The next morning.
In the Medicine Hall, carrying with faint scent of herbs and healing smoke. Morning light filtered through the paper windows, painting thin gold lines across the floor. Chen Hua stirred beneath the thick blankets, her lashes trembling as consciousness slowly returned.
Her breath hitched as a dull pain pulsed through her shoulder. She tried to move but winced—the spear wound burned as if the cold of the mountain had seeped deep into her bones.
A gentle voice broke the silence.
"She's awake."
Cin Yan leaned forward from where she had been sitting beside the bed all night, exhaustion etched across her face. Beside her stood Mo Rian and Shi Tian, both with dark circles under their eyes. And behind them, framed in the light of the doorway, stood Headmaster Xiang.
Chen Hua blinked, disoriented. " Cin Yan…?"
Cin Yan's lips softened into a small, relieved smile. "Don't try to move. You're safe now, back in the village. How are you feeling?"
"My shoulder… burns," Chen Hua whispered, her voice hoarse.
Headmaster Xiang stepped closer, his long grey robe rustling softly. "You've been through a lot, child. The healer said the spear missed your heart by mere inches. Rest easy—you were fortunate."
Chen Hua nodded faintly, her gaze wandering to the room around her. The soft glow of lanterns, jars of herbs on the shelves, and the faint sound of running water outside—it was almost peaceful, if not for the dull ache reminding her of how close she had come to death.
Mo Rian placed a bowl of warm broth beside her. "You should eat something soon,"she said, her tone calm but eyes heavy. "We were worried you wouldn't wake for another day."
Cin Yan exhaled, finally allowing her tense shoulders to relax. "You scared us," she said softly. "You shouldn't have jumped in like that."
Chen Hua's gaze dropped. Her lips curved into a faint, weak smile. "If I hadn't… you'd be the one lying here."
Cin Yan's breath caught. The words hit deeper than she expected. For a moment, her composure wavered, and she reached out, gently squeezing Chen Hua's uninjured hand. "Foolish girl," she whispered. "You should have let me dodge it."
A quiet silence settled between them, filled only by the faint crackle of the brazier. The others watched, their faces unreadable.
Finally, Headmaster Xiang cleared his throat, his tone measured but firm. "Chen Hua," he began, "we need to ask you something important. Take your time—but your answer matters greatly."
Chen Hua's expression shifted slightly. "Ask, Headmaster."
He nodded slowly. "Do you remember the moment the spear struck? Did you… see who threw it?"
The question hung heavy in the air.
Cin Yan's eyes flickered with restrained tension. Shi Tian leaned forward, his jaw tightening.
Chen Hua's gaze fell to her blanket. For a long while, she didn't answer. The memory flickered at the edge of her mind—the wolf's furious howl, Cin Yan's blade flashing through snow, the spear whistling from somewhere behind them. Then darkness. Pain. Cold.
"I…" she whispered, shaking her head slowly. "I didn't see."
Shi Tian's brows furrowed. "You're sure?"
She nodded again. "I only saw the wolf charging . The rest happened too fast. When I turned, the spear was already flying… I just moved without thinking."
Cin Yan exhaled slowly, disappointment and relief tangled together. "You don't need to force yourself to remember," she said softly. "Rest."
But Shi Tian didn't move. His eyes burned with frustration. "There must be someone. A mistake doesn't just happen like that!"
Headmaster Xiang lifted a hand, silencing him. "Enough. She's still weak." His voice carried authority that brooked no argument. Then turning to Chen Hua, he added more gently, "If you recall anything later—anything at all—you'll tell us. Understood?"
"Yes, Headmaster," Chen Hua replied quietly.
Satisfied, Xiang turned to the others. "We will investigate. But for now, no more questions. Let her heal."
He gave a short nod and left the hall, robes sweeping behind him like a drifting shadow. The moment he left, the air inside seemed lighter, but the tension between the disciples remained.
Shi Tian clenched his fists. "We all know who it must've been," he muttered. "No one else had the strength or reason."
