After Hyun Yeol tragically killed Hae-ju, Xian Lian remained trapped inside the hidden safe room. The world outside had descended into chaos, but she remained frozen within the confines of her small, suffocating space. Hours blurred together, her sense of time unraveling with each shallow breath.

  She woke from the haze of fear to silence.

  "Nian..." Xian Lian whispered hoarsely, her voice trembling. Her fingers pressed against the cold, unforgiving stone wall, nails scraping against its rough surface. Panic surged through her, her breath coming in sharp, uneven gasps. The walls seemed to close in around her, the stale air thickening. Her chest constricted, her ribs aching under the pressure of her own fear.

  She kicked the wall, harder this time. Nothing.

  Why won’t it open?

  A sob tore from her throat. She clawed at the wooden door, yanking the handle with raw desperation, but it refused to budge. The darkness pressed down, suffocating. She pounded the door with her fists, voice breaking.

  "Please... please...!"

  Just when the weight of her despair threatened to crush her, the door creaked open.

  A young boy stood in the doorway, his wide eyes flickering with surprise and concern. His features were blurred by the dim light, but the warmth in his expression cut through the icy terror gripping her heart.

  Xian Lian stared, her breath hitching. Was he real?

  Before she could think, her body moved on instinct. She lunged forward, throwing her arms around him, clinging to the warmth of another human presence. Her sobs wracked her frail frame, her hands trembling against the fabric of his clothes. The boy stiffened, his arms hovering awkwardly before, hesitantly, he returned the embrace.

  "Hey... it’s okay," he said, his voice uncertain but kind. "You’re safe now."

  "Zhiyong!" A voice called from the distance, making them both jolt.

  Zhiyong gently pulled away, offering her a reassuring smile. "Wait here. I’ll be right back."

  Xian Lian’s fingers twitched, the urge to hold onto him overwhelming. Her legs refused to move, her body anchored by fear. She barely nodded.

  Zhiyong turned and hurried toward the source of the voice. "Sifu!"

  Master Gin TianXue turned slowly, his sharp gaze settling on the boy. "Where did you go?" he asked, his voice firm but not unkind.

  Zhiyong hesitated, rubbing the back of his neck. "I heard something. I... I just checked it out."

  Master Gin exhaled, sheathing his sword. His gaze shifted past Zhiyong, landing on Xian Lian. She stood motionless, her face a mix of fear and defiance. His lips pressed into a thin line.

  "Some things can’t be uprooted, no matter how hard we try," he murmured. "The cost of peace often means leaving the innocent in silence."

  Xian Lian’s stomach twisted. She was tired of silence. Tired of being abandoned. She took a step forward, her voice raw with desperation. "Take me with you!"

  Master Gin’s expression didn’t change. He had seen too many faces like hers—children left in the wreckage of war. Starving, terrified, clinging to anything that offered safety. Some had begged. Others had screamed. And still, he had walked away.

  Because he had learned the truth: he could not save them all.

  Once, long ago, he had broken that rule. For a single boy—one with too much light, too much fire in his soul. A boy who should have been free. Anke.

  Anke had wanted nothing more than to erase the blood in his veins, to live as a commoner, far from the weight of a name that meant nothing but suffering. But that choice had never been his. And in the end, Gin TianXue had failed him.

  His jaw tightened. He would not fail another.

  "No," he said at last, his voice like iron. "I don’t take children."

  Zhiyong’s heart twisted at the cold finality in his master's voice. His hands curled into fists before he stepped forward, his voice firm yet pleading. "Sifu, we can’t leave her. She’s alone. Just like I was when you took me in. She needs help."

  Master Gin remained silent, his expression unreadable. Then, something caught his eye.

  The ornament on her wrist.

  His breath stilled.

  The serpent-eating-crown pendant.

  Recognition flickered in his face, a shadow of something old and buried. His lips parted slightly, and for the briefest moment, his hardened exterior cracked.

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  But just as quickly, he masked it. His expression shuttered, his grip tightening around the hilt of his sword as if warding off ghosts.

  "Zhiyong..." Master Gin said, his voice cold but with a begrudging sense of compassion. "Make sure she doesn’t fall behind."

  Zhiyong’s face lit up with relief. His eyes sparkled with determination, and a grin spread across his face. "I’m Li Zhiyong!" he declared, his enthusiasm infectious. "From now on, we’ve got each other’s backs."

  Xian Lian’s heart surged, tears welling up in her eyes once more. She forced a shaky smile in return, her voice thick with emotion. "I’m Xian Lian," she replied, the sound of her name feeling both foreign and familiar.

  Zhiyong grabbed her hand, his grip warm and reassuring. "Let’s go! Sifu’s actually pretty cool! He taught me how to fight. He’ll teach you too. We’ll make sure you’re strong."

  As they walked away, Xian Lian’s gaze lingered on the house she had once called home. The place where her laughter had echoed through the halls, where her parents' voices had once filled the air, now felt distant. Foreign.

  The walls, once so familiar, stood cold and unwelcoming—like a betrayal unspoken. The air, once filled with the comforting scent of her mother’s cooking and her father’s presence, now reeked of dust. The silence in the house was oppressive, a hollow reminder of everything lost.

