On the morning before Xiao Chen and Xuan Chen were captured, Yan Sha told his sister Yan Ruoyan that he had matters to attend to and would be leaving the camp for a few days.
Yan Ruoyan asked anxiously, "What is it? Where are you going?"
Yan Sha patted her head. "I'm going to meet with the elders. Talk things through. Don't wander around these next few days—I'll be back soon."
Yan Ruoyan nodded, a flicker of hope and prayer in her eyes. Is my brother… finally ready to make a decision?
But that very night, Xiao Chen and Xuan Chen were brought back to the camp in chains.
—
After hearing Yan Ruoyan's story, Xuan Chen felt a storm of hatred and doubt swirl within him. Her words and actions seemed completely unaware of the truth. She even defended Yan Sha, claiming he was preparing to leave the Crimson Refining Sect.
Xuan Chen asked quietly, "You trust your brother that much?"
She paused, then smiled softly. "My brother loves me. He wouldn't lie to me."
From her eyes, he saw unguarded sincerity and dependence—a kind of faith that needed no proof. Something stirred in his heart. The doubt deepened. This purity clashed with everything he'd seen in the world.
She doesn't seem to be lying… but is this really the truth? he wondered silently.
He decided not to judge too quickly. He would keep watching.
Xuan Chen said calmly, "It's getting late, Princess. You should rest." With that, he stood and headed toward the door.
Yan Ruoyan called out sharply, "Stop. Where do you think you're going?"
Xuan Chen blinked. "Back to the cell to rest?"
She walked over and tugged his sleeve. "Who said you could rest out there? You're mine now. If you're going to rest, it'll be in this room."
Xuan Chen felt his head spin. He stammered, "P-Princess… men and women should keep their distance. Me spending the night in your room… isn't that inappropriate? Aren't you worried about gossip?"
Yan Ruoyan scoffed with a grin. "Worried about what? I've chosen you—who dares to speak ill? What's wrong? Don't have the guts? Ha! I'm a woman and I'm not afraid. You're more scared than I am?"
Suddenly, she pressed him back against the door again, her body leaning close. She whispered into his ear, breath warm:
"Are you afraid I'll eat you alive?"
Xuan Chen's heart gave a jolt. His cheeks flushed as he averted his gaze and murmured, "Princess… I'm a man too. Aren't you afraid… afraid I might do something to you?"
Yan Ruoyan giggled, her voice playful and bright. As she walked toward the bed, she said, "Afraid of what? I'm only afraid… you won't dare do anything. I'm about to undress—stand there and watch properly~"
Seeing her truly begin to loosen her robes, Xuan Chen panicked and squeezed his eyes shut.
Suddenly, something soft hit his face. He opened his eyes—it was a folded bedding set.
From behind the gauzy curtain came Yan Ruoyan's teasing hum. "You're overthinking. I'm letting you sleep on the floor, not on my bed. Sleep."
Xuan Chen stood frozen, and to his own surprise, a strange sense of disappointment welled up inside him. He whispered to himself:
"What's wrong with me… Why do I feel… let down?"
Shaking his head, he laid out the bedding and sat cross-legged to begin his cultivation.
——
At dawn the next day, Xiao Chen was transferred to the mining transit station. On the way, he happened to pass by Xuan Chen and Yan Ruoyan.
Xuan Chen glanced sideways, and while Yan Ruoyan wasn't looking, gave a subtle nod. Xiao Chen returned the gesture. In a brief exchange of thought-messages, Xiao Chen outlined his plan, while
Xuan Chen shared his conversation with the princess—and his lingering doubts.
——
After arriving at the transit station, Xiao Chen spent several days among the imprisoned villagers.
During that time, he secretly observed the defenses, personnel shifts, and daily handover routines.
He memorized every detail, spending six days to map out the entire system.
What he didn't know was that two days after his departure, something chilling happened back at the mountain camp—an event that, ironically, would increase their chances of escape.
——
The day after Xiao Chen left the camp, Captain Chen awoke with a start, drenched in cold sweat and panic written all over his face.
He rushed to the door, shouting hoarsely at the guard outside, "Those two… those two young men we captured—where are they now?!"
His words tumbled out in a frenzy, confusing the guard for a moment. Then the man replied, "Reporting to Captain… they were sent to the mines. Already on the road."
Captain Chen was struck as if by lightning. His eyes widened in horror as he screamed, "The mines?! Ha… ha… no one ever comes back alive from that place!"
As the words left his mouth, it was as if he hadn't yet awakened from a nightmare. Madness overtook him.
Just then, he spotted Xuan Chen walking with Yan Ruoyan in the distance. His eyes bulged in shock, and he was about to rush forward to expose them—when Xuan Chen's gaze sharpened. His eyes pierced straight into Captain Chen's mind like needles.
Suddenly, Captain Chen felt the world spin. His skull thundered like drums, as if ten thousand needles stabbed into his brain. He clutched his head and screamed, "Aaaah—AAAHHH!!"
