The same day, Li Haoran found himself trapped in the heart of a vast, ancient ruin. He glanced upward, quietly attuned to the strange, oppressive atmosphere around him.
The place was lifeless: bushes and wild vines choked the crumbling stone walls and toppled pillars. Moss clung to the few standing structures, and an unpleasant medley of odors lingered in the air, thick enough to make anyone gag.
Li Haoran grimaced, silently admitting how disgusting the smells were; his stomach churned and he fought the urge to retch.
Forcing himself to remain steady, he gripped the pristine, rolled paper tightly in his hand, holding his breath until it almost suffocated him. Sweat streamed steadily from his temple down his jaw.
Unable to bear the stench any longer, he reached to his left waist and pulled out a familiar piece of cloth—Yue Chan's mask, the one she always wore.
Before leaving for the healer's manor last night, the woman healer reached out to him with the rolled pristine paper in her hand. She handed it to him without hesitation and said this could help him find the location of the four reclusive ingredients.
He hesitated for a second and gazed at the woman as if scrutinizing her.
Considering his desperate situation, it wouldn't be bad to accept her offer; if she was telling the truth just to help and not to lure him, then that was good. His mind was clouded and unstable; only one name lingered in it: Yue Chan.
In the end, he reluctantly smiled at the woman, took the pristine paper, and said, "Hopefully, this tool will help me find the antidote." He sniffed for a long moment, his eyes unreadable. Then he strode toward her and leaned in, face serious and eyes cold. "Make sure you take care of her. You must know she's more important than any treasure in this world. If my master dies, I will tear you apart piece by piece. Do you understand?"
The woman caught her breath and swallowed, seeing him like a predator ready to snap at his prey. She took a long breath, her chest visibly heaving.
"My Lord, I know you care about her more than your own life. There's no need to explain—it's obvious. I've seen you through your lifetime; there's nothing to prove. She might be more important than any treasure, but you're wrong: she was the only treasure you cherished long ago."
Those words nearly stunned Li Haoran, a sudden burning prickling at his eyes. His brows furrowed as a wave of unfamiliar emotion washed over him. He straightened and stared down at the pristine paper in his hands, his voice emerging calm but serious.
"Honestly, I've always wondered why you call me that. Do you know who I am?" he asked, his gaze cold. The woman didn't answer—she only lowered her head, eyes fixed on the ground. "If I told you I'm not the person you think I am, what would you say?"
"My Lord, I am certain it is you. But her Grace—" She paused, pressing her lips into a thin line.
"Her what?"
"The exact same person, yet a different personality."
When Li Haoran heard this, he almost crumpled the pristine paper in his hand.
A chill crept beneath his robes, the hairs on his body standing on end as his breath trembled. He searched her face in silence for any sign of deception but found none. Even though her makeup was unsettling, she never blinked as she spoke.
However, this was not the right time to interrogate her about such matters.
No—this wasn't trivial at all.
This was the path leading to his true self.
To reality.
The woman kept mentioning 'lifetime'; this was not just about him, but also about Yue Chan. The way she spoke wasn't bluffing—she was stating a truth. The way she addressed him, always in connection with Yue Chan, hinted at some kind of nobility.
Who was he, really? No—who were they?
Had he and Yue Chan shared a past?
Admittedly, yes—he couldn't deny that the feelings between them had grown stronger. Right now, he felt empty and lost in thought. Was he longing for her?
It wasn't just longing, but a fear of losing her. What if he failed to find the antidote ingredients?
He sighed, the sound as deep as a wound.
Yue Chan was still alive, yet already an ache pressed in his chest.
He had promised to protect her, even if it meant trading his life for hers—and now, that was exactly what he needed to do. He closed his hands into tight fists. Then he spoke, his voice faint: "I need to say goodbye to Master before I leave. I want to see her."
The woman looked at him and bowed respectfully.
"If you wish, my Lord."
Li Haoran wasted no time and left at once. The soft thud of his footsteps marked his path as his shadow slipped into the darkness.
The woman did not follow.
She remained where she was, turning to gaze up at the brilliant, luminous moon hanging in the vast, starry night sky.
"Indeed, the prophecy never fails to remind us," she sighed, a faint smile on her lips. "It's been a thousand years," she murmured to herself.
