Xu Yang remained beside Hei Long as the group slowly approached the prison. The voice had fallen silent, but its words lingered in his mind. Only one of you was meant to return. He glanced at Hei Long, whose mark had not stopped glowing. "You said you recognised that voice," Xu Yang said quietly. "Do you remember where you heard it?" Hei Long kept his eyes on the prison gate. "I cannot remember clearly. But I know I have heard it before." "Before or after Rao Jin's execution?" Qing Li asked, walking a few steps behind them. Hei Long did not answer immediately. His fingers tightened around his sleeve. "I don't know." Xu Yang's ears lowered slightly. That isn't very helpful. But considering how strange this place is, I suppose even a little information is better than none...
Yan Luo suddenly stopped.His ears turned towards the prison,"Something is moving inside."Chen Yu raised his hand, signalling the others to stop. "Can you tell what it is?" Yan Luo listened for another moment before shaking his head. "No. It moves whenever I try to sense it." Chen Yu frowned and stepped closer to Lin Chen. "Could it be the person who spoke to us?" "Possibly." Wei Han replied, watching the silver rings around his fingers. "But I cannot sense any spiritual energy coming from inside." Su Yuan moved beside Hei Long, his fox ears alert. "Then how could Yan Luo sense it?" "Perhaps it isn't using spiritual energy." Wei Han said. His gaze shifted towards the prison entrance. "Or perhaps something is preventing us from sensing it."
Xu Yang looked at the dark gate. Wonderful. Something is moving inside, but we cannot sense it properly. And apparently, it has been waiting for us. This journey keeps getting better...He moved closer to Hei Long. "Stay near me." he said. Hei Long glanced down at him. "I can look after myself." "I know. I'm simply making sure you don't suddenly disappear into the prison without telling anyone." Qing Li let out a quiet laugh. "You are worried about him?" Xu Yang flicked his tail. "I'm worried about having to explain to Lin Chen why we lost another member of the group." "I see!" Qing Li replied, his eyes narrowing with amusement. "How thoughtful of you."
Before Xu Yang could answer, a purple drop landed on the ground between him and Hei Long. Neither of them moved. The drop touched the muddy ground, but instead of soaking into it, it remained there like a tiny bead of light. Xu Yang lowered his head. That's not how rain is supposed to behave... Another drop fell beside it. The moment it touched the ground, the trees around them vanished. Xu Yang's paws remained where they were, but the forest was gone. The rain, the prison gate and the others disappeared as though someone had drawn a curtain across the world. He turned towards Hei Long.He was still standing beside him, his expression tense. "Hei Long?" Xu Yang called, but his voice sounded distant.
Before Hei Long could reply, the sound of heavy footsteps reached them. Xu Yang turned. They were standing inside a narrow prison corridor. The stone walls were damp, and water trickled down between the cracks. Two guards were dragging a prisoner towards them. The man's hands were tied behind his back, and his pale face was covered in sweat. His clothes were stained with blood, and his steps dragged weakly across the stone floor. Xu Yang recognised him at once. That's Rao Jin... Why... what's happening...
One guard pulled harder on the rope binding the prisoner's wrists. "Hurry up. We were ordered to take him to the eastern cell." The other guard frowned and tightened his grip on Rao Jin's arm. "The eastern cell? That order was changed. He is to be taken to the lower chamber." "Since when?" "I don't know. Ask the one who gave the order." The first guard glanced towards the end of the corridor. "We were told not to take him there." "And I was told not to keep him here. Do you want to answer for disobeying the order?" Their argument grew louder as they dragged Rao Jin forward.Rao Jin stumbled, nearly falling against the wall. Neither guard stopped to help him. Xu Yang felt his fur rise. Why are they arguing over where to take a prisoner who can barely stand? And why does this feel like something they were never supposed to witness?...
Hei Long stood beside him, staring at Rao Jin. His flowers had stopped moving, their petals hanging still against his scales. "That's Rao Jin!" Hei Long whispered. Xu Yang nodded, unable to take his eyes off the prisoner. Rao Jin slowly lifted his head. His gaze passed over the two guards before suddenly turning towards someone standing outside the scene. His eyes seemed to settle directly on Xu Yang and Hei Long. For one brief moment, his expression changed. It was not fear. It looked almost like recognition. Xu Yang took a step forward. "Rao Jin!" But before he could move any closer, the corridor trembled.
