The night had passed, but the events of that night had not yet left anyone's mind. The morning sun had already risen, yet even its light carried a strange dull exhaustion, as if nature itself had still not recovered. The air was light and cold, but there was an eerie silence mixed within it, as if the memories of the night were still floating in the wind.
Zhichen stood alone on the bank of the river. The water was calm now, exactly as if nothing had happened. The gentle current flowed quietly, and sometimes a faint shimmer appeared on the surface when the sunlight fell upon it. But inside him, everything was like a storm.
His gaze was fixed on the flowing water, but all he could see were those moments — when Lixuan was in his arms, when he held his hand, when he said, "Even in the next life, stay by my side."
That voice was still echoing in his ears, as if that moment had never truly ended.
Zhichen's fingers slowly closed, as if he could still feel the warmth of that hand. There was a strange heaviness in his heart. He could not understand.
Very softly, he said to himself,
"What exactly happened… and why?"
The wind blew lightly, but he did not feel cold. There was only one question burning inside him.
If Lixuan did not have the fragment, then why did Moyan lie?
If he had truly sunk into darkness, then why was there pain in his eyes… why not cruelty?
And the biggest question of all…
When everyone had turned against him, why did he still not strike back at anyone?
Zhichen's breathing began to grow heavy. It felt as if the truth was right in front of him, yet the dust was so thick that nothing could be seen. As if someone had deliberately hidden the truth behind a curtain of darkness.
From behind, the faint sound of footsteps approached.
It was Mingzhao.
He stopped beside him for a few moments, as if even he did not know what to say. Then he spoke slowly,
"You couldn't sleep either, right?"
Zhichen did not answer. He only said one line,
"Do you understand anything?"
Mingzhao looked toward the river, then slowly shook his head.
"The more I understand… the more afraid I become."
"Moyan was lying," Zhichen said directly.
"But why?"
At that, Mingzhao fell silent. After a few moments, he said slowly,
"Either he is hiding something… or he is afraid of someone else."
For a moment the wind grew stronger. A broken twig struck the river. A small ripple rose in the water, and both of them looked at it at the same time.
As if the same thought had appeared in both their minds.
Could he still be alive?
But the very next moment both of them forced that thought down.
Because if hope breaks… the pain becomes deeper.
So both of them buried that thought in the darkest corner of their hearts.
The river had become calm again, as if it had refused to answer their questions.
For a while both of them stood there in silence.
Then Mingzhao slowly said,
"He is alive."
Zhichen looked at him.
"How can you say that with such certainty?"
"Because…" Mingzhao said quietly, "my brother will not die so easily."
There was fear in his voice.
"He has endured everything alone since childhood… he will endure this too."
Zhichen slowly closed his eyes.
"Just this once… don't leave him alone."
He said it in a very soft voice, as if he were making a vow.
The wind blew strongly, and a deep ripple rose in the water. But neither of them understood its meaning.
And inside the royal palace of Qingyu, the darkness felt heavier than on ordinary nights. The long corridors of the palace were half illuminated by torchlight and half drowned in shadow.
Moyan stood before the flame of a torch. His shadow looked large and crooked on the wall.
Before him, his son was kneeling.
Mo Ren.
"Lixuan is dead," Moyan said in a calm yet harsh voice.
Moren lowered his head.
Then he slowly said,
"But… if he is alive, Father…" his voice trembled slightly.
Moyan's eyes narrowed.
"Then he will be killed again."
For a moment there was silence.
The torch flame swayed slowly, and their shadows on the wall looked strange.
Then Moyan slowly said,
"But more important than that now… is the third fragment."
Moren raised his head.
"So far we have obtained two… and the third is still missing."
Moyan cut him off.
There was a hidden restlessness in his voice.
"Or perhaps… he was hiding it."
"Without that fragment, the power is incomplete," he continued.
"And until it comes to me… I will not rest."
A sharp light appeared in Moren's eyes.
"I will find it and bring it back, Father."
Moyan stepped closer and placed a hand on his shoulder.
"You are still very young."
Moren immediately said,
"Give me your command… I will find it—"
Then he said slowly,
"—no… I will seize it."
