Hidden By Moonlight

The princess's silence lingered like mist—elegant, chilling, and unshakably calm.

Then, without a word, she turned. Her silk robes fluttered like starlight as she walked toward the guest courtyard, offering no backward glance.

Lin Yuan followed, every step a perfect imitation of a demure junior sister. But beneath his serene expression, his thoughts churned like thunderclouds.

> She noticed. Her senses are sharper than anyone else in this sect. I have to be more careful.

---

In the Guest Courtyard

The garden shimmered with white lotuses and silver koi. Moonlight glinted across the curved roof tiles of the pavilion where the princess now sat, back straight, posture flawless.

Lin Yuan served tea with elegant, deliberate grace.

She watched him—but did not drink.

> "Do all junior disciples here learn etiquette like this?" she asked.

He bowed slightly. "The Sect Leader taught me, Your Highness."

She tapped her fingers against the stone table.

> "What's your cultivation stage?"

> "Late Body Refining," he replied with calm.

> "Strange… your eyes say otherwise."

He held his smile. "I've been lucky with my masters."

Her silence returned, thick with veiled scrutiny. Yet her aura never flared—like moonlight behind clouds, distant but aware.

---

That Night

Back in his own courtyard, Lin Yuan finally exhaled. He shed his outer robe and sat cross-legged beneath the pale moon.

> She's dangerous. Not openly hostile… but sharp. If I slip even once—

Lady Mingyan's voice emerged in his mind, gentle and amused.

> "You did well. She's testing you. Royals trust no one."

> "She already suspects."

> "Then don't confirm it."

> "What now?"

> "Sleep. I'll guide your soul cultivation while your body rests."

> "Sleep cultivation… sounds lazy."

> "Call it divine multitasking."

Lin Yuan chuckled quietly and let the moonlight lull him into rest.

---

Elsewhere That Night

The princess stood alone by her window, holding a thin jade slip etched with an ancient formation. Her eyes lifted to the stars.

> "No ordinary disciple hides soul energy that well…"

Her lips curved faintly.

> "Interesting."

---

The Next Morning

"Sect Leader" Yuexian's voice was crisp as ever.

> "Today, nine princesses will arrive. You'll greet each personally."

> "Nine?"

> "Mm. Smile politely, speak rarely, survive completely."

Word of the royal arrival had already swept through the sect like wildfire. Disciples whispered and lingered around courtyards, hoping for glimpses of nobility—or the infamous beauty competition entrant.

Lin Yuan stood at the gate in ceremonial white, hair pinned with a lotus comb, robes immaculate. His back ached already.

---

Princess One: Bai Ling

A white jade carriage descended first, drawn by a frost-feathered spirit crane.

From within stepped Princess Bai Ling, eldest daughter of the Liu Kingdom. Robes of drifting cloud silk wrapped her tall, graceful figure. She paused before Lin Yuan.

> "You're my escort?"

> "Yes, Your Highness. I am Disciple Lin Yue."

> "I dislike unnecessary talk."

> "Then allow me to lead you—silently."

She nodded, approving the efficiency.

---

Princess Two: Hong Yu

The sky flared red as a fire-plumed spirit hawk shrieked overhead. A figure leapt from its back before it landed.

Princess Hong Yu, second daughter, landed in a fighting stance, sword on her back and fire in her stride.

> "I'm not late, am I?"

She clapped Lin Yuan's shoulder with enough force to rattle bones.

> "You're the pretty one showing us around? Good. Carry my sword bag."

> "As Your Highness commands," Lin Yuan replied, internally wincing.

---

Princess Three: Xue Yin

A sleigh of carved ice slid down from the clouds, pulled by snow foxes.

Princess Xue Yin descended like snow in moonlight—graceful, cold, with silver lashes and eyes like frost.

> "I heard this sect has moonlight fields. I'll meditate beneath them tonight."

> "Arrangements are ready, Your Highness."

> "You speak well… for a servant."

> "I had excellent teachers."

---

Princess Four: Mei Yan

Flute music echoed as a green jade skyboat arrived. Perfumed petals scattered on the breeze.

Princess Mei Yan, wrapped in a robe of embroidered peonies, stepped out, a fan fluttering over cherry lips.

