[The Healer's Heart · Sang Qi's Gentleness]
After leaving the bridge, Gu Xingyu wandered through the courtyard until she caught the scent of herbs and the sound of splashing water. She pushed open a wooden door to find a lantern hanging from a bamboo rack, illuminating an old stone mortar and a table covered in medicinal plants.
Sang Qi was draped in an outer robe, head bowed as he meticulously ground herbs. His expression was intensely focused.
"Still making medicine this late?" Xingyu whispered.
"Hmph," Sang Qi didn't look up. "You lot are troublesome and prone to injury. If I don't prepare, I'll have to listen to you screaming while I'm trying to stitch your wounds back together."
Though his words were biting, his movements were as gentle as if he were handling a precious treasure. Xingyu smiled and sat across from him. "You're always like this—complaining with your mouth, but unable to let anyone suffer with your hands."
Sang Qi finally looked up. His eyes were like clear springs under the moonlight, flowing with an unreadable depth. "Why aren't you sleeping?"
"I can't." Xingyu looked down at her intertwined fingers. "I'm wondering... if I can really do this. The Saint thing, saving the world... and staying here."
The wind brushed past, her words floating into the night like a feather plucking at a heartstring. Sang Qi remained silent for a long moment, then reached for a small vial of transparent liquid and handed it to her.
"It's not a sleeping pill. It's Sleep-Ease Dew. It helps calm the mind, but it only works for those willing to lie down."
"And if someone is unwilling?" Xingyu asked.
"Then I'll have to pour it down her throat myself," he countered, raising an eyebrow.
Xingyu laughed at his bluntness, but her smile slowly faded. "Do you think... I'll really leave you all one day?"
Sang Qi didn't answer immediately. He walked over and knelt beside her, his voice unexpectedly soft. "Xingyu, I never believed fate would give me anything good. But this time—" He pointed to her heart. "If this place has ever been moved by us even once, then it isn't fate. It's a choice."
"You chose us, and we chose you. Even if you must leave, don't leave with regrets."
Xingyu stared at him. His eyes, usually so sharp, were now filled with a warm Yao-light. She finally drank the dew, her eyes reddening. "You don't sound like yourself."
"A patient's emotional reaction is part of the therapy," he teased, his lips curving into a faint smile.
"Smart-mouthed as always," she murmured softly. Before she left, Sang Qi handed her a feather-shaped charm. "I made this for you. Your name means 'Star Feather,' right? I thought it was fitting."
Xingyu's heart warmed. "I didn't know you were so skilled with a needle. Thank you, Sang Qi. I'll treasure it."
"It was simple for someone like me," he waved her off, returning to his mortar. "Go to sleep, silly girl. May you have a peaceful night."
[The Silent Sentinel · Li Yan's Vow]
The manor was silent, but a small campfire glowed in the woods behind the estate. Gu Xingyu approached and saw a tall, quiet silhouette outlined by the flames. It was Li Yan.
"Not asleep?" she asked.
Li Yan turned and patted a small cloth mat beside him. "Here."
As she sat, the warmth of the fire chased away the night chill. "What are you doing out here?"
"Watching the night," he replied simply, adding a log to the fire.
"It's safe here. There are no enemies," Xingyu said with a smile.
"I know," he murmured. "But this is what I'm good at."
Xingyu toyed with her watch. "I'm scared... not of enemies, but of the choice. If I have to leave, I'm afraid I'll regret it."
Li Yan turned to her, his gaze steady as a rock. "Once you make a choice, do not regret it." He unfastened a small charm made of braided leather from his belt. "This is a talisman from my village. Before a mission, we would leave a token behind. Just in case... just in case we didn't return, at least people would remember us."
Xingyu's fingers trembled as she took the heavy charm. "Why give it to me now?"
"I don't speak much," Li Yan's voice was deep and resonant. "But if we survive this war, I want you to give this back to me. Because that will mean... I am still here."
Xingyu's throat tightened. "I will. I promise."
Li Yan nodded and gently draped a blanket over her shoulders. Perhaps it was the medicine Sang Qi had given her, but Xingyu soon felt a wave of exhaustion. Her eyelids grew heavy, and she began to doze off.
Sensing her movement, Li Yan reached out and steadily caught her head, letting her rest against his chest. He sat perfectly still, shielding her in his silent, sturdy world. When the fire died down, he carefully picked her up—holding her like the most precious treasure—and carried her back to her room.
He laid her down softly on the bed and tucked her in. Standing by her side, he whispered so softly it was almost a breath, "No matter the risk or the darkness ahead... I will keep you safe. Whether you choose to stay or go... I will never forget you."
He left, closing the door soundlessly, leaving his protection by her side.
That night, perhaps triggered by the Keeper's words or a deep hidden connection, Gu Xingyu fell into a dream—a dream of the woman buried in the depths of history: the previous Saint, Mu Yunzhao.