[Wild Highlands · Resonance of the Marks]
After a brief rest, Lin Lie unfolded the Yao Chronicles on a flat rock. The team sat in a circle. "At last," he said, his voice steady but his eyes gleaming with depth, "the Five Yao are gathered."
Luo Ye rolled his eyes. "So what? Doesn't mean we stop walking."
"You're free to stay behind," Cang Yuan shot back instantly.
"Who said I was staying—" Luo Ye began to flare up, but a sharp look from Gu Xingyu silenced him.
"You two, enough," she interrupted, pulling out the familiar pocket watch.
The lid flipped open. The Five Yao Marks erupted in unison. The Fire Yao symbol, which had stabilized into a brilliant crimson the moment Luo Ye drew near, was now pulsing alongside the others.
HUM—
A resonance more powerful than ever before surged from the heart of the watch. Yao-energy poured out like a tide, weaving together in mid-air to form a clear, glowing path.
The Yao Capital.
"The watch has never responded to all five powers at once," Lin Lie whispered. "It's pointing the way."
Sang Qi frowned. "The Yao Capital... the heart of the Imperial City. That is where the source veins of the ancient Yao Emperors converge."
"It seems," Cang Yuan said, his tone unusually serious, "our journey has only just begun."
"The reunion is an end, but also a starting point," Li Yan added solemnly.
Gu Xingyu looked at the floating lines of light. Unlike the others, she felt more than just a calling—she felt a warning. The Yao-intent bleeding from the watch felt like a whisper: The time has come.
[Wild Highlands · Nightfall and Banter]
As night fell, the group set up camp. After a simple dinner, Gu Xingyu handed a water flask to Lin Lie. He took it while checking the stars. "We leave at five tomorrow. We should reach the border of the Yao Capital by afternoon."
In a corner, Sang Qi was re-dressing Li Yan's old wounds. "You don't complain about the pain, but your muscles and bones aren't invincible..."
Li Yan nodded. "Understood."
Gu Xingyu leaned against a rock, watching them with a smile, before her gaze drifted to the other side. There, Cang Yuan was nonchalantly stealing a piece of dried meat Luo Ye had just cooked.
"Touch my pot again and I'll pour chili oil down your throat," Luo Ye warned without looking up.
"Don't be like that. I'm taste-testing. Since your Fire Yao went berserk, your seasoning might have exploded too," Cang Yuan said innocently.
"If you want to die, just say so. I'll help you into the furnace," Luo Ye snapped.
Gu Xingyu burst out laughing.
"Xingyu, tell him! Isn't this ungrateful?" Cang Yuan cried. "I just helped him stabilize his energy a few days ago, and now he wants to incinerate me."
"Are you sure you aren't just playing with fire?" Gu Xingyu teased.
"I am a master of moisturizing the soul with Water Yao," Cang Yuan boasted. "Unlike some people who only know how to scare folks with fire."
"Will you two shut up," Gu Xingyu laughed, shaking her head. "Any more noise and I'll decide who gets the night watch."
The group went silent for three seconds.
"I am not pulling a shift with him," Luo Ye grumbled. "He'll talk until the moon goes down."
"If you stop getting angry, I'll let you pick the shift," Cang Yuan countered.
Lin Lie closed his book. "I'll set the shifts. Cang Yuan first, Luo Ye second, Sang Qi third. Li Yan and I will take the last."
"And me?" Gu Xingyu asked.
Lin Lie looked at her. "You rest. We'll need you to lead the way tomorrow."
She looked at her watch, the five marks still glowing softly. She nodded. "Fine. Then tonight, I'll be in charge of watching the stars."
"And I'll be in charge of keeping you company," Cang Yuan raised his hand.
"Aren't you on duty?" Luo Ye asked coldly.
"I can do both. It's called 'flexible scheduling,'" Cang Yuan joked.
Amidst the laughter and the flickering campfire, a sense of peace settled over them. But they all knew that tomorrow, they would step into the eye of the storm.
[Yao Capital · Secret Chamber of the Imperial Palace]
Deep beneath the palace walls, a hidden door opened. In a chamber filled with the scent of ink and incense, a man in black knelt.
"Reporting to the Third Prince. The State Preceptor's scouts have sent word—the Five Yao have gathered. The watch and the Saint have appeared."
The man he addressed was clad in black-gold brocade, his features handsome but sharp with a piercing edge. He was Si Moheng, the Third Prince of the Yao Realm.
"Finally..." Si Moheng toyed with his teacup, a cold light flickering in his eyes. "The 'Forgotten Project' can now begin."
The State Preceptor stood in the shadows, his face blurred under a dark robe. "The Saint reappears, the Five Yao awaken," his voice was like a curse. "The time of Destiny's Restart is upon us."
Si Moheng smiled without warmth. "Destiny can be decided by the living."
He walked to the back of the chamber, where a massive disc forged from Yao-crystals and ancient bones sat. At its center, a hole remained—missing the Yao-Soul Heart. "Once the keys open the Source Gate, I will take the Heart. The throne should not be decided by bloodlines and ancient ministers."
The Preceptor looked at a magical projection. It showed Gu Xingyu leading the group.
"This girl is the Saint? She looks ordinary," Si Moheng sneered. "Hard to believe she could unite the Five Yao."
"Whether she is the Saint or not is irrelevant," the Preceptor whispered. "The watch has accepted her, and the Five Yao follow her. The board is set."
Si Moheng's eyes turned icy. "She's just an outsider with a broken watch. If she wants to be the savior, she can try. But when the Great Array starts, I will take the keys and become the New Master."
"But be careful," the Preceptor warned. "If she connects with the First Emperor's will, she becomes dangerous."
"How do we stop her?" Si Moheng asked.
"If her trust, bonds, and emotions waver, the array will fail. Plant the seeds of 'division' and 'doubt,' and the Yao-heart will shatter."
Si Moheng turned, his eyes flashing like daggers. "Then we start with those she trusts most. I will take care of this 'miracle' myself."