Chapter 1 - Happy Birthday
Step by step, a little young lady walked away from the bustling chatter and noisiness of the main courtyard. Her every move was elegant, independent and graceful, with a poised chin and even feet, but also seemed to carry a hint of loneliness. Her amber eyes, slanted in such a way that others would gossip about her appearing as 'cunning as a fox' or as a 'budding, evil seductress', were ice cold and unreadable.

Just as she entered her courtyard, bare and desolate without even a maid to be seen, and opened the sliding door to her outer room, four smiling faces cheerfully greeted her.

"Happy Thirteenth Birthday Sister Shuhai!"

"Happy Birthday!!"

"Happy Birthday."

"Happy Birthday~"

A chorus of congratulatory messages rung in Mao Shuhai's ears, as she beamed at each of her close brothers and sister, her icy exterior quickly melting away. The frostiness of Winter seeping into her bones seemed to quickly fade away from the warmth of the little surprise party they had put up for her.

In front of her, sitting around the only table of her courtyard's outer room, were four children of a similar age to herself.

The only female apart from herself, Wang Aiying, had a lively and outgoing countenance. With loose flaming red hair and deep blue irises like the sea, it was clear as day she would be a dazzling beauty when she grew older. For now though, her rounded cheeks made her look less fierce and more adorable.

The smiley boy, Lei Xinyi, sitting farthest from her had thin and dark eyes, that faintly shone a mesmerizing emerald in certain angles of light. He had hair as dark as night and never seemed to tire of smiling, though Mao Shuhai knew that in this case, his smile was sincere.

Xu Tao, equipped with perhaps the plainest and most ordinary appearance, had brownish hair bordering on black, with large calm eyes that reflected a sunny forest's vibrance, or that of a peaceful open meadow's. His eyes were usually unmoving and rarely showed much emotion, but here they seemed to twinkle with quiet happiness.

The last of her close friends, who were more of a family to her than her real relatives ever was, had a lovely and innocent smile on his face as he congratulated her. Despite being the shortest of the bunch, Lai Taizhi had a beautiful appearance. With delicate snow-white hair and silvery-blue eyes framed by angelic lashes, it was safe to say at first glance, it was difficult to decipher his sex. Despite his harmless facade, Mao Shuhai knew her littlest companion was more capable than he seemed, especially as the son of the king's late older brother. But she still couldn't resist the urge to pinch his cheeks every time she saw him...

"Thank you Sister Aiying, Brother Xinyi, Brother Tao and Brother Taizhi."

Mao Shuhai responded warmly, their sincere well wishes sweeping away the fake courtesies she had received earlier from the main hall. Sitting down at the small wooden table where everyone was squeezed around, she eyed up the birthday longevity noodles excitedly, despite having already eaten her fill with her biological family. Noticing her happy face, Wang Aiying, her close sister with lively red hair, leant towards her ear and spoke a few quiet words with a smile, though loud enough for everyone else to hear considering the silent and small room.

"Little Taitai actually spent all morning lining up outside the store to get the freshest noodles for you." Wang Aiying teased with a light laugh and bright mirthful blue eyes.

"Hey!" Lai Taizhi exclaimed indignantly with a shy flush, causing everyone in the room to laugh and smile as he hid behind his fluffy white locks.

"Haha, thank you Brother Taitai. I'll be sure to pay back the favour in autumn." Mao Shuhai responded playfully but sincerely as she sniffed the fragrant aroma of the noodles.

"Alright alright eat up! The noodles will get cold! Don't mind us whilst we chat here." Lei Xinyi reminded kindly with his dark-emerald eyes twinkling, as he gestured for Mao Shuhai to eat up.

With a little nod, she did as she was told and enjoyed the warm festive atmosphere as she dug in, listening to the casual, but fun, conversations between her friends.

At the end of her meal, Xu Tao quietly but thoughtfully passed her a napkin, which she smilingly received and dabbed her face with. Mao Shuhai sometimes wondered if this quiet fellow was enjoying himself, but his warm foresty eyes always told her all she needed to know.

As a maid summoned by Mao Shuhai reluctantly heeded her orders and brought the meal away, Lei Xinyi spoke out excitedly with a mischievous but childish glint in his dark eyes.

