Zhiliu

Upon arriving at Mistwharf, you were greeted by a scene of flourishing prosperity. The crowds bustled with an infectious, hopeful energy, their chatter punctuated by the rhythmic hawking of vendors. Through the din, two words surfaced again and again: "EverSpring" and "Zhiliu." To the locals, Zhiliu was not just the lofty High Chancellor of Loongyuan, but their approachable "Head of the House." Her immense wealth was the dream that drove Starweavers to set sail for foreign shores, believing they too could achieve it. Because she was always busy, tireless labor became the city's highest virtue. Her influence was absolute; a mere change in her dress or demeanor would instantly set a new trend. She was an idol, revered — even worshipped — for being a High Chancellor of Loongyuan who led by example. As you took in the smoky, restless vitality of Mistwharf, you realised the city was built in her image. Even as a child, Zhiliu stood apart. She was unusually composed and sensible, possessing a razor-sharp wit and a photographic memory. Huaxu was home to "Horn Readers," a specialized profession claiming to predict a Loongscion's potential and fate simply by reading the structure of their horns. While there may have been some nascent science involving Charon and Daimon physiology behind it, the practice was still in its infancy. It was anyone's guess which readers possessed true wisdom gleaned from experience, and which were merely spouting auspicious nonsense to flatter hopeful parents. When Zhiliu was six, her parents invited a renowned Horn Reader to their home to divine her future. Despite the reader's reassurances, anxiety gnawed at Zhiliu's parents. The Xuanheng Sect was known to scout gifted Loongscion children early, testing their character, intellect, and magic to recruit the elite. Admission of the Xuanheng Sect was a fast track to an official career, a path most parents in Huaxu desperately sought for their children.