Jinxiao's POV
I awoke to a dull ache in my head, a heaviness that clouded my vision. Slowly, I sat up. The room was quiet, dimly lit by the fading afternoon sun. To my side stood Uncle Zhao—and beside him, a man who looked like a physician.
"Jinxiao!" Uncle Zhao exclaimed, rushing to my side.
I said nothing, only glanced at him briefly before looking down at my leg—bandaged and tightly wrapped in cloth.
"You're finally awake," he said, his hand resting lightly on my shoulder.
I looked at him, unreadable. Then I shifted my gaze to the floor, voice cold and distant. "You fuss over me, yet not the others. What makes me so special?"
Without waiting for an answer, I grabbed my sword from the table and stormed out.
"Jinxiao!" he called, but I didn't look back.
Outside, I spotted Wen Lu leaning against a post.
"Wen Lu," I said. "Tell me. What happened before I passed out?"
"Childe Zhong," He blinked in surprise, clearly not expecting me to be standing.
"We were in the forest when you collapsed," he said. "We brought you back right away. It's been two days since."
Two days?
I nodded and walked away, needing air. But just as I stepped forward, the physician from earlier approached me.
Startled, I unsheathed my sword, its blade at his throat in an instant. He raised both hands, dropping his satchel.
"C-Childe Zhong, I only came to tell you something," he stammered.
I lowered the blade but kept my eyes sharp. "Speak."
He fumbled to gather his belongings. "The wound on your right leg… it's not just a simple injury. The dart—"
"It was poisoned," I finished for him.
"Yes. A poison created by Xue Wuren himself." His voice dropped lower. "There's a cure, but it's not easy to obtain."
I narrowed my eyes. "What is it?"
He listed them off with a heavy breath:
"The blood of a raven that flies atop Yuzhong's highest mountain. The fur of a mighty bear from the Silent Hill of the North. The beard of a dragon slain and hidden in Pengjun desert. And the passion fruit from a tree that blooms only once a year in Xiping."
I stared at him. Four impossible tasks.
Before I could respond, Uncle Zhao appeared behind me.
"Zhong Jinxiao," he said. "I want you to gather those things."
"What about Wuren—?"
"That's an order." His tone left no room for argument. "I've trained our assassins for this. They'll handle Wuren while you're gone."
The physician added quietly, "Be cautious. The poison reacts violently to the cold. I suggest you'll need to wear layered clothing while you travel."
I nodded and returned to my room, pacing, thinking. There was no other choice. If I wanted to live… if I wanted to take down Xue Wuren with my own hands—
I had to go.
Guanlin's POV
"All right," I muttered to myself, looking over my map. "First stop—Yuzhong. It's the closest from Zhongyin."
The weight of my bag tugged at my shoulders. I'd never been far from home before. But now, I had no choice.
As I walked through a village on the edge of Zhongyin, two women passed by in conversation.
"It's terrifying… Xue Wuren has returned."
"Didn't the Young Lord defeat him sixteen years ago? Threw his body into the forest, I heard."
"Magic never really dies. Maybe he found a way to resurrect himself," one said, her voice dropping to a whisper. "And those men with him—they looked like corpses."
Why is he searching for his son? I wondered.
The story we were told—that he lost his child in a fire and sought revenge—was what the Young Leader taught us. But now that he's returned, stronger than before…
I wasn't sure what to believe anymore.
Later that afternoon, I found a quiet river. I sat down, exhausted, placing my sword beside me. Pulling out a stale loaf of bread, I took a bite—but tears suddenly welled in my eyes.
The journey had just begun, and already it felt overwhelming.
Only a month and a half left.
I glanced at my sword. If only he were still here… we'd do this together. The battle between Qi Clan and the Golden Palace changed our lives.
FLASHBACK
"Diēdiē, where are you going?" I cried, tears blinding my vision.
