Outside the cave, the sky had already begun to dim. Twilight crept across the horizon, casting long shadows over the mountains and staining the crimson leaves with shades of violet and gold.
Inside the cave, Zhen Huan sat beside the sleeping girl, the faint glow of his storage window flickering before him.
He closed the lid of the healing cream tin with a soft click and looked at it in his hand.
"Store," he whispered.
A small purple portal shimmered to life in his palm. The tin was drawn into it, vanishing in a blink. A moment later, the portal faded, leaving behind the now-updated storage window floating in the air.
Item Stored:
• Bed Sheet – 1
• Blanket – 1
• Normal Clothes Set – 1
• Fire Fang Wolves Corpse – 4
• Cooked Beast Meats – 6
• Unknown Sword – 1
• Healing Cream – 1
Zhen Huan's eyes paused at the bottom of the list.
Oh right... I totally forgot about giving that sword a name.
He stood up and dusted his hands, then said aloud, "System, I want to name my sword."
A new window appeared in the air, written in dark ink-like script on a greyish screen:
---
Please enter the name...
_
Done...
---
Zhen Huan focused for a moment, then lifted his hand and began tracing letters through the air with his spiritual energy.
Invincible Slayer Sword
He tapped the "Done" prompt.
The window dissolved like mist, only to be replaced by another, glowing gently in white.
System Notification:
You have named the Seven Ruthless Sword — "Invincible Slayer Sword."
A soft grin curved Zhen Huan's lips as he read the words.
"That's more like it," he muttered with satisfaction.
The system screen faded, leaving him alone in the fading light, the hum of night insects beginning to echo outside the cave.
Next Morning — Inside the Cave
Zhen Huan remained seated beside the unconscious girl, his back resting against the rough wall of the cave. The cool morning light filtered faintly through the cave entrance, casting gentle shadows on the stone floor.
His eyes fluttered open. He let out a long yawn and rubbed his face with both hands.
So it's already morning...
He turned his head toward Yun Sha, still sleeping peacefully on the flat stone slab.
This girl's still asleep, he thought, then leaned in slightly, observing her injuries.
Her wounds are healing quickly. That cream really worked wonders.
He stood up and stretched, bones popping slightly with the motion.
"I'm hungry."
With that, he said aloud, "System storage."
A soft hum filled the air as the purple storage window materialized before him.
Item Stored:
• Bed Sheet – 1
• Blanket – 1
• Normal Clothes Set – 1
• Fire Fang Wolves Corpse – 4
• Cooked Beast Meats – 6
• Invincible Slayer Sword – 1
• Healing Cream – 1
Zhen Huan tapped twice on the "Cooked Beast Meats" section. Instantly, two steaming slabs of meat appeared in his left hand. The storage window faded and then refreshed:
Item Stored:
• Bed Sheet – 1
• Blanket – 1
• Normal Clothes Set – 1
• Fire Fang Wolves Corpse – 4
• Cooked Beast Meats – 4
• Invincible Slayer Sword – 1
• Healing Cream – 1
He glanced at the window, then ignored it, lowering himself to sit cross-legged near the cave wall. He began to eat, chewing slowly and savoring the flavor.
After a few moments, he wiped his mouth and let out a satisfied burp.
"It tastes good."
But before he could relax, a voice echoed sharply from behind.
"Who the hell are you, and what did you do to me?"
Zhen Huan blinked and turned around.
Yun Sha was awake, sitting up with a deep blush on her cheeks. She clutched her tattered clothes tightly against her chest, glaring at him with suspicion and anger.
Zhen Huan offered an awkward smile.
"Oh, Miss, you're awake."
Her eyes narrowed.
"Don't 'Miss' me. What did you do to me?"
He scratched the back of his head, clearly confused.
"Huh? What did I do to you?"
What's she talking about?
Yun Sha's sharp gaze scanned him from head to toe.
He looks like a villager… but there's spiritual energy in his body. Who is he really?
"Who are you? And where exactly are we?" she demanded.
Zhen Huan gave a small shrug and replied with a polite smile.
"I'm Zhen Huan. We're inside a cave near the mountain. I carried you here after that beast nearly killed you."
