The snow had started falling around the village of Xingsu. A young cultivator walked down the pathway of stone to the empress´s lye.

-I wonder when Li Fan is gonna bring me back to Changyi, after all.. I´ve been undercover for a couple months now, no one seems to be plotting anything. She thought to herself while walking down the road, holding a silverplate with a pot of green tea standing on top.

At the entrance to the main hall, the empress sat in a grand, golden throne. On each side a maid stood at her service, waiting for orders.

The empress of Xingsu, Yin Qi was known as one of the most powerful people in the land, her empire had miraculously stood strong since after her father passed whom had left her with a promise of never letting down her village. The people of Xingsu had for centuries been in feuds with the people of Changyi. Their people were once ruled by someone they called Hei Feng. This man reveled in cruelty, savoring the suffering of others. One of those being the clan leader of Xingsu, Yin Zhoule. His death was rumoured all around the two clans as being a horrible scene, so brutal that you wouldnt want to wish it upon your worst enemy. Yin Qi swore to never forgive Hei Feng´s people for letting her father succomb to their leader´s sick mentality.

"Your highness." Chang Ming said, slightly bowing in front of the empress. Yin Qi didnt respond but took the teacup in her hands and drank a small sip while staring into space. Looking puzzled.

"It seems that empress is lost in thought?" she ventured, rather playfully.

Initially Chang Ming was sent by her clan-leader to gather information about any possible attacks on their village, but after spending these past couple months so closely following the empress, she had learned a lot about what to say to piss these people off. Yin Qi and her disinterest really gave Chang Ming more amusement than she probably knew, she had started to really enjoy annoying her just for the pleasure of it.

The empress looked at her as with eyes that could kill from miles away. The girl swallowed slowly.

Suddenly a man´s voice was heard from behind the throne. "Leave us! I must speak with the empress alone."

The girl together with the maids, hurried out and slowly closed the heavy doors behind them. She turned around and sighed heavily before sitting down at the small pair of stairs leading up to the village-house. "Such a spoiled brat, that girl." She huffed quietly, kicking at a rock that was lying on the grass.

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She heard the muffled voices from inside and couldn´t help but scoot a little closer to the door in hopes of overhearing the conversation.

"Uncle, has something happened?"

"Childe, are you aware of the recent discoveries in Changyi?" the man said.

After a pause of no answer the man replied.

"Soldiers have found the remains of Hei Feng, including the things he carried on him..

"A part of the snakeeye pendant was found"

Snakeeye pendant? the maid thought to herself. I thought that was long gone.. They cant possibly have found the pendant after only a brief visit back in Changyi?

She continued listening in.

"The snakeeye pendant?" the empress said. "I have to go there." "Today"

"T-today? We dont have any soldiers to come with you, everyone is already in Changyi." He said.

"Then I´ll go on my own." She said in a serious tone.

 "No no you cant go on your own, its too dangerous." "Why dont we wait for some of our people to come back?" The uncle responded nervously.

"That will take far too long." "I need to go today." She said, already going around packing her things.

The girl listened in closely on the conversation, so well that she didnt realize how close she had gotten to the door. As the empress shot open the door and slammed the girl away before leaving her sitting disheveled on the doorstep. She smiled guilty, before nervously swallowing her pride. She quickly stood up to explain herself. "I´m sorry for intruding but i couldnt help to hear that your going to Changyi?" The empress dismissed her and kept her stern face.

"Maybe I could be able to help?" "I have been to Changyi before so I know it well"  "I could show you the ways." She said with a smile, still following her around. Hopping from one side of the girl to the other.

The empress rolled her eyes but seemed to quietly considerate the offer.

The girl suddenly stopped in her tracks and turned to the girl. "What was your business in Changyi?"

The young girl was phased but responded timely "Truth is, I used to fight against the Changyi people back when I was working for my father" "Though it is something of my past.."

"I´m a skilled fighter" "I could protect you" she said lightly raising her eyebrow seducingly.

Yin Qi looked at her closely for what seemed as quite a long while, before she took a deep breath.

"Since you told me this, I´m guessing you have other pieces of clothing" She said, looking down on the girl´s simple dark purple robes that had been stained with dirt

"Pack your things." "We´re leaving before it gets dark."

The girl´s eyes lit up in a smile as she quickly hurried off to grab her things.

Before getting on their way, The empress assigned the girl a horse to borrow on their way.

"Do you know how to ride a horse?" she asked before handing the straps hanging from the horse´s head. The girl laughed, "Of course I do. Do I still look as unexperienced even with new clothes on?" The girl said, gesturing to her new attire of dark green robes that looked surprisingly lavish.

The empress sighed before getting on her own horse. She saw her uncle in the distance coming out of the house, he was shouting and begging for her to stay.

She quickly tilted her head as to say "lets go".

"Ah wait for me" the maid hurriedly said as she got on the horse.