He clutched his sword in his wounded left hand. My mother tried to pull me back, but I resisted, screaming, clinging to his robe.
"Guanlin," he said softly, kneeling. "Stay strong. Take care of your mother and your little sister. Do you hear me?"
He kissed my forehead… then hers as she carried my little sister on her arms… and left running like there's no turning back.
I reached for him with trembling hands. "Don't go!"
But the doors slammed shut, and I could only cry.
Mom held me tightly while holding onto crying Xinyu as the house shook with battle cries.
Suddenly minutes later, Uncle Li burst in with Li Wei in his arms. "Xiaoyou! Come, now! We must get to the Golden Palace!"
As we ran outside, I saw him… lying motionless on the ground.
I screamed and broke free from my mother's grip, falling at his side.
"Diēdiē!!"
I tried to press his sword back into his hand. "Please get up… Please fight…"
But an arrow nearly struck me. My mother pulled me back just in time.
---
At the Golden Palace, we waited in fear. Then the gates opened—not with enemies—but wounded assassins.
One stepped forward with the last piece of Jade Crystal glowing in his hand.
The crowd cheered. But I…
I looked around, still searching for him.
He never came.
Mom came forward as she carries my little sister, holding me gently with one hand on my shoulders
"Diēdiē is in a better place now," my mother whispered, holding me tight.
The Emperor stood and addressed the townspeople inside the golden palace.
"The Qi Clan has failed to steal the last piece of Jade Crystal from us. I know many of your loved ones and many of our asassins passed but the final piece of the Jade Crystal is in our hands now, peace and protection will be restored to Zhongyin, Huding, and Luoyu!" The emperor announced. "And it was all thanks to Lai Jiangli, Shadow Sect's most trusted assassin. He will have a propel burial behind the Imperial Mountain."
He handed the crystal to Young Lord Zhao Lianyu… who would then return it to Jade Palace's Temple.
END OF FLASHBACK
I finished the last of my bread, walked near the river water and splashed water on my face.
Still only at the edge of Zhongyin… the road ahead was long.
I sighed and picked up my sword and bag and pushed forward.
Third Person POV
Back in the Li household, Lai Xiaoyou stirred.
Xinyu, curled beside her mother, gasped and jumped up. "Gēge! Niáng is awake!"
Li Wei burst into the room.
"What is it?!"
Xinyu pointed. "Niáng!"
Li Wei turned and called out, "Diē! Come quick! Aunt Xiaoyou is awake!"
Li Huan rushed in, pulling the curtains aside. Xiaoyou blinked slowly.
He gently helped her sit up. "Easy now."
Li Wei returned with a warm bowl of soup.
"Here, Aunt Xiaoyou," he said, placing it on the table. "You need strength."
Xinyu grabbed a stool and sat beside her. "Niáng," she whispered, tears in her eyes.
Xiaoyou looked around, confused. "Where… where are we?"
"You're in my home," Li Huan said.
"What… am I doing here?"
Li Huan exchanged glances with his son. "It's… a long story."
"Where's Guanlin?" she asked suddenly, alarmed.
Li Wei hesitated. Xinyu blurted out, "He left, Niáng. He took Diē's sword and said he was going to save you."
Xiaoyou's breath caught.
She remembered how she protected her son. The poison that had hit her. Wuren.
"What?!" she cried, gripping Li Huan's robes. "Where did he go?!"
"He set off to gather the four items needed to cure your poison," Li Huan said gently. "They're far. Dangerous. But he insisted."
Tears flooded her eyes. "He shouldn't have—he's just a boy…"
"Niáng," Xinyu said softly, "He'll be okay. He has Diē's sword."
Xiaoyou sobbed harder. "Who will feed him? Where will he rest? What if something happens?!"
Li Wei knelt beside her. "He'll be okay. I believe in him."
Li Huan rested a steady hand on her shoulder. "He's strong, Xiaoyou. He made a choice. He'll survive… and he will return."