Zhāo had won.
His piercing green eyes swept across the crowd. Silence reigned. No one could believe what they had just witnessed.
Gao… had severed his own head?
What kind of madness was this?
Only the Grand Matriarch remained composed, seated firmly on her stone throne, unshaken by the confusion that gripped the others.
"What are you doing, Lóng Xuán?" she asked.
"W–What?" Lóng Xuán snapped out of his daze, startled by her voice.
"You should already be in the arena, declaring the boy as victor."
"I… I don't dare approach him yet…"
"Do not let fear cloud your mind. Step forward and congratulate him before his temper turns against us."
Lóng Xuán moved toward the arena, but Zhāo was already gone, slipping away to the chamber where he had once collapsed unconscious. The eyes of the crowd followed him until his presence—his suffocating aura—faded into the distance.
Inside the crystal-lit chamber, Zhāo sat on the largest stone, shirt soaked with blood. His shoulder throbbed with pain from Gao's strike. Every slight movement drew a hiss of agony from his lips.
"Zhāo… are you alright?" Ruò Yún's hesitant voice came from the doorway. Fear still lingered in her heart, yet worry urged her forward.
"..."
He said nothing, clutching his wound. Slowly, Ruò Yún stepped into the room, her footsteps soft as whispers.
"Here." She held something out.
"What is it?"
"Lóng Xuán gave me this herb. He said it will help heal your wound."
"Why didn't he give it to me himself?"
"Well… after what happened in the arena, many don't know how to face you. Even now, they're afraid."
"…Including you?"
"I'm more worried about you than afraid."
Zhāo took the herb from her hand. "Argh! It burns…"
Without hesitation, Ruò Yún tore a strip from her gown and wrapped it around his shoulder. The bleeding stopped, sealed under her makeshift bandage.
"…Thank you," Zhāo muttered, turning his face away.
"Don't thank me. A wound is nothing compared to losing your life. I wasn't ready to lose you in that fight."
"I had no choice."
"I know…"
For a moment, warmth flickered between them amidst the shadow of death that had hounded them since yesterday.
Knock! Knock! Knock!
"Zhāo, Ruò Yún. The Grand Matriarch summons you."
The two exchanged a glance. "We'll be there soon," Ruò Yún replied.
Minutes later, they entered the grand hall. Lóng Xuán's voice thundered even before they stepped inside.
"Wasn't the duel proof enough? Why do you still doubt him?"
The Grand Matriarch, deep in thought upon her throne, answered, "I want to trust the boy as you do… but something in my heart warns otherwise."
"Why?"
"He is dangerous, Lóng Xuán. His future is veiled in mist. His power… it feels familiar, as if I've heard of it before. If we fail to control him, he will become a disaster."
"Then guide him. Help him become the savior he's meant to be."
"To control power, one must wield equal power. Do you have that strength? If not, he may become a double-edged blade."
The murmurs of the gathered tribesmen suddenly rose. Their glares fell upon Zhāo and Ruò Yún as they entered.
"Monster! How dare you kill Gao?"
"He was an honored man, and you butchered him!"
"Heartless surface-dweller, all humans are cruel!"
Every word struck like a dagger. Zhāo's chest burned with fury as the insults piled on. The noise grew louder, sharper—until he stopped walking.
Instantly, the hall fell silent. His presence alone crushed the air, suffocating all around him. Slowly, Zhāo turned his head, his green eyes sharp as blades. Death itself radiated from his gaze.
Lóng Xuán realized the danger. He rushed forward, desperate to calm him before disaster struck.
But it wasn't him who reached Zhāo's heart. It was Ruò Yún.
She was the only one unafraid to meet the monster's eyes. With a gentle shake of her head, she pulled him back from the brink. The boy's rage softened, his aura receding like a tide.
Lóng Xuán exhaled in relief. Guiding them through the crowd, the three approached the throne.
"Zhāo Han," the Grand Matriarch said solemnly, "congratulations on your victory."
"Then keep your promise," Zhāo replied firmly.
"Of course. From this moment forward, you and your companion shall be welcomed into the Mínggǔ tribe. Welcome, both of you."