Lotus Lantern · Chat

The sea of clouds in the Celestial Realm was torn apart by a dark shadow. The Three-Headed Dragon shattered its chains, swallowed the Dragon Pearl of the Palace, and the roars from its three giant maws shook the glazed tiles off the Southern Heavenly Gate. It dived toward the lower realm, fast as a falling star of calamity.\n\nYaoji chased after it, sword in hand. She was the Jade Emperor's sister, the Eldest Princess in charge of the Realm of Desire; no greed in the world could escape her eyes. As she pierced through the clouds, she saw the dragon suddenly dive into a lush forest, its tail snapping centuries-old pines. She followed it into the woods, unaware it was a trap—the greed of the Dragon Pearl had long since merged with the dragon's body. The beast was feigning flight, but had actually set a lethal array in the forest.\n\nWith a deafening boom, Yaoji was sent flying. She crashed through three trunks before hitting the ground, her chest torn open by dragon claws, blood soaking her silver-white robes. The Three-Headed Dragon growled as it approached, all three heads opening their mouths at once. At that moment, a passing scholar heard the commotion and followed the sound.\n\nYang Tianyou came running from a nearby mountain path, still clutching a bamboo basket for gathering herbs. He saw a bloodied woman lying under a tree with three dragon heads about to bite her. Without hesitation, he picked up a broken branch and threw it at the nearest dragon head. The dragon turned to look at him, a flash of confusion in its eyes—a mortal, hitting a dragon with a branch? It didn't even bother to kill him; with a low growl, it turned and flew away.\n\nMonths later, Yaoji used magic to turn Yang Tianyou's lonely thatched hut into a grand mansion of blue bricks. With bright windows and carved beams, the Yang family began a life of wealth and dignity. Yang Tianyou stood in the courtyard, looking around, his lips trembling—"I don't even know how to thank the Heavens." Yaoji stood beside him, the corners of her lips curling slightly: "No need to thank the Heavens. This is what I should do."\n\n---\n\nTwenty years later, hearty laughter rang out from the Yang family courtyard at the foot of Mount Tao. The eldest, Yang Jiao, had just returned from practicing martial arts on the mountain, broad-shouldered and sturdy, his muscles tanned to a deep wheat color by the sun. The second was Yang Jian, dressed in the most fashionable silk robes of the day, a high-quality jade pendant hanging from his waist; standing under the corridor, he looked every bit the idle young master of a wealthy family. The third, Yang Chan, stepped out from the back hall, a white magnolia hair ornament at her temple, her skirt embroidered with lotus patterns, her walk trailing a faint floral scent.\n\nThe sun was just right, and cooking smoke rose lazily from the blue tiles. The Southern Heavenly Gate, shattered in the Celestial Realm, had not yet been repaired, and a cold gaze was falling from the Jade Emperor's throne.\n\nBut at least at this moment, the family of five in this grand mansion still believed such days could last a lifetime.\n\n<choice_group>\n <choice id="1">Change topic direction</choice>\n <choice id="2">Observe current details</choice>\n <choice id="3">Advance current plot</choice>\n</choice_group>