The night sky was black as ink, with not even a sliver of moon to light the path. The air was thick with smoke and sorrow. The trio..Yixuan, Xu Ran, and Jia Li..stood atop a rocky overlook just beyond Xu Mountain. From that distance, the once-vibrant sect looked like a smoldering ruin, its towering pavilions consumed by flames.
Xu Ran sat on the ground, shoulders slumped, face pale. His hands trembled as he clutched Mei Ling's jade hairpin..singed, but miraculously still intact.
"She said she'd never let me out of her sight," he muttered. "She said I'd always be her 'useless little brother.' And now she's… she's gone."
Yixuan knelt beside him, silent for a long moment. Then he spoke, voice low but steady. "She died protecting us. And your master… he gave his life so we could keep going. We can't waste that."
Xu Ran's eyes flicked up to meet his. "You think I want to sit here wallowing? I want to storm back and rip those soldiers apart. But I… I wasn't strong enough."
"You're not alone in that," Yixuan replied, his jaw tight. "I had power once. Influence. But none of that saved my mother when they dragged her out in chains. None of it saved me when they slit my throat like a dog and sealed me into that cursed jar. Power without purpose is just noise. We need more than anger now…we need strategy."
Jia Li leaned against a tree trunk nearby, arms crossed. His face was unreadable, as always. "Hate is a double-edged sword. Wield it wrong, and you'll cut yourself first."
Xu Ran looked at him, eyes still damp. "Don't talk like you know what this feels like."
Jia Li's gaze darkened. "I've buried more people than I've known how to mourn. Don't assume."
Silence hung in the air for a beat.
Then Jia Li pushed off the tree and stretched his arms. "We need to move before dawn. They'll send scouts to look for survivors. If we linger, we're walking into another death trap."
Yixuan nodded. "Agreed. There's a hidden path through the Silver Hollow woods. Mei Ling showed it to me weeks ago. It leads north to Yujin Pass."
Xu Ran rose, reluctantly wiping his eyes. "Yujin Pass? That's a bandit-infested trade route. You think that's safer?"
Yixuan looked toward the dark treetops. "No. But it's where they'll least expect us."
Two Days Later — Yujin Pass
The group trekked through a muddy valley road, their boots caked in grime. The forest loomed dense and foreboding on either side. Every snapping twig, every bird cry made Xu Ran reach for his blade.
"Still no sign of patrols," Jia Li murmured. "But this place reeks of blood. Stay sharp."
Just ahead, the road curved and opened to a shallow ravine. A makeshift camp lay sprawled along the cliffside…half tents, rusted wagons, smoke rising from pit fires.
"Bandits," Xu Ran whispered, crouching beside a boulder.
"Looks like two dozen of them," Jia Li observed. "Poorly armed. Poorly trained."
Yixuan's eyes flicked across the camp. "And yet... I don't see slaves. No stolen goods. Just... survivors."
Jia Li's lips twisted. "Not everyone with a blade and ragged clothes is a villain. Some are just men who got left behind."
Yixuan stood. "We'll pass peacefully. We only draw steel if they do."
As they stepped into the open, a chorus of hoarse shouts rang out.
"Who goes there?!"
"State your name and your business!"
The speaker was a broad-shouldered woman with a jagged scar down her face and a blade in each hand.
"We're travelers," Yixuan said, holding up both hands. "We mean no harm. We seek shelter, just for the night."
The woman eyed them skeptically. "Three armed strangers in the middle of the Pass? That smells like bounty hunters to me."
Jia Li's grin was casual. "If we were bounty hunters, you'd already be bleeding."
The woman snorted. "He's got a mouth, this one." But she lowered her blades. "Fine. No trouble, and you can sleep near the fire. Don't touch our rations."
That night, around the fire, Yixuan sat alone, staring at the dancing flames. His hands were clenched tightly around his knees.
Jia Li sat across from him, tossing pebbles into the pit. "You sleep less than I do."
Yixuan didn't respond immediately. Then he said, "I saw her face again last night. My mother. Her mouth was bleeding. Her hands tied behind her back. The rope around her neck…"
He swallowed hard.
"She didn't beg. Even when they beat her half to death, she stood tall." He looked up, firelight flickering in his eyes. "They burned her name from the imperial scrolls. They told the people she was a traitor. I can't let that be the end of her story."
Jia Li leaned forward. "So what's your next move? We're few, and they are many."
"I don't need to fight them all at once," Yixuan replied. "I just need to break them from the inside. One by one. First, I need allies. Real ones."
Xu Ran joined them, dragging a blanket around his shoulders. "Then we start with the Northern Sect. They hated the sixth prince. Maybe they'll listen."
"And we train," Jia Li added. "You both need to stop fighting like children."
Yixuan looked at him, half-smiling. "Then teach me, Master Jia."
Jia Li rolled his eyes. "Don't call me that. But I'll train you... if you survive tomorrow's beating."
Yixuan raised an eyebrow. "Tomorrow's what now?"
Jia Li grinned. "Sleep tight."
Meanwhile — Inside Eagle's Haven
The sixth prince, Zhang Jianyu, stood before a large burning brazier. A map of the empire was spread out on the stone table before him.
One of his generals knelt behind him. "The attack on Xu Mountain was successful. The sect is destroyed."
"And the boy?"
"Unknown. No trace."
Jianyu clenched his jaw. "He's alive. I can feel it."
The Empress entered the chamber, her hair pinned high with jade combs. "Then you must finish the job. Before the others learn of your failure."
"Don't lecture me, Mother," Jianyu snapped. "I've sent my best men. I'll send more."
"No. You'll send him." She turned to the shadows.
From behind a silk curtain, a tall figure stepped forward…dressed in dark armor, his face covered by a veil of shadow qi.
"The Whispering Blade," the general muttered under his breath.
The assassin bowed.
The Empress smiled coldly. "Bring me the boy's head. Or don't bother returning at all."
Back at the Ravine Camp
Before sunrise, Jia Li stood in the clearing with a wooden staff in hand.
"Up!" he barked, kicking Yixuan's side.
Yixuan grunted, rolling over. "You weren't joking about the beating…"
"Nope," Jia Li smirked. "Come. Let's see what's left of your pride."
Xu Ran laughed from the edge of the clearing, munching on dried meat. "Should I fetch bandages now or after?"
Yixuan got to his feet, stretching. "You're enjoying this too much."
Jia Li spun the staff. "First rule…don't rely on your sword. It'll betray you when you need it most."
"What do I use, then?" Yixuan asked.
Jia Li stepped forward. "Your mind. Your breath. And your hatred."
And with that, the first strike flew.