The guards, the prisoner and the stone walls began to fade. Rao Jin's gaze remained fixed on them until the entire scene vanished. The forest returned. Purple rain struck the leaves, and the prison stood before them just as it had before. Xu Yang found himself standing beside Hei Long, both of them breathing unevenly. The others were a short distance away, watching them with concern. Lin Chen immediately approached. "What happened? You both stopped moving at the same time." Xu Yang looked at Hei Long before answering. "We saw something." Hei Long's expression remained unsettled. He turned towards Xu Yang and quietly asked, "Did you see Rao Jin?" Xu Yang nodded. "And the guards dragging him through the prison." Hei Long looked unsettled. "That wasn't my memory."
Xu Yang turned towards Hei Long, his ears lifting slightly. "What do you mean it wasn't your memory? What did you see?" Hei Long did not answer at once. He lowered his gaze to the mark on his arm, where a faint purple light still lingered. "I saw the same corridor as you," he said at last. "I saw Rao Jin being dragged away by the guards. But I have no memory of ever being in that place." Xu Yang frowned. "Then why did you say it wasn't your memory?" "Because I felt something strange when I saw it."
Hei Long slowly raised his head. "I was not watching the scene from where you stood. I was standing somewhere else, looking at Rao Jin from another direction. It felt as though I was seeing through someone else's eyes." Xu Yang's expression changed. "You mean the memory belonged to another person?" "I cannot be certain." Hei Long paused, his fingers tightening around his sleeve. "But when Rao Jin turned his head, I felt as though he was looking at the person whose eyes I was seeing through." Chen Yu stepped closer, his brows drawn together. "Wait. You both saw Rao Jin, but from different places?" "Yes," Xu Yang replied. "I was standing near the guards. Hei Long seemed to be somewhere farther down the corridor."
Wei Han approached them, his rings giving a faint tremor. "Did either of you see the face of the person whose memory it might have been?" Hei Long shook his head. "No. The scene disappeared before I could see anything else." Lin Chen looked towards the prison gate. "Then the rain may have shown you two different parts of the same event." "Or two different memories of that night." Su Yuan suggested. "Perhaps the people who witnessed Rao Jin's arrest remembered it differently." Xu Yang considered this. "That is possible. But there is something else. Before the memory disappeared, Rao Jin looked directly towards us. He seemed to recognise us." Qing Li's tail stopped moving. "You are certain?" "I saw his expression clearly."
Xu Yang looked back at the gate. "It wasn't the look of someone frightened or confused. It was as though he knew we were there." Yan Luo's ears turned towards the prison. "Then perhaps he was not simply part of the memory." Nobody spoke for a moment. A cold drop of purple rain slid from a nearby branch and landed on the path. Xu Yang watched it closely, but this time it soaked into the ground like an ordinary raindrop. Wei Han crouched beside the place where Xu Yang and Hei Long had been standing. His silver rings trembled faintly as he moved his hand through the air. "There is something unusual here." Xu Yang looked down at him. "What did you find?" Wei Han slowly raised his hand.
For a brief moment, a faint purple lines stretched between the two places where Xu Yang and Hei Long had stood. It flickered like a strand of light before disappearing. "A spiritual lines." Wei Han said. "It appeared between the two of you, then vanished."Hei Long looked at the empty space beside him. "What does that mean?" "I suspect the purple rain temporarily connected your spiritual senses. That may be why you witnessed the same memory." Su Yuan stepped closer, his fox tail moving behind him. "Could the connection be related to their relationship with Rao Jin? Perhaps both of them share some link with him." Chen Yu frowned as he considered the possibility. "But Hei Long said it wasn't his memory. Does that mean the rain can show us memories belonging to complete strangers?" Xu Yang looked towards the prison entrance. "We shouldn't rule it out."
Wei Han rubbed his thumb over his Green ring. "There is a way to test whether the connection remains. Xu Yang, Hei Long, I want you to separate." Xu Yang's ears tilted backwards. "How far?" "A few paces should be enough," Wei Han replied, indicating the distance with his hand. "If the connection is formed between your spiritual senses, the strange sensation should disappear when you move apart." Hei Long walked towards the edge of the stone path. Xu Yang moved in the opposite direction, keeping his gaze on Wei Han. Almost immediately, the faint pressure behind his eyes disappeared. He blinked and looked towards Hei Long. "It's gone." Hei Long nodded. "I felt it disappear too." Wei Han examined the space between them. His silver rings had become still. "Now return to your original positions."
