By the time Chen Yu reached his home, the sky had already settled into that same unnatural calm. The faint blue tone still lingered above, though the petals had thinned, as if whatever had caused them had already moved on. It didn't feel like the battle had ended. it felt like it had simply shifted somewhere else, leaving behind only traces.
He pushed the door open slowly and stepped inside. The room was quiet. Chen Yu paused for a moment at the entrance, his gaze sweeping across the space before he walked in fully. His movements were heavier now that everything was over. The adrenaline had drained away, leaving behind the dull weight of his injuries. He exhaled once and lowered himself onto a wooden chair near the table, one hand pressing lightly against his side.
" That was worse than I thought," he muttered under his breath.
He leaned back slightly and closed his eyes. For a moment, nothing happened. Then the air around him shifted subtle and controlled. A thin layer of energy gathered around his injuries, moving slowly, carefully, stabilizing the damage, easing the bleeding, and reducing the strain that had built up in his muscles.His breathing gradually steadied.
Time passed quietly in the still room.
Then, without warning, his eyes opened again. " Xu Yang." The name slipped out low, almost instinctively. No response from anyone. Chen Yu frowned slightly and straightened, turning his head toward the other side of the room. "Xu Yang?" he called again, this time a little louder. Still no response his expression tightened.
He stood up slowly and began checking the room, his steps careful but deliberate. He glanced toward the inner space, the corners, even near the window where Xu Yang was in morning. " He's not here," Chen Yu said under his breath. A pause followed.
" Did he leave?" He frowned slightly, scanning the room again as if he might have missed something obvious. "Without saying anything?" he muttered, irritation slipping into his tone. "That doesn't sound like him… or maybe it does." He let out a quiet breath and rubbed the back of his neck. "Tch… at least leave a word behind."
His gaze lingered near the door for a moment. "Or did something happen?" he added more quietly, his expression tightening. "No… if there was a fight, I'd see signs." He looked around once more, more carefully this time, his eyes narrowing as unease settled in. " Xu Yang," he called again, his voice lower but firmer now.
Back on the mountain, the atmosphere remained heavy despite the calm sky. The unnatural stillness hadn't faded it had only settled deeper, pressing quietly against everything around it. The villagers stood in place, uncertain and tense, their eyes fixed ahead as if waiting for something else to happen.
Then the white-haired man moved not toward the group but toward Lin Chen. He descended slightly, still floating in mid-air, but now positioned directly in front of him, ignoring everyone else completely as if they didn't exist. "You," he said calmly. "Come closer." The villagers immediately exchanged confused looks, whispering among themselves. "Why him?" someone muttered quietly. "What's special about him?" another added, unease creeping into their voices.
Lin Chen hesitated only for a brief moment. Then he stepped forward anyway, his expression cautious but steady. " What do you want?" he asked. The man looked at him silently for a second, as if observing something deeper than what was visible. Then a faint smile appeared on his face.
"You're worried about that cat." Lin Chen froze. " What?" His eyes widened slightly, shock flickering across his face before he could hide it. "You… how do you know that?"
The man's expression didn't change. His gaze remained calm, almost indifferent.
"Of course I know," he replied simply. "If you want answers… ask." A brief silence followed. Lin Chen didn't hesitate this time.
" Do you know where he is?" he asked directly. The man paused for a moment, as if considering the question then he answered.
"He is… where he should be." Lin Chen frowned immediately. " Where?" The man didn't respond right away.
Instead, he began to rise slowly, lifting higher into the air without any visible effort. The villagers reacted instantly, panic and disbelief spreading through them. "He's flying !" someone shouted. "What kind of person is that?!" another said, stepping back instinctively. The man glanced down one last time. Then, in a calm and quiet voice, he said, "You'll understand soon."
And just like that he disappeared into the sky.
Only the faint blue above and the soft fall of petals continuing around them. Lin Chen remained where he was, unmoving, his gaze fixed upward long after the man was gone. The petals drifted past him, brushing against his shoulders and hands, dissolving as they touched him. His thoughts echoed quietly in his mind. " Where he should be?"
His expression tightened slightly, unease settling deeper within him.
Behind him, the villagers slowly began to react, their voices breaking the silence in low, confused murmurs. " He just left?" one of them said, disbelief clear in his tone.