  Her parents were gone. The weight of that truth sank deep in her chest, suffocating her with its finality. The house, once a sanctuary, was now a tomb for all that had been lost. What was once hers was now just a shell—empty and lifeless. The home had died with them.

  And so, she turned away from it.

  She followed them into the unknown, leaving behind the only home she had ever known. It would be years before she found another.

  "Xian Lian, drink this," Zhiyong said gently, his voice laced with concern as he offered her a bottle. She accepted it gratefully, the warmth of the drink soothing her as it spread through her, easing the tightness in her chest.

  "Thanks, Zhi Gege," she murmured, handing it back to him with a soft smile.

  Zhiyong’s gaze drifted up to the darkening sky, the first hints of rain starting to fall. "Sifu says we’ll head to the next village tomorrow," he remarked with an easy smile, though there was a hint of weariness in his eyes. "Looks like it’ll rain tonight."

  Xian Lian followed his gaze, her brow furrowing slightly as dark clouds gathered overhead. "It does seem like a storm is coming."

  Zhiyong nodded, still smiling at her to keep her spirits up. "We’ll rest here for tonight, and head out in the morning. It’ll be fine."

  From across the camp, Master Gin’s voice cut through the air, sharp but not unkind. "Get the firewood. We’ll need it for dinner."

  Without hesitation, Zhiyong and Xian Lian leapt to their feet, eager to help. "Yes, Sifu!" they replied in unison, both of them trying to keep the mood light.

  Later, after dinner, Xian Lian fell asleep almost immediately, the exhaustion of the day catching up with her. Zhiyong, however, remained alert, his eyes scanning the surroundings as he kept watch. The rhythmic sound of Master Gin sharpening his sword against the stone was the only noise that filled the still night air.

  "Sifu," Zhiyong asked quietly, his curiosity getting the better of him. "Why don’t we just head to the village now? We could get food and rest before tomorrow. It would make things easier."

  Master Gin paused for a long moment, his expression darkening. "Zhiyong, you can’t trust the nobles there."

  Zhiyong blinked, confused. "But you said Aunt Li Ruqi is there," he replied, his voice full of hope.

  Master Gin’s gaze turned steely, his voice quiet but firm. "Zhiyong, you need to keep Xian Lian safe. Get her to the village, but we may not be meeting her there."

  Zhiyong’s brow furrowed, his confusion deepening. "Sifu, what’s going on?"

  Before Master Gin could explain, Zhiyong’s senses flared. Something was wrong. Danger.

  "Sifu!" Zhiyong shouted, his voice filled with urgency.

  Master Gin’s eyes sharpened as he turned toward the outside. "Who’s there?" His voice was cold, dangerous.

  A group of assassins in black emerged from the shadows, their swords gleaming menacingly. Chaos broke out immediately. Zhiyong’s instincts kicked in. He grabbed Xian Lian’s hand and yanked her out of the hut, pushing her forward as they ran into the torrential rain.

  "Zhi Gege!" Xian Lian cried, fear evident in her voice.

  Zhiyong glanced back at her, his face tight with worry, but his eyes were full of determination. "Xian Lian, you need to cross that gate. Find a lady named Ruqi. She owns an inn. Tell her my message."

  "Where are you going, Zhi Gege?" Xian Lian’s voice trembled as she clutched his hand, panic rising in her chest. The storm outside mirrored the storm inside her, wild and uncontrollable.

  Zhiyong looked down at her, his face softening as he cupped her cheek with one hand. His voice was thick with emotion as he spoke, his words carrying more weight than he intended. "I’ll come back, I promise. No matter where you are, I will find you. You won’t be alone."

  The rain intensified, but Zhiyong’s words seemed to hang in the air, like a fragile promise in the midst of a chaotic world.

  His words were soft but resolute, a quiet vow that struck deep within her heart, but it was a promise she wasn’t sure she could hold onto. Tears welled up in her eyes as she realized their time together was running out. Each second felt like a weight pressing on her chest.

  She clung to him, unwilling to face the reality of what was happening. The world around them seemed to fade, leaving only the sound of their breaths and the warmth of his presence. But the world didn’t pause, and she couldn’t keep him here forever. Finally, with a heart heavy with sorrow, she pulled away, her legs unsteady as the weight of the moment took its toll. Her steps faltered, her body aching with the knowledge that she was losing him.

  Zhiyong watched her, his expression a mix of love and sadness, as she disappeared into the storm. A faint smile tugged at his lips, but it was quickly replaced with a determined resolve. He turned back toward the chaos, his steps sure, his mind set on the vow he had made. No matter the storm, he would find her again.

  Xian Lian’s heart was pounding in her chest as she sprinted toward the gates, her feet slipping on the slick ground. She could hear the guards closing in—too close. No plan had been made, and the towering gates loomed before her, impassable and threatening.

  Breathing heavily, she forced herself to focus. Her eyes darted around in frantic search. A narrow alcove, hidden beneath a slanted roof, caught her attention. Without thinking, she dashed for it, slipping into the small, secluded space.

  Safe—for now.

  But as the storm raged outside, a wave of loneliness crashed over her. The isolation was suffocating, the cold air biting at her skin, but the emptiness within was far colder still. Alone again. Alone without him.

  Stay strong. Find Ruqi.