She should be thanking me instead of yelling like this, he grumbled inwardly.
Yun Sha slowly rose to her feet, still holding her clothes close.
"Im Yun Sha. And can you step outside the cave. Just for a minute."
Doesn't seem like he did anything strange…
Zhen Huan nodded and turned toward the cave entrance.
"Oh, fine. And your sword is beside that stone."
Without another word, he walked toward the mouth of the cave, sunlight warming his face as he stepped outside.
Yun Sha stood alone in the dim interior, the echoes of Zhen Huan's retreating footsteps fading near the entrance. Slowly, she undid her clothes, removing everything that clung to her injured body. Her garments, torn and bloodstained, slid to the ground in silence. Now completely bare, she examined herself under the soft morning light that seeped into the cave.
Her fingers gently traced the places where wounds had once been.
What… All of them are healed? Except for my chest… This kind of recovery—impossible. Even with a month of focused healing, I couldn't have managed this.
She tucked her damaged clothing into her spiritual ring, then raised both hands and summoned a gentle, rose-hued spiritual qi. It enveloped her entirely, spiraling around her body like mist. Within moments, the dirt and blood vanished, leaving her skin clean. Only the faint scar across her chest remained—already closing fast.
From her spiritual ring, she withdrew a fresh set of white clothes. In the span of seconds, she dressed with graceful movements. A soft snap of her fingers secured the robe's final clasp. Then, she tied her long, dark hair with a shimmering silver ribbon, letting it fall neatly behind her back.
Now I'm ready.
With a flick of her wrist, she summoned her sword. The weapon, resting beside the stone at the mouth of the cave, flew through the air in a sharp whistle and landed smoothly in her outstretched hand.
Yun Sha stepped toward the exit.
Outside, Zhen Huan stood with his hands folded behind his back, watching the morning sky. His silhouette was calm, though the faint sounds of the forest stirred behind him.
"Hey," Yun Sha called, her voice breaking the stillness. "Your name's Zhen Huan, right? Where do you live?"
Zhen Huan turned, caught slightly off guard. "Ah—I live outside the Hell Forest. Tian Village."
He blinked. She looks… more beautiful than before.
Yun Sha crossed her arms. "Tian Village, huh? Then what happened to the beast?"
Zhen Huan turned his gaze toward the distant mountain peaks, then lifted a finger to point. "Not sure why, but after attacking, it ran off toward that mountain."
She stepped beside him, close enough that her shoulder brushed his arm, and followed his line of sight.
"That one?" she asked, pointing toward the ridge.
He glanced at her face—now calm and unreadable—and stammered slightly. "Y-yeah…"
She's so close.
Without another word, Yun Sha leapt down from the cave's rocky ledge, landing lightly on the forest floor. Her white robe fluttered behind her like falling snow.
She looked back up at him. "Aren't you coming?"
Zhen Huan hesitated at the edge. Is she… calling me?
"You mean me?" he asked aloud.
Yun Sha raised an eyebrow. "Who else is here with me?"
Zhen Huan exhaled, then jumped down beside her.
Is she pretending to be kind now, or is she really this unpredictable?
"Sorry. But… why are you calling me?"
Yun Sha turned toward the mountain path and began walking. "I want you to do me a favor. Help me kill that beast."
Zhen Huan followed, clearly troubled. "Me? That thing is way more powerful than I am! How do you expect me to help?"
She must be crazy. That beast would tear me apart in seconds.
He added, "And what exactly do I get in return for risking my life?"
Yun Sha halted.
He stopped just behind her, eyebrows raised.
She turned slowly, her eyes narrowing into a sharp, icy glare. Her gaze pierced like daggers, and her voice dropped.
"If you don't help me…" she said coldly, "I'll tell my clan you tried to do something to me when I was unconscious."
Zhen Huan froze. "What!? I didn't do anything like that!"
Damn it. Saving her was the worst decision I've made.
Yun Sha's serious expression broke into a teasing smile. She laughed softly.
"Relax. I was joking." She gave a slight nod. "And… thank you for helping me when I was injured."
Zhen Huan blinked, still recovering. "Oh… It's fine."
This girl changes expressions faster than a lizard changes skin.