They all journeyed through the small villages that led to the Isle. The Isle was a five-day journey from the nearest settlement, but Liling couldn't help noticing that the air hummed with a strange, heavy qi.
Shufen, Zixin, and YunFei moved ahead, their presence radiating an aura that made the hairs on her arms rise.
It was understandable. The trio had once served together in the military, yet YunFei had betrayed them during a fierce battle, leaving them to fend for themselves. He never apologized, and they never saw him again—until he joined Team Five.
"Do we really have to travel with him?" Zixin said, his irritation flickering like embers, breaking the silence that lingered, except for the rhythmic clatter of horses' hooves on the hilly paths.
YunFei turned, revealing pearly teeth in a careless smile, unbothered by the daggers of glare from the two behind him.
"Like it or not, you're stuck with me. I don't know why. The maps paired us, not me."
"Really? Then maybe we should stop at the next town and have your team go ahead," Shufen said, his voice clipped.
Laughter rumbled from YunFei's chest. With a deft shift of his horse, he rode beside Liling, who had been staring off into the distance until he cleared his throat.
"Ahem."
"YunFei!" she exclaimed, startled.
He chuckled, brushing stray strands of hair from her face and tucking them behind her ear, while a warm blush spread across her cheeks like ripples in a jade pond.
"What is it, Li? You seem distracted."
She nodded. "I am. I'm afraid I'll let the team down. I can't use qi anymore. I don't think I'm worthy to continue. They believe I still can, but I can't. My qi… it feels dead," she said quietly.
"Because of what happened a year ago? With the little girl at the tavern?"
Her eyes widened. A year ago, while pursuing the seal, they had been attacked by wraiths in a tavern where they had spent the night.
The little girl had been unlucky, stepping into the path of a wraith's attack. Liling had summoned her qi, but instead of striking the wraith, it had hit the child. Her qi had claimed an innocent life.
Tears pricked her eyes. She swallowed hard as a lump formed in her throat.
"I… I killed her," she whispered.
YunFei's playful demeanor disappeared, replaced by a serious calm. He tutted, teeth clicking softly.
"It isn't your fault. You may think it is, but it isn't. Do not let her death be in vain by giving up your purpose. The Sects chose worthy cultivators to lead the search for the seals and I'm very certain the guardians saw your potential when they chose you. Do not let them down."
Then, as swiftly as his seriousness came, his smile returned. He nudged his horse forward, leaving her in a storm of thoughts. Her qi had been stagnant for too long, and nothing seemed capable of awakening it.
By sunset, they reached the town of Shan. From afar, the Valley of the Isle stretched like a sea of jade. They decided to rest for the night, stopping at the first inn they found. Horses tethered, they entered, their steps echoing lightly in the quiet hall.
Shufen took Liling's hand, guiding her beside him. She noticed a flicker of unreadable emotion in YunFei's eyes as he watched her.
They opened the inn doors fully, stepping into the warm, fragrant space, drawing wary gazes from the patrons as they approached the innkeeper and settled on stools.
"Welcome to Shan Inn! What can we do for you?" The innkeeper's eyes shifted from them to the rest of the team already seated at a table.
"Ten mugs of beer, warm blankets, and rooms to sleep," Shufen said, clicking his fingers for emphasis.
The innkeeper arched a brow. "We're out of rooms. Only five are available for your group."
YunFei sighed, fingers running through his hair. "We'll take them. And prepare something to eat. I hear Shan is famous for its spicy grilled fish."
"That will be fifty yin."
Shufen scoffed and pulled copper coins from his pouch, pushing them across to the innkeeper before leading Liling to the nearest table.
"Keep the change."
The old man nodded, disappearing to fulfill the order. Within thirty minutes, trays of steaming food arrived, along with keys to the rooms.
Liling inhaled deeply, letting the fragrance of the food mingle with the lingering qi in the air. She tied her hair into a messy bun, a soft laugh escaping her lips as she watched Zixin and Qinghe attempt to draw attention from the serving girls.
The innkeeper leaned closer. "You're not from here, right?"
YunFei nodded. The man's gaze lingered on Liling, and his hands trembled slightly.
"Your scar," he said thickly in a Shan accent. "How did you get it?"
Her hand instinctively brushed the brownish-red mark running from neck to back. It had healed, but the reddish scar remained, stubborn and unmoving.
"I don't know. My foster parents said it was from a fall when I was little."
He swallowed hard and moved away quickly. Liling shrugged, unaware of the trembling innkeeper or the faint pulse of qi that seemed to surround her.