"That's it? He just said a few words and disappeared?" another added, glancing around nervously. "What about the threads?" someone else spoke up, frustration creeping in. "We didn't even ask him about that!"
"And this sky… these petals…" a woman said, looking upward again. "He didn't explain anything!"
Their attention gradually shifted toward Lin Chen. "You were the one he spoke to," a man said, stepping closer. "What did he tell you?"
"Did he say anything important?" another asked. Lin Chen didn't answer immediately.
He was still looking at the sky, his thoughts unsettled, replaying the words again and again.Lin Chen shook his head slowly.
villager spoke again, more urgently this time. "Well? Say something!" Lin Chen finally lowered his gaze slightly, his voice quiet but strained. "I don't know." few villagers exchanged uneasy looks. " What does that even mean?" one of them muttered.
"He didn't explain much." Lin Chen said.
"Amazing! " someone snapped. "We came all this way for nothing?" Another villager frowned. "Then why did he even call you forward?" another villager said "there must be something. " Lin Chen walk away he didn't respond.
Back to Home. Chen Yu turned back toward the center of the room and stopped. A small cat stood near the doorway. It hadn't been there before. The cat looked up at him and let out a soft sound. "Meow." Chen Yu blinked once, then exhaled faintly. " Where did you come from?" he muttered.
The cat stepped closer, its movements slow but deliberate, almost like it wasn't afraid at all. Chen Yu watched it for a second before crouching slightly, one hand resting on his knee. "Hey… little kitty," he said, his tone softer now. "Why are you here? Did you get lost?" The cat let out another meow, louder this time, its gaze fixed on him. Chen Yu glanced toward the table. "Are you hungry?"
He stood up and walked over, grabbing a small bowl before pouring some milk into it. He placed it carefully on the floor in front of the cat. "Here," he said simply. "Drink."
The cat looked at the bowl then at him. It didn't move. Chen Yu raised an eyebrow.
" What, not interested?"
Instead of going toward the milk, the cat stepped closer to him again, ignoring the bowl completely. Chen Yu frowned slightly.
"That's strange." He leaned down a little more, his gaze narrowing as he looked closer. That's when he noticed faint but familiar marks. His expression changed instantly. " Wait." He crouched lower, his hand hovering slightly as he examined the cat more carefully. " These marks…looks familiar." His eyes widened slightly. " Xu Yang?" The name slipped out before he could stop himself.
Then immediately he shook his head. " No. That's ridiculous." He stood up halfway, running a hand through his hair. "I must be an idiot," he muttered. "How can Xu Yang be a cat? What am I even thinking." The cat stepped forward again. Closer this time. It lifted its paw and lightly touched his hand.
Chen Yu froze. The cat looked directly at him.
Then nudged his hand again, more insistently. " You're serious?" Chen Yu said slowly.
The cat let out a small, almost annoyed sound. "Meow." A pause stretched between them. Chen Yu stared at it for several seconds, his expression slowly shifting from disbelief to reluctant realization. Then he exhaled. " You've got to be kidding me."
He crouched down again, this time without hesitation. " If this is really you… then don't move."
The cat stayed still.But inside, Xu Yang's thoughts were anything but calm. What is he doing? Is he actually going to try something like this? His ears twitched slightly, though he forced himself not to move. Can he even do it? What if he messes it up?
A flicker of unease passed through him as he watched Chen Yu move toward the herbs, every motion making him more tense. What if something goes wrong? What if I get stuck like this? His tail tensed for a moment before he forced it still again, trying to suppress the growing anxiety. No… calm down.
He figured it out already. That means he must know something… right? The thought lingered, uncertain. A brief pause passed, and then another question surfaced, sharper than the last. Right? The cat's eyes narrowed slightly as he kept watching Chen Yu closely, doubt and hesitation mixing in his mind. If this backfires… I'm blaming him.
Chen Yu stood immediately and moved toward a small storage shelf, pulling out a few wrapped herbs. He worked quickly, grinding them and mixing them with a small amount of liquid before returning to the cat. "This might hurt," he said briefly. The cat narrowed its eyes slightly but didn't move. Chen Yu applied the mixture carefully along the marks.
