Jiang Lin slowly opened his eyes.
The first thing he realized was that he was still in the same forest—the very place where the ground had split open and dragged them into that hidden cave. Seeing everything intact, as if nothing had happened, left him utterly stunned.
Was it all real... or a dream?
As he turned his head and looked around, his gaze fell upon a familiar figure not far away.
Bai Xu.
She was resting beneath a tall tree, leaning against its trunk. It was already noon—the sun stood high above, its light filtering gently through the leaves. A cool breeze flowed through the forest, carrying a calm, soothing silence.
Bai Xu sat within the tree's shade, asleep.
Her long black hair swayed softly with the wind, brushing against her delicate face. For a moment, Jiang Lin forgot how to breathe.
He stared at her, unable to look away.
She's... beautiful.
Without realizing it, Jiang Lin stood up and quietly walked toward her. He sat down beside her, careful not to wake her.
A strand of hair fell across her cheek, moving with the breeze. Jiang Lin hesitated for a second, then slowly reached out. With the lightest touch, he brushed the hair aside and tucked it behind her ear.
His fingers barely grazed her skin.
The warmth of that touch made Bai Xu suddenly open her eyes.
Their gazes collided.
Bai Xu froze when she realized how close he was. Her breath caught, and for a moment, she forgot to move. Jiang Lin, too, was caught off guard—but neither of them pulled away.
In the sunlight, Bai Xu's crimson-red eyes shimmered even more brilliantly, glowing like burning embers. Jiang Lin felt himself being pulled into them, as if the world around them had faded away.
And Bai Xu—she found herself lost in his eyes as well.
The forest fell silent.
A cold breeze suddenly passed between them.
Bai Xu spoke awkwardly, her voice slightly stiff.
"...What were you doing so close to me?"
Jiang Lin immediately leaned back a little and cleared his throat.
"Ahem— I was just trying to wake you up."
To change the topic, he quickly asked,
"By the way... what happened? How did we get out of that cave?"
Bai Xu looked at him carefully.
"You don't remember anything?"
Jiang Lin shook his head.
"No. I don't remember much. I only remember that we were fighting those undead. After that... everything goes blank."
Bai Xu paused for a moment, then said calmly,
"That's not what happened. We were trapped in an illusion. It was probably caused by some beast. After a while, it left. I don't remember much either."
Jiang Lin narrowed his eyes slightly, suspicion flickering in his gaze.
"Is that so? Then why would a beast leave us alive?"
Bai Xu met his eyes without flinching.
"I don't know why it would let us go. Besides..."
she added lightly,
"You came to protect me, didn't you? You were the first one to get trapped in that illusion."
Jiang Lin scratched the back of his head.
"I was just trying to help you."
Bai Xu snorted softly.
"Don't do something like that again. Acting like a big hero."
She turned her face away with a huff.
"Hmph."
Then she said seriously,
"We should return to the academy. Everyone must be worried."
Jiang Lin nodded.
"Yes. Let's go."
The two of them headed back together.
Before long, they arrived at the academy gates. As soon as they reached the entrance, they noticed that the barrier protection stones—which had previously been damaged—were now fully restored and glowing steadily.
Jiang Lin let out a breath of relief.
"Looks like everything is back to normal."
Bai Xu stared at the glowing stones, her eyes unreadable.
"...For now."
And with that, they stepped inside the academy.
As soon as Bai Xu and Jiang Jin crossed the gates of the academy, an overwhelming scene unfolded before them.
A massive crowd had gathered outside.
Seeing such a sight, both of them were stunned.
The crowd was filled with all the academy's disciples, along with many elders as well. At the very center of the gathering, Jia Hai sat quietly on a chair, his expression tense yet composed.
Beside him stood the Crown Prince.
With a calm and reassuring voice, the Crown Prince spoke,
"Master Jia Hai, please do not worry. Princess Bai Xu will definitely be found. I give you my word—all the royal guards are doing everything in their power to search for her."
His words echoed through the crowd, carrying both authority and determination, as an uneasy silence followed, filled with hope and fear intertwined.
