The warm sunlight filtered through the trees, the wind whispering softly.
Gu Xingyu's laughter hadn't fully faded when Lin Lie, catching a glimpse of her relaxed face, finally eased the tension in his brow. Sang Qi stretched and stood up, dusting off his robes. "I'll go see if Luo Ye has burned the snacks yet—"
Before he could finish, a sharp bark cut the air.
"GET DOWN!" Li Yan bellowed, his body lunging like an arrow toward Xingyu.
The next second, black shadows erupted from the dense foliage. A rain of projectiles whistled through the air. Luo Ye spun around, his twin rings sliding into his palms as Yao-fire surged. He flipped his cooking pot to shield them, the sound of iron clashing like thunder.
"Ambush!" Lin Lie unfolded his morphing staff into a long pole, intercepting a heavy blow. "There's a lot of them!"
Arrows and smoke bombs rained down simultaneously, plunging the forest into chaos.
Li Yan had already pulled Xingyu behind him, his left arm extending into a massive earthen shield. "Retreat to the Rover!" he barked, slamming his right fist into the ground. Earth-Yao power shook the terrain, raising a thick stone wall for cover.
"Xingyu, follow me!" Lin Lie stayed close, his eyes flashing like lightning as he knocked back attackers with his staff.
"It's the Sunderers...!" Cang Yuan's eyes turned cold as his blade cleared its sheath. Water-Yao energy rippled along the steel like moonlight. He moved like a phantom, leading Luo Ye into a counter-charge.
"They're here for us," Sang Qi noted grimly, his whip-pin snapping through the air, entangling an enemy and hurling them away.
Xingyu covered her mouth and nose. She felt a strange, heady scent in the smoke—a mixture of Yao-energy and an exotic fragrance.
"This isn't ordinary poison... it's Yao-Daze Dust!" Sang Qi cried out in alarm.
Suddenly, a piercing whistle tore through the fog. A figure as swift as the wind cut through the chaos, heading straight for Xingyu.
"Xingyu!" Lin Lie struck out, but he only managed to drive back the subordinates. The shadow reached her in the blink of an eye.
Xingyu tried to leap back, but a sudden, sharp pain shot through her spine—a numbing paralysis.
A long, slender needle was embedded in her side. Her strength vanished instantly.
"Who... are you..." she gasped, her vision blurring. She could only see a man in a silver mask, his eyes curved in a chilling smile.
"Do not fear, My Lady Saintess. We would never dream of hurting you."
The silver shadow turned, unfurling a black-jade scroll. In a flash of distorted space, he and Xingyu vanished into a rift.
"NO—!!" Luo Ye roared, lunging at the empty air. His fist smashed into the dirt, an explosion of fire erupting from his rage.
Lin Lie's eyes turned blood-red. He spun around, sweeping his staff through the remaining enemies. "TRACK THEM!!"
"Wait!" Li Yan's voice was steady but heavy. "They separated us on purpose. If we rush blindly, we'll be picked off one by one!"
"She's gone!" Cang Yuan gripped his hilt, his voice colder than it had ever been.
As the smoke cleared, only bodies and scarred earth remained.
Lin Lie stood with blood-stained hands, staring at where the rift had vanished. "Xingyu... we will bring you back."
The wind picked up a silver candy wrapper from the grass—the one she had just eaten—and carried it away into the trees.
[The Trial Valley • Secret Chamber]
Darkness and silence wrapped around her like thick fog. Gu Xingyu forced her eyes open. Her vision was blurry at first, and the low hum of humming metal echoed in her ears.
She was lying on a simple wooden couch. The walls were made of grey stone, lit by a pale, cold Yao-crystal lamp. She wasn't bound, and she could move her limbs—immediately, she ruled out the role of a "prisoner." They wanted her, not her life.
She sat up cautiously. The room was meticulously arranged, with bookshelves and a washing area behind a screen. It didn't look like a cell; it looked like a carefully prepared... reception room.
"You're awake."
A low, calm male voice came from the doorway.
A man in black-and-gold robes entered. He wore a jade tablet at his waist, his features pale and elegant, though his expression was devoid of warmth. He walked with a measured pace, a faint, mocking smile on his lips.
"I am Si Moheng. You should know the name."
Xingyu's heart hammered, but she kept her face mask-like. She stood up and gave a slight nod. "Third Prince. To bring a guest here without an invitation... your hospitality is certainly unique."
A flash of interest sparked in Si Moheng's eyes. "You are calm. Far more composed than I expected."
"Because I know you won't hurt me," she met his gaze, her voice steady. "If you wanted me dead, you would have done it in the forest. You went to a lot of trouble to bring me here because you want to talk, right?"
Si Moheng clapped his hands twice, a low sound in the quiet room. "Clever. Far easier to talk to than the fools I employ."
He stepped to the table and poured two cups of tea, pushing one toward her. "Not afraid of poison?"
"You can't afford to lose me," she replied, taking the cup but not drinking. She swirled the tea, watching him. "I have the watch. I have the Seals. There's too much you want from me. Killing me gets you nothing."
Si Moheng laughed—a twisted sound of disdain and admiration. "You really are special. Can you guess why I brought you here?"
"You want to break the Five Yao," she said slowly. "You know they will come for me, and you know they care about me."
"More than care," Si Moheng leaned over the table. "They like you. They see you as the center of their faith. What do you think will happen to men like that when their center is in my hands?"
"They will go mad, and they will become more resolute," she said firmly. "You underestimate them, and you overestimate your control."
Si Moheng narrowed his eyes as if inspecting a curious toy. "And what about you?" he whispered. "Are you not afraid to be in my hands?"
Xingyu offered a small smile. "Is fear useful? The more you want to see me panic, the less I can let you win."
She realized this man wasn't a brute who used whips; he was a grandmaster who tore at hearts and beliefs. He wasn't in a hurry.
"You are a fine chess piece," Si Moheng said darkly. "But I don't want you to just be a piece. If you wish... you could be the one moving them."
"And if I refuse?"
He smiled faintly, turning to leave. "If you refuse, I am in no rush. I will let you watch with your own eyes as they die for you, as they doubt each other, until their trust crumbles into dust in your silence. And then—I will ask you again."
The door closed silently.
Xingyu gripped the teacup, her palms cold. She knew her war had only just begun. He wanted her "value"—the watch, the Saintess title, or the leverage to control the Five Yao. She couldn't just sit and wait.