For a moment nothing happened then the air shifted. A faint distortion rippled across the cat's body. The form flickered.In the next second Xu Yang stood in its place. He turned into Human again.
" Ugh " Xu Yang stumbled slightly, grabbing the edge of the table for support.He steadied himself with a small breath, then frowned as he looked down at his hands, flexing his fingers once. " Yeah, I'm definitely never getting used to that," he muttered. He glanced up at Chen Yu, a tired but slightly amused look crossing his face. "Next time, give me a warning before you fix me like that," he added, voice low but teasing. "I almost thought I was going to stay a cat forever."
Chen Yu stepped back immediately, eyes narrowing in shock. " What are you exactly ? " he said sharply. "What just happened? Aren't you going to explain?" Xu Yang looked at him, still catching his breath. " I am...Xu yang." he said, voice strained. "Relax." Chen Yu didn't relax. " You expect me to just accept that?"
Xu Yang exhaled and rubbed the back of his neck. " Sorry. I didn't mean to hide it," he said. "I just didn't know how to explain it. And honestly I'm still confused myself."
Chen Yu crossed his arms slightly. " Start talking." Xu Yang looked down for a moment, then back up.He told him everything.
Chen Yu slowly walked back and sat on the wooden chair, his gaze fixed on Xu Yang like he was still trying to decide whether everything he had just seen was real or some kind of illusion his mind had failed to process. After a long pause, he finally spoke. "So ..."
Chen Yu leaned back slightly, arms resting on the sides of the chair. " you're telling me you're a cat demon?" Xu Yang sighed faintly, rubbing his temple like he had expected exactly this reaction. " Yes," he admitted simply. Chen Yu let out a short, dry laugh, not amused but skeptical. "Do you think I'm going to believe that?" he said, raising an eyebrow. "A cat demon? Seriously?"
Xu Yang looked at him calmly, unfazed. "You already saw it," he replied. "You can choose to believe it or not." Chen Yu didn't respond immediately. His eyes narrowed slightly as he studied Xu Yang more carefully, as if rechecking every detail he thought he understood. " How is that even possible?" he asked. "You're so weak." Xu Yang blinked at that bluntness. Chen Yu didn't stop. "You can't even protect yourself properly," he said flatly. "You got injured that easily. And you're telling me you're a demon?"
Xu Yang paused for a second, then let out a small, almost self-aware laugh. " I know," he said. "I'm not that strong." Chen Yu didn't soften at all. " Then what are you?" Xu Yang leaned slightly against the table, folding his arms. "I'm just a low-level demon," he said. "Nothing special." Chen Yu's expression shifted slightly at that. " Low-level?" he repeated. " So that means " He leaned forward a little, voice lowering. " there are stronger ones?" Xu Yang nodded slowly. " Yes." Chen Yu's face tightened faintly. "You've met them?" Xu Yang shook his head. "No," he admitted. "I haven't met any personally." A pause settled between them. " But they exist."
The words lingered heavily in the room. Chen Yu looked away for a moment, processing it all, his grip tightening slightly on the armrest. " So this world really is more complicated than I thought," he muttered. Xu Yang gave a faint, tired smile. " You're just realizing that now?" Chen Yu shot him a quick look. "Don't get comfortable." Xu Yang raised his hands slightly in mock surrender. "Relax," he said. "I'm not hiding anything anymore." Chen Yu leaned back again, exhaling slowly. " You better not be."
Another brief silence followed before Chen Yu spoke again, this time more serious. " Those threads." Xu Yang's expression shifted immediately. " Yeah." Chen Yu's eyes sharpened. " What do you know about them?" Xu Yang hesitated. " Not everything," he admitted. "But I know they're not normal. They're not just some random phenomenon." Chen Yu leaned forward again. " Then what are they?" Xu Yang shook his head slightly. "I don't fully understand how they started," he said. "But I know they're connected to something deeper something unstable." Chen Yu frowned. " Unstable how?"
