The mist over Chenyu Vale hung like unyielding thick ink, blurring everything in the valley into a hazy, oppressive gloom. Deep within the cave, faint firelight flickered, illuminating the battered figures of the Traveler, Aether, and Yun Jin. Aether's armor was soaked through with blood; several gashes, deep enough to see bone, gaped horribly, crimson droplets trickling slowly down his arm and pooling into a dark, stagnant patch on the ground. Yun Jin was faring no better. Her opera costume was torn open in several places, her exposed arms and legs covered in bruises and cuts, a trace of fresh blood still at the corner of her mouth. Every breath jolted her ribs with pain, making her clench her brows tightly.
Before them lay a pile of herbs freshly picked from the valley, their leaves still glistening with dew and mud. Gritting through the pain, Yun Jin dipped a relatively clean cloth into the stream water and carefully dabbed at the wounds on Aether's back, her movements gentle as if afraid to disturb something.
"Hiss…" Aether sucked in a sharp breath, cold sweat beading on his forehead at once. Yet he ground his teeth and held on, only murmuring, "It's fine. Keep going."
Yun Jin crushed the herbs into a paste with a stone, releasing a bitter, earthy scent. She spread the paste evenly over his wounds. The cold touch eased Aether's agony a little, only for the stinging burn of the herbs to follow immediately. He clenched his fists so tight his knuckles whitened.
Just then, an extremely faint sound came from the cave entrance — something snapping a dry twig. Aether and Yun Jin tensed instantly. Their eyes met, and both saw vigilance in each other's gaze. Yun Jin quickly extinguished the fire, plunging the cave into pitch darkness, with only a faint glimmer of daylight seeping through the entrance. Holding their breath, they silently moved behind a huge boulder deep inside the cave, concealing themselves.
A shadow slipped silently into the cave. It was He Ji, an assassin under Yuan Shao. Clad in black, his face covered with a dark cloth, only his fierce, glinting eyes visible, he held a sharp dagger whose blade glinted coldly in the faint light. He Ji had clearly tracked them here. He searched the cave carefully, his gaze sweeping over the herbs, the bloodstains, and the unextinguished ashes. His brow furrowed slightly.
Where were they? The traces clearly showed they were nearby — had he searched the wrong place? Unwilling to give up, he took a few more steps, his footsteps so light they were barely audible.
As He Ji focused on the depths of the cave, ready to investigate further, a flash of resolve crossed Yun Jin's eyes. Earlier, to wash the herbs, she had filled a clay pot with stream water and set it near the fire to warm. Now the water inside was scalding, steaming gently. Seizing her chance, Yun Jin lunged out from behind the boulder, lifted the pot with both hands, and hurled its contents at He Ji with all her strength.
Splash!
Scalding hot water, carrying searing heat, struck He Ji directly in the face.
"Argh!" He let out a piercing scream. The black cloth covering his face was instantly soaked, clinging tightly to his skin. The searing pain burned his cheek as if his flesh were melting. He convulsed in agony, his dagger clattering to the ground. He instinctively covered his face, his vision blurring at once.
The sudden attack enraged He Ji completely. Though he could not see, his assassin instincts let him roughly pinpoint Yun Jin's position. Gritting through the torment, he swung his right fist hard at her.
Thud!
The punch landed solidly on her shoulder. The sheer force sent her flying backward like a kite with a broken string, slamming into the rock. A sweet, metallic taste rose in her throat; she nearly spat out blood. Dizziness washed over her, and her shoulder went numb instantly.
"Yun Jin!"
Aether's heart jolted. Ignoring his own wounds, he burst out from behind the boulder like a coiled leopard and threw his entire weight into slamming into He Ji.
Driven mad by the burning pain and rage, He Ji never saw the attack coming. The collision knocked him off balance, and he fell backward like a limp sack.
Thud!
The back of his head struck a sharp rock dead-on, a dull, heavy sound. Blood gushed from the wound at once, streaming down his neck and staining his black clothes. He Ji's vision went black. His body twitched a few times, then went still — his eyes still wide open, filled with unwillingness and venom.
Aether did not bother checking if He Ji was dead. He rushed to Yun Jin's side and lifted her up.
"How are you?"
Yun Jin shook her head, speaking with difficulty. "I'm okay… Hurry. The noise was too loud. The enemies outside must have heard."
Hardly had she spoken when disorderly footsteps and shouts erupted from the cave entrance. Yuan Shao's men, drawn by the commotion, were closing in.
The situation was desperate. Aether glanced at the bloodied He Ji on the ground, then at the approaching firelight and figures at the mouth of the cave. He made an immediate decision.
"We're leaving!"
He helped Yun Jin up, his gaze falling on the dry grass and branches inside the cave. An idea formed. He told her to move toward a hidden exit deeper in the cave while he grabbed the smoldering remains of the fire and tossed them onto the vegetation. The dry plants ignited at once, flames spreading rapidly into a roaring blaze, thick smoke billowing and engulfing the entire cave.
"Quick!" Aether took Yun Jin's hand.
Shielded by the smoke, they stumbled out through the secret exit. Behind them, the fire in the cave blazed higher, devouring everything — including He Ji's gradually cooling corpse. Smoke and flames shot into the sky, reddening half of Chenyu Vale, and covering their trail.
Supporting each other, Aether and Yun Jin struggled forward along the rugged mountain path. Behind them, the firelight and the enraged shouts of their enemies faded into the distance. Ahead lay an unknown road, and even harder trials.