The Azure Phoenix Blade

Southward Journey

Inn at Night

After nightfall, the merchant caravan stopped at a small inn on the northern border of the Jiangnan region.

Two dim yellow lanterns swayed in the courtyard, their light flickering across hemp sacks and bamboo baskets.

The air carried a mixed scent of hot soup, damp wood, and old straw mats. It wasn’t pleasant, but it brought a quiet sense of relief—this was the first hint of ordinary life they had encountered during their long escape.

Madam Gu rarely took in extra travelers, but this time she hadn’t left them behind. She handed the key to the last small side room to Hazel Qiu with a simple warning: “Don’t wander at night,” then turned to check on her goods.

Inside the room were only one oil lamp, two narrow beds, and an old wooden table. In the past, such a shabby place would have been unacceptable. Now, no one had the energy to complain. Having four walls to block the wind and a door that could be locked felt like a luxury.

Hazel Qiu set the bundles on the table and let out a long breath. “We can finally rest.”

Eleanor Su stood beneath the lamp, her expression steady as always. “Don’t sleep yet. Take off your shoes—I want to check your feet.”

The children obediently sat down.

Celeste bent to untie her laces, moving carefully as if hoping no one would notice. But Eleanor Su saw immediately—two large blisters had formed on the soles of her feet. They must have hurt terribly with every step, yet the girl hadn’t made a single sound the entire journey.

Damien’s ankles were badly rubbed raw, the skin red and seeping blood. He still tried to act tough, turning his face away. “It doesn’t hurt,” he muttered.

Julian had the lightest injuries—just some redness on his heels. True to his quiet nature, he would have endured it in silence if no one asked.

Sylvie, the youngest, had feet pale from the cold, icy to the touch like two small pieces of chilled jade. As Eleanor Su looked down at them, the calm mask she had worn for so long finally cracked just a little.

She said nothing, only wrung out hot cloths and knelt to gently wipe each child’s feet. When she reached Celeste, she carefully avoided the largest blister.

Celeste watched her mother’s hands, her throat tightening. “Mother, I can do it myself.”

Eleanor Su didn’t look up. “You’ve been taking care of your siblings the whole way. Let me take care of you for once.”

Celeste stopped protesting. She placed her hands back on her knees and clenched them slowly. Though still so young, she had already learned to swallow her tears and grievances in silence.

When the warm cloth touched Sylvie’s feet, the little girl instinctively pulled back. She bit her lip, refusing to cry out, and only drew in a small, sharp breath.

Once she had tended to all the children, Eleanor Su looked at Quentin Mo. “Your wound.”

“I can manage,” he said, leaning against the door.

“Sit down,” Eleanor Su said. Her voice was quiet, but carried an undeniable authority. Quentin Mo hesitated, then walked over and sat.

Hazel Qiu quickly opened the medicine pack—gold wound powder that Old Master Xu had given them before they left. It was exactly what they needed now.

Eleanor Su unwrapped the cloth on Quentin Mo’s shoulder. The wound was red, swollen, and clearly worse than the day before. Celeste took one glance and turned pale, quickly looking away. Damien tried to act brave but soon turned his head toward the wall.

“If you drag this out any longer, you’ll lose that arm,” Eleanor Su said.

“As long as I can still hold my staff, it’s not useless,” Quentin Mo replied.

Eleanor Su continued working steadily. “If you fall, who will help me lead four children south?”

The room fell silent. Quentin Mo opened his mouth but swallowed his stubborn words.

Her hands remained steady as she applied the medicine, but when she pressed it into the deepest part of the wound, her fingertips paused for a brief moment. It was as if the injury had stung her own heart. Still, she only hesitated for an instant before continuing to bandage him.

Suddenly, Sylvie dug a small, misshapen piece of candy out of a bundle. The wrapper was crumpled from the long journey. She held it out seriously to Quentin Mo. “This is for you. It’ll make the pain less.”

Quentin Mo looked at the candy for a long time without speaking. For once, the usually gruff man was at a loss for words. He took it gently and said in a low voice, “Thank you.”

Julian had been sitting quietly by the wall, watching. Only after Quentin Mo put the candy away did he look up and ask softly, “How much longer until we reach Jiangnan?”

The room grew still. Julian rarely asked such questions. He usually only asked about whether they could keep walking, where they could hide, or if the back door could be locked. This question felt different—like he was asking when this family could finally stop running.

Eleanor Su looked at him, her voice gentler. “A few more days south, and we should be close.”

“Once we get there… can we stay?” Julian asked.

Celeste’s hands paused while smoothing Sylvie’s hair. Damien lifted his eyes but stayed silent. None of the children spoke, yet their quiet waiting was more heartbreaking than any words.

Eleanor Su looked at each of them before answering, “Once we arrive, we’ll find a place to settle. A roof over our heads, food to eat, beds to sleep in—we won’t leave.”