> "Oh my. This sect is so simple. But the flowers are charming."

She eyed Lin Yuan like one would a gift box.

> "And so are the servants."

> "Welcome to Taiyin Sect, Your Highness."

---

Princess Five: Yan'er

A tiny girl, barely six, stepped down from a smaller chariot, plush bunny in hand, followed by ten guards.

> "Sister Fairy!" she chirped. "Are you really a cultivator?"

Lin Yuan knelt.

> "A very junior one."

> "You're so pretty. I like you."

He smiled. "I like you too."

---

Princess Six: Qingwu

Riding a spirit goose in full ceremonial armor, Princess Qingwu, age nine, arrived with a scroll and sword.

> "I'm here to study your formations. Take me to the library."

> "At once, Your Highness."

She squinted at his face.

> "You look suspicious."

> "People say that about smart girls too."

She paused. Then nodded. "You're alright."

---

Princesses Seven and Eight

A twin-carriage landed on soft cloud wheels. One girl chattered nonstop; the other glared in silence.

> "You're our guide?" the cheerful one asked.

> "Yes, Your Highness."

> "We're sharing a room. I want incense and honey rice."

> "And I want quiet," grumbled her twin.

> "One incense burner. One silence formation," Lin Yuan replied.

> "You're good," both said together.

---

Princess Nine: Wu Zhao

As twilight deepened, a lone rider on a spirit tiger approached.

She dismounted with a swing of her leg, no guards, no ceremony.

Princess Wu Zhao, last and most feared, tossed a golden seal at his chest.

> "I hate formalities. Show me where to sleep."

> "Right this way."

She walked behind him, then muttered low:

> "You don't walk like a woman."

> "Sword training," Lin Yuan said evenly. "Builds the spine."

She snorted. "I'll test that someday."

---

Later That Night

Lin Yuan collapsed into his chair, bones aching, mind spinning.

> "Nine princesses," he groaned. "Nine disasters waiting to happen."

Lady Mingyan's voice curled in his head like a cat stretching on silk.

> "Well done, little tiger. You're now the most overworked girl in the kingdom."

> "I deserve a reward.At least deserve to see what a princess look like. It's like I am a blind man thinking a elephant as a wall. "

> "You deserve to survive.Think like this, you will never be charmed by anyone. Many young man waste there wealth on girls beauty. When it's all about charms. "

> "Why do I feel like this is just the beginning?"

> "Because it is.They are all young and just trying to learn about spy and hidden truth.They will investigate you.Sect leader made you there guide to learn how to hide yourself."

The moon hung low and wide over Taiyin Sect, painting every tiled roof and peach blossom in silver.

Inside the elegant Moon Pavilion, a group of royal figures sat sipping tea.

Nine princesses—each dressed differently, each more dangerous than they appeared.

The atmosphere was quiet. Too quiet.

Even the wind felt like it listened.

---

Beneath the Surface

Princess Bai Ling, eldest of the Liu Kingdom, took a slow sip of moonflower tea. She was the first to speak.

> "The Sect's formations are clean. Their spiritual herb fields well-maintained. But the disciple named Lin Yue... her presence is peculiar."

Her gaze drifted to a floating lantern.

> "Her manners are perfect. Her cultivation masked. And she avoids eye contact without seeming weak."

Princess Hong Yu, sword propped against the table, snorted.

> "She's cute. Like a rabbit in armor. I like her. But she lies."

Princess Xue Yin didn't raise her eyes from the crystalline cup in her hand.

> "Soul energy that dense... hidden perfectly. Even I couldn't trace its origin."

Princess Mei Yan leaned back lazily, twirling a flower pin between her fingers.

> "If she's hiding something, it's probably juicy. I hope it's scandal, not conspiracy. I prefer romance to war."

Princess Qingwu, the tiny general, slammed her scroll shut.

> "She's either a spy, a disguised noble, or a spiritual mutant. None of those are allowed in close contact with royal heirs."

Princess Wu Zhao didn't look up from sharpening her blade.

> "I'll duel her."

Princess Yan'er, too young to understand, munched sugar plums and said, "Big Sister lin yue is nice."

