Chinese animation: Starting with Bad Guys

She silently untied the ribbon, her movements carrying an almost resolute decisiveness.

The wide black robe slid down her slender shoulders, where she caught it with both hands and carefully and neatly folded it.

Then, she gently placed it on a sleek low table beside the corridor, as if setting down a heavy symbol of the past.

After doing all that, her gaze finally fell on the stack of brand-new clothes next to her.

At the very top was a fiery red. She picked it up and walked toward a small changing room for guests.

A moment later, the door to the cubicle was pushed open.

The light in the corridor seemed to be suddenly ignited.

The fiery red gauze, like solidified lava, clung breathtakingly to her body, outlining every stunning curve.

The sharp high slit sweeps down from the waist, revealing the leg encased in dark leather boots. The lines are straight and powerful, and the dark gold flame pattern inlaid on the edge of the boot shaft is like molten gold thread.

Her slender waist was tightly bound by a belt adorned with tiny red-gold scales, accentuating her lean and muscular figure.

The cuffs and collar of the red gauze were embroidered with intricate and mysterious flame patterns in gold thread. With her subtle breathing and steps, the patterns seemed to flow and burn silently, radiating a molten gold-like luster.

This dress, alluring and sharp, perfectly blends the ferocity of fire with the suppleness of women. Yet, at this moment, Yan Lingji, who wears it, shows no trace of arrogance or heat on her face.

The new clothes were as red as fire, but they couldn't dispel the chill that had settled deep in her eyes and the weariness that was hard to shake off.

The intense red color made her skin appear even paler, like frozen jade.

She straightened her back and subconsciously walked towards the warm room where Tianze was housed.

His steps carried a long-standing inertia, and a hint of almost instinctive familiarity about what he was about to report even flashed deep in his eyes.

Just as her fingertips were about to touch the tightly closed wooden door of the warm chamber, her feet unexpectedly and abruptly stopped in her tracks!

It was as if an invisible, chilling barrier had suddenly appeared between her and the door.

Inside the warm pavilion, the familiar yet strangely fierce aura belonging to Tianze, even through the door and suppressed by some colder and more powerful being, still burned her senses like a red-hot iron.

This aura was once her guiding light, the source of her strength.

But at this moment, this aura was like a sharp ice pick, piercing her consciousness fiercely!

Last night, the black-clad figure that crushed everything in the icy prison, the cold voice that calmly pronounced "surrender or die."

The sound of the hook that pierced Tianze's collarbone being easily broken was crisp.

The beautiful yet deadly purple butterfly that pierced Tianze's heart, and the terrifying scene in the Snow Robe Fortress's ice hall where Blood Robe Marquis Bai Yifei was utterly defeated and died before that person...

Countless fragments of images exploded in her mind!

She went the wrong way.

The person who could give her power, imprison her former master, crush her nightmares, and even... promise her faint hope was now sitting in the main seat of the flower hall outside, the one that symbolized the true authority of Zilan Pavilion.

The last vestige of familiarity and habitual sense of belonging to Tianze in her eyes froze instantly, like thin ice exposed to the blazing sun, before silently shattering and melting away.

Instead, there was a chilling feeling and a sudden, clear, and heavy sense of belonging shift.

Yan Lingji slowly and stiffly withdrew her fingers from the door.

My fingertips twitched slightly in the cold air, and the golden flame patterns on the new clothes seemed to dim for a moment.

She didn't look at the door again and resolutely turned away.

The heels, encased in long boots, struck the polished floor with a clear and solitary echo. Each step seemed to shatter the past and lead towards a future that had to be faced.

Inside the flower hall, the morning light was just right.

Qin Chuan sat upright in the main seat, dressed in black, his demeanor exuding an air of detachment and control.

Chi Meng nestled beside him, her bare feet dangling lightly on the edge of the couch, the silver bells jingling softly on her ankles.

She had changed into a well-fitting, elegant purple-black dress.

The silver butterfly on her purple braid reflected the morning light, and a short flute made of mutton-fat jade, smooth and lustrous, hung from her waist, with a purple tassel tied to the end, perfectly complementing her lively spirit—this was a gift from Qin Chuan.

"Brother, this place is so peaceful!"

Chi Meng tugged at Qin Chuan's sleeve, her voice clear and crisp.

Qin Chuan's gaze swept over her radiant face, a barely perceptible tenderness flickering deep in his eyes.

Zi Nu stood by, pouring tea, her eyes glancing over the teacup, taking in this unique indulgence.

Nongyu's gaze was drawn to the jade flute at Chi Meng's waist, and her gentle eyes revealed pure appreciation.

The jade was of superior quality, and the carving, though simple, was smooth and natural, making it no ordinary piece.

Wei Zhuang leaned against the window with his arms crossed, his Shark Tooth Sword resting against his leg. His sharp gaze pierced through the warmth, accurately sensing the fierce aura within the warm pavilion that was being suppressed by an invisible force, struggling futilely like a trapped beast. A cold, sharp smile played on his lips.

That fiery red, like a cluster of leaping flames, blazed brightly into the warm light of the flower hall.

Yan Lingji walked in.

That fiery new outfit instantly captured everyone's attention.

A bewitching, sharp, and aggressive beauty.

However, her face was calm, even showing a pallor and tension that her new clothes couldn't hide.

Without glancing to the side, she walked straight to the head of the table, and bowed deeply and clearly to Qin Chuan, her posture both respectful and resolute.

