Diaochan (The Crystal Lotus)

Despite coming from very low beginnings, Diaochan has advanced greatly because to her fierce ambition. She was raised with the expectation that she would never rise above her mother’s station in life because she was the child of a humble handmaiden. Diaochan, however, was endowed with extraordinary beauty. As she grew older, she was acutely conscious of the fact that she was more attractive than the stunning fountains in the royal cities she visited.

Diaochan had acquired the discipline of restraint despite the fact that many men coveted her, including several who offered to undertake heroic journeys to win her hand. She would grin and look at the high lords until they asked for her assistance. Once there, she would tease and flirt just long enough to position herself to get the most out of the other.

She eventually ended up working for a warlord as a result of this process. This warlord, who was constantly thinking about the next great conquest, had heard rumors about a terrible dragon spreading havoc on the realm and destroying towns. His true strength would be revealed if he could simply figure out how to kill this dragon. Not only would the other lords admire him, but they would all genuinely dread him. He tasked his attendants with coming up with several strategies for destroying the dragon while also physically preparing himself for the upcoming battle.

The warlord acquired a library that was incredibly well-stocked and contained volumes upon volumes of writings on every topic imaginable. Diaochan was tasked with searching the magical arts section for any information on how to slay a dragon. She combed through the piles of spells and potions as her interest in the topic grew. Day after day, she went back to the library where, at night, she put her new knowledge into practice. She discovered that she was a rapid student and within a year had mastered more complex spells. She moved further away from her troubled history as her skill level increased. These pages gave her a sense of calm and direction, and her newly discovered identity grew.

As she got closer to the end of the library, Lu Bu—a formidable warrior with dragon blood—attacked the camp. He terrorized the soldiers as he tore through the camp. Even though he was outnumbered, the situation changed because of his fury. Diaochan was intrigued by the might of this new competitor and was also struck by the obvious suffering he concealed within of him.

After killing his last adversary, Lu Bu’s fury still overwhelmed him to the point where his inner dragon capabilities refused to obey his orders. A touch from Diaochan’s palm put a stop to the internal fires that were about to consume him and take his heart. She was familiar with the spell required to tame the vengeful thunder inside of him because she had studied about dragon magic in the library. The instant he set eyes on Diaochan, he fell in love with her, and she was entranced by him.

Lu Bu and Diaochan explored the realm together, never leaving one other’s side. For a while, they lived in peace and relative harmony, and everything was well and good. The Dragon Father, the very beast that had endowed Lu Bu with his dragon abilities, arrived in search of Lu Bu, putting an end to this peaceful period. He demanded that Lu Bu return to his service right away since he was enraged that Lu Bu had given up on his prior mission.

Lu Bu, however, resisted leaving Diaochan. This enraged the Dragon Father and solidified their animosity toward one another. They engaged in a titanic struggle, a standoff between powerful magical forces. The conflict, however, changed when Lu Bu was given Diaochan’s magic, which enabled him to become a greater form and defeat the Dragon Father.

By doing this, Diaochan’s magic united with Lu Bu, fusing the two together without confusing them and making them genuinely one essence. The darkness of resentment and revenge has been banished from Lu Bu’s heart by their relationship, which is the greatest love in all of Athanor. In turn, Diaochan has discovered a vast power through her link to Lu Bu that will someday shape the history of Athanor.