The air inside the forest grew thick with silence, broken only by faint whispers carried on the wind and the occasional distant growl of something lurking in the shadows. The forest was ancient—a place forgotten by time, filled with echoes of lost souls and spirits that fed on fear.
But Lu Wei was not afraid.
Her mind was sharp and steady, guiding each step with practiced caution. She walked with purpose, supporting Li Yong, whose once-confident stride now faltered beneath the weight of his wounds and the burden of sealed cultivation.
As they reached the mouth of a narrow cave shrouded in roots and vines, Lu Wei's eyes narrowed. The cave was nothing special—a hollow carved out of stone—but in times like these, even a crack in a mountain felt like a sanctuary.
Li Yong leaned against the cave wall, breath heavy, blood soaking into the torn fabric at his shoulder and chest. He didn't say a word as Lu Wei reached into her storage ring and retrieved a small set of formation flags etched with glowing runes.
"Stay still. I'll set the barrier," she said.
She moved with silent grace, placing each flag in a triangle around the cave. The moment the third was activated, an invisible ripple spread through the air like a soft vibration. Threads of spiritual energy wove into place, forming a shield—subtle but powerful, enough to repel low-level demons and warn them of approaching threats.
Inside the barrier, a soft glow illuminated the cave's rocky interior. It wasn't much, but it was enough.
---
Lu Wei sat down beside Li Yong, her eyes falling on the deep gash across his chest. It was ugly, raw, and oozing dark blood. Without treatment, even a warrior like him wouldn't last long.
From her ring, she retrieved a glass bottle filled with a pale-blue healing balm, made from frost lotus and thundergrass—rare ingredients with potent healing properties.
"You'll need to take off your clothes," she said, voice calm but firm.
Li Yong blinked at her in surprise.
"Lu Wei... I know we're alone, but maybe this isn't the right time. Let's think about this again when we're out of here, and I'm not half-dead."
She blinked once.
Then her pale cheeks flushed with heat.
"L-Li Yong!" she snapped, glaring. "What do you think I'm asking for?! I just need to treat your wound. Don't make it weird!"
She shoved the glass bottle into his hand.
Li Yong looked at her… and then chuckled. It wasn't mockery—it was warm, amused, and filled with something tender. "You just said my name," he said quietly.
Lu Wei paused. A silence fell between them.
"I know your name," she replied softly, turning her gaze to meet his. "I've always known it."
Li Yong's smile faded, replaced by something softer. "Yeah… but I always thought you didn't care. You never said it. You always treated me like a stranger… like someone beneath you."
His voice trembled, not from pain, but from years of misunderstanding. He looked down, away from her.
And Lu Wei's eyes softened.
"Then why did you keep trying to talk to me? Why did you keep following me around even when I ignored you?" she asked, genuinely puzzled.
Li Yong raised his eyes to her again. His fingers reached forward, brushing a stray lock of hair from her face.
"Because I saw past your expression."
His voice was like a whisper of wind in the snow—gentle, but steady.
"You looked cold… untouchable. But when I really looked, I saw kindness. I saw how you protected the outer disciples, how you gave your food to the younger ones, how you stayed behind during missions to make sure no one was left behind."
He shifted slightly, his face closer to hers.
"And I saw how your own brother humiliated you. How he bullied you in front of others just to show power. You never said a word. You never fought back. But I hated seeing it. You didn't deserve that."
His gaze locked with hers—serious, filled with something unspoken.
"You were like a snow lotus
blooming in winter. Distant, beautiful, but fragile underneath."