Lotus Serenade || Mo Dao Zu Shi x Reader

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──❝Threads of Connection Amidst New Horizons❞──

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Nestled amidst the serene embrace of the picturesque mountains, Meihua Shì (梅花市), or Plum Blossom Village, stood as a tranquil haven frozen in time. Cobblestone paths wound their way through the village, lined with traditional wooden houses adorned with intricate carvings, their roofs tiled with weathered gray slates. Cherry blossom trees scattered sporadically throughout the village, their delicate petals painting the streets with ephemeral hues of pink during spring. At the heart of Meihua Shì stood the grand estate of the Li family, a sprawling residence of elegant architecture adorned with crimson lacquered pillars and ornate golden eaves that glinted in the sunlight. The estate's lush gardens bloomed with vibrant peonies and lotus flowers, their fragrant scent lingering in the air.

Streams trickled gently through the village, their crystal-clear waters weaving around stone bridges, inviting moments of reflection and tranquility. Terraced rice fields draped the slopes surrounding the village, a patchwork of verdant greens cascading down the mountainside. The villagers, clad in traditional attire, went about their days with an air of peaceful contentment. A sense of community thrived in Meihua Shì, where neighbors knew each other by name and offered warm greetings as they gathered in the marketplace to exchange goods and stories. However, the tides shifted drastically with the arrival of the Wens.

The night was pierced by screams, an eerie symphony that sent icy tendrils snaking down the spines of anyone who dared to listen. The haunting cries of villagers struck down echoed through the air, a macabre chorus intermingled with the shattering of glass and desperate pleas for salvation. In a cruel procession, crimson-clad cultivators marched through the once serene Li village, a harrowing trail of destruction unfurling in their wake. Mothers clung fiercely to their children, seeking to shield them from the unfolding horror, only to be torn apart by the merciless hands of the marauding cultivators. The heart-wrenching sight of families forcibly separated, met with brutal ends, tore through the fabric of the village. Men valiantly attempted to resist but were swiftly overwhelmed by the unrelenting force of the ruthless cultivators, their efforts futile against the overwhelming tide.

As the dust settled from the chaos of the Wen's assault, houses were set ablaze, flames devouring everything in their path with a voracious hunger. The inferno raged unchecked, transforming the once peaceful and harmonious village into a charred tableau of devastation. Amidst the carnage and ruin, a haunting question lingered in the air: what had transpired to desecrate a place that once thrived in tranquility? For the longest time, the Li clan had peacefully coexisted alongside the various other clans. So, why had the Wens suddenly unleashed such unforgiving aggression? What spurred this sudden onslaught and desire for devastation? Was it a thirst for power, or perhaps a deep-rooted vendetta? The attack seemed senseless, lacking any clear justification for the Wen clan's merciless assault. It appeared that Wen Ruohan, their leader, had unleashed his fury upon the Li clan without any prior warning or justification. Driven by a sadistic thirst for vengeance, he aimed to obliterate every remnant of the Li clan's existence.