historical

'I am your big brother.'

'I am your big brother.'

'I am your big brother.'

Like the looping ballad of a talentless bard, Zuixian's words repeated in Haoyue's mind, following a grim and broken tune that made a mess of the Dongli princess' brain. All her life, Haoyue had been convinced of this one thing: her father was a loyal man. Loyal to his state, loyal to his vows, loyal...to his family, Shui Jiankang embodied loyalty, and despite the emasculating rumors circulating among Dongli royals and aristocrats, never lost sight of the vows he'd made to his queen.

In a sense, Shui Jiankang was similar to the August Divinity, Taiyang Yuan. But Taiyang Yuan, he was not. Mortals were prone to mistakes that divines could outright erase from their mortal shells. Taiyang Yuan didn't have the capacity to betray the vows he'd made to his dead crown princess. Shui Jiankang, however, had to fight against his base instincts and the opportunities offered by his royal throne to stay loyal to his queen.

Following her tragic death, her memory acted as an anchor that kept him honest. But now Haoyue realized that long ago, decades before her mother's death, her father had already failed to keep his promise. Not with one of the consorts imposed by the royal family's female leaders, but with an outrageously seductive woman of the Zi clan -- the Queen of Slut Dolls -- Zi Huamei.

Why her?

It was almost as if Zi Huamei's beauty and outrageous sex appeal made all vows worthless. And now, decades later, the product of that affair became a breathing insult to the memory of Haoyue's mother.

Had Haoyang been present, regardless of the cultivation gap, he'd have tried to cut Zuixian's head off his neck. But much more composed, realistic and empathetic than her twin, Haoyue couldn't blame Zuixian for her father's actions. If anything, he too was a victim in this story.

Yet, despite her best judgment and empathy, a part of Haoyue couldn't help but ressent Zuixian for all that he now represented. That part kept her breathless, preventing her from taking a good look at her "new" brother.

'Ultimately, men are all the same. Just like royal father couldn't resist Zi Huamei, Qiu Chen can make all the pledges in the world, but once surrounded by fairies and goddesses, he will find a reason to default on his vows as well.

Is this even about gender? Or perhaps, status, power, risk and reward are all that matter?

At least Xinzi...never makes promises that he cannot deliver on.' Haoyue's thoughts trailed off. Xiao Hu's eyes shifted from Zuixian to Haoyue, reading in their grimaces the emotions ripping through their hearts.

"Zi Zuixian, you barely know Shui Haoyue, so why are you so determined to protect her? For your sworn brother? For these blood ties that you till recently knew nothing of? Or maybe you're just desperate to be the opposite of your mother. She spent a lifetime trampling on blood ties. So you want to do the complete opposite and honor them to the fullest extent of your abilities.

But Zi Zuixian, is it worth it? You've already failed to protect the relative that you owed the most to. What is Shui Haoyue...compared to all that Zi Yao has done for you?" Xiao Hu rhetorically asked, and as Zuixian's lips twitched at her words, the pipa demoness pressed on.

"She raised you, indulged you, protected you, let you derail from the future she'd envision for you, and acted as the shield that enabled you to live as the free and unfettered Wine Eccentric. But in her time of need, where were you? Chasing my butt across all directions."

"I...didn't know." Faced with Xiao Hu's accusation, Zuixian's limbs trembled, and as he always did in stressful moments, the Wine Eccentric pulled his wine gourd back into his hands, tightening his grip to not let it drop to the ground.

"Does it matter?"

"I...couldn't have helped."

"Does it matter?" Here, Xiao Hu paused. Zuixian's face turned pale, and reflexively, he took a long, unnecessary mouthful of liquor. Seeing this, Xiao Hu broke into laughter.

"In ancient times, when the Celestial Hall faced destruction, how many disciples chose to stay with Qiu Meng's sinking ship, knowing full well that they had no hope of resisting the Taiyang clan's forces.

When Hengye Wuxin annexed the Western Continent, and gave your ancestor the choice to surrender to the Eternal Night, or perish like his father, despite Amethyst Holy King's selfish choice, how many of your Zi clansmen and women chose to live and die with him?

Being able to change the outcome is not the issue. It's the will to fight tooth and nail and be there for the people you claim to love, to be there at their darkest hour...that makes all the difference.

Zuixian, you're projecting your own flaws and insecurities on me. I may not know who I am, but I've already settled on what I will be. I don't need to be saved, especially not by someone like you." With each word that she let out, Xiao Hu's determination skyrocketed, erasing Zuixian's momentum.

"My big sister is all that I care about. She wants your Nameless Sword Mountain gone, so regardless of the price I have to pay, no one can stop me...from carrying out her will!" This one pledge marked the end of the exchange. Xiao Hu arched her head back, pushing all the corrupt energies festering in her dantian to the limit. Her words, laced in the manipulative abilities of a Heart Demon, crippled Zuixian's reaction speed. Xiao Hu lunged forward, becoming an unstoppable bolt that raced past Zuixian on its way to Haoyue.

Driven by Qiu Meng's orders, the Stone Sentinels formed a blockade, becoming the last line of defense between Haoyue and Xiao Hu. But when faced with the invisible and obscenely sharp Sword Sense cyclone that laced Xiao Hu's form, the Stone Sentinels struggled to resist.

At first, the Sword Sense chipped at their armors. An explosion of energies followed, and Xiao Hu's Sword Sense outright tore the first wave of sentinels to shreds. More followed soon, lunging at the pipa demoness with thrusts of swords and spears.