The first rays of morning sunlight filtered into the temple through its latticed windows. Lixuan picked up his sword and turned towards Zhichen. "Ready?"
Zhichen simply nodded.
The two of them began walking towards the corridor they had discovered the previous night. The farther they ventured inside, the dimmer the light became. The walls were damp, and there was a strange smell of moisture lingering in the air. Even the light from their lamps was gradually growing weaker, barely managing to illuminate the path ahead.
Lixuan wrinkled his nose. "Even the air in this place feels strange."
Zhichen didn't answer.
The corridor gradually grew narrower. Their footsteps echoed against the walls, the sound travelling through the passage and returning to them from the darkness ahead. Every step seemed unusually loud in the oppressive silence.
Just then...
Phus... phus-phus...
Lixuan stopped abruptly and turned towards Zhichen. "Did you hear that?"
Zhichen nodded. "Hmm."
Phus-phus-phus...
This time, the sound was clearer. It resembled someone speaking in a very low voice. Countless words seemed to overlap with one another, yet none of them could be understood. It was almost as though the wind itself was trying to say something, whispering secrets that human ears were never meant to hear.
Lixuan glanced around cautiously. "Is anyone here?"
There was no answer. Only the whispering continued, filling the narrow corridor with an unsettling sound.
The two continued forward slowly. As they approached the end of the passage, the whispers grew louder. They were no longer faint murmurs. It sounded as though several voices were speaking simultaneously. Women's voices, children's voices, the voices of elderly people... all of them seemed to blend together, overlapping and intertwining in a strange, incomprehensible chorus.
Lixuan's hand instinctively moved to the hilt of his sword. "I really don't like this."
Zhichen remained silent. His gaze was fixed on the far end of the corridor, where something stood in the darkness.
There... was an old wooden door.
It was completely shut, and a large lock had been fastened in the middle. But what caught their attention was not the lock itself. It was what surrounded it.
Black threads.
Not one or two. Around eight or ten black threads had been wrapped around the lock. Some hung loosely towards the ground, while others were tangled around the lock itself. They appeared to have been tied with great care, as though someone had spent considerable time making sure they remained firmly in place.
Lixuan frowned. "Black threads? Around a lock?"
Zhichen slowly approached the door. Without touching anything, he carefully examined the threads.
"These aren't ordinary threads."
"What do you mean?"
Zhichen glanced at Lixuan. "There are some inscriptions written on them in an ancient script."
Lixuan moved closer. Indeed, tiny characters had been engraved with remarkable precision along each thread. They were written in the same ancient script they had seen on the temple walls.
"What do they say?"
Zhichen shook his head. "I can't read them. But..."
He carefully reached out and lightly touched one of the threads. The moment his fingertip made contact with it, the whispering stopped.
A profound silence descended upon the entire corridor.
Lixuan held his breath. "...What did you just do?"
Before answering, Zhichen looked towards the door.
Thak.
This time, the sound came from behind it.
Thak... thak...
It sounded as though someone was repeatedly lifting something and letting it fall. Or perhaps... someone was tapping a finger against the other side of the door, again and again.
Lixuan immediately drew his sword. Zhichen raised his own as well.
"We need to open the door," Zhichen said calmly.
Lixuan looked at the lock. The black threads were still wrapped tightly around it, almost as though someone had bound the door from the outside rather than locked it from within. Perhaps they were meant to keep something trapped inside. Or perhaps... they were meant to keep something from getting out.
"Wait." Lixuan caught Zhichen's hand. "If this lock and these threads are meant to keep something inside, would it really be wise to open it?"
Zhichen looked at him. "Are you afraid?"
"I already told you, I'm not afraid."
"Then?"
Lixuan slowly let out a breath. "It's just... something doesn't feel right."
Zhichen considered his words for a few moments. Then, without saying anything, he began cutting the black threads one by one with the tip of his sword.
With every thread that snapped, a cold gust of wind swept through the corridor. It felt as though something that had been imprisoned inside was slowly being set free.
