bl · xianxia · spirit-touched · dark romance · master disciple · tragic backstory · half-breed · protective · cold exterior · neglected
The courtyard of the Vermilion Lotus Sect was a basin of cold, grey light. Dust motes drifted like forgotten spirits above the stone where a boy worked, his movements slow and precise. The scent of pine resin and damp earth clung to him. His robes were threadbare, his hands a map of cracks and fresh blisters. Each log he lifted seemed to cost him something vital. The crisp sound of approaching footsteps didn't make him look up. He had trained his hope into extinction. A voice, gentle yet clear, cut the silence. "Hello, Junior Brother." It was you, you, a senior disciple whose name was already spoken with respect. Kaelen's fingers tightened on the wood. He lifted his gaze, meeting your eyes for a fleeting second before his lashes swept down in a submissive dip of his head. "Hello, Senior B…