"Shall we get to presents now?" He clapped and rubbed his hands together, feeling confident in his choice of gift.

"Wait." Mao Shuhai closed her eyes as the room descended into silence, listening and peering around her surroundings using her spiritual sense for any watchful eyes, despite being in her own home.

"Sure!" The others responded casually as if nothing had happened after Mao Shuhai's nod, carefully taking out the present boxes they had prepared from their respective spatial rings and satchels. They were used to such things after all, one could never be too careful.

"I'll go first." Wang Aiying announced confidently, causing Lei Xinyi to pout for a bit since he wanted to go first.

"What? I am the oldest afterall." She huffed proudly, despite being only half a year older than the birthday girl herself.

"Oi, don't get a big head Yingying, come on, show me." Mao Shuhai chuckled and poked her close friend. If one of her family members were here she'd no doubt have gotten scolded for not respecting seniority. But they were close sisters afterall. If they didn't mind it, why should they care?

"Okay, okay." Wang Aiying grinned and opened the little white box she had presented on the table.

There, laid in soft faded-blue velvet, was a beautiful hairpin. It was a sleek pearl-white colour, with a delicate freshwater pearl embedded on the end, surrounded by lively blue-gemmed petals that seemed to come alive in the light. Short silver tassels flowed from the stem, brightening and complementing the elegance of the jewellery.

From a noble's point of view, it certainly wasn't anything special, but for someone of common birth like Wang Aiying, this was a luxury that must've taken blood, sweat and tears to acquire.

"...How beautiful, thank you, Yingying." Mao Shuhai smiled after a thoughtful pause, stroking the tassels with the tip of her forefinger. Her sister was so good to her, she felt a bit at a loss of how to repay the sentiment. Just the thought seemed to make the hairpin shine brighter than anything else.

"Haha, I know all you care about is weapons and cultivating, but since we're both growing up it would be a good idea to have some pretty accessories on hand." Wang Aiying smiled shyly as she watched Mao Shuhai's blissful appearance.

Although it wasn't said outright, the implication behind her words made Mao Shuhai's eyes turn serious for a moment. Young engagements were the norm, mainly for building/strengthening connections between different families that want to make use of each other. The danger was especially great for neglected daughters like the two of them, since who knows what their families were planning behind their back. Perhaps that day, when they'll be sold off as tools for their families, wasn't too far off...

The mood in the room seemed to change slightly as everyone delved into their own thoughts before Lei Xinyi broke the tension with a smile.

"It's my turn now right?"

He spoke lightly with a little smirk tugging at his lips, as he pushed a large wooden case across the table.

Curious as to what was inside, and the amusing smugness on her brother's face, Mao Shuhai quickly flipped open the lid and took a look.

Instantly, the sight of a silvery metal stunned her. Golden engravings that reflected back her amber eyes wove throughout the weapon, circling the polished blade elegantly. The fatally sharp protrusions and faint spiritual energy told her that this was no ordinary chakram, but a second-grade peak-tier one!

Her eyes were burning with admiration and curiosity, as if she could absorb the knowledge of how to make such a powerful artifact just through her stare. As she began eagerly poking and examining the weapon, Lei Xinyi watched her happily with a broad and smug smile.

Although they were content to watch the birthday girl be happy about her new gift, they knew Mao Shuhai very well. If they didn't stop her now, at this rate, they'll be here for weeks!

Coughing lightly, Lai Taizhi gently pulled Mao Shuhai's grabby hands away from the opened box as Xu Tao closed it.

"You can continue to look at it later Little Shu, there's other presents to be given isn't there?"

He smiled softly, his beautiful appearance slowly bringing Mao Shuhai back to reality.

"A...Ah! You're right! My apologies, and thank you for the gift Little Yi! I'll treasure and examine it well." She laughed cheekily before putting the box away into her spatial ring, alongside the hairpin.

"Ah, what will we do with you Little Shu." Wang Aiying teased on the side as she shook her head in mock distress, trying to hide the little smirk curving her lips upwards.