Finally, the last thread was cut.
The lock suddenly opened by itself and fell to the ground.
Clang!
The wooden door began to open slowly... all on its own.
The whispers started again from within. This time, they were far louder than before, as though hundreds of voices were welcoming them simultaneously.
Lixuan and Zhichen exchanged a glance.
Without saying a word, they stepped forward together.
And on the other side of that door... something was waiting for them.
The door had now opened completely. The same whispering sounds poured out from within, louder than before, as though hundreds of voices were welcoming them all at once.
Lixuan had barely stepped forward when Zhichen caught his hand.
"Wait."
Lixuan stopped. "What happened?"
Zhichen's gaze remained fixed on the dark chamber. His eyes were alert, as though he were carefully examining even the smallest detail in front of him. After a moment, he turned towards Lixuan.
"Don't trust anything you see. Father said the same thing."
Lixuan immediately replied, "I remember what Senior Yunshen said." He gently freed his hand from Zhichen's grasp. "Now, let's go inside."
Zhichen looked at him for a few moments before slowly nodding.
Together, they stepped into the chamber.
The moment they crossed the threshold, the door behind them shut by itself.
Thud!
Both turned around at once. Lixuan pushed against the door, but it wouldn't move. It was firmly shut.
"This is..." Lixuan gritted his teeth. "Has this door seriously closed by itself now?"
Zhichen looked around. The chamber was dark, but not so dark that they couldn't see anything. Ancient carvings covered the walls. A broken pillar stood in the middle, and everywhere they looked, there were black threads. They covered the walls, the pillar, and even the floor. The entire chamber was filled with them, as though someone had woven an enormous web throughout the room.
The whispering had stopped. In its place was a different kind of silence—heavy and suffocating, as though the chamber itself were holding its breath.
Lixuan glanced at Zhichen. "Now I'm remembering your warning about not trusting anything even more."
Zhichen didn't respond. His gaze was fixed on a corner of the chamber.
There... someone was sitting on an old chair.
Or perhaps... someone had once been sitting there.
The chair was empty. However, an old white cloth had been spread across it, as though someone had only just stood up. The cloth was white, but black threads had been stitched into it at several places. And right in the middle of it were deep red stains.
Blood.
Old, dried blood.
Lixuan spoke quietly. "...Someone was here."
Zhichen raised his sword. "Perhaps... someone is still here."
Just then, a faint sound came from one of the corners of the chamber. It sounded as though someone had dragged a foot across the floor.
Both turned towards the sound at the same time. Something moved in the darkness. A shadow—faint and indistinct—slid across the wall before disappearing the very next moment.
Lixuan tightened his grip around his sword. Zhichen extended one hand in front of him, as though silently telling Lixuan to stay behind.
But Lixuan didn't listen. Instead, he stepped forward and stood right beside him.
"Last time, you went ahead on your own too," Lixuan said quietly. "This time, we'll go together."
Zhichen looked at him for a brief moment before slowly nodding.
The two began moving towards the corner from which the sound had come. With every step they took, the black threads beneath their feet snapped and cracked. The air grew colder, and the silence seemed to press down upon them.
And as they approached the darkness...
From behind an old cupboard placed in the corner, they heard the faint sound of unsteady breathing.
As though someone were hiding there.
As though someone... had been waiting for them.
### Shenmei Clan, Courtyard
The soft morning sunlight spread across the palace courtyard. Light filtered through the leaves of the trees, scattering golden patches across the ground. Every now and then, a cool breeze passed through the courtyard, making the leaves rustle gently.
Rongwei was practising with a sword in his hand. His movements were unusually quick today. His sword sliced through the air before sweeping downwards, only to rise again in a sudden motion. Sometimes to the right, sometimes to the left. Sweat glistened across his forehead, and his breathing had grown slightly heavy, but he showed no intention of stopping.
