[The Camp • Recovery]
Sunlight finally flooded the valley, and the morning mist evaporated like smoke.
As Lin Lie, Cang Yuan, and Gu Xingyu stepped out of the rift, they were still covered in Yao-dust and the lingering residue of the Rift-Yao. Lin Lie's expression was grim, Cang Yuan's steps were slightly sluggish, but Xingyu remained resolute, her pocket watch clutched tightly in her palm.
Li Yan was the first to meet them. "Your internal energies are chaotic... what happened?"
"We were pulled into a mental trial," Xingyu said. The camp fell silent.
Sang Qi stood up from his medicine chest, scanning them quickly. "Yao-turbulence, mental exhaustion... what kind of hellhole did you stumble into? A trap at the bottom of the valley?"
"More than a trap," Lin Lie placed the Rift-Yao beacon on the map. "It's one of the hubs for their energy conduction lines. They've built an altar underground with an illusion mechanism."
"It uses spirit as bait to tear at one's convictions," Xingyu added.
Luo Ye grit his teeth. "You mean a trap that uses illusions to backfire against your own will? If I went in there, I'd probably lose my mind."
Cang Yuan gave a tired smile. "I almost didn't make it back. But luckily, we didn't let Xingyu down."
"The Third Prince isn't just retreating; he's experimenting," Lin Lie's voice was low. "He's laying a massive board."
"We need to take this intel back," Xingyu's gaze was sharp. "Not just to report the ambush, but to shift the entire tide of the war because of the step we took today. The Yao-Nan Manor, the Yao Capital, and the hidden allies—they need to know. The Rift-Yao haven't left, and the Third Prince hasn't exited the game."
Luo Ye threw a thick blanket over Xingyu's shoulders. "Warm up first. You look like you climbed out of the underworld."
Sang Qi tossed three Yao-stabilizing pills toward them. "One each. Eat them, or don't call me next time you get swallowed by a nightmare."
"Ah, you really do care about me," Cang Yuan teased.
"I care about you not turning into a charred corpse," Sang Qi retorted.
[The Decision to Return]
"How do you plan to deliver this news?" Li Yan asked.
Xingyu looked at her watch. "We can't be sure who to trust in the Yao Capital. The Third Prince's eyes are everywhere. One wrong move, and we lose everything. For now, the only one we can trust is the guidance of this watch... and Grandpa Watch."
"We're going back to Yao-Nan Manor," she decided.
"The Manor?" Li Yan raised an eyebrow.
"The Master of the Manor knew the truth about the Saintess and the Five Yao from the beginning," Xingyu explained. "He's the one who gave me the watch. He's the only one who can help us decode this beacon and map out the entire energy network."
"This isn't just about one stronghold anymore," Cang Yuan's tone was uncharacteristically heavy. "If this valley was just an experiment, then the Rift-Yao's true plan hasn't even begun."
[An Unexpected Encounter]
As they reached the intersection of the creek and the forest path, the sky had turned a burnt orange. Suddenly, several black-armored riders appeared on the path. They didn't draw weapons, but their presence was as heavy as a mountain.
At their center stood a young man in deep gold and ink-colored robes. His long hair was bound in a silver crown, his face calm, his eyes like stars in the night.
Lin Lie immediately shielded Xingyu. "Who goes there?"
Luo Ye drew his twin rings, fire energy swirling around his arms. "Is this more of the Third Prince's schemes?"
The young man didn't move. He simply stared at Gu Xingyu. "Are you... the Saintess?"
Xingyu froze. A vision from her dream flashed through her mind—a woman in noble attire looking back at a man on the jade steps, whispering: "It is I who have failed your heart. If I fall to this fate, I wish for your life to be smooth."
The man on those steps... he shared the same silhouette as this youth.
"Are you... Si Chengxun?" Xingyu whispered.
The Five Yao were shocked. Lin Lie's voice was cold. "If you are truly the First Prince of the previous dynasty, why appear here? Have your men step back."
Si Chengxun sighed softly and gestured for his riders to retreat. He raised his right hand, and a pale gold Yao-mark glowed on his palm—the mark of the firstborn of the imperial bloodline.
"I have no wish to be your enemy," he said with a voice full of suppressed sorrow. "I only wish to know... does she still remember Yun-zhao?"
Xingyu's heart trembled. "I dreamed of her," she said softly. "She told you... even if she fell to fate, she wished for your life to be smooth."
Si Chengxun's eyelashes quivered, a rare wave of emotion breaking his calm. "It's true... you really do have her memories."
Lin Lie didn't fully lower his guard. "If you mean no harm, why are you here?"
Xingyu gently pulled on Lin Lie's sleeve. "He's telling the truth. I think... we can trust him."
Cang Yuan gave a complex smile. "Seems like our Little Star isn't just ours; she has light that pierces through dreams of the past."
"Could've told us you dreamed about him sooner," Luo Ye grumbled. "Saved me a heart attack."
Li Yan lowered his shield. "We will trust you. But what do you want from us?"
Si Chengxun looked up, his voice resolute. "I do not ask you to serve me. I wish to stand beside you. What lies behind the Rift-Yao and the Third Prince is deeper than you imagine. If you trust me, I am willing to give you command of my first military line."
Everyone was stunned.
Xingyu blinked. "Command of an army already? We haven't even had dinner yet."
Si Chengxun gave a light, genuine smile, devoid of imperial arrogance. "Where are you headed? I will go with you—not for power, but to protect the world she once loved. And... to protect you."
He looked directly at Xingyu. "If you are willing, I wish to join your ranks."
Xingyu nodded slowly, her eyes reflecting the dawn of a new hope. "Then let's go together."