This address was like a sharp blade severing the past.

Her eyes were lowered, her voice clear and crisp, with a hint of barely perceptible tension:

"The Corpse-Driving Demon has received the signal and is rushing here at full speed. The King of Poisons is hiding in the abandoned Medicine King Shrine in the west of the city, and the Peerless Ghost has appeared near the dock in the east of the city. The new communication signal has been successfully transmitted."

The report was concise and clear, with every word conveying a reverent respect.

Qin Chuan picked up the teacup that Zi Nu had just poured, the rising steam blurring his cold and handsome features.

His gaze seemed to fall on the clear tea in the cup, his voice flat and emotionless: "Not bad. Once the connections with the scoundrels are established..."

He paused slightly as he spoke.

Yan Lingji's fingers, hanging at her sides and hidden in her red gauze sleeves, unconsciously curled up slightly.

"It can help you find your brother who has been stranded in the war."

These few words, spoken so casually, were like a thunderclap from the heavens, exploding deep within Yan Lingji's soul!

She suddenly raised her head! The movement was so fast that it stirred up a wisp of scorching wind!

Those beautiful eyes, which always seemed to burn with blazing flames or be covered in frost, suddenly widened to their extreme!

Deep within his pupils was a shock akin to a landslide, an unbelievable ecstasy, and a near-dizzy bewilderment after being suddenly struck by this overwhelming hope!

Her younger brother… the one she lost amidst the chaos and devastation of the Baiyue kingdom, the one she thought was long gone, the one she had lost to her own flesh and blood?!

The enormous impact caused her body to tremble violently and uncontrollably!

Ecstasy surged to her eyes like molten lava, instantly freezing into scalding tears that swayed and welled up in her eyes, almost bursting out!

She bit her lower lip hard, tasting a metallic, metallic sweetness, which barely stopped her tears from overflowing.

A single, scalding tear finally broke free of its restraints and silently slid down her snow-white cheek, dripping onto the clean floor and leaving a dark stain.

All the alienation, vigilance, and complex weighings turned to ashes before this single tear and the flame of hope that could burn away all despair.

Looking at the calm and unfathomable figure in the main seat, she felt for the first time the profound power that could bring about salvation...

She suddenly bent down again, this time her forehead almost touching the cold ground!

The fiery red dress spread out like a blazing red lotus that has suddenly bowed its head after blooming.

His shoulders trembled violently uncontrollably. With all his might, he managed to squeeze out a broken yet incredibly solemn voice, trembling with his very soul:

"Thank you... thank you, Master! Yan Lingji... would gladly die for you!"

This cry of "Master" is a heartfelt imprint, a surrender of the soul.

The flower hall was completely silent, with only her suppressed breathing clearly audible.

Zi Nu's eyes held a mixture of understanding and emotion.

Nongyu stopped playing the zither, her gentle eyes filled with sympathy and silent blessings.

Wei Zhuang's gaze, once again filled with a deep scrutiny, fell upon the back of the man in black sitting in the main seat.

He seemed to know everything.

Qin Chuan remained silent in the face of Yan Lingji's near-collapse reaction, simply setting down his teacup gently.

He turned his gaze to his side, where Chi Meng was tilting her head, looking curiously at Yan Ling Ji, whose emotions were fluctuating wildly, and then at Qin Chuan, her little face filled with innocent confusion.

"Hey bro, why is she crying?"

Chi Meng tugged at Qin Chuan's sleeve and asked in a low voice.

"It's nothing." Qin Chuan lowered his voice slightly, raising his hand to casually brush away a playful strand of purple hair from her cheek, his fingertips inadvertently brushing against the small silver butterfly at the end of her hair. "Let her have some peace and quiet."

This subtle movement and the instantaneous softening of his tone once again caught the attention of Zi Nu and Nong Yu.

Nongyu's fingertips twitched slightly as she gently plucked the strings of the zither in front of her.

A clear, resonant overtone, like a pebble thrown into a calm lake, broke the heavy silence.

Nongyu looked at Chimeng with a gentle, inviting smile, her gaze lingering for a moment on the jade flute at Chimeng's waist.

“Miss Chi Meng, this jade flute is warm and radiant, its tone must be excellent. Would you like to play a duet with me? Whatever you wish.”

Chi Meng's attention was immediately drawn, her big eyes lit up instantly, and she completely forgot her previous doubts.

"Okay, okay!" she replied happily, carefully untying the white jade flute from her waist and waving it like a precious treasure. "It's a gift from my little brother, it must sound beautiful!"

She nimbly jumped off the couch barefoot, ran a few steps to Nongyu's zither table, sat cross-legged on the carpet, and looked up with her little face full of expectation.

As Nongyu's fingertips touched the strings, the soothing and elegant melody of the zither spread out like a gentle stream.

Chi Meng brought the warm, smooth jade flute to her lips, concentrating slightly.

The next moment, a clear, lively flute melody, full of distinctive Xinjiang flavor, suddenly joined in!

The flute's initial sound was like a lark suddenly taking flight from the mountains, carrying an untamed wildness and vibrant vitality, forming a wonderful contrast with Nongyu's calm and melodious zither music.

Everyone's attention in the flower hall was drawn to it.

However, after only a few breaths, the lively flute notes seemed to have found a natural rhythm, and began to skillfully linger and echo the melody of the guqin.