a post-cyberpunk xianxia epic
4 MONTHS AGO. Lin’ai breathed Xun in, breathed all the flowers of a rich boy’s bathwater in the shape of a poorer boy’s ill-traveled cover story. When he leaned in, Lin was quick to capture, mineral spring wet, rainwater lip to lip in a gentle question: stay or go? He barely departed when he confided: […]
4 MONTHS AGO. Somehow, Lin’ai knew. Something in his bones told him this evening at the market would be a test—that more than anything he should keep his head down, eyes straight ahead. Something in his stomach dug a pit that he filled with molten confidence, liquid and brassy in his acid vat guts, always […]
Gui Lin’ai rose before the sun because it afforded him the freedom to leave without questions. Despite the quiet shuffle of the Feng clan’s late night servants and watchmen reaching the end of their graveyard shift, Lin’ai found the complex almost reassuringly empty. The pre-dawn landscape was reminiscent of the abandoned manor houses on the […]
Gao Suilian was rarely ever up before half past eight and always rose with the unapologetic insistence of her militant father. He, trained by a life lived between Yunji and the conflicts Luanshi raised him for, always rose at dawn and banged around their shared home with little consideration for things like beauty sleep or […]
“Are you excited to see the Fengs, Lin?” Gui Ao looked over to his younger brother with a fondness that narrowed his eyes. His sun bleached hair fell just above his chin, framed his face in wavy lines that shook with the movement of their wagon pulled by a pair of horses. Its construction creaked […]
When both princes were dismissed from their disappointed father’s chambers, Miyan was lying in wait. She knew from all the whispers that her brothers were leaving her behind, too young to be useful in arena, too precious to take on a journey up the mountain without their mother leading the way. By now, the teen […]
Tian Xiaoxu was slower than the wildfire rumours that spread from his wager’s spark. Even as he walked from the Ren estate back to Skyline Manor, he heard the noise of his actions chatter past him in whispers and bits: spoken as story through the open doors of a teahouse, replayed by children in the […]
Yuhui waved goodbye to his brother before passing through the gates enclosing the Ren manor, glancing back briefly to view his own house from below, that palace perched perfectly upon the skyline. He wasn’t envious of the task his older sibling was going to see through but, at the same time, he wasn’t quite looking […]
There was blood splattered on the pavement leading up to the mansion in which the Feng clan made their home. Afternoon rolled in and now the courtyard was quiet, peaceful in the hours after so much noise and a night’s worth of ragged howling. It was bare except for that tell-tale evidence of lashings left […]
The morning was still dim when Tian Xiaoxu rose. He had little time or desire for breakfast—not when it was such a momentous day for his young brother. The crown prince dressed quickly, as plainly as he could to spite the elegance of his wardrobe, and rushed to rouse his sibling. “Come on, Yuhui,” he […]