Sylvie’s eyes brightened. “And a window!”

Eleanor Su looked down at her and smiled softly. “Yes, and a window.”

She spoke as if she could already see that small window overlooking the water. It had been something she said to comfort the children along the way, but now she said it with genuine conviction.

Julian asked no more questions, quietly committing the words to heart. Damien stayed quiet for a moment, then declared, “I want my own bed too.”

Celeste didn’t even look up. “Focus on healing your legs first.”

Damien pouted but didn’t argue. A faint trace of warmth and humor finally touched the room, bringing a small spark of life back into it.

Deep into the night, the inn grew quiet. A light rain began to fall outside, pattering softly on the tiles, soaking the Jiangnan landscape even deeper and wrapping everything in silence.

Several Days Later – Dusk, Outside Riverside Town

The caravan continued south, passing through small towns, short bridges, river docks, and water-filled fields. The scenery gradually changed. The trees grew denser, the water more abundant, and even the wind carried a soft, moist gentleness completely unlike the dry cold of the north.

At dusk, a sprawling water town finally appeared ahead. Narrow waterways flowed alongside white walls and black tiles. Low arched bridges reflected in the water, and houses on both banks seemed gently gathered by the river. Cooking smoke rose lazily from behind the rooftops. Fishing nets and cloth hung along the shore. As the evening breeze passed, the water rippled gently, giving the entire place a peaceful, lived-in feeling.

Madam Gu reined in her mule cart and lifted her chin. “Just ahead is the Riverside area. If you’re not coming with us into the city, you can get off here.”

Eleanor Su gazed at the watery scenery ahead and remained silent for a moment. All this time she had been like a tightly drawn bowstring. Only now did it loosen slightly. It wasn’t relief or joy exactly—more like a person who had walked too far finally seeing a place to rest, and quietly letting out a held breath.

After a pause, she said, “We’ll get off here.”

Madam Gu nodded. “Alright. I’ve taken the silver and delivered you safely. How you live from now on is up to you.”

Eleanor Su gave her a small nod. “Thank you.”

“No need for thanks,” Madam Gu waved dismissively. Her gaze lingered on Celeste, and her tone softened a little. “Your eldest daughter is quite sensible. She’s been helping the whole way like a little adult.”

Celeste’s ears turned slightly red. She didn’t respond, instead turning to lift Sylvie down from the cart. Once Sylvie was safely on the ground, she went back to help Damien.

Damien tried to jump down himself, but as soon as his feet touched the ground, his legs went numb and he stumbled. Celeste quickly grabbed his sleeve and steadied him.

Damien straightened immediately, still stubborn. “I can do it myself.”

Celeste released him with a straight face. “Of course you can. The ground was just a little too eager.”

Madam Gu laughed out loud at that. She glanced at Julian, who had gotten off by himself. He even picked up a fallen piece of cloth and placed it back on the cart without saying a word. Madam Gu noted it all but said nothing more. She simply called out, “Shitou, let’s go.”

The caravan moved on again. The sound of mule bells gradually faded around the bend of the river.

The shore suddenly became quiet, leaving only Eleanor Su, Quentin Mo, Hazel Qiu, the children, and a few bundles. From the military uprising in the north, through mountain escapes, Stone Bridge Market, abandoned docks, and White Sand Crossing—the fear and bloodshed of the journey finally seemed to break here in the golden dusk over the water.

Eleanor Su stood by the shore for a long time before speaking softly, “Starting today, we focus on surviving.”

Quentin Mo stepped forward and lowered his voice. “There’s a small courtyard ahead left by an old acquaintance of mine. It’s not big, but it can shelter us from wind and rain for now.”

Eleanor Su turned to him, asked no further questions, and simply nodded. “Lead the way.”

Sylvie tugged Celeste’s sleeve, eyes sparkling as she looked at the water. “Celeste, there really is water here.”

Celeste looked down at her with a trace of warmth. “Yes, and your window too.”

Sylvie immediately turned to Damien. “Then Damien gets his bed?”

Damien, who had been keeping a straight face, perked up. “Of course.” He paused, then added, “I want the one by the window.”

Julian said from the side, “Don’t fight with Sylvie over it.”

Damien glared at him, but Julian had already lowered his head to look at the bluestone path, as if he hadn’t spoken. Celeste couldn’t help turning her face away with a soft smile. Even Eleanor Su’s eyes held a faint glimmer of light.

In that moment, they truly looked like an ordinary family that had just moved to a water town—not people who had crawled out of a pile of corpses.

Quentin Mo picked up the heaviest bundle and led the way deeper into the river lane. Eleanor Su held Julian’s hand, Celeste led Damien and Sylvie, and Hazel Qiu followed with the lighter belongings. The dusk light stretched their shadows long and thin, guiding them into the deep white-walled lanes of Riverside Town.