Yi Ran met the strike effortlessly, her blade intercepting his with fluid grace. The clash rang out sharp and clear, quickly swallowed by the thickening mist around them.
And then—she smiled.
"His name is Long Ming," she said, her voice calm, almost teasing. "Crown Prince of the Great Longxia Kingdom—one of the Four Great Kingdoms of the Eastern Province."
Long Ming? Reon blinked. Why does that name sound so familiar?
She continued.
"He visited me in the Outer Sect a little over two months ago, right after finishing some of his duties. That's when he first mentioned you."
"From that moment on, my curiosity was piqued. I couldn't wait to meet you."
"And not long after, my closest friend—and cousin—entrusted me with a task of her own. A task I had no choice but to accept." She thought to herself, the weight of it lingering in her mind.
She lunged again, steel flashing in the mist.
Clang!
Reon parried, sliding back slightly from the force. A memory clicked into place.
