The day began before sunrise. Lin Xun lit the small lamp by the counter, its glow spilling over the neat rows of jars and teapots. The leaf from the man in grey lay in the center of the counter where he had left it last night, its black surface catching the faint light. He studied it for a moment, then wrapped it again in the cloth and tucked it carefully into his satchel.
Shen Lan arrived quietly, her sword strapped to her back, her hair tied in the simple way she preferred when traveling. She glanced at the satchel and then at Lin Xun's calm expression.
"You slept," she said.
"Enough," he replied, closing the clasp. "The shop will be fine for a day or two."
They both knew that in the early days, leaving even for a short time carried a risk of losing customers. But there were some opportunities that could not be ignored.
---
The streets were quiet at that hour. Market stalls were still covered, and only a few early merchants moved their carts through the pale morning mist. The city gates stood open, the guards leaning on their spears with the slow posture of men at the start of a long shift. One recognized Shen Lan and gave a respectful nod as they passed.
The road beyond the walls curved gently toward the east, lined with fields still damp from night. In the distance, low hills rose in layers, their shapes fading into the morning haze. Birds stirred in the hedgerows, their calls soft against the quiet.
Shen Lan walked with an easy pace, her gaze never lingering too long on any one point, yet missing nothing. Lin Xun matched her stride, breathing in the cool air. The tension of the past days, the heat of the market duel, seemed to melt away with each step, replaced by a quiet anticipation.
---
By midmorning, they had reached the river. It ran slow and wide here, its surface dark from the reflection of the trees that lined its banks. A narrow wooden bridge crossed to the far side. The boards creaked underfoot, but the structure held firm.
Beyond the river, the land began to change. The fields gave way to tangled undergrowth and taller trees whose branches knit together overhead. The light dimmed, filtered through layers of leaves. The road became a path, the path a trail, until even that was little more than a faint track between moss-covered stones.
It was here the air began to cool, though the day was still young. A faint dampness clung to the ground, and the smell of earth deepened.
---
By noon, they stood at the edge of the Hollow Valley.
From a distance, it had seemed like any other dip between the hills. Up close, it was something else entirely. The land fell away steeply into a basin where no sunlight touched. Even now, with the sun high, the valley floor was shrouded in a grey dimness, the air within still and heavy.
A low mist clung to the ground, curling lazily around jagged rocks and twisted roots. The trees here were taller, their trunks pale and smooth, their branches bare of leaves as though stripped by unseen hands. The sound of birds was gone. The only movement came from the mist itself.
Shen Lan stood still, scanning the shadows. "It is… quiet."
Lin Xun nodded. "Too quiet."
---
They began their descent along a narrow path cut into the slope. The soil was damp underfoot, the stones slick. Twice Lin Xun had to catch himself on exposed roots to keep from slipping.
As they went lower, the temperature dropped further. The air smelled faintly metallic, like rain on old stone. In the stillness, each step sounded louder than it should have.
Halfway down, Lin Xun paused beside a cluster of strange plants. Their leaves were long and thin, the color of faded silver, and they swayed gently though there was no wind. He knelt, brushing his fingers lightly over one. It felt cool, almost cold, and when he brought his fingertips to his nose, there was a faint scent like winter tea left too long to steep.
"Not what we came for," Shen Lan said, watching from a few steps above, "but worth remembering."
---
The path leveled at the base of the slope. Here, the mist was thicker, curling in slow patterns as though reluctant to part. The ground was soft, muffled underfoot, and in places, dark pools of water reflected the faint grey light.
Once, they passed the remains of a small firepit, its stones blackened, a few charred sticks still lying in place. It was old, the ash long cold, but it was proof that others had come here before.
Farther in, they found tracks in the damp soil... some from small creatures, others wider and heavier, the marks pressed deep.
Shen Lan crouched to study one of the larger prints. "Not human," she said.
Lin Xun looked at the print's rounded edge, the faint claw marks. "Beast?"
She rose, hand brushing the hilt of her sword. "Likely. And close enough to leave fresh signs."
---
They moved on, more cautious now. The trees thinned, replaced by tall stone outcrops that rose like broken pillars. Between them, the ground sloped upward again, leading toward a sheer cliff face. Even in the valley's dimness, the stone was darker than anything else, its surface flecked with faint silver veins.
Lin Xun slowed as they approached. The air here was different, charged in a way he could feel along his skin. It reminded him of the first time he had touched a leaf still warm from the sun, except colder, heavier.
"There," he said softly, pointing.
Clinging to the cracks in the stone were small plants, their leaves black as night, each veined with silver like the sample in his satchel. The scent that reached him was faint but sharp, cutting through the damp air.
---
They drew closer, careful of the wet ground. Lin Xun reached up, brushing his fingers along one of the leaves without plucking it. The pulse of Qi was unmistakable, strong and steady, as if the plant drew strength from the shadow itself.
Shen Lan stood slightly behind him, scanning the mist around them.
It was then that a faint ripple passed through the air. Not wind... more like the shifting of water in a deep pool. The mist to their left thickened, curling upward before parting in silence.
Two pale eyes gleamed in the shadow beyond the stone pillars.
The shape that followed was low to the ground, its outline blurred by the mist. It moved slowly at first, then stopped, watching them without sound.
Lin Xun's hand lowered from the leaf. His heartbeat felt louder in the stillness.
Shen Lan's fingers curled around her sword hilt. "We are not alone."
The pale eyes blinked once. Then the shadow moved forward.
---