Mirror Dream Tree 59. Saisei City

Bai Yanli walks through the hallway of the spiritual academy alongside her friends.

As a half-yao, she shouldn’t be here—this is a school ant for spiritual cultivators—but she was assigned to Saisei City because of her rich Yao lineage.

If properly trained, her cultivation could reach the peak of the Ascension Realm.

That’s why promising youth like her are sent to the spiritual academy and kept under close watch.

Yami, one of her friends, leans in and whispers, “Did you hear? A new teacher is arriving soon. Apparently, it’s the one who rged the samurai path with the spiritual path.”

Heena, eyes bright with excitent, chis in, “Really? Do you think they’ll help us?”

Yami nods eagerly. “I overheard so staff talking about it, right before they chased away.”

Yanli listens with a surge of quiet hope.

If that teacher truly understands both paths, maybe they could help half-yao like her learn the spiritual way at last.

As they round the corner into the next hallway, they freeze.

A group of boys blocks the way, forcing them to stop.

They can’t turn back—they have a class at the end of this hall.

The boys notice them imdiately and step forward, sneering.

“Bai Yanli,” Kun says with a smirk. “Have you forgotten that our elder brother Sura proposed to you?”

“You still haven’t answered,” Shu adds.

Kun leans in closer. “You ought to accept. Sura is showing you pity, especially given the traitor’s blood you carry.”

The word traitor hits Yanli like a slap.

That sa ancestor’s blood that was once revered is now spoken of like a curse, all because so Hald-Yao had defected in the past.

“Step aside,” Yanli says, voice cold.

Before Kun can respond, a voice from behind the boys rings out.

“What’s going on here?”

The group spins around.

Sura stands there, brow furrowed as if none of this was his doing.

“What is it with you?” Sura asks smoothly, feigning innocence as tension spreads through the hall.

Kun steps forward to intimidate the newcor, but one look at the boy’s face stops him in his tracks.

Sura stays composed and says, “Kuro, why do you always have to interfere? Or is it like her,” he tilts his chin toward Yanli, “you’re too scared to admit you like Bai Yanli?”

Kuro doesn’t bother to reply.

He simply gestures for them to move aside so Yanli and the other girls can pass.

As the girls slip into the classroom, Kuro stays back with Yanli for a mont.

“Sister Yanli,” Kuro says quietly, “my brother will be coming here any day now. Don’t worry.”

Bai Yanli’s eyes brightened. “He’s coming? Really?”

Kuro smiles. “The date for your marriage is approaching.”

Yanli glances toward the approaching teacher and murmurs, “Thank you for your help, Kuro,” before slipping into the classroom.

Kuro heads to his own class.

Yanli settles into her seat but remains dazed through the lesson.

She wonders when she began to look forward to marrying Kanoru.

What changed in these past four years?

The first two years had been the sa as before, but then the seven kingdoms had fallen, and the stigma surrounding half-yao like her had only grown worse.

Her ancestor had returned from the front lines after ageing past his pri and was now kept under close watch.

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anwhile, the new Saisei administration distrusted all half-yao.

Her family lost most of their property, new restrictions were added every year, and they were banned from joining the army or any civil post.

Even opening a shop was a struggle because of constant regulation and suspicion.

Life was becoming increasingly difficult, and rebellion simred under the surface as those in power tightened their grip.

Seeing her family's situation worsen with every passing year—and knowing they had fewer and fewer resources for food, training, or dicine—Yanli realised soone had to help them rise above this oppression.

And the only person who could do that was her fiancé, Kanoru.

That was why, for her sake and her family’s sake, she had beco eager to marry him.

She remains lost in thought until the class ends, and Yami nudges her shoulder.

Startled back to reality, Yanli rises quickly and hurries out of the room, eager to return ho, as this was her last class of the day.

Outside, she and her friends step into the light rain of spring as they walk toward the academy gates.

Yami glances at her and asks, “Yanli, why does Kuro always help you?”

Before Yanli can reply, Heena chis in, “I think Sura is right. Kuro must like you.”

The others look at her expectantly.

Yanli shakes her head and says, “Kuro doesn’t like . Our families are related.”

Yami replies, “ How can your family be related to the Matsuda family. But before all these changes, the Matsuda family was just an ordinary one. Only after Kuro and Nora showed talent did they rise to prominence. Rumour has it they gained their cultivation thod from a spiritualist, and even before this academy was built, they had already beco spiritualists.”