Shooting her a glare briefly as the others chuckled, Mao Shuhai was greeted with a new box presented before her, pushed forwards by the quietest of her companions, Xu Tao.

A simple black in colour, the box was neither as small as Wang Aiying's, nor as large as Lei Xinyi's, resting somewhere in between the two in size. Glancing at the gifter's expectant twinkling eyes, she smiled and pried open the lid.

Resting inside the case, was an ordinary-looking book that matched the box's colour of pure black. However, the silvery letters on the cover were what caught everyone's attention.

Spirit Masking Guide.

Briefly, everyone's eyes flashed in understanding.

Spirit Masking was a spirit alteration technique that involves thinning out one's qi in order to hide one's true strength and disguise one's cultivation to be at a lower stage/rank. Naturally, due to the qi dispersing, one's true level of qi becomes slightly reduced the longer this masking technique is used. But in the right circumstances, the gains can definitely outweigh such minor losses.

For Mao Shuhai, this may be particularly so. Despite being a young prodigy, reaching Rank 3 of the Qi Refinement stage at such an age, her family situation is not pleasant. Her mother, the official wife no less, had fallen from 'illness' three years ago, leaving her with no one but her older brother to protect her from the venomous vipers hiding in the concubines' courtyards. Her father is not to be trusted, constantly turning a blind eye to the chaos in his inner courtyard, undeserving of the title of Mao Clan Leader. A mere glance into the residence and few would be able to tell, that this clan was once known widely for their talents in blacksmithing. It was a disgrace.

But learning how to use a Spirit Mask would give Mao Shuhai an extra card in her hand to protect herself and her brother. She would be able to disguise herself and move freely without being watched so easily, for a wide range of uses. It was a thoughtful sentiment from a thoughtful friend.

"Thank you, Taotao. I will use this well." She smiled quietly as the gears in her head started turning, with the plans that were previously incomplete in her mind now easier to achieve with this gift.

"Oh, I didn't steal it this time too." Xu Tao spoke up suddenly, the implication of which made Mao Shuhai smile even more.

It had to be known that such a manual was not very easy to come by, especially one in such good condition. For someone who had to steal to survive like Xu Tao, it must've taken a lot of effort to acquire such a gift. Mao Shuhai felt spoiled, she couldn't wait to grow up so could help protect the ones sitting by her side.

With a nod and a quick flick through the black book, taking note of the well-written instructions and detailed pictures, she put the gift into her spatial ring and turned expectantly to Lai Taizhi, who seemed a little lost in thought.

"Taitai?" Mao Shuhai called out with a hint of concern as she pinched his cheek, hoping his matters back at the imperial palace weren't troubling him too much.

His beautiful silvery-blue eyes blinked once before returning to attention. "Ah, sorry Little Shu. Here is mine." He smiled mysteriously, with a hint of excitement now that it was his turn.

He pulled a silver brocade box out from his spatial space and carefully put it in front of her with twinkling eyes. Still troubled by the muddy palace waters Lai Taizhi had to wade through on the daily, Mao Shuhai absentmindedly opened the box only to be stunned still.

The tattered book formed a steep contrast against the gorgeous silken interior, with ruddy stains clearly painting many pages just at a glance. Even the title was undecipherable.

However, Mao Shuhai was far from disappointed, she was more curious. Lai Taizhi rarely did things without reason and was very intelligent. There must be something more than meets the eye here. Everyone here knew this and eyed up the book curiously.

Without a word, Mao Shuhai slowly took the book out of the box, careful not to tear any of the weary pages. As she pried open the stained contents and began flicking through, the shock on her face quickly became unimaginable.

She turned to Lai Taizhi in disbelief, who was watching her every move with a knowing smile.

"...How did you know?" She inquired softly, much to everyone else's curiosity.

"I've always known." He began with a slight chuckle. "Since that day in the weapon shop many years ago, when I caught you looking at the glass casings despite telling us you weren't interested. I know you've always had the desire, but no means to reach it. So I reached it for you." Lai Taizhi smiled gently, his jade-like skin glowing, looking prettier than a girl.

