1. THE ETERNAL NIGHT
The neon lights of Chang Le District cast eerie reflections on the rain-slicked streets. A cold mist clung to the air as Xuan Xingli walked, each step echoing through the silent night. The encounter with Ruan Hongyuan and the mysterious cloaked figure still weighed heavily on her mind.
The Xuan Yuan within her fluctuated unpredictably, as if something deep within was awakening. The sensation was unfamiliar—powerful yet alien, like another will blending with hers. Was this the mark they had spoken of? And if so, who had placed it upon her?
Her thoughts were interrupted by the distant chime of a bell. Looking up, she realized she was standing before a familiar tea house—the place where she had once met Luo Chenxi. The scent of Tian Mu Spring tea drifted through the air, delicate yet carrying an invisible tension.
She pushed open the door. Inside, warm lantern light bathed the room in golden hues. Luo Chenxi sat at a corner table, fingers idly tracing the rim of a porcelain teacup.
"You're late," Luo Chenxi murmured, her gaze still fixed on the tea.
"I wasn't aware we had an appointment," Xuan Xingli replied, taking the seat across from her.
Luo Chenxi's lips curved into an unreadable smile. "You met Ruan Hongyuan, didn't you?"
2. SECRETS BEHIND THE MASK
The certainty in Luo Chenxi's voice unsettled Xuan Xingli.
"You know her?" she probed.
Luo Chenxi took a slow sip of tea before answering. "Who do you think has been protecting her all these years?"
A silence stretched between them.
Realization struck like a cold wind. "You're connected to Black Lotus Society."
Luo Chenxi set down her teacup, her gaze unwavering. "Not all darkness is to be feared. And not all light can be trusted."
Her voice dropped lower. "What you should truly be concerned about is the mark inside you. It does not entirely belong to you."
A shiver ran through Xuan Xingli. The cloaked figure had hinted at the same thing. But what did it truly mean?
3. SIGNS OF WAR
Before Xuan Xingli could press further, a subtle shift in the air set both of them on alert. The lanterns flickered. A pressure stirred outside the tea house.
Without a word, Luo Chenxi placed a hand on her sword. Xuan Xingli focused on her Xuan Yuan. The tea house door creaked open, revealing a group of masked figures cloaked in black. They moved without sound, yet their intent was clear.
The first assailant lunged.
Xuan Xingli sidestepped, a flick of her hand distorting the space around her attacker, sending him crashing into a wooden pillar. Before he could rise, Luo Chenxi's blade flashed—a silver arc slicing through the dim light. Blood spattered the wooden floor.
The remaining assailants did not hesitate. They pressed forward. Xuan Xingli met them with precise, fluid movements, each strike growing more instinctive, as if guided by an unseen force.
The battle was swift. One by one, the masked figures fell, lifeless on the floor. The only sound remaining was the flickering flame of a lone lantern.
Luo Chenxi exhaled softly, wiping a stray drop of blood from her cheek. "We need to leave. Now."
Xuan Xingli hesitated. She had fought countless battles, but this felt different. The assassins had specifically targeted her. And if Luo Chenxi spoke the truth… the mark inside her was not just a brand.
4. THE MASTERMIND
Far from Chang Le District, deep within Astrelia, a lone figure sat in a dimly lit chamber. Before him, a phantom-like image hovered in the air, replaying the battle in the tea house.
A voice emerged from the darkness. "The first attempt has failed."
The figure smiled coldly, eyes gleaming. "That was expected. Xuan Xingli will not fall so easily. But soon, she will realize… the mark she carries is not a gift. It is a shackle."
The dim light reflected off the smooth surface of a black ring—the unmistakable insignia of Black Lotus Society.
Outside, Astrelia remained dazzling under the night sky, unaware that the shadows within were beginning to stir.