A little distance away, Li Chen sat quietly on the stone steps. The same white bandage she always wore was wrapped around her eyes. Her legs dangled over the edge of the steps, and her hands rested in her lap. The cool morning breeze brushed gently against her cheeks. She sat perfectly still—not moving, not making a sound. She was simply listening.
The clashing of swords. The sound of Rongwei's footsteps. Somewhere in the distance, servants were cleaning utensils. In another chamber, someone was turning the pages of a book. She could hear everything at once. Yet, amidst all those sounds, her thoughts were somewhere else entirely.
Rongwei delivered another strike. His sword shot straight ahead before he suddenly spun it around and brought it to a halt near the ground. His breathing was heavy now. He rested the tip of his sword against the ground, straightened his back, and wiped the sweat from his forehead with his sleeve.
Then he turned and looked towards Li Chen.
"Why are you so quiet today?"
Li Chen raised her head slightly, as though she had only just noticed Rongwei's presence. A faint smile appeared on her lips. "Just... because."
"Just because?" Rongwei placed his sword aside. Its wooden hilt touched the stone steps with a soft sound. He wiped his hands with a nearby cloth before walking over and sitting beside her. As he settled onto the steps, he let out a long breath. "Ever since your Guruji and the Prince left, you've been saying 'just because' every single day."
Li Chen turned her face slightly towards him. Even with the bandage covering her eyes, she could tell where Rongwei was sitting by the direction of his voice, the rhythm of his breathing, and the faint sounds of his movements.
"I was missing them."
Rongwei raised an eyebrow. "Missing them? Or missing their arguments?"
For the first time, a genuine laugh escaped Li Chen's lips. "Both."
Rongwei burst into laughter as well. It was a loud, carefree laugh that broke through the quietness of the courtyard.
"I miss them too, you know. The palace is so peaceful without those two. No one's sword is clashing against someone else's, and there's no one arguing loudly enough for everyone to hear."
"Guruji and Zhichen arguing?"
"Exactly." Rongwei spread his hands. "Or your Guruji keeps saying something while Zhichen just goes on replying with 'Hmm'. Then your Guruji gets even more irritated because he wants an actual answer."
Li Chen burst into laughter. The sound of her laughter echoed against the stone walls. "That's true! Guruji gets the angriest when Zhichen remains silent. He doesn't answer at all."
"That's what I'm talking about!" Rongwei slapped his hand against his knee. "And now those two are together inside an ancient temple. For three whole days. Just imagine what's happening there."
Li Chen tilted her head slightly, as though considering the possibilities. Her fingers unconsciously moved around the bracelet on her wrist.
"Perhaps... the temple walls have already collapsed by now."
"Or maybe those two have destroyed half the temple."
"Or perhaps they've destroyed each other instead."
Rongwei immediately held his forehead. "No, don't say that! Senior Yunshen clearly told them to protect the temple, not destroy it."
Li Chen shrugged. "You know Guruji. If he thinks something is hidden behind a wall, he'll definitely break it down and go inside."
"True. And Zhichen will be standing right beside him, doing nothing but saying 'Hmm'."
"But before going inside, he'll still try to stop Guruji."
"Only for your Guruji to ignore him."
"Of course."
Both burst into laughter together. Their laughter continued to echo through the courtyard, as though the palace's usual silence had disappeared for a few precious moments.
After a while, Rongwei rested his chin on his hand and began thinking. "But, you know... I think those two actually need to be around each other."
Li Chen turned her face towards him. "What do you mean?"
"I mean Master Xiu needs someone who can listen to everything he says and still remain calm. Someone who won't run away even after listening to all his arguments. And someone who can stand their ground even when faced with his stubbornness."
Li Chen slowly nodded. "And Zhichen?"
"Zhichen needs someone who understands his silence. Someone who can figure out what he really means when he says 'Hmm'. And someone who can pull him out of his own shell."
Li Chen remained quiet for a few moments. Her fingers had stopped moving around the bracelet. Then she spoke softly.
"You understand both of them very well."
Rongwei shrugged. "We've spent so much time together. You have to pay attention."