"Hey, stop talking so cryptically, what is it?" Wang Aiying butt in impatiently, causing Mao Shuhai to turn and meet the incredibly curious eyes of Xu Tao, Lei Xinyi and most of all, Wang Aiying.

"This... is a book of core inscriptions." Mao Shuhai stated as she gently traced the book's cover, her hand slightly trembling.

The others in the room were stunned still.

An Inscriptionist is a much rarer offshoot of the blacksmithing path, where one not only relies on magic materials but relies on the knowledge of hundreds of different runic symbols which can be engraved onto items to improve their quality, rank and ability, using a spiritual ink that they concoct themselves.

It is a very difficult and complex occupation to comprehend and can make one study for years without success. Every single step of the process must be dauntingly precise, and learners must have good knowledge of blacksmithing before they can even begin to study, hence many are deterred to follow it despite the power it can bring. Due to their rarity, inscriptionists are highly valued and sought after. Much more so in a low-rank kingdom like the one they resided in.

"Shuhai... are you prepared?" Lei Xinyi inquired carefully, having understood the meaning of this gift.

After a pause, Mao Shuhai responded with a firm nod, ambition raging like flames within her amber eyes. She knew such a path would be far from easy, but she had always been eager to at least try. She was a careful person, she wasn't going to make any reckless decision to throw everything away and bet on becoming an inscriptionist.

"Thank you Taitai." She smiled thoughtfully whilst squeezing the tattered book, understanding how hard it must've been to sneak such a treasure to her side, despite him being a royal prince.

"Haha, I look forward to seeing inscriptions on your new chakram the next time we meet." Lei Xinyi teased with a wink as the atmosphere relaxed, and the group of close friends descended into cheerful chatter.

Despite the cold treatment of not being given any snacks or service, due to Mao Shuhai's fragile status in her household, they had a fun little birthday party.

Not more than a shichen later, Mao Shuhai sensed a familiar spirit approaching with her spiritual sense. She was a paranoid person, and regularly checked her surroundings using her spiritual qi, hence how she knew. Her friends were also quite wary by nature, considering they all had tough circumstances, hence they had noticed the new presence as well, but chose to continue chattering away since they were someone they knew they could trust.

With an expectant smile gracing her face, Mao Shuhai looked towards the door just as a gentlemanly figure entered.

The figure had long black hair and rounded amber eyes, with three fifths carefully resembling Mao Shuhai herself. He donned a sapphire robe with cloud embroidery, as a gentle smile lit up his face.

"I could hear your laughter from the courtyard, I'm glad you're enjoying your birthday Shuhai." Mao Kai chuckled lightly as he approached and affectionately rubbed Mao Shuhai's head, causing her to smile at the familiar feeling.

"What brings you here older brother?" She inquired curiously, casually noticing the servants following behind him.

"Ai, have you forgotten? I have yet to give you your birthday gift." He chuckled again before smiling teasingly.

"Oh! Where is it?" She smiled, thinking of all the wonderful gifts she had received from her friends already. She knew her brother was in a better situation than her, as a di-born son rather than daughter, but Concubine Cao was still oppressing them. Mao Shuhai would be fine with whatever her brother could give.

"It's a secret! I just wanted to remind you to come see me when you're done with your friends."

"Okay!" She chirped before Mao Kai left after a few courteous words to everyone.

---

As Mao Shuhai bid farewell to everyone just as the sun began to set, she headed off towards her brother's courtyard with a relaxed mood. She had been blessed today and felt very fortunate to have everyone, despite having just as many enemies.

She found Mao Kai sitting on a stone bench beneath a pagoda tree outside, despite the wintry weather, donned in the same outfit he had worn earlier. He seemed in a rather thoughtful mood, causing Mao Shuhai to not want to disturb him. However, not even a moment later, he noticed her presence and smiled.

"Older brother." She greeted with a soft smile as she approached. "What are you thinking about, sitting in the cold like this? You should be more mindful of your health."

Mao Shuhai lectured him with kind intentions, as he looked back at her. For a moment, he said nothing and simply stared thoughtfully at her, causing her to wonder what was wrong. She worriedly pressed her palm to his forehead to check his temperature, before he suddenly stood up.