Heena leans in. “And I heard that this year, Kuro might advance to the Spiritual Core realm. If that happens, he could help your family more.”

Her friends’ eyes shine as they talk.

After all, under the new governance, anyone reaching the Spiritual Core realm would receive a fief the size of a village. And they could allow anyone to live and work there, including the half-yao.

“Then let him advance first,” Yanli says, trying to sound nonchalant.

Yami smiles warmly. “If he needs help with resources, just say the word. Our family may have lost more than half our property after the confiscations, but our treasury is still intact. I’m sure we have sothing that could help him.”

The others nod in agreent.

Yanli’s heart lightens at their support. Even after most of the half-yao territory had been confiscated, wealthy families like hers still had ample hidden treasures.

For centuries, the seven kingdoms region had been under half-yao control, and even if 90% of their holdings had been seized, they could still feed their kin. The real scarcity was cultivation resources.

“I’ll ntion it to Kuro and Nora,” Yanli promises as they approach the gate.

Her friends thank her, and just as they prepare to leave the academy grounds, they freeze at the sudden sound of a loud roar splitting the air.

Yanli, her friends, and everyone in the city look up, fear stirring in their hearts as they wonder if the beast clans are attacking.

As they stare into the sky, a monstrous creature breaks through the clouds—a huge beast with glistening black scales and broad, powerful wings.

The dragon-like beast circles the city, and no defence tower activates to fight it.

That, more than anything, tells everyone this is no enemy.

A few breaths later, the beast dives toward the noble spiritists’ estate, where the Matsuda family also lives.

Yanli doesn’t connect the beast with Kanoru at first.

But as she listens to the murmurs along the street, soone says the beast was not a wild creature at all but a dragon master transford into its form.

At that, her heart skips a beat.

She knows instantly that the dragon master must be Kanoru.

He had been at Mugenkai Fortress—just a week’s ride from Baidi on horseback.

Urgently, she turns to her friends.

“I have sothing important to do,” she says, then hurries toward her family ho.

anwhile, rin, having reverted to his human form, stands surrounded by guards outside the estate.

The guards’ hands tremble as they face him, yet they do not back down despite knowing they cannot stop him.

Suddenly, a familiar voice breaks the tension.

“Kanoru, you’ve returned!” his mother calls, rushing toward him with open arms.

He embraces her warmly as the guards look on, bewildered.

When his father steps outside, he waves the guards away.

“There’s no need for alarm. Return to your posts—this is my son,” he tells them calmly.

A few minutes later, rin follows his parents into their ho.

Two years ago, as he joined the war, rin had feared soone might target his family.

So when word reached him that Saisei City had been completed a few months later, Kanoru ensured that his family was relocated there for their safety.

Inside the house, they talk about everything and nothing in particular.

Later, his brother and sister return ho, both changed into capable spiritualists.

He discusses their progress with them, and when Kuro ntions that Yanli was being harassed by a bully at the academy, Kanoru stays expressionless.

But his parents react with anger and concern, especially grateful to Yanli for her warning years ago about the capture of their family.

His father broaches the subject of Kanoru’s marriage to Yanli.

As the wedding date approaches, he asks when they will go through with it.

rin feels no particular attachnt to the marriage.

If Yanli had not warned him years ago, allowing him to rescue his family, he would have even canceled the engagent.

He replies, “Any ti you want.”

His mother frowns.

“You don’t seem enthusiastic at all,” she says.

And his father adds, “If you don't want to marry her tell , then I’ll go speak to them myself to cancel the marriage.”

rin sighs and explains calmly, “Ever since I beca a spiritual master, my emotions have dulled. It’s difficult for to show any excitent.”

He then agrees to marry her the day after Yanli’s eighteenth birthday.

With that settled, rin bids his family farewell and heads toward the City Lord’s residence.

The City Lord is a half-blood race and a descendant of Chihara Rai, the Holy Blood Ancestor.

He greets Kanoru warmly, thanking him for accepting the invitation and promising him a seat on the council and a tower to be constructed for him if he settles permanently.

Kanoru informs him that his family already resides in Saisei City, that his research requires long-term commitnt, and that he will stay for several years.

The City Lord assures him that a tower will be built as soon as possible and adds that, a week from now, Kanoru can officially begin his post at the academy.

rin replies that he will begin teaching tomorrow instead.