The Yao-carrier climbed slowly along the rugged mountain path, its wheels rumbling as they crushed gravel and withered branches. The distant sky was a leaden grey; the sun could not pierce the heavy clouds, leaving the entire cliffside shrouded in iron-colored shadows.
Gu Xingyu gripped the edge of the window, her heart sinking as the jagged ridgeline drew closer.
So, this was Grey Fang Cliff.
The precipice resembled interlocking predator teeth. Steep and winding, the mountain slopes bore the scars of molten Yao-crystals on their exposed rock faces. The once-thriving village was now nothing but charred ruins and skeletal remains, as if time itself had been frozen by the tragedy of the past.
Li Yan was the first to leap down from the vehicle.
The moment his feet touched this land—both familiar and foreign—he fell into a profound silence. He walked slowly, each step echoing through the halls of his memory.
Gu Xingyu and the others followed close behind. The air was thick with the scent of scorched earth and stone. The ground bore signs of recent disturbance, as if someone had been digging or searching.
"Someone has been here," Lin Lie noted, crouching to examine the mud and tire tracks.
Sang Qi walked toward a dilapidated wooden hut and murmured, "The scratches on these beams are fresh... they weren't left during the battle."
Luo Ye gripped his long-handled ladle, scanning the area warily. "Let's hope it wasn't Yao-bandits..."
Cang Yuan stood by the ruins of the ancestral hall in the center of the village, frowning as he sensed a faint, flickering energy.
Li Yan walked silently to a broken wall and knelt. His fingers brushed a rusted iron helmet embedded in the dirt. He picked it up slowly, his voice trembling.
"This used to be the training grounds... this is where they made their final stand."
His voice was barely a whisper, and for a moment, no one dared to disturb him. He cradled the helmet in his palms; engraved upon it was the name of his Vice Captain.
"It's him... he was really here," Li Yan's voice shook. "He told me to live on... and that they would hold this place until the very end."
Gu Xingyu asked softly, "Can you... sense any other presence? Is anyone still..."
Li Yan shook his head, then suddenly stood up.
"...No, there's a pulse."
He turned sharply, his gaze piercing toward the eastern base of the cliff. "Over there. The Yao-aura is weak... but persistent."
Lin Lie reacted instantly. "I'll recalibrate the scanners—"
"No need," Li Yan said grimly. "I can feel it. It's a signal they left behind... or someone is still alive."
In an instant, the atmosphere of the team tightened—not with fear, but with a sense of mission.
Gu Xingyu looked at everyone and said softly, "Let's split up and search. We'll turn this cliff upside down until we find them."
Li Yan looked at his companions and bowed deeply. "Thank you..."
[Grey Fang Cliff · The Search Below]
The team split into two groups. Lin Lie and Li Yan descended along the cliff wall, while Gu Xingyu, Cang Yuan, Luo Ye, and Sang Qi searched the ruins for hidden shelters or signs of life.
The air at the base of the cliff was frigid, with vines and damp moss covering the broken rocks. Amidst the fissures caused by the collapse, Lin Lie's Yao-light revealed a narrow underground crevice built into the Yao-crystal strata. It was cramped, yet a faint pulse of energy emanated from within.
"This path isn't natural," Lin Lie frowned. "Someone dug this."
Li Yan nodded, his voice low. "An escape tunnel... the Vice Captain and I once agreed that if things went south, he would lead the villagers through a subterranean route."
They hurried inside.
The crevice narrowed as they descended, the air thinning until they broke through a collapsed wall into a hidden cavern. In the center, a crude energy field had been constructed using Yao-crystals. Beneath its dim glow lay several frail figures.
"Survivors!" Lin Lie whispered.
Li Yan's eyes reddened instantly. He rushed forward, recognizing a familiar, weathered face.
"Captain..." The man opened his eyes weakly. He wasn't sure if the man before him was a ghost or reality.
"Feng Che!" Li Yan grabbed his hand, his fingers trembling. "You... you're alive!"