The twins, one calm and one excitable, spoke in unison:

> "We watched her sleep. Her breathing isn't normal."

That froze the room for a moment.

Princess Bai Ling placed her teacup down with a quiet click.

> "She may be one of three things:

1. A rival sect's hidden agent.

2. A royal bastard hidden by Taiyin Sect.

3. Something… entirely other."

---

Elsewhere

At that same moment, Lin Yuan stood alone on the edge of the quiet herb fields. Dressed in soft robes and moonlight, he gazed across the dark terrain—trying to slow his breath, to listen for danger.

But the sect's silence felt… off. Like it was holding its breath.

Lady Mingyan's voice slipped through his mind.

> "They've gathered."

> "I know. I can feel them watching me."

> "Some of them like you."

> "That's worse. Interest is more dangerous than hatred."

> "You're learning."

He touched the armor—an artifact that hide his yang energy an change his body shape.

> I need to stay invisible. And yet… they're all staring at me.

---

In the Moon Pavilion

Princess Xue Yin traced a finger through the frost on her wine cup.

> "If she's hiding, then so is the Sect Leader. The Taiyin Sect has no male disciples. And this one smells… unbound."

Princess Wu Zhao lifted her head slightly.

> "You want to expose her?"

Princess Bai Ling shook her head.

> "Not yet. Let's not forget—we're guests. This sect is neutral, but powerful. If we act carelessly, we might cause political ripple."

She turned, face unreadable.

> "But observe her. Pressure her. If she cracks—we act."

---

Later That Night

A shadow stepped silently into the bamboo grove behind Lin Yuan's residence. A figure in dark robes, face veiled in spiritual mist.

From her sleeve, she drew a small spirit beast—no larger than a squirrel, with a single glowing eye.

> "Follow the disciple named Lin Yue," the princess whispered. "Record everything."

The spirit beast chirped once and vanished into the grass.

From behind her, a second voice spoke:

> "Spying on her too, sister?"

Another figure stepped out—veil lowered, eyes glinting with moonlight.

> "I thought I'd beat you to it."

The two princesses—rivals in the court, now aligned in silence—glanced at each other.

> "If she's what we think she is…"

> "Then Taiyin Sect has a secret worth stealing."

---

Meanwhile

Inside his room, Lin Yuan stared at the glowing moonlight formation on the ceiling. He had sharpened every sense, spread defensive talismans across every entrance, and hidden his weapon beneath his bedroll.

Still, something felt wrong.

> "They're testing me," he whispered.

Lady Mingyan's voice returned, quiet and calm.

> "Then pass the test. That's all you can do. Until it's too late to run."

> "If they find out—"

> "You can always run. It's a training not battlefield. "

He reached for the pouch beneath his robe.

Inside was a single item he hoped never to use:

A Shadow Slip Token—a one-use escape talisman that could teleport him up to thirty miles away . A rare talisman lin yuan have only one.

He stared at it.

> "Let's hope I don't need this."

Morning mist still clung to the courtyards when Lin Yuan stepped into the peach blossom path behind the guest quarters. It was meant to be a quiet walk—just long enough to clear his mind before another day of smiling at princesses and surviving noble suspicions.

His steps were soft. His robes simple. His aura suppressed to the level of a gentle disciple.

Yet with every step, unease tightened in his gut.

Something was off.

The wind smelled of plum perfume—too much for this early.

And the birds… had gone quiet.

> "Mom?" he whispered mentally.No reply.

Silence.

Suddenly, he heard it:

Click.

Then snap.

A spiritual formation activated beneath his foot—one so precise he hadn't sensed it.

The path lit up with a circle of glowing script.

Before he could leap away—

WHOMP!

The spell surged.

Space twisted.

And Lin Yuan disappeared.

---

A Hidden Chamber Beneath the garden. When he opened his eyes, he was kneeling in a sealed stone room. Smooth walls. No doors. One glowing lantern hanging from a spiritual node above.

A formation surrounded him. Not dangerous—but binding.

From the far wall, a section of stone shimmered—and dissolved.

From the mist stepped Princess Bai Ling, her robes untouched by dust, her eyes calm and sharp.

> "Disciple Lin Yue," she said smoothly. "Forgive the intrusion. I had… concerns."