Inside the cabin, Li Haoran moved with slow, deliberate steps, his gaze fixed on Yue Chan's unconscious form lying in the bed. When he reached her side, he lingered, staring at her for a long time, his emotions turbulent and mind unsteady.
Starting tonight, he would have to leave this manor for her sake. He had no idea what would come next, or if he would return alive and whole.
His mission was perilous; to find her antidote, he would have to face the guardian beast that protected the rare ingredients.
He sat down beside her and gently took her hands in his.
"Master, hold on. Please be strong. I will be gone for a while. I don't know if I will return alive. If I fail, I'm sorry for everything. I'll do anything I can to bring you the antidote—I promise," he said painfully, unable to stop the tears that escaped his eyes.
A small sob escaped him, his voice trembling. He lowered his head and pressed it to Yue Chan's hand.
The room was silent and heavy, the atmosphere suffocating with grief.
When his emotion finally ebbed, Li Haoran quietly wiped his tears and composed himself. He watched her pale, still face—only her faintly heaving chest showed she was alive. Then he reached out and gently stroked her soft, delicate cheek.
"Master, do you have any idea how beautiful you are? You are the most beautiful person I've ever seen. Sometimes I think you must be a fallen goddess from the sky. Every woman has her beauty and character, but to me, you are the best. It would be a shame for you to die so soon," he said, forcing a laugh at himself before growing quiet. "Promise me you'll fight for yourself. When I return, I want to see you alive. Wait for me."
His grip on her hands tightened. He wanted to say more, but it was useless—she couldn't hear him.
How could someone unconscious and so close to death hear his thoughts? He pressed his eyes shut and let out a long, heavy sigh.
The emotion kept gnawing at him; he could never let this feeling go. He frowned, watching her unmoving face. After a moment, he shifted and leaned closer, his breath brushing Yue Chan's skin as he lowered his face toward her forehead.
Then, softly, he pressed his lips to Yue Chan's forehead.
It was the third time he'd kissed her—each time under different circumstances, but always in the same state.
The first kiss had been underwater—not meant as a kiss, but to save her from drowning.
The second was just yesterday. That kiss was born of fear and guilt; when she collapsed, he panicked, mumbling words of regret for failing to protect her.
This time, it was born of longing and desperation. He didn't know if he would see her again. Perhaps one of them would die first, or both might survive this fragile ordeal.
Those three moments each held a meaning—enough to be named.
After kissing her forehead, Li Haoran pressed his own forehead to hers. Only the soft sounds of breathing and his trembling voice filled the room. He gazed at her with gentle, aching pity. He said nothing, but his heart spoke loudly, pounding like a drum.
A storm of emotion surged within him; unable to hold back any longer, he pressed his lips to hers.
The kiss was long and still, yet deeply meaningful—elegant, deliberate, careful, as if claiming something precious.
He no longer cared if she woke or discovered his feelings; he needed to express how much he wanted her.
In case he failed his mission, at least in this last moment, he finally showed her that he had been falling for her since the day they met.
When he let go, Li Haoran's tears began to fall. He caught sight of Yue Chan's mask on the table, grabbed it, and stormed out, leaving the room behind.
As he left, the room fell silent once more.
And that was how Li Haoran came to possess Yue Chan's black mask.
After a long flash of memories from yesterday, Li Haoran snapped back to his senses. He looked at the mask in his hand.
To overcome the overwhelming, unpleasant smell, he put it on without hesitation.
This time, the odor would surely be lessened.
Finally, he could focus on the next step.
He unrolled the pristine paper in his hand, revealing a well-crafted map.
The craftsmanship was precise and detailed, clearly the work of master artisans.
Li Haoran's eyes scanned the map, searching for the exact spot.
This was Zise De Village, recorded in history as having stood for two thousand years.
Yet now, it had become a ruined and abandoned place.
Historically, Zise De Village was one of the most beautiful places in all of Jianghu.
The village was once vibrant with countless varieties of flowers. Every landscape was artfully carved by ancient craftsmen, and even the buildings were beautifully designed and meticulously constructed.
Of all the flowers that once bloomed here, the most treasured and famous was the Miracle Purple Orchid.
Radiant and striking, its thick petals were as large as a person's palm.
