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The night air pressed heavily against Lin Yue's skin as the cultivators surrounded her. Their robes shimmered faintly with spiritual energy, and the glowing swords at their feet hummed with restrained power.
She clutched her brush tightly, her heart pounding so loudly it drowned out the sound of the river.
One of the cultivators, the young man in azure robes who had spoken before, stepped closer. His eyes were sharp, almost piercing, like he could see through her soul.
"Who are you? What sect trained you to wield such power?" he asked, his voice calm but carrying authority.
Lin Yue shook her head quickly. "I… I'm not from here. I don't even understand what's happening."
The cultivators exchanged doubtful looks.
A stern elder with a long white beard frowned deeply. "Not from here? Then how did you awaken such an artifact?" His gaze fell to her glowing brush.
Lin Yue's fingers tightened around it. "This isn't an artifact… it's just my paintbrush."
A ripple of unease passed through the group.
The elder's eyes narrowed. "Nonsense. That brush holds a spirit. A mortal could never control such power."
Before Lin Yue could answer, the air stirred again.
From the sky descended another figure — taller and more imposing than the rest. His robes were black trimmed with silver, and the sword beneath his feet gleamed like moonlight. Unlike the others, his presence was silent, but so heavy it made Lin Yue's breath catch.
The cultivators bowed slightly.
"Xu Mo," the azure-robed man greeted. "You've returned."
Lin Yue looked up at him, her pulse quickening for reasons she didn't understand.
His face was pale, beautiful, and cold as carved jade. His long black hair flowed like a river of night. His eyes, however, were the most striking — deep, unreadable, yet filled with something heavy, as though he carried centuries of sorrow in silence.
He looked at Lin Yue. Not with hostility, but with a chilling calm that made her shiver.
The elder gestured toward her. "This girl claims ignorance, but her brush brings drawings to life. What should we do with her?"
Xu Mo's gaze lingered on Lin Yue's trembling hands. On the brush that still glowed faintly in her grip.
Then, in a voice low and steady, he said, "Take her to Azure Cloud Sect."
Lin Yue's heart lurched.
The elder frowned. "But—"
Xu Mo cut him off with a single glance. His authority was unquestionable.
The cultivators obeyed. One of them approached her, gesturing toward a flying sword.
Lin Yue stepped back, her voice trembling. "Wait—I don't want to—"
"Do you wish to survive in this world?" Xu Mo's voice cut across hers, calm but sharp.
She froze. His words struck her like a cold wind.
He was right. She had no idea where she was, no food, no shelter, no protection. Without them, she would not last long.
Her fingers tightened around the brush. Slowly, she nodded.
The cultivator lifted her onto a glowing sword, the strange energy humming beneath her feet. She swayed, nearly losing her balance, but the sword steadied itself as if sensing her fear.
The group rose into the air. The river shrank below them, glowing softly in the moonlight. The mountains stretched endlessly, their peaks lost in the stars.
Lin Yue gasped, gripping the sword tightly. She was flying.
The cultivators moved swiftly through the sky, silent as shadows. Lin Yue stole a glance at Xu Mo, who flew ahead of them. His figure was steady, commanding, yet distant. He never looked back.
And yet… for a brief moment, when the moonlight caught his profile, she thought she saw something in his eyes.
Not coldness. Not hostility.
But calculation.
Her chest tightened, though she didn't know why.
The flight continued until at last, a grand mountain loomed ahead. Azure Cloud Sect. Waterfalls spilled from the cliffs, glowing cranes circled the skies, and vast palaces stood like floating islands among the clouds.
It was more beautiful than any of her paintings.
As they descended toward the sect gates, Lin Yue's heart pounded.
She didn't belong here. She was just a painter.
But Xu Mo's gaze, though calm on the surface, held a flicker of something else when it fell on her brush.
Not curiosity.
Possession.
She had stepped into a world she didn't understand, and unknowingly tied herself to a man whose motives were far from simple.
End of episode 3✨