.
Myung Moon's gaze found him immediately.
It did not move away.
Then, in a low voice—sharp as a blade—Myung Moon spoke.
"So the rumors are true."
His eyes narrowed slightly.
"Words cannot describe your beauty."
He stepped forward.
"Now that I have seen you with my own eyes…" A slow smile formed. "I have made my decision, Yuan Yu."
The moment Xu Mei noticed where Myung Moon's gaze had settled, her heart clenched. There was no admiration in those eyes—only possession. And that was far more dangerous