For a while, neither of them spoke. There was only the rustling of leaves, the distant voices of servants, and another gentle gust of wind coming from somewhere far away, towards the mountains.
Then Li Chen spoke quietly. "I hope they're both all right."
Rongwei turned towards her. Li Chen's expression was calm, but beneath that calmness, a deep uneasiness remained hidden. Her fingers were still resting on the bracelet, as though she were trying to feel something through it. Something that might tell her, even from so far away, that the two of them were safe.
Rongwei reached out and gently placed a hand on her shoulder.
"They'll be perfectly fine. He's your Guruji, after all. No matter what happens, even if he falls, he'll get back up again. And Zhichen is with him. Together, those two can handle anything."
A faint smile returned to Li Chen's lips. "Perhaps they're still arguing about something or other."
"Definitely." Rongwei withdrew his hand and sat up straight. "And I'll even say that when they return, Xiu will be even more irritable than before."
"Why?"
"Because after spending three days with Zhichen, a person either becomes calmer or even more stubborn. And your Guruji..." Rongwei said with a mischievous smile, "he's definitely the second kind."
Li Chen didn't laugh, but the smile on her lips grew a little deeper. Her fingers moved around the bracelet once more.
"Yes... that's just how Guruji is."
After that, both fell silent again. The morning sunlight had spread further across the courtyard. Rongwei picked up his sword and glanced at Li Chen once more.
"Come on, I'll practise a little longer. You stay here. If you hear anything, let me know."
Li Chen nodded. "All right."
Rongwei stood up, took his sword in hand again, and returned to his place in the middle of the courtyard. The clashing of swords began once more. Footsteps echoed across the ground, and the blade flashed through the morning air.
Li Chen remained seated just as before—behind her bandage, lost in her own thoughts, remembering her Guruji and Zhichen. Her fingers continued to move slowly around the bracelet.
Far away, in the direction of the Eastern Mountain, clouds were gathering in the sky. But the sunlight was still bright. For now, everything seemed fine.
And Li Chen quietly whispered to herself, "Guruji... please come back soon."
### Eastern Divine Temple
The same chamber.
The darkness. The black threads. And the faint, trembling sound of breathing coming from behind the cupboard.
Lixuan raised his sword and looked towards Zhichen. Zhichen silently nodded.
Together, they stepped forward.
When they reached the cupboard, Lixuan held his sword firmly in one hand and reached for its door with the other. Zhichen stood right beside him, the tip of his sword directed towards the cupboard, his eyes alert. Anything could be waiting inside.
Lixuan took a deep breath.
Then, with a sudden pull, he yanked the cupboard door open.
Krrrr...
There was... nothing inside.
Only an old piece of cloth. A broken lamp. And a thick layer of dust. No books, no scriptures, no hidden secret. It was empty. Completely empty.
Lixuan frowned. "There's nothing here."
Zhichen looked inside as well. "Hmm."
Irritated, Lixuan shut the door. "Such a huge cupboard, and there's nothing inside it. Then where was that breathing sound coming from?"
Zhichen was just about to answer when—
Suddenly...
A strong gust of wind swept through the chamber. The flame of the lamp went out for a moment.
Darkness.
Complete darkness.
And in the very next instant—
Something lunged towards Lixuan.
It moved as swiftly as a storm. Without a sound. Without a face. There was only a hand—long, dry, and withered, resembling the claw of some decaying creature—reaching straight for Lixuan's throat.
Lixuan saw it coming, but it was so fast that he had no time to react. The claw seized his throat directly. Its grip was cold and hard as bone, like the fingers of a corpse.
Lixuan's breath stopped instantly. His eyes widened. He tried to grab the hand around his throat and raise his sword, but the claw only tightened its hold.
"Lixuan!"
Zhichen's voice rang out. For the first time, his usually calm voice broke into a sharp, panicked shout.
And then... everything suddenly became quiet.
The darkness disappeared. The lamp's flame came back to life, illuminating the chamber once more.