His cries were shrill as a ghost's wail, drawing startled shouts from nearby.
With a thud, he collapsed to his knees, convulsing violently, foam spilling from his mouth—until he finally passed out cold.
The crowd was stunned. No one knew why he had screamed and clutched his head. Thinking he'd fallen ill, they hurried to carry him away.
—
That night, the moon hung low and dim.
Xuan Chen stood beneath its pale light, holding a gray talisman. He whispered five sacred words.
In the distant room, Captain Chen suddenly awoke, drenched in cold sweat, his eyes bloodshot and wide.
His limbs trembled. His voice rasped like a beast's. "It's him… it's definitely him! He's in my head—he's inside my head!!"
He clawed at his scalp, fingernails tearing through skin, blood spurting as if trying to dig something out of his brain. Pain and terror twisted his face into something inhuman.
And in the unseen dark, he hurled himself against the corner of the wall. Blood splattered.
—
At dawn the next day, a village doctor was summoned to examine him. But the moment the door was pushed open, the sight inside turned the doctor's face pale.
Blood and brain matter covered the floor. Bone fragments still clung to the wall.
Some villagers whispered that they'd heard eerie screams from the room last night, but no one dared check. Now that he'd died by smashing his own head, fear spread like wildfire.
Rumors flew. Some said he was taken by vengeful spirits. Others claimed he'd provoked mountain demons. Still others whispered that he'd committed murder outside the camp—and this was retribution.
Within half a day, the entire mountain camp was in chaos. People refused to go out at night. Some lit incense and drew talismans. Others said if nothing was done, Captain Chen's soul would linger in the camp, unable to move on.
With Yan Sha still absent, the camp had no leader. The matter was pushed to Yan Ruoyan, and the people begged her to take charge.
Yan Ruoyan herself was shaken, unable to make sense of it. But with everyone pleading for a decision, she dared not delay.
Seeing the situation, Xuan Chen whispered to her, "No one can say for sure—whether it's illness or something… else. If it's a disease, it might spread. If it's not… then burning the body cleanly might help people see things more clearly. Don't you think?"
Yan Ruoyan looked up at him, hesitation still lingering in her eyes.
"Will that… really silence the rumors?" Yan Ruoyan asked.
Xuan Chen nodded. "If we don't act, fear will spread through the camp. The consequences could be unpredictable."
Yan Ruoyan hesitated, then gritted her teeth and agreed.
That night, flames roared into the sky. The old house was reduced to ash.
But the rumors didn't die. In fact, the act of burning the house only deepened the shadows.
Whispers spread among the villagers—some claimed they saw a dark figure leaping across the rooftop that night. Others said the windless night saw the door curtain lift three times on its own, as if someone… refused to leave. There were cries, soft and mournful, like weeping and pleading.
The atmosphere in the camp grew heavier. Everyone felt on edge.
—
Over the next six days, Xuan Chen, due to his "close relationship" with Yan Ruoyan, gradually gained freedom of movement within the camp—though he was still forbidden to leave.
Yan Ruoyan treated him with meticulous care, her words gentle, her thoughts thoughtful. Every day, she personally selected fabrics and tailored his clothes, often bringing new garments with a smile, asking if they fit well. During meals, she served him herself, explaining the origin of each dish, asking if it suited his taste.
Sometimes, she would sit beside him and talk about her childhood in the Crimson Refining Sect—how she trained with her brother, how they'd sneak out to play.
Even his bathing was carefully arranged. She specifically instructed the servants that only male attendants were allowed to assist—no women were to approach. Her reason: "He's mine to take care of. No one else is allowed to touch him."
Faced with her constant warmth and attention, Xuan Chen felt something stir inside him—something he couldn't name. He only knew that no one in this world had ever treated him like this.
So naturally. So… intimately.
—
On the sixth night, Xiao Chen sent a thought-message to Xuan Chen, saying he had found the right time to rescue the captives and wanted to discuss the plan. Xuan Chen agreed—they would act the next night. No more waiting.
—
At dawn the next day.
A towering figure—two meters tall, skin dark and rough, body covered in muscle and scars—rode hard toward the camp's western gate. He carried a horse-slaying blade, his upper body bare, draped in a white tiger pelt.
It was Yan Sha.
He charged like a beast returning to its den.
The moment Yan Sha stepped through the camp gate, his eyes instinctively searched for his sister.
Every time he returned, she would be there—waiting with a smile, calling out, "Brother."
But this time, the entrance was empty.
Yan Sha's brows furrowed. A strange unease stirred in his chest. He asked coldly, and after a moment of hesitation, one of his men finally spoke in a low voice:
"Princess… has been living with a man these past few days… They haven't been sleeping in separate rooms."
Yan Sha froze. His gaze darkened.
And then—memories surged.