"Brother?" She inquired, as she noticed his appearance had been shrouded by tree leaves, obscuring his features in the darkness.

"It's nothing, sorry, I was just thinking about the Dual Sun Academy entrance exam. Are you prepared for it Shuhai?" He inquired gently as he pat her head, feeling apologetic for being so unresponsive just now.

"Don't worry brother, you'll definitely make it this time. And yes, I think so." She responded kindly, her thoughts drifting to the academy in question.

The Dual Sun Academy was the most prestigious in the Snow Spirit Kingdom, the land that they resided in. Thousands were eager to enter their ranks, train well and earn good qualifications, then enter a renowned sect through its network. Her brother was the same, but unfortunately, he had failed the entrance exam the previous two times. This time would be his third, whilst it would be Shuhai's first time taking the test. Her brother was capable, so she herself was somewhat worried about the exam, but she would try her best regardless.

Mao Kai's eyes shifted slightly in the darkness, before he took Mao Shuhai's hand and led her out of the courtyard. "Enough talk about these mundane matters, let me show you your birthday gift." He smiled at her as he led her to the back of the Mao Clan residence, weaving through the maze of walls and gardens with ease.

As the grass turned unruly and the skies were dyed a healthy colour of orange, the peaceful sibling pair reached an overreaching cliff side. It was a beautiful sight, leering into the dense, dangerous valley of forests below, filled with cruel spiritual beasts but also a wealth of valuable materials. The sunset gave the trees an autumn colour, with the waterfall in the distance glistening peacefully.

But such a sight was not out of the norm for this place, rather, what caught Mao Shuhai's attention was a beautiful little flower blossoming on the edge of the cliff. It was a soft golden colour, which faded into white at the edges of its six delicate petals. It had a long stem with twin leaves, and stood out amongst the grassy landscape around it.

"Do you know what that flower is Shuhai?" Mao Kai asked with a satisfied smile, as he brought her closer towards it.

"No? What is it brother?" She responded curiously, having not so much knowledge of plants and herbs.

"This is a Golden Lily, it is a spiritual flower that is beneficial for qi cultivation and helps circulate blood flow. It is particularly beneficial for those with weak bodies since birth, like you."

Mao Shuhai looked at him in surprise. Spiritual flowers were rare, to have one growing randomly in their residence's backyard was much more so. To think that her brother discovered such a treasure at some point and chose to save it for her as a birthday gift. The thought of it made her heart soften.

"Thank you brother..." She smiled gently as she stroked the flower's petals, as pretty as a picture in the sunset's warm shine.

After looking at her for a while, with a similar gentle smile, Mao Kai carefully picked the spiritual flower and offered it to her, its glow even more radiant so close to her face.

Just as Mao Shuhai gingerly touched the flower to take it from him, she suddenly found herself in the air.

Yes, in the air.

She was in pure disbelief as her feet left the solid ground, and she fell backwards off the cliff. She had so many questions to ask, but no time at all to ask them as she felt the air whistling past her body. She barely even registered the fact that she had been pushed.

She stared back at the familiar gentle face that had cared for her so long, his face remaining still as he watched her. The depths of his eyes were cold. How long had they been like that? Had he always looked at her with such a gaze? She... couldn't remember anymore.

Rather than anger, sadness, or regret, she just felt... empty. Like a hole had been punched straight through her heart. Her mind hadn't even registered her feelings yet. Warm memories flashed through her mind one by one, shattering into pieces as she stared into his eyes.

Just before the cliffside left her sight, she noticed four pairs of eyes watching her from the far bushes. How long had they been there? They had probably been spying on them for quite a while. They knew the range of her spiritual sense well.

The four of them were in shock, then quickly after, tears. She noticed Lai Taizhi and Xu Tao attempt to rush out towards her, but Lei Xinyi and Wang Aiying held them back. It was far too late to save her afterall. They had always been her close ones, people she knew she could trust. It was heartbreaking that they had to see this, but also fortunate in a sense. They knew who killed her, and if they bided their time and built up strength, maybe they could avenge her.

These positive thoughts whizzed past her mind as she struggled to accept reality, all she could leave them with was a graceful smile before she plummeted to her doom.