Legend said the flower grew at a distant shrine, about one hundred and fifty steps away—just enough to reach the shrine's courtyard.
The Miracle Purple Orchid—one of the antidote ingredients he needed.
Li Haoran rolled up the map and tucked it inside his robe. He steadied himself before continuing through the ruins.
The place was dead silent; when the wind blew, only the rustling of dried leaves and the distant rumble of thick, shady trees broke the silence. He kept walking, undeterred by the lurking danger.
As he reached the foot of the courtyard, the atmosphere grew imperceptibly heavy and strange. Li Haoran paused and looked around. It felt as if unseen eyes were watching him.
His breath hitched for a moment. He didn't flinch, masking his emotions and determined not to lower his guard.
The shrine was in front of him; once he passed through this gate, he would be fully committed. Li Haoran pulled himself together and pressed forward.
The instant he stepped into the courtyard, a shock jolted through his veins. Even his voice threatened to escape, but he held it in. His skin prickled beneath his robe, and his legs trembled slightly from terror.
Through his gaze, he witnessed a gruesome scene.
In one corner lay the massive skeletons of what must have been large animals, and scattered everywhere were piles of human bones.
The most eye-catching of all was the rotting body of a bull—its head was missing, as if it had been snapped off, and several legs were gone. The rest of the carcass was nearly half consumed by worms and other insects.
Li Haoran recoiled, hastily removing the mask and throwing it aside.
This was the most horrifying thing he had ever seen in his entire life.
If that was the case, the unbearable stench was coming from here. It was so brutal that it made his stomach churn, nearly impossible to resist.
After throwing up, he steadied himself and put the mask back on, his eyes watering from the ordeal. He clutched his stomach and grimaced, fighting the urge to vomit again, but managed to control himself.
Determined to stay alert, he ignored the rotten bull and looked away.
This time, his gaze fixed on the open, ruined shrine.
Despite his fear, he pressed on, forcing himself into the shrine and beginning his search for the Miracle Purple Orchid.
According to the records, the Miracle Purple Orchid could be found growing on mossy oak tree trunks.
Without wasting any time, Li Haoran searched for the exact spot where the orchid had once been discovered.
The Miracle Purple Orchid only bloomed once a decade, and its flower could last for five to seven years.
Li Haoran could only hope he would find even a single blossom.
Luckily, after a long search, he found it.
Not just a single blossom, but thousands of Miracle Purple Orchids were blooming in the dim, cool, and fresh air beneath the towering, thick-trunked Ficus trees.
More than twenty giant Ficus trees were rooted in this place, their presence dominating the landscape.
He hadn't found the orchids inside the shrine, but farther away, where the plains were lush and brilliantly green.
Li Haoran fought back tears as he beheld the sight. He knelt down, pressed his forehead to the ground, and murmured, "Oh god Shangdi, thank you."
After a moment, he stood up, an incredulous smile spreading across his face. He had wished for just one, yet he had been granted abundance.
He walked beneath the Ficus trees and began picking the orchids he could reach.
However, he paused for a moment as he examined one of the blossoms.
Normally, orchids were cultivated by specialists, carefully separated at the roots or from young shoots.
But this orchid was different.
In the center of its petals was a single stamen bearing a small, gold, heart-shaped seed.
At first, Li Haoran was perplexed, but then understanding dawned on him.
Without hesitation, he picked several orchids, making sure to save the unusual heart-shaped seed for safekeeping.
Gladly, he tucked the orchids carefully into his bag. Once everything was secured, he slung the bag over his shoulder and prepared to leave.
But then, a strange sensation crept up his spine. He was certain he heard something—was that hissing?
Li Haoran stiffened and glanced behind him, but saw nothing. He frowned and listened more closely, but the strange sound persisted. He froze, not daring to move.
The hissing grew louder, drawing nearer with each moment. His throat tightened as he swallowed hard, then slowly looked up.
Time seemed to slow as he took in the sight.
A gigantic, shiny-scaled black creature loomed above him, its body towering almost as high as the Ficus trees—nearly as wide as two of them combined.
Its menacing red eyes glowed, and, most terrifying of all, it had three heads.
Li Haoran didn't move a muscle. He could only wait.
Then, the enormous serpent let out a thunderous roar. At that, Li Haoran turned and sprinted across the plains, running as fast as he could.