Lixuan was on his knees on the floor. Both hands were clutching his throat as he coughed violently. Tears had gathered in his eyes.
Zhichen immediately raised his sword and searched every corner of the chamber. Nothing. No one. The cupboard was closed, the door was shut, and the walls remained exactly as they had been. The black threads were still in place.
There was... nothing at all.
He immediately knelt beside Lixuan and placed a hand on his shoulder.
"Are you all right?"
For a few moments, Lixuan couldn't say anything. He could only cough. Gradually, his breathing began to return to normal. He removed one hand from his throat and looked at it.
Blood.
There was a little blood, along with the marks left by the claw—five long scratches, as though someone had dug their nails into his skin.
Zhichen's eyes narrowed as he examined the marks. He tore a piece of cloth from his own clothing and gently pressed it against Lixuan's throat.
Lixuan spoke quietly. "I'm fine."
"Your throat..."
"I know. But I'm fine."
Zhichen watched him for a few moments, as though trying to make sure he really was all right. Then he slowly nodded and stood up. He extended a hand towards Lixuan. Lixuan took it and got back to his feet.
His breathing had returned to normal, but the fear was still visible in his eyes. It was the kind of fear that came from being attacked without warning, by something that had no face and made no sound.
"What was that?" Lixuan asked, clearing his throat.
Zhichen carefully scanned the chamber again. "I don't know. But there's definitely something in this chamber."
"Something? It practically lunged straight at my throat! It wasn't just something. It was someone!"
"Then where did it go?"
Lixuan looked around too. There was nothing. The chamber was just as empty as before. The cupboard, the broken pillar, the black threads...
And that pillar.
Lixuan's gaze settled on it. "Zhichen."
Zhichen looked at him and then followed the direction of his gaze.
From beneath the pillar... smoke was rising.
A thin, faint stream of black smoke seeped out slowly, as though something were smouldering beneath it. But there was no fire anywhere. Only smoke, gradually rising into the air.
The two slowly approached the pillar. The closer they got, the thicker the smoke became.
And then...
Phus-phus-phus...
The same sound.
This time, it was closer and much clearer. It sounded as though several voices were speaking together. Some words could be understood, while others remained indistinct.
"...Go away..."
"...Don't come inside..."
"...This place doesn't belong to you..."
"...You two... will die..."
Lixuan looked towards Zhichen. Zhichen's eyes remained fixed on the pillar.
Step back..."
"...This chamber will swallow you..."
"...Run... run away from here..."
The voices grew louder and louder. They seemed to come from everywhere—from the walls, the floor, and the ceiling. It was as though the entire chamber were speaking to them. As though the chamber itself were alive.
Lixuan tried to cover his ears. "These voices... they're coming straight into my mind."
Zhichen closed his eyes. His breathing slowed as he concentrated his attention. After a few moments, he opened his eyes again.
"This chamber can sense our spiritual powers. That's why we're hearing these voices."
"What do you mean?"
"It wants to confuse us. To frighten us. It wants to make sure we don't go any further."
Lixuan looked towards the pillar. The smoke was still rising, and the voices continued to echo around them. Some sounded angry, others sorrowful, while some had turned into terrifying screams.
But Lixuan's expression was no longer the same as before. The fear in his eyes had begun to give way to something else.
"Then that means there must be something ahead."
Zhichen turned towards him. "Are you all right? Your throat..."
Lixuan placed a hand against his throat. The marks were still there, and there was still a little blood, but the fear had disappeared from his eyes.
"I'm fine. And if this chamber is trying so hard to frighten me, that means it knows what we're searching for is somewhere around here."
A faint smile appeared on Zhichen's lips. It was the kind of smile that only seemed to appear when he witnessed Lixuan's stubbornness.
"Hmm."
Lixuan frowned. "That's all? I nearly died just now, and you're saying 'Hmm'?"
"You're all right. That's enough."
Lixuan remained silent for a few moments. Then he raised his sword.
"Come on. Let's see what's beneath the pillar."
The two stepped forward together. The smoke grew thicker, and the voices became louder. But neither of them stopped.