For a moment the torch flame flared.
Moren spoke again,
"Whoever possesses that fragment… their end is certain."
"Go," Moyan said.
"And this time… failure is not an option."
At that same moment, far away beyond the dark rivers, a body drifting with the water slowly changed direction.
As if the current itself was guiding it toward a destined place.
The darkness was deep… but fate was awakening.
The flowing water slowly began to increase its speed, as if the current itself was obeying some unseen command.
Lixuan's motionless body, without colliding or sinking, began drifting straight toward a narrow water passage.
The river gradually narrowed.
Black rocks on all sides pushed the water toward a dark tunnel.
The sky above was no longer visible. Only darkness and the echo of water remained.
After some time, the current suddenly became calm, as if the journey had ended.
Lixuan's body gently struck the cold stone ground and stopped. The water now reached only up to his shoulders. Slow waves moved his clothes.
It was a cave — deep, ancient, and filled with a strange light. The cave walls glowed with an eerie blue shimmer, as if the light itself was being born from within the stones.
Drops of water fell from the ceiling, creating echoes in a strange rhythm.
Lixuan lay unconscious. His breaths were very faint, but they were still there.
For a few moments, there was only silence.
Then a slight ripple appeared on the surface of the water, as if something within it was changing.
From between the darkness and blue light, a shadow emerged — slowly, quietly, without sound.
It slowly approached him.
It stepped into the water up to its knees, yet the water did not form strong waves. As if the current itself had become calm at its touch.
The shadow stopped beside Lixuan.
For a few moments, it simply looked at him.
There was pain of recognition in that gaze… and very deep affection.
It slowly reached out and brushed the wet hair away from Lixuan's forehead.
"How much pain you have endured…"
The voice was very soft, almost like a melody.
With that touch, the blue light in the cave began to grow brighter.
Ancient markings on the cave walls began to glow, as if an ancient power had found its heir.
It placed its fingers above Lixuan's heart.
For a moment, everything became still.
Then a soft, hazy light emerged from its hand and slowly flowed into Lixuan's body.
His breathing became slightly deeper. His fingers twitched faintly.
A small spiral of light formed on the surface of the water, as if life itself was returning.
But his eyes were still closed.
The shadow smiled gently — a smile filled with pain, yet satisfaction.
"Not yet…" it whispered very softly.
"When you awaken… you will know everything."
It placed Lixuan's head in its lap, just as a mother would hold her exhausted child.
The light of the cave slowly became gentle again.
Outside, the world still believed him to be dead.
But inside that dark cave, life was quietly returning.
Far away, in a village, a faint hazy light was spreading.
The sound of roosters, the chatter of the milkman, and the smell of burning wood — everything seemed like an ordinary morning.
But inside that small mud house, nothing was ordinary.
Mei Lian quietly closed the door and turned to look at the little girl, who was still sleeping from the exhaustion of the night.
The thin trail of dried tears on her cheek was still shining faintly.
Bao Lin looked around the room, then said quietly,
"She must not see anything."
His voice was low but clear.
Bao Lin cast a greedy glance at the bracelet that was still firmly fastened around the girl's wrist.
"As long as this remains with us… she will remain ours as well," he said with a cold smile.
Mei Lian picked up a clean and thick piece of cloth and sat beside the girl.
Even in her sleep, the child moved slightly, as if she sensed some unknown danger. But she did not wake.
Slowly, very carefully, Mei Lian tied the cloth over her eyes.
Once… then twice — wrapping it tightly so that not even a single ray of light could enter.
"Now she will not be able to see anything," Mei Lian said with satisfaction.
Bao Lin bent slightly and looked at the girl's face.
"Good," he said.
"If she lives as a blind girl, she will not ask questions… and she will never reach the truth."
At that moment, the girl's fingers moved slightly, as if she had felt the darkness… as if the light had been taken from her without her will.
Outside, the sun had grown brighter.
But in her world, morning had never come.
There was only darkness…
And now that darkness was going to become her life.
Where one life in the cave was beginning to breathe again another had been given darkness while still alive.