Xu Yang looked down briefly, then back up. " Like something is breaking," he said. "Or trying to change." A pause settled again. Chen Yu's voice lowered slightly. " And you're connected to them." Xu Yang didn't deny it. " In a way," he said. "I can feel them. Not control them… but sense them." Chen Yu stared at him for a long moment. " So when they appeared… that's why you reacted like that." Xu Yang nodded. " And that's probably why I turned into that form too." Chen Yu exhaled slowly, running a hand through his hair. " This is getting complicated." Xu Yang let out a faint laugh. " You think?" Chen Yu glanced at him again, more serious now. "Do you know how this started?" Xu Yang shook his head. "No," he said. "But whatever it is… it's not over."
Silence filled the room again after Xu Yang's last words. The tension that had been building between them didn't disappear, but it shifted becoming something more focused, more deliberate. Then Chen Yu stood up slowly, his expression set with quiet resolve. " Then we don't wait for it to get worse," he said. Xu Yang looked at him immediately, slightly surprised. " What are you saying?" Chen Yu's eyes sharpened as he answered without hesitation. " We find out what's behind those threads." Xu Yang blinked, processing it for a second before speaking again. " Together?" Chen Yu gave him a brief, direct look. " You're already involved," he said simply. "And I don't plan on dealing with this alone." Xu Yang exhaled slowly, then a faint, almost relieved smile appeared on his face. " Alright," he said quietly, straightening up slightly. " Then let's figure it out."
At the same time, far from Chen Yu's place, Yan Luo and Qing Li had reached Lin Chen's house. The door was slightly open, as if someone had left in a hurry. Yan Luo stepped forward first and knocked once, then called out, "Xu Yang?" There was no response. The silence inside felt too heavy, too empty. Qing Li frowned immediately. "He should be here," he muttered, already uneasy.
Yan Luo pushed the door open and stepped inside cautiously. "Xu Yang!" he called again, louder this time. Still nothing. Qing Li followed quickly, his eyes scanning every corner of the room with growing impatience. "This is strange," he said under his breath. Without wasting time, they began searching properly, moving from room to room, checking corners, windows, and every possible hiding place. But no matter where they looked, there was no sign of Xu Yang. Qing Li's expression darkened more with each passing second. " He's not here," he said finally, voice low and tense. Yan Luo's brows furrowed. " That doesn't make sense," he replied. Qing Li clenched his fists slightly. " Something's wrong," he said firmly.
Just then, footsteps approached from outside. Both of them turned instantly toward the entrance. Lin Chen appeared at the doorway. The moment Qing Li saw him, his expression changed sharply. He moved fast, closing the distance in an instant and grabbing Lin Chen by the collar, slamming him lightly against the wall. His grip tightened around Lin Chen's neck as anger flashed in his eyes. "Where did you hide Xu Yang?!" Qing Li demanded sharply. "Where is he?!"
Lin Chen's eyes widened in shock as he struggled to breathe. "I… I didn't." he tried to explain, but his words broke off as the pressure on his throat made it difficult to speak. Yan Luo stepped forward immediately. "Qing Li, let him go." Qing Li didn't move. "I'm not letting this go," he snapped. "He did something to Xu Yang. I knew something was off about him from the first time we met." Yan Luo's expression hardened. "That's enough."
He grabbed Qing Li's arm and pulled him back with force. Qing Li resisted for a moment, then finally released Lin Chen. Lin Chen dropped slightly, coughing heavily as he tried to catch his breath. Qing Li immediately stepped forward again, still clearly furious, but Yan Luo moved between them again, blocking him. "What are you doing?" Yan Luo said firmly. "Can you let him speak first?" Qing Li exhaled sharply, clearly frustrated but forcing himself to stop. " Fine," he said coldly, crossing his arms and glaring at Lin Chen. " Talk. What excuse do you have?"
Lin Chen didn't respond immediately. Instead, his expression slowly broke, like something inside him finally gave way under the pressure. His lips trembled, and tears formed in his eyes before he could stop them. Qing Li immediately looked more irritated than sympathetic. " Hey. Stop crying," Qing Li snapped. "And answer me. Where is he?"
Yan Luo shot him a sharp look. " Qing Li."