"Friend Jia Hai, there is no need for you to worry," someone said gently. "The Princess will be found."
Jia Hai let out a slow, heavy breath. His eyes darkened as he replied,
"I understand what you are trying to say, Zong, but you know my daughter. Trouble has followed her since childhood. Just a short while ago, she barely escaped a terrible incident... and now this has happened again."
His voice trembled despite his effort to remain composed.
Almost everyone in the city knew the truth—not long ago, Bai Xu had gone missing once before, and there were whispers that she had been kidnapped. Though the matter had been suppressed, fear had never truly faded.
At that moment, Xuang Ji Zong spoke, his expression grave.
"I know exactly what you're trying to do," he said. "But misfortune never released its grip on Huang Ling either. Some fates seem cursed to walk the edge of disaster."
Before the tension could deepen further, a sharp voice cut through the air.
"Enough. All of you, stop."
Nu Shi Jie stepped forward, her gaze cold and unwavering.
"Have you all forgotten?" she continued. "The king of the Outer Country is also missing at this very moment. If even a single hair on his head is harmed... the entire country will be forced to pay for it in blood."
Her words fell like thunder.
Silence swept across the crowd as a chilling realization settled in—this was no longer just the disappearance of a princess.
It was the beginning of a storm that could drown nations.
At a distance from the restless crowd, Ya Ting sat quietly, watching everything unfold.
Her face was calm, but her eyes were filled with undisguised malice.
"So much noise... for that trash," she muttered under her breath. "Trash will always remain trash."
Her lips curled into a cold smile.
"It would be better if she truly died in this disaster. Then I'd finally be free of her."
As her gaze shifted, it landed on the figure standing beside the Crown Prince.
Kang Min Sheng.
The moment she saw him, a spark of obsession flickered in her eyes.
Ya Ting let out a soft, amused laugh.
"And then," she whispered to herself, "there will be no one left between Prince Min Sheng and me."
Her smile widened, sharp and venomous, as ambition and jealousy twisted together in her heart.
The crowd suddenly parted from another direction.
Se-Young, Jiang Lin's personal protector, strode forward with fury burning in his eyes. Ten elite guards followed closely behind him as he came to a halt right in front of the Crown Prince.
"Crown Prince Wang Wei," Se-Young said coldly, his voice ringing through the tense air. "You once claimed that your gourd agents know every corner of this Pure State, and that you could find our king no matter where he was. Yet even now, your soldiers have accomplished nothing."
Before Wang Wei could respond, Min Sheng stepped forward, his expression stern.
"We understand your anxiety," Min Sheng said, "but you cannot speak to the prince of our country in such a manner."
Wang Wei raised his hand into the air, signaling Min Sheng to remain silent. His gaze never left Se-Young.
"I understand your distress," Wang Wei said calmly, though a trace of pressure radiated from him. "But we are doing everything in our power. The finest summoners and strongest warriors of our nation are searching for King Jiang Lin as we speak. Please, do not worry—nothing has happened to him."
Hearing this, Se-Young's eyes narrowed.
"Let us hope your words prove true," he said grimly. "Because if they do not... the friendship between our nations will turn into open hostility."
A heavy silence fell over the crowd, the unspoken threat hanging thick in the air.
From a distance, Bai Xu and Jiang Lin quietly observed the unfolding scene.
Bai Xu's heart stirred with disbelief. Even after spending so much time by his side, it still doesn't feel real, she thought. He truly is an extraordinary existence.
Even his mere personal guard possesses the courage to stand before a crown prince—and a godlike elder such as Nu Shi-jie—without hesitation.
Noticing the amazement reflected in Bai Xu's eyes, Jiang Lin smiled inwardly. Taking a step forward, his presence subtly pressed upon the crowd.
At that moment, a voice echoed from within the sea of people.
"Se-Young, this is truly no way to speak to the friends of our nation."
The words rang out clearly, and in an instant, the attention of the entire crowd shifted toward the speaker.