Back when he and Yan Ruoyan hadn't yet joined the Crimson Refining Sect, they had wandered the land, relying only on each other. On a snowy winter night, he had wrapped their only beast pelt around her, shivering in the cold himself, whispering:
"You're my only family. No one is allowed to touch you."
He remembered her tearful eyes asking, "Brother… am I a burden to you?"
He had gritted his teeth and growled, "You're the only pure thing left in my heart… Has even that been tainted now?"
That word—pure—had been the one belief that kept him going through childhood. And now, it had been trampled by a single sentence: living with a man.
He closed his eyes, as if suppressing a beast trying to break free. Rage surged in his chest, boiling his blood. It felt as if the world itself was mocking him for failing to protect the one thing he held sacred.
With a thunderous roar, killing intent erupted.
He turned, gripped his blade, and charged toward the princess's quarters like a tidal wave of fury. In his mind, only one thought echoed:
Whoever touched my sister—must die.
—
That same morning, Xuan Chen sat in quiet meditation within Yan Ruoyan's room, his breath calm as water.
Midway through his cultivation, his brows twitched. A fierce, brutal aura seeped into his senses from beyond the camp walls.
He opened his eyes. His gaze sharpened like a cold star.
This killing intent… like a blood-drunk tiger. Dominant, dark. Nine chances out of ten—it's Yan Sha.
He pondered for a moment, then glanced toward the gauzy curtain. Yan Ruoyan was still fast asleep.
Without a word, Xuan Chen rose and stepped outside, instructing the male attendants to prepare tea and pastries.
If it's really him… then let this scene play out properly.
He had already prepared the tea and cakes, smiling as he told Yan Ruoyan he wanted to serve her a bite himself.
Just as the two sat facing each other, tea steaming between them, the killing aura outside surged like a crashing wave.
Yan Ruoyan giggled, "Nooo, I don't want it."
Xuan Chen replied gently, "Come now, be good. Just one bite."
The door slammed open with a thunderous crash.
—Moments earlier, outside the room, Yan Sha had heard a woman's playful voice: "Nooo, I don't want it."
A man's gentle laugh: "Come now, be good. Just one bite."
Fury exploded in his chest. He kicked the door open with a roar.
Eyes blazing, blade in hand, Yan Sha stormed into the room, nearly breathing fire.
But what he saw stopped him cold.
Xuan Chen was calmly holding a piece of pastry toward Yan Ruoyan. The two sat across from each other, fully clothed, the atmosphere… somewhere between tender and ambiguous.
Yan Ruoyan saw her brother and immediately rose to greet him.
But Yan Sha glared at her, voice sharp. "I've only been gone a few days—and you brought a man into your room? You've been living together?"
Afraid he'd lose control, Yan Ruoyan hurried to his side, speaking softly. "Brother, calm down. Let me explain." She pulled him aside to speak in hushed tones.
Still fuming, Yan Sha growled, "Ruoyan, what's going on? Why would you bring some random villager into your room? And let him stay here for days? Tell me honestly—what exactly happened between you two?"
Blushing, Yan Ruoyan playfully tapped his arm and pouted, "Brother, you're being ridiculous. Nothing happened. He's been very kind to me. We've kept things proper. Don't jump to conclusions."
Yan Sha's anger eased slightly, but suspicion lingered. "Who is this man? Do you even know what kind of person he is?"
Not wanting him to dig deeper, Yan Ruoyan replied quickly, "Captain Chen brought him back from the village. Said he'd been hiding there."
Yan Sha turned toward the door and barked, "Where's Captain Chen? Tell him to come see me!"
The guards outside paled, stammering.
Yan Ruoyan grabbed her brother's arm. "Captain Chen… he's dead."
Yan Sha froze. "Dead? How?"
Yan Ruoyan recounted the events of the previous day—his madness, his screams, and the gruesome scene in his room.
When she finished, Yan Sha's face darkened like iron. He muttered, "This… isn't simple."
He turned to leave—but Yan Ruoyan grabbed his arm again.
Yan Ruoyan looked at her brother pleadingly. "Brother, I like him. You always say I'm too naïve, but I know this feeling is different… This time, it's my choice."
Yan Sha cut her off sharply. "No. You've only known him for a few days. I don't even know what kind of man he is. I can't just hand you over to someone I don't trust. What if he has ulterior motives?"
Yan Ruoyan clung to his arm, shaking it playfully. "Didn't you say you'd leave the Crimson Refining Sect once I found someone to settle down with? Well, I've found someone I like. And he treats me well. So maybe…"
Yan Sha's voice was firm. "No. Absolutely not."
With that, he turned and strode out, ignoring her calls.
Xuan Chen watched his retreating figure, brows slightly furrowed.
This man… is more composed than I expected.
He sent a thought-message to Xiao Chen:
Yan Sha has returned. Postpone the operation.
—
Dark clouds churned overhead. The wind carried the scent of rain.
Beyond the mountain camp…
Something was approaching.