When they reached the pillar, Lixuan bent down and examined its base. The smoke was coming out through a small crack between the pillar and the floor. It was dark inside, but somewhere deep within... a faint blue light was glowing.
Zhichen, look at this."
Zhichen bent down and examined it too. The blue light was pulsing slowly, almost like a heartbeat.
"What is this?"
Zhichen spoke quietly. "Perhaps... this is it. The temple's final chamber."
The two exchanged a glance. The voices were still echoing around them, but they seemed to be fading into the background. There was only one thing occupying their minds now—the crack, the blue light, and the mystery hidden beneath it.
"Are you ready?"
Instead of answering, Zhichen extended his hand. Lixuan looked at it for a moment before placing his own hand over it.
"Ready."
Together, they awakened their powers and prepared to move the pillar.
The pillar was extremely heavy. It was made of stone that had stood for centuries, covered in thick layers of dust and moss. But the moment the two channelled their powers into it, the stone began to move slowly.
Grrrrrr...
The sound of grinding stone echoed throughout the chamber. The blue light grew brighter, as though something imprisoned below was calling out to them.
The whispering voices suddenly stopped all at once.
A deep silence filled the chamber.
The pillar had finally been moved from its original position.
Beneath it, in the floor, was a staircase. It was made of stone, old and worn, descending into the darkness below. At the very end of those stairs... the same blue light was pulsing, almost like someone's breathing. It felt as though something had been imprisoned down there for centuries and had only just felt the air for the first time.
Lixuan looked towards Zhichen. "Looks like this is the final chamber."
Zhichen placed his sword back into its sheath. "We won't need this anymore."
Lixuan raised an eyebrow. "And what if there's someone down there?"
"Our powers will be enough."
Lixuan thought for a few moments before sheathing his own sword as well. "Fine. But if anything happens, I'll be saying, 'I told you so.'"
"Hmm."
"There it is again. That 'Hmm' of yours."
A faint smile appeared on Zhichen's lips. He placed the first foot on the staircase, and Lixuan followed behind him.
The two slowly descended. With every step, the air grew colder, while the blue light became brighter. The same ancient script appeared on the walls—some symbols were new, while others were familiar. And between every symbol were black threads. They stretched from one wall to another, from the ceiling to the floor, forming a strange web around the staircase.
And then...
Krrrack!
The step beneath Lixuan's foot suddenly broke.
"Ah—!"
He tried to grab Zhichen's hand, but in the very next instant, the step beneath Zhichen's foot broke as well.
Both lost their balance at once.
And when they turned to look behind them... all the stairs above had disappeared.
As though they had never existed.
There was nothing but a straight, dark abyss stretching upwards. Darkness. Endless darkness. There was no path left.
Lixuan looked towards Zhichen. Zhichen looked towards Lixuan.
And then—
Both began falling downwards at the same time.
The wind rushed past them. The blue light grew blurry and distant. As he fell, Lixuan caught Zhichen's hand—or perhaps Zhichen caught his. Neither of them knew which had happened first. All they knew was that they were holding on to each other.
In the darkness.
Falling.
Further down.
And further down.
And further down.
Thud!
Both crashed onto the ground together.
Lixuan shifted painfully and tried to move. Darkness surrounded them on every side. Only far above them, at a great distance, a tiny blue point of light was still visible. It was the same place from which they had fallen. Now it looked as distant as a star in the night sky.
Zhichen?" Lixuan tried to push himself up with his hands. He looked around, but there was nothing except darkness. "Zhichen! Are you all right?"
For a few moments, there was only silence.
Then—
"Hmm. I'm here."
The voice came from nearby. Very close.
Lixuan reached out and touched Zhichen's shoulder.
"Are you hurt?"
"No. What about you?"
Lixuan checked himself. There was pain in a few places, but nothing seemed seriously injured. "I'm fine. But look up. The stairs..."
Zhichen raised his head. The tiny blue light above them was now nothing more than a distant point.