Qing Li exhaled loudly, forcing himself to step back slightly. " Alright, fine." Yan Luo then turned his attention back to Lin Chen, his voice calmer but firm. " Tell me," he said. "Where is Xu Yang? Did he go out for something?" Lin Chen shook his head immediately, tears falling as he tried to speak. " It's all my fault…" he said, voice breaking. "It's because of me…"
Qing Li's expression darkened instantly. " Your fault?" he repeated sharply. "What do you mean your fault?" Lin Chen suddenly dropped to his knees, unable to hold himself up anymore. "I told him to leave " he said, his voice shaking heavily. "I didn't have to say it… but I did…" Qing Li stepped forward immediately, anger rising again. "You told him to leave?!" he snapped.
Yan Luo raised a hand slightly, stopping him before he could move further. " Explain everything," he said firmly. Lin Chen wiped his face roughly, trying to steady his breath before continuing. " Last night… he came back," he said. "He apologized… for lying to me. For hiding things." His voice cracked again as he remembered it. " But I was angry. I didn't listen to him." Qing Li's jaw tightened. " Then what?"
Lin Chen lowered his head completely. " I pushed him," he said quietly. "And I told him to leave even though it was raining."
Silence fell over the room. Even Qing Li didn't speak this time, but his expression hardened dangerously. Yan Luo exhaled slowly, his tone turning heavier. " You shouldn't have done that," he said. "How could you send him out in that condition? What if something happened to him?" Lin Chen nodded quickly, tears falling again. "I know " he said. "I know I was wrong. I'm sorry…"
Qing Li let out a short, bitter laugh, shaking his head. "Sorry?" he repeated coldly. "Wow." He looked down at Lin Chen with sharp eyes. "He treated you like his best friend, and you pushed him out like that?" Lin Chen didn't answer. He couldn't. Yan Luo spoke again, calmer but firm. "I understand you were angry," he said. "He hid things from you. That's not easy to accept." A pause followed before he continued. "But you still should have listened to him. He must have had his reasons." Lin Chen lowered his head further. " I know…"
Yan Luo's voice hardened slightly. "But what you did… was not right." Silence filled the room again, heavy and uncomfortable.
Then Qing Li suddenly grabbed Yan Luo's arm. " Let's go," he said flatly. Yan Luo glanced at him. " Qing Li! " "He won't understand," Qing Li cut in coldly. For a moment, Yan Luo hesitated, then finally sighed. Without another word, the two of them turned and left, leaving Lin Chen kneeling alone in the silent room.
The room stayed silent after Yan Luo and Qing Li left. Lin Chen remained on his knees, motionless, staring at the empty space in front of him as the weight of everything pressed down harder than before. The air felt heavy, like it was refusing to move with him anymore. He lowered his head slightly, his hands trembling as he whispered, " I'm sorry… Xu Yang."
A long pause followed then something shifted. Lin Chen's body stiffened immediately. " Huh?" From the corner near the floor, something faint moved. At first, it looked like dust, but then it sharpened becoming a thin thread, barely visible, like it didn't fully belong in this space. " What is this ?" Lin Chen muttered, voice low and uncertain.
The thread didn't react randomly. It turned toward him. Lin Chen took a step back instantly. "No… don't tell me…" The air around it grew heavier, that familiar pressure returning. Lin Chen's breathing tightened. " This feeling again." The thread twitched once then a voice soft, distorted slipped through the silence. " He really left him like that."
Lin Chen froze. "W-what…? Who?" The thread reacted as if it had heard him, its shape tightening slightly. The pressure in the room deepened. Lin Chen's voice rose, shaky now. " Stop… stop talking like that!"
The thread didn't stop. Instead, the faint blue shimmer spread across the floor again, slow and deliberate. Lin Chen stepped back again. "I didn't mean it like that… I didn't."
The thread shifted again, and the same voice echoed, colder this time. " Then why did you send him away?" Lin Chen's breath caught. "I…" The air rippled. Blue petals began forming again, falling into the room where nothing should have existed. Lin Chen looked around wildly. "This isn't real… this isn't real." But the petals kept falling.
The thread straightened slightly, as if confirming something only it could understand. " It found him."
Lin Chen's eyes widened. "Who found him?! Xu Yang?! Where is he?!" No answer came.
The thread slowly faded, as if it had finished speaking. Lin Chen stood frozen in place, breathing uneven, staring at the empty corner where it had been. " Hey…" he whispered, voice breaking slightly. " Say something don't just disappear."
Silence answered him again.