Xu Yang walked back towards Hei Long, his steps slowing as he approached. "If the connection returns, does that mean the rain is trying to show us something?" he asked, stopping beside him. Hei Long studied the empty space between them. "It may not be showing us anything. Perhaps it is trying to make us remember." "Remember what?" Xu Yang asked. Hei Long remained silent for a moment. "I don't know. But I have the feeling that the memory we saw was not the only one." Xu Yang's ears twitched.Wei Han raised one hand, watching the rings around his fingers. "Stay where you are. I want to see whether the connection returns." Xu Yang shifted his weight, then glanced at Hei Long. "If another memory appears, try not to wander off without telling me." Hei Long gave him a brief, puzzled look. "Why?" "Because I would prefer not to be left alone in someone else's memory." Hei Long smiled and before Hei Long could reply, Wei Han's his rings trembled again. A thin purple lines appeared between the two demons. It remained for a few breaths before fading away.
Chen Yu stepped closer, his eyes fixed on the place where it had appeared. "So the connection returns when they stand together." "It seems so." Wei Han answered, slowly lowering his hand. Qing Li watched the two of them, his fox tail swaying lazily behind his robes. "It seems the rain has found a way to make even standing beside someone dangerous." Chen Yu turned towards him, a faint smile appearing on his face. "You should be careful, then. Someone might mistake your concern for affection." Yan Luo glanced at Qing Li. "Would that be such a terrible mistake?" Qing Li gave him a warning look, but his ears twitched.
The purple thread faded, but the rain did not stop. Xu Yang was about to step away when he noticed that the drops falling around Hei Long had become much heavier. They struck the ground one after another, gathering into small pools around his feet, while the rest of the group remained beneath a much lighter shower. Hei Long stood motionless. The flowers growing among his scales began to open, their petals unfolding slowly. A faint purple light spread through their veins, and the mark beneath his scales pulsed with an unusual rhythm. Xu Yang's ears lifted. "Hei Long?" he called, moving closer.
Hei Long gave no answer. His fingers had curled tightly, and his gaze remained fixed beyond the prison gate. Xu Yang reached for his sleeve, but Hei Long suddenly swayed. "Wei Han, something is happening to him," Xu Yang said,turning towards the man behind him.Wei Han immediately approached, his colourful rings trembling as he raised one hand towards Hei Long. "His spiritual energy is changing. Don't pull him away yet." Lin Chen stepped forward, his hand resting on his sword. "Can you stop it?" Wei Han examined the glowing mark without touching it. "Not without knowing what the rain is doing. If I disturb the connection, I may make things worse."
Xu Yang looked back at Hei Long.His eyes had become distant, and the flowers among his scales were opening wider with every passing moment. He was perfectly fine a moment ago. Why does this rain keep choosing him?..."Hei Long, can you hear me?" Xu Yang asked, reaching towards his arm. Before his fingers could touch the sleeve, the rain around Hei Long suddenly stopped falling. Every purple drop remained suspended in the air. A strange pressure swept through the surroundings. Hei Long's eyes moved slightly, and the world around them disappeared. Xu Yang felt the familiar pull in his spiritual senses. The prison gate, the stone path and the others vanished. When the scene settled, he found himself standing inside a prison corridor.
This time, the place was not empty. Old marks covered the stone walls, and several oil lamps burned beside the pillars. Their flames were unusually small, casting a dim yellow light across the corridor. The air carried the smell of damp stone and old blood. Xu Yang looked down at his paws, but something felt different. His sight was higher than usual, and his body seemed strangely distant. He turned towards Hei Long.He stood a few steps away, wearing unfamiliar dark robes with a narrow belt tied around his waist. His hair was arranged differently, and a faint mark showed near the collar of his robe.
One hand rested against a pillar, his fingers spread against its cold surface as though he had been standing there for some time. Xu Yang narrowed his eyes. Those clothes don't belong to him. At least, I've never seen him dressed like that...Before he could examine the strange clothing further, footsteps sounded from the far end of the corridor. Two guards appeared, dragging a prisoner between them. Xu Yang stared at Rao Jin.The prisoner's hands were tied behind his back, and his steps were unsteady. One guard pulled the rope while the other held his shoulder. "Keep moving." the first guard ordered, giving Rao Jin a rough shove.
