Set in Gold

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Waking the next morning, dawn was just breaking overhead, only Mo Yuan would not have known it, because it was still snowing and not only was he out of bed and dressed in seconds, but the noise coming from the dormitories soon had him running.  Only Chang Shan was normally up at that hour, the rest usually rolled out of bed in time for breakfast.

Only the moment he turned the corner to see what on earth his Disciples were up to now going by the amount of noise they were producing, then an enormous snow ball flew straight at his chest and exploded on impact.

Complete silence ensued.  With just one glance, not only did he see Zi Lan and Cheng Bai cowering behind a makeshift shield made from their pillows and blankets, but his little Seventeenth was behind a low snow wall throwing giant snowballs at them and because they were large and heavy, her two brothers could not get out of their dorms without being hit.  And having caught movement from the side, she had instantly launched an attack on him.

But what astounded him more than the mischief or the fact that she would have had to rise even earlier just to create her little battleground, but the fact that it was still snowing and not only that, it was thick on the ground so it was obvious the snow was settling in and it was this that had him worried.

"Shifu.........." her small voice called out to him.  Now on her feet and staring back at him more than a little afraid that she was in trouble for not only bailing her brothers up in their chambers or worse, having attacked him, Mo Yuans usual soft gaze was hardened.  

Though not for her, but the effects he knew this snow would have on the world.  Many of the farmers and those who lived isolated from the other Realms, relied heavily on the summer months to harvest their food for the winter.  Even on Kunlun Mountain, their food stores were harvest now and preserved for the winter, but at least on his mountain, he had the ability to force the snow back.  It was one purpose the divine energy could be used for, so he didn't have any concerns for his Disciples well being, but the snow would heavily impact on the rest of the world,.  

And for a moment, he held her gaze while lost to his thoughts and what he could possibly do about it, only the way she began to move towards him with tears in her eyes, soon had his mind back on her mischief.

Waiting until she had taken a few more steps towards him, then quick as lightening, his hand came up and swiped the air in front of him.  And before she could even register the sudden flare of mischief that briefly touched his eyes, then a large wall of snow flew straight over the top of her and knocking her flat.

Chuckling as he quickly flicked his eyes at the two who were now watching her fumbling about in the soft snow to find her feet, he left them to their fun and games that ensued to make his way to breakfast while knowing they wouldn't last too much longer in the cold before they too raced inside to get warm.

And he wasn't wrong, within half an hour they were all seated and eating while the chatter from his youngest Disciple seemed a little more subdued than normal having sat and listened to Die Fengs account of what the snow would mean for the rest of the world, while questioning Mo Yuan on what they could do to help.

In silence Si Yin listened in horror as Mo Yuan described exactly what would happen if the snow did not stop and for his little Seventeenth, the fun and games were over.  Looking out through the large windows that were now closed, her heart lurched at what she had done.  If she didn't put an end to it, people would die.  Many lands lived like Qing Qiu.  Simply and with little magic, only the longer it snowed, the worse it would get.

Deciding enough was enough, she excused herself from the table with the excuse that she forgotten to bring her homework with her and returned to her chamber to right her wrongs before she did anymore damage.

By The Will of the GodsWhere stories live. Discover now