"They've disappeared."
"Disappeared? The entire staircase? How is that even possible?"
Zhichen thought for a few moments. "This chamber wanted to keep us here. But now... it seems to want us to remain here."
Lixuan reached for the hilt of his sword in the darkness. "Then there must be a way out of here too. And there's definitely something here. Otherwise, why would the staircase disappear?"
Zhichen replied quietly, "Hmm."
Both awakened a faint light in their palms—blue from Lixuan and black from Zhichen. The light was just enough to reveal their surroundings.
They were inside an enormous chamber. Its walls stretched far into the distance, covered entirely in ancient inscriptions. Black threads occupied every corner. Old carvings decorated the walls—some depicted gods, others dragons, and still others showed strange figures they had never seen before.
And in the middle of the chamber...
There was a stone platform.
An ancient book rested upon it.
It was the same book whose other fragment they had seen in the library. But this time, it wasn't incomplete. All its pages were present, and the ink was clear. Yet something else was happening above it—or perhaps something was dripping onto it.
Tap...
Lixuan looked up. The ceiling was so high that all he could see was darkness.
Tap...
A drop.
Red.
It fell onto an open page of the book. The drop spread between the black characters, leaving behind a red stain.
Tap... Tap...
More drops followed.
Drops of blood.
They were falling from the ceiling, landing directly on the book. And the book... seemed to be absorbing them. The pages were gradually turning red, while the black ink grew blurred, as though the book were drawing the blood into itself.
Lixuan looked towards Zhichen. Zhichen's eyes were fixed on the ceiling above them. Darkness stretched overhead, interrupted only by the drops of blood falling from it, one after another, without stopping.
"Whose blood is this?" Lixuan asked quietly. Even so, his voice echoed throughout the chamber.
Zhichen didn't answer. His gaze shifted towards the book. The blood had not merely dampened half its pages. It had stained them completely. The entire book was turning red, as though a strange light were beginning to emerge from within it. As though the book itself were alive.
Lixuan slowly picked it up.
His hands turned red.
The blood was fresh. Warm. As though it had only just left someone's body.
This..."
Zhichen opened the book and tried to turn its pages, but the blood had stuck them together. Even so, a few lines were still visible. They were written in red ink.
Or perhaps... it wasn't ink at all.
He read slowly.
"When two powers become one... only then... only then..."
The words that followed had been submerged beneath the blood. But the final lines remained clear. Perfectly clear, as though they had been written only moments ago.
"When two paths meet... only then will the third gate open."
And beneath it, in tiny script, were just two words:
And then... She."
Lixuan's breathing stopped for a moment. "She? Who?"
Zhichen looked towards the final page of the book. It was red. Completely red. Only one more line had been written there, as though someone had dipped a finger into blood and used it to write those words.
"She who has been waiting for you."
Tap...
One final drop fell.
This time, it did not land on the book.
It fell directly onto Lixuan's hand.
The moment the drop touched his palm, all the blue lights in the chamber went out simultaneously. The walls disappeared into darkness. The stone platform vanished from sight.
Only the book remained—in Lixuan's hands, glowing red.
And only the drops of blood continued falling from above, one after another, following a steady rhythm like the beating of a heart.
From the darkness, Zhichen's voice sounded.
"Lixuan."
"Yes?"
"This book... it's not just a book."
"Then what is it?"
For a few moments, there was silence.
Then—
"Perhaps... it's someone's memory. Someone who died here. And even now... they're still somewhere in this place."
The moment Zhichen finished speaking, a cold gust of wind swept through the chamber.
And behind them, somewhere in the darkness, something moved.
A faint sound.
As though someone had shifted in their place.
As though someone were awakening from a sleep that had lasted for centuries.
Lixuan caught Zhichen's hand. Zhichen tightened his grip as well.
The book was still in Lixuan's hands, glowing red. And the drops of blood continued falling from above.
One.
Two.
Three.
As though someone were counting.
As though someone were waiting for them.
As though the chamber itself... were alive.