"I've been waiting..." Feng Che managed a pale smile. "I knew you'd come back... it wasn't in vain..."
"How did you survive?"
"The Vice Captain... he pushed us in here at the last second... left us supplies and a crystal device... we've been holding on ever since..."
Lin Lie immediately began checking the crystal field, while Gu Xingyu and the others arrived. Sang Qi started treating the wounded without a word, and Luo Ye scrambled to prepare hot water and rations. Cang Yuan channeled his Water Yao power to stabilize the injured.
The cavern, once a tomb of despair, surged with life and frantic activity.
Feng Che reached into his tattered coat and pulled out a blood-stained metal box. "The Vice Captain told me to give this to you... his final words."
Li Yan's hands shook as he opened it. Inside was their unit's identification tag and a handwritten note:
"If you live, remember every one of our names. If you return, stand up once more for this land."
Li Yan closed the box tightly, tears finally spilling over. "I will remember... I will."
Gu Xingyu placed a hand on his shoulder. "You did it, Li Yan. You brought them the hope they were waiting for."
The next morning, sunlight broke through the clouds.
The Yao-carrier moved through the craggy paths, carrying Feng Che and the other survivors in the rear. Gu Xingyu and Cang Yuan sat at the back, watching the scorched ruins fade into the distance.
"Do you think Li Yan will stay?" she asked softly.
Cang Yuan shook his head. "No. He has settled his people. Now... he will choose the future."
Indeed, after handing the survivors over to a Yao Alliance medical outpost, Li Yan returned to the team. He donned his travel cloak and shouldered his heavy blade.
"They are in good hands now," he said calmly. "I am ready to move forward with you."
Lin Lie nodded. "Then we set out."
At that moment, the Wood Yao (木曜) patterns on Gu Xingyu's pocket watch began to glow with a faint, emerald light.
"Wood Yao..." she murmured. "It's resonating."
Sang Qi, still bandaging Feng Che's last wound, grumbled, "Does that thing ever stop looking for trouble? We just finished one rescue and it's already pushing us?"
"It's not pushing," Gu Xingyu corrected him with a smile. "It's... guiding."
"How can you be sure?" Luo Ye arched an eyebrow.
She looked toward the distant, emerald canopy—the Floating Mist Forest (浮岫林), one of the oldest and largest forests in the Yao Realm, rumored to hide the Wood Yao ruins and sacred energy springs.
"Because I'm starting to feel its 'call,'" she answered.
Lin Lie turned to her. "Our next stop is there?"
"Yes. Floating Mist Forest."
The team moved in perfect harmony, preparing the vehicle and supplies without needing many words. Before departing, Li Yan stood before Gu Xingyu, his voice low and sincere. "Thank you for coming back with me."
"If it were me, I'd want to know if they were alive too," she replied. "I'm glad you went back, and I'm glad you're back with us."
As the Yao-carrier started up, Luo Ye rode ahead to scout. "Wonder if the next place is dangerous?"
"You're the biggest danger," Sang Qi shot back. "Fighting people with a ladle every chance you get."
"I'm the vanguard! I'm protecting you guys!" Luo Ye protested.
"Sure, sure," Cang Yuan teased. "But can our 'dashing vanguard' find a real weapon? If that ladle breaks, what are we going to cook with?"
The group erupted into laughter. Amidst the banter, the Yao-carrier surged forward toward their next destiny.
［A Creator's Confession: On Memory and Yao Yin］
Why did I write Yao Yin (曜印)?
Have you ever finished a story only to realize you've already forgotten the characters' names? Or perhaps you've given up halfway because the plot lost its spark?
I don't want Yao Yin to be just a passing memory in your life. My greatest hope is that after you turn the final page, the names of the "Five Yaos" (五曜) remain deeply engraved in your heart. To be remembered by you—that is the ultimate meaning of my creation.
Part I is now complete in Chinese. > My current goal is to bring this story to English-speaking audiences so that the "Five Yaos" can be known and loved by more people across the globe.