Rao Jin stumbled, his shoulder striking the wall, but he managed to remain standing. "The lower chamber is still locked." the second guard muttered, tightening his grip on the prisoner. "Then take him to the eastern cell first." the other replied, looking towards the corridor ahead. "We have already been told not to keep him there." The second guard gave him an irritated look. "Then why are we taking him this way?" "Because the order came from above. Do you wish to question it?" The first guard pulled the rope again, forcing Rao Jin to continue walking.
Xu Yang watched them pass, but his attention soon shifted towards Hei Long.He had not moved from the pillar. His eyes followed Rao Jin as the guards approached. There was something familiar in the way he watched the prisoner. It was not simple curiosity. He seemed to recognise him. "Hei Long." Xu Yang called, though he did not know whether his voice could reach him. He did not turn. Instead, he slowly lifted his hand from the pillar. His fingers curled, as though he had been holding himself back from stepping forward.
Xu Yang looked around the corridor. That was when he noticed another figure standing nearby. The person was partly hidden behind a second pillar. Only a dark sleeve and one hand could be seen clearly. The figure was watching the guards, but the moment Hei Long moved, their attention shifted towards him. Xu Yang's ears lowered. Wait. There is someone else here... He tried to turn towards the figure, but his view shifted slightly, as though the memory itself were guiding his gaze away. Even so, he caught another glimpse of the dark sleeve.The person remained perfectly still. Whoever they were, they seemed more interested in Hei Long than in the prisoner being dragged through the corridor. So this isn't simply Hei Long remembering what happened. Someone else was standing here and watching him...The guards pulled Rao Jin past the pillar.
At that moment, Hei Long finally moved. He turned towards the prisoner.Rao Jin also lifted his head. Their eyes met. Hei Long looked directly at him, as though he knew him. There was no surprise in his face, no confusion at seeing a prisoner being dragged through the corridor. Instead, he looked as though he had recognised someone he had been waiting to see. Rao Jin's steps slowed. One of the guards pulled the rope sharply. "Keep walking!" he snapped, turning his head towards the prisoner.Hei Long took half a step forward. His hand lifted slightly, but he did not call out.
Behind the second pillar, the hidden figure shifted. A sleeve brushed against the stone, producing a faint sound. Hei Long's head turned towards it. Xu Yang tried to follow his gaze, but the corridor suddenly trembled. The oil lamps flickered violently. One by one, their flames went out, leaving only the fading sound of the guards' footsteps. The last thing Xu Yang saw was Hei Long standing beside the pillar, his gaze fixed on the person hidden in the shadows. Then the entire corridor vanished. The purple rain returned with a sudden rush. Xu Yang staggered as his paws touched the muddy ground again.
The prison stood before them, its gate still half open. Hei Long was beside him.The flowers among his scales remained fully open, and the mark beneath them continued to pulse. For several breaths, nobody spoke. Xu Yang looked at Hei Long, then towards the prison entrance. This time, the memory had shown him something different. "Hei Long," he said, moving closer. "You were standing inside the prison." Hei Long's breathing was uneven. He stared at his own hand, slowly opening and closing his fingers as though he could still feel the cold stone beneath them. "I was there." he said quietly. Lin Chen immediately approached, his expression turning serious. "You were there thirty years ago?" Hei Long raised his head. "I think so." Lin Chen studied him for a moment. "Do you remember anything? Why you were there, or what you were doing?" Hei Long shook his head. His fingers tightened around his sleeve. "No. But I know that place. I can almost remember standing there."
Chen Yu moved closer, his sword still in his hand. "You recognised the corridor?" Hei Long gave a faint nod. "The stone pillar. The lamps. Even the marks on the walls. They felt familiar." Su Yuan's ears lowered. "Then perhaps you really were present during Rao Jin's execution." Hei Long turned towards him, a troubled look crossing his face. "That is what I cannot understand. If I was there, why do I remember nothing?" Wei Han stepped closer and examined the mark beneath Hei Long's scales. "The rain may be uncovering a memory that was sealed away. But there is something unusual about what Xu Yang and I saw." Xu Yang looked towards him. "What did you notice?" Wei Han rubbed one of his silver rings between his fingers. "The spiritual energy around Hei Long changed before the memory appeared. It was not simply a memory rising from within him. Something seemed to be drawing it out."