Cin Yan's eyes narrowed slightly. "Shi Tian…"
"It must be Fu Yang," he said bluntly.
Mo Rian looked up from where she stood near the door. "You're jumping to conclusions again."
"I'm not," Shi Tian snapped. "He was the only one acting strange before the fight. He didn't help when we were forming positions, and afterward, he didn't even care when Chen Hua was hit! Tell me that isn't suspicious!"
Cin Yan sighed, rubbing her temples. "Even if you think it's him, we have no proof. The disciple who accused him yesterday already admitted he lied."
Shi Tian turned away, pacing near the wall. "Then he scared the truth out of him. You saw how that boy looked—terrified out of his mind!"
Mo rian's calm voice cut through the tension. "Or maybe he was terrified because he had lied. But it's simple why would fu yang create a problem last night?,.if he wanted to hide he would have helped, at least acted like he cared and have not caused the fight."
Shi tian got confused look on his face.
" Tell me shi tian if it were any other, you or me we would have stayed silent, so that no one would think it were us, but he didn't, and he did what he usually do, not talking and not caring."
Shi Tian glared. "You're defending him?"
"I'm being rational," mo rian replied simply.
Cin Yan stood, her voice gentle but commanding. "Enough. Both of you." Her eyes softened as she looked at Chen Hua, who was watching the argument in silence. "Right now, our priority is her recovery. The rest can wait."
Shi Tian bit back a reply, then finally exhaled in frustration and walked toward the exit. "Fine. But if the truth comes out and it is him… I won't stay silent."
He left the hall, the door sliding shut behind him. Only the sound of the brazier filled the quiet once again.
"Sighhhh"
---
Meanwhile in the accademy.
Fu yang woke up from his sleep.
He leaned back against the cold wall and closed his eyes. Memories from the battle surged before him—the blinding snow, the roar of the spiritual wolf, the rush of blood and steel. And then, that single, fleeting moment when opportunity revealed itself.
Back in the forest…
While everyone had charged at the wolf, distracted and chaotic, Fu Yang had hung back, half crouched behind a fallen tree. The others were too focused on forming positions, shouting orders, and channeling energy to notice him. He saw Cin Yan fighting with the wolf.
Smiling hiis grip tightened around the shaft of a discarded wooden spear, its edge sharpened for training but still deadly at close range. His eyes had narrowed, and for a brief instant, something sharp and cold flickered across his face.
No one saw him draw breath, aim, or move. The fight and shouts had masked the sound of his throw. The spear flew, slicing through the wind like a silent whisper—its target clear, its intent cold.
But fate, it seemed, had other plans.
Chen Hua.
She had appeared out of nowhere, throwing herself between spear and Cin Yan. He could still hear that faint gasp—the sound of her breath leaving her body as the spear pierced through her shoulder and chest. The shock that flashed across Cin Yan's face, the shout that followed, the chaos that swallowed everything.
Fu Yang opened his eyes again, staring blankly at the window.
Things had gone differently than he planned.
He hadn't meant for Chen Hua to take the hit. She was supposed to be irrelevant, just another disciple among dozens. And now, she lay recovering in the Medicine Hall.
His jaw tightened. "Foolish girl," he muttered under his breath, though there was no anger in his tone—only a strange mixture of irritation.
Because chen hua was injured not cin yan, the mission wouldn't be canceled. The elders would strengthen security. This was the only chance by which he could have stopped the mission or at least delayed it.
Fu Yang leaned forward, resting his elbows on his knees, and stared out through the paper window. Outside, faint specks of snow drifted down again, glowing like cold ash in the moonlight.
He sighed quietly.
Then—three light knocks sounded at his door.
Fu Yang's eyes flicked toward the door. Rising from his seat. For a brief moment, his expression was unreadable—somewhere between curiosity and guarded calm.
The door slid open with a soft creak.
Standing there was Master Wan, his hands tucked into his sleeves, his usual faint smile lingering at the edge of his lips.
Fu Yang's gaze met his and he also smiled