Behind her, five other princesses stepped in—each one bearing different expressions.

Hong Yu cracked her knuckles.

Xue Yin's eyes were like glaciers.

Mei Yan's smile looked like silk wrapping a dagger.

Even the little twins stood in their special robes, strangely formal.

> "You set a trap," Lin Yuan said flatly.

> "No," Bai Ling replied. "I set an invitation. You stepped in willingly."

> "This is illegal."

> "Then call a sect elder," she said sweetly, "and explain to them why your soul energy doesn't match your stated cultivation."

Lin Yuan said nothing.

His heartbeat pounded, but his face remained perfectly composed.

Princess Qingwu stepped forward with a jade mirror.

> "This device reads spiritual signatures," she said. "Even royal guards use it to check for soul-disguises and illusions."

She set the mirror before him.

> "We'll only use it if you agree."

Lin Yuan's jaw tightened. "And if I refuse?"

> "Then we'll all assume the worst," Bai Ling replied. "A spy. A shapeshifter. A threat."

Hong Yu crossed her arms. "Or a prince pretending to be a girl in a sect where no man is allowed."

The mirror glowed faintly, eager to be used.

His fingers touched the edge of his sleeve.

> Should I use the Shadow Slip? No. Not yet. That would confirm guilt.

He inhaled softly.

And smiled.

> "You say I don't match my stage," he said calmly. "But maybe I'm just gifted."

> "No one's that gifted," Princess Xue Yin muttered.

> "Then let's do something fair," Lin Yuan continued, eyes glittering. "If you don't trust me… challenge me."

That made them pause.

He bowed lightly, voice sweet as ever.

> "Allow me to duel one of you, and you'll see I'm no threat. If I win, you stop spying on me. If I lose, I'll submit to the mirror."

Bai Ling's eyes narrowed.

> "Interesting."

Hong Yu grinned.

> "I'll fight her."

> "No," Bai Ling said. "She's stronger than you. And has the wrong temperament."

She turned to the coldest of them all.

> "Xue Yin. Will you do it?"

The frost princess nodded, expression unreadable.

> "She wants a duel. Let her have one."

---

Minutes Later—Training Courtyard 17

The formation chamber shifted again, teleporting Lin Yuan and Xue Yin to a hidden sparring ground below the sect.

Snow began to fall—summoned by her presence alone.

She summoned her weapon: a crystal blade, its edge humming with moon-cold Qi.

Lin Yuan summoned… nothing.

> "No sword?" she asked.

> "This is fine," he replied, sliding a silk ribbon from his hair.

He spun it once, then wrapped it around his fingers.

The air chilled further.

> "Don't hold back," she said.

> "I never do."

She vanished in a blink.

SLASH!

He leaned back, just enough for her blade to graze his robe, not skin. He flicked his ribbon—redirecting the snow blast she launched.

> She's fast. Too fast. If I fight like a boy, I'll be exposed. But if I hold back—

CRACK!

She slammed into him with a frost palm—ice creeping up his chest.

Lin Yuan spun, used the ribbon to hook her wrist, and stepped into her blindside.

He tapped her shoulder—not hard, just enough to mark a hit.

The wind died.

Xue Yin stared at him.

Snow melted from her blade.

> "…You won."

The arena dimmed.

---

Later

Back in the chamber, Princess Bai Ling examined Lin Yuan with new calculation.

> "You're… still suspicious," she admitted. "But you won."

Hong Yu sulked.

The twins stared, wide-eyed.

Mei Yan smiled wider.

> "Fine," Bai Ling said. "For now—we'll watch from a distance. But the moment you slip—"

> "I won't," Lin Yuan said softly. "I'm exactly what I appear to be."

He turned and walked out before his legs could betray the exhaustion in his bones.

---

That Night

Lady Mingyan's voice finally returned."You did well. "

> "I almost exposed everything."

> "But you didn't. You adapted."

> "I used a ribbon like I'm in alife-or-death duel."

> "And you won."

> "How long can I keep this up?"

> "Long enough."

Outside his window, the peach blossoms began to fall.

Each one soft. Silent.

Lin yuan went to sect leaders house to get a good sleep .