The forest east of Long Petal Gate was a forgotten place.
Once blessed with jade trees and spirit blossoms, now it stood twisted and still. Rot spread like veins across blackened bark. Qi in the air pulsed strangely—tainted, restless.
But Lin Yan didn't turn back.
He moved with calm steps, his hand hovering near the hilt of his blade. The deeper he went, the colder the world seemed, even without snow.
Eventually, the trees parted to reveal a collapsed structure—**the Shrine of the Whispering Moon**. Broken columns jutted from the earth like teeth. Vines strangled its cracked statues. And at its center sat a lone figure, unmoving.
A girl.
---
She sat cross-legged on a broken altar, wrapped in dark red robes. Her long black hair spilled over her shoulders like ink, and her skin was pale as ash. Her eyes, when they opened, were glowing faint violet—**and full of pain.**
"You're not one of them," she said softly, not turning her head.
Lin Yan didn't answer immediately.
"You were a furnace too," he said, voice steady.
The girl slowly stood, bare feet touching the cold stone.
"I was a tool. A thing. A gift from my clan to a sect elder in exchange for protection." Her voice was flat, emotionless. "He said I was blessed. That my body was a divine vessel."
She looked at Lin Yan.
"He lied."
---
She raised her hand, and the altar behind her cracked—spiritual pressure bursting out like a scream. Lin Yan braced himself.
This wasn't a test of strength. It was a test of **intention**.
"Why are you here?" she asked. "To pity me? To save me?"
"No," Lin Yan said. "I came to offer you a choice."
Her eyes narrowed.
"I'm not here to lead. Not here to command. I just… don't want to be alone anymore," he added.
For a moment, the ruined shrine was silent.
Then, the girl stepped down from the altar.
"What's your name?"
"Lin Yan."
She stared at him.
"I'm Yan Ruo."
She extended her hand.
"I won't follow you. But I'll walk beside you. For now."
Lin Yan reached out and took it.
---
Far above, in the canopy of dead trees, a raven watched.
Its eyes burned with crimson fire.
And on a distant mountain peak, Elder Shi Lanyue opened her eyes.
> "So… he found another."
Her smile was cold.
> "Let's see how long your little alliance lasts, Lin Yan."