The city of Yunxu lay amidst the snow-veiled ridges of Mount Qixian with its cobbled alleys and incense-hung balconies. The bridges were as old as the mists of time, arching like the backs of serpents over still waters, and the crimson lanterns swayed with a macabre rhythm from weathered attics.
Yet despite this ancient city's dreamlike beauty, its quiet could not mask the unrest that stirred beneath the surface, nor could it calm the storm raging in Xiyan's throbbing heart.
She had not spoken a word since they left Nivarra; instead, she had moved like a shadow behind the group, her gaze hollow and distant, as if some unseen weight pressed upon her chest. It did not go unnoticed, however – certainly not!
Wei Lan made several attempts to elicit a response from her by cracking jokes and juggling preserved fruits. He even staged a mock duel with a mop and an apron, but she remained silent for the remainder of their journey with her lips sealed tight. Taohua tried too, speaking gently, yet even his calm and honeyed voice could not pierce whatever barrier had grown around her.
By the time twilight descended, the group secured lodging in a guesthouse near the city's southern quarter, and it was around this time that Wei Lan could no longer bear her out-of-character antics, so he found Kaolin standing alone at the far end of the chamber, gazing out over the lantern-lit horizon with his hands folded behind his back, the way he often did when deep in thought.
"You should go talk to her. I mean it this time."
Kaolin's eyes did not leave Mount Qixian in the distance with its snow-capped peak and snaking rivers as if something about that place stirred something deep within him. When Wei Lan repeated himself, however, his response gave away just how put out he was by being interrupted.
"Why do you keep saying pointless things? Since when did I ever—"
Wei Lan frowned. "She hasn't spoken since we left Nivarra; she's not herself, Kaolin. I think something might've happened to her back in Nivarra. Besides, there's still something I don't quite understand…"
Kaolin briefly met his gaze. "Which is…?"
"How did she even enter the fortress? Did you… help her?"
"Help her?" Kaolin repeated more for himself than for the other to answer, the tone of his voice laced with amusement, before changing the subject. "Leave her be. She'll speak once whatever bothers her no longer does. It's not like she's refusing to eat, does she?"
Wei Lan was about to respond to this when Guo Lan appeared behind them and voiced his opinion on the matter, too. "Master, I'm afraid she hasn't been eating well lately. At this rate, she might as well fall ill…"
Kaolin shut his eyes and sighed deeply. The last thing he wanted was to comfort someone, yet those two actually had the time and heart to worry about someone other than him – someone they barely knew, even. Since when did they take to Xiyan and Taohua?
"You two really won't stop nagging me, will you?"
Without waiting for an answer, he strode to the centre of the chamber, where Taohua and Xiyan waited, seated at opposite corners of a wooden table. Now that he had taken a proper look at her, she did look quite gaunt and thinner. She even avoided meeting his gaze, as if she feared he might read her thoughts and see through whatever had caused her such distress.
Tailing right behind him like they were his shadows were Wei Lan and Guo Lan, both eagerly waiting for him to do something that would make Xiyan return to her usual bubbly self. But doing so was harder than it looked, especially when she wouldn't pay attention to anybody around her as if she were lost in her distraught mind.
He seated himself opposite the commander, his two companions settling beside him like puppets. He then drew a slow breath, straightened his back, and let his voice ring out in a firm tone, meant to cut through the awkward silence and bring all attention from their unspoken burdens to matters far more pressing.
"So far, we've retrieved two of the Divine Artefacts with ease and with no great hindrance," he began, "but do not forget that the path ahead leads to the abyss. As you all know, Wujing Yuan is no ordinary terrain, but the sealed tomb of the God of Space… as well as the cage of the Demon God. One misstep there, and we risk awakening what should remain chained forever. I do not say this to frighten you, but to remind you: there's no space for error once we enter that place." He paused for a few seconds to allow those words to sink in. "That is why," he continued, "I seek your thoughts and opinions on how to proceed, however strange or absurd they may sound. Tonight, every voice shall be heard."
Wei Lan stared at him as though the heavens had cracked open and the world tilted on its axis – all at the same time. "Wait, what?" he burst out. "Since when did you start caring what we think?"
Kaolin arched a brow upon hearing this, taken aback, only for Wei Lan to rise to his feet and wink at him with a glint in his eyes, advancing towards the commander.
"I mean," he went on, gesturing broadly, "Isn't this coming out of nowhere? We've literally done everything you've said up until this point, and now you want our opinions? Just like… that? Without warning or anything? Am I wrong, Commander?"
Taohua, "It does seem to come out of nowhere, but…"
Kaolin dropped his head low with a smirk at the absurdity of what Wei Lan was trying to do as he turned to Xiyan and tried to draw her into the conversation. "Hey, Xiyan. What do you think?"
"I'm not sure…"
"See?" Wei Lan said as he strode back to Kaolin's side, draping an arm over his shoulders with a proud and playful grin. "I told you, didn't I? The Kaolin I know does not bend his ear to other people's opinions. So… what is the secret behind this sudden question, hmm?"
"You call this helping?" Kaolin muttered through clenched teeth, his voice low enough for only Wei Lan to hear. "All you're doing is making me look suspicious right now."
But instead of replying, Wei Lan withdrew his arm and turned to the others with a grand gesture. "Brothers, sisters, fellow Cultivators of great renown! Master Kaolin thinks I'm overreacting! But I am not, am I?"
Taohua, Guo Lan, even Xiyan gave the barest of nods. Kaolin let out a slow, peeved exhale upon seeing this, smirking. He realised, for perhaps the first time, how tightly he had gripped the reins since the beginning of this arcane journey. Those four had come to rely too much on him, and in doing so, had stopped thinking for themselves.
"Very well," he said, regaining composure. "I am asking you now. So, tell me what you think we should do, what to look out for…"
No one said a word. Instead, they all looked in four different directions to avoid meeting his eyes, which became narrower by the second, his patience wearing thin from the prevailing quiet and elusive gazes.
"So? No one?"
Again, no response in return. He sighed, visibly disheartened, and for a long moment, he said nothing. Then, a small voice broke through the hush, one that caught all of them off guard.
"I, uh, was thinking, Master," Guo Lan began, his voice somewhat rough and hesitant. "Perhaps we should split up? Wujing Yuan has four levels as far as I'm aware, and if we divide our efforts, each of us could search a layer, cover more ground, and thus avoid drawing too much attention on ourselves."
Wei Lan let out a triumphant shout and clapped Guo Lan's back with such force it nearly sent him sprawling. "Guo Lan, you genius! Since when did you become so smart, huh?" Guo Lan gave a sheepish, proud smile upon hearing this.
Kaolin nodded approvingly. "An excellent idea, Guo Lan." His voice deepened as his mind raced through every possible way to make their descent into the prison flawless. "Now, listen closely. What I'm about to say may decide not only the fate of Shenzhou and His Highness, but your very lives as well."
He then lowered his voice and drew them closer until their shoulders touched and their shadows merged as one. "Here's the plan…"