The white marble steps of Sovereign Peak stretched upward toward the clouds, gleaming under the morning sun.
Along the grand terrace, inner court disciples dressed in pristine silk robes gathered near the gilded archways, their quiet conversation suddenly dying away as a figure stumbled onto the lower landing.
Thag... drag... thag.
The hollow, dragging sound of Su Rou's boots on marble stairs echoed through the silent courtyard.
She moved like a wounded ghost. Her white silk tunic was torn, soaked in black mud and dried gore, while her pale face was streaked with sweat and dark grime.
Her right sleeve hung limp and empty, pinned loosely across her chest where her arm had been cleaved away at the shoulder joint.
A young noble disciple carrying a polished sword stepped back, his lips t