Qing Li's tail moved uneasily behind him. "Are you saying someone is showing him these scenes?" Wei Han glanced towards the prison. "I cannot be certain, but the rain may be doing more than revealing what has been forgotten." Yan Luo moved towards the entrance, his wolf ears turning towards the darkness. "Then we should find out who is behind it before it shows him something worse." Qing Li gave him a weary look. "That would be easier if this place were willing to offer us an explanation." "It has shown us quite a lot already." Yan Luo replied, keeping his attention on the gate. "Unfortunately, none of it makes sense."
Xu Yang barely heard their exchange. His thoughts were still fixed on the figure behind the pillar. "Hei Long," he said, drawing the dragon demon's attention. "When you were standing beside that pillar, did you see anyone else?" Hei Long looked at him. "Someone else?" "There was another person in the corridor. They were standing behind a second pillar, watching you." Hei Long's brows drew together. "I didn't notice anyone." Xu Yang studied his face. "You didn't see them at all?" "No. I only remember seeing Rao Jin."
Xu Yang considered his answer before continuing. "Then let me tell you what I saw. You were standing beside a pillar .The guards dragged Rao Jin past you, and you turned towards him. You looked as though you knew him." Hei Long glanced down at his hand. "I remember that part." "But there was someone behind another pillar. I couldn't see their face, only their sleeve and one hand. They were watching the corridor." Lin Chen's expression grew thoughtful. "Could that person have been the one whose memory you witnessed?" Xu Yang nodded slowly. "I think so. The view wasn't Hei Long's. I could see him standing there, just as clearly as I could see Rao Jin."
Chen Yu looked between the two of them. "Then the memory belonged to the person hiding behind the pillar?" "Possibly," Xu Yang answered. "They were close enough to watch Hei Long and Rao Jin. If the rain showed us their memory, that would explain why we could see Hei Long from another position." Su Yuan looked towards the prison entrance. "But why would that person remember Hei Long?" Xu Yang did not answer immediately. He recalled the way the hidden figure had shifted when Hei Long moved away from the pillar. It had not been the movement of someone casually watching the guards. The person had been paying attention to Hei Long. "I don't know," he admitted. "But I don't think they were there by chance." Hei Long lifted his head. "You believe someone was watching me that night?" Xu Yang met his gaze. "Yes. Whoever they were, they saw you standing beside that pillar. They saw you turn towards Rao Jin. They may even have known why you were there."
The flowers among Hei Long's scales trembled as another drop of rain landed on them. "Then that person might know why I was at the prison." "They might," Xu Yang replied. "But we shouldn't decide they were an enemy just yet. They could have been watching you to protect you, follow you, or make sure you did something. We have no proof of their purpose." Lin Chen gave a small nod.Wei Han raised his hand towards Hei Long's mark, but stopped before touching it. "The rain may show us more if the connection remains. However, I advise against forcing another memory." Hei Long turned towards the prison. "If there is more to remember, I want to see it."
Xu Yang moved into his path, preventing him from stepping forward. "And if the next memory makes you lose control?" Hei Long met his gaze without hesitation. "Then you can stop me." Xu Yang's ears twitched. "You say that as though stopping you will be easy." A faint trace of amusement crossed Hei Long's face. "You managed it before." "That was different." Xu Yang replied, glancing at the glowing mark beneath his scales. "And I would rather not have to repeat it." Before Hei Long could answer, a sudden gust swept through the prison entrance.
The gate creaked, and a scraping sound came from somewhere inside, as though something heavy were being dragged across the stone floor. Yan Luo immediately stepped forward, placing himself between the entrance and the others. "Something is moving inside again." Qing Li came to stand beside him, his fox ears raised. "It seems our host has grown impatient." Chen Yu tightened his grip on his sword. "Perhaps it knows we have seen something." Lin Chen turned towards Wei Han. "Has the spiritual energy changed?" Wei Han examined the silver rings on his fingers. "The thread has disappeared, but the rain is still gathering around Hei Long."
Xu Yang glanced at the flowers among Hei Long's scales. Their petals had stopped trembling, but the purple light within them had not faded. He remembered the hidden figure behind the pillar and the way Rao Jin had looked towards the person watching him. The memory had shown them more than Hei Long standing in the prison. It had shown them someone who had been there to witness it. Xu Yang slowly turned back towards Hei Long. You remember standing there, but you don't remember why. And someone else remembers seeing you. His gaze settled on the dark prison entrance. The truth was beginning to take shape, but they still had no idea whose eyes had shown them that night. Xu Yang finally understood. The memory was not Hei Long's. Someone else had seen him standing there...