The fog slowly descended over the southern valley.
The air there was different from Longyuan—heavy, damp, and smelled of ancient earth. The sound of crickets chirped from behind the gigantic trees, while the dirt road they traveled wound like a sleeping snake. Every step echoed, taking too long to fade, as if the valley itself was listening.
Feng Zhiren walked in front. His white robe, usually clean, was now stained with soft mud. Behind him, four young Guangming disciples carried the supplies, and Lu Qing walked on the right side, sharply surveying the terrain. From the way he walked, it was clear he wasn't just reading the path, but also the air.
"The air here... is strange," Lu Qing murmured softly, staring at the fog ahead.
"It's not just damp. It feels like it contains unreleased spiritual qi."
Feng Zhiren looked around, then nodded.
"This place was once called White Snake Valley. Master Wei was here thirty years ago. He said there was a creature guarding the flow of spiritual earth energy in the south."
"A creature?" one of the young disciples asked, their voice almost trembling. "A demon?"
No one answered.
But the passing wind felt like a reply—cold, long, and almost resembling a breath observing them from behind the fog.
Amidst the rustling leaves, there was another sound: faint, rhythmic, like a long hiss.
Towards late afternoon, they arrived at a rocky riverbank.
The water shimmered silver beneath the setting sun, but beneath it, a large white shadow slowly passed—a giant, pale, silver-colored snake, its body the size of a tree trunk.
Its movements were slow, but its eyes were wide open, as if aware of their arrival.
The disciples instinctively took two steps back, but Feng Zhiren stood still.
He knew—it was no ordinary snake.
Lu Qing stared at the water surface. "Zhiren… the creature sees us."
Feng replied softly, "Let it be. If it's the guardian of this valley, then we are guests, not challengers."
But before the words faded, the river water suddenly surged.
The fog thickened, wrapping in the air, forming a large, silvery-white vortex. From within it, a woman's figure emerged, with snow-white long hair, skin as pale as the moon, and sharp, glowing yellow eyes.
Her hair curled delicately at the ends like scales, and vaguely behind her was the shadow of a coiled snake.
She stood on a large rock, and her every step left no trace on the water.
"Stop right there," her voice echoed twice, cold yet deep. "Humans from the north. No one is allowed to cross my territory."
Feng Zhiren looked at her without fear. "We did not come to disturb. We are only searching for something—an artifact belonging to our master, which was stolen by a heretical sect. We do not intend to defile anyone's territory."
The woman—Bai Suyin—stared intently. "The words of humans are always like the wind: they come softly, then bring a storm."
She raised her hand. The surrounding fog clumped and changed shape—into dozens of small white snakes floating in the air, ready to attack.
Lu Qing crouched down. "Do you think this can be resolved without bloodshed?"
"Hopefully," Feng answered calmly, "but be prepared."
The fog snakes charged with a simultaneous hiss.
Feng leaped forward, his Guangming sword emitting a golden light that pierced the fog. His every swing was like the sun breaking through clouds—gentle yet sharp, splitting the air with ripples of spiritual energy.
But Bai Suyin moved like smoke. Her body glided silently, spinning, and her every movement left a trace of scale-shaped light reflecting in the air.
The clash of the sword and the demon aura produced a wave of qi that made the ground tremble and the trees bend violently.
"Sacred Light," she said coldly amid the attack. "You are from Guangming."
"And you," Feng replied without ceasing his cuts, "are no ordinary demon."
The yellow eyes narrowed, glowing faintly. "So you know."
The next energy wave cracked the earth between them.
Lu Qing pulled two disciples back just before the ground broke beneath their feet.
Feng plunged his sword down, resisting the pressure of Bai Suyin's aura, which was now beginning to intensify.
But a moment later—silence.
Bai Suyin disappeared behind the fog, leaving the echo of her voice reverberating through the valley:
"If that artifact truly belongs to your master… then the Earth Spirit of White Valley has already claimed it back. Leave before this valley swallows you."
Feng looked down, staring at the subtly trembling ground.
He sighed and plunged his sword into the earth, creating a circle of sacred light that contained the spiritual pressure.
"If the Earth Spirit wills destruction," he said softly but firmly, "then I will speak directly to it. Because light does not submit to fog."
The aura around him changed.
The light from the Guangming sword reflected softly amid the fog, and for a moment, the fog seemed to respectfully step aside.
Bai Suyin reappeared, this time from the right side, her steps slow but her eyes had changed—not just cold, but also astonished.
She could feel that Feng Zhiren's energy was not just a spiritual technique.
It was conviction.
"I don't know who you are," she said quietly, "but that aura… it's like something I've long forgotten."
Before she could continue, a shout was heard:
"Master Feng! An attack—!"
From the east, dark shadows ran among the trees. A dozen black-robed figures appeared one by one, faces covered in cloth, their chests bearing red talismans carved with inverted dragons.
The Hei Yuan Sect.
Feng looked at them with sharp eyes. "So it's true that you stole Master Wei's artifact."
Their leader stepped forward, his body thin, his eyes faintly glowing red.
"That artifact no longer belongs to humans. The Earth Spirit has chosen its new master."
"In that case," Feng said calmly, "I will ask the Earth Spirit directly."
Bai Suyin looked at the red talisman, her expression changing. The talisman's light pulsed like a heartbeat, emitting a low hiss from the ground.
"They… are using the qi from my valley," she murmured softly. "They are stealing the breath of this land."
"In that case," Feng said, raising his sword level with his shoulder, "we have a common enemy."
Bai Suyin's gaze met his—sharp but no longer rejecting.
"How bold," she said flatly, though her lips curved slightly. "Are you not afraid to die?"
"I am more afraid of remaining silent when others are destroyed."
The fog spun violently. Bai Suyin closed her eyes. When she opened them again, her pupils elongated like a reptile's.
"Very well. Let us see how far a human's light can travel in the domain of demons."
The battle erupted like a qi storm.
Feng Zhiren slashed quickly—the Guangming technique emitted golden light with every movement. The disciples formed a barrier behind, channeling qi to protect themselves from the energy explosion.
Lu Qing held off two Hei Yuan Sect followers on the right side, using the Lianxin True Array technique to reflect the enemies' energy back at them.
Bai Suyin glided through the air, her body shifting into white mist and occasionally revealing the form of a large snake amid the shadows of the trees.
Every time the red talismans attacked her, the mist coiled, swallowing the attacks until they became dust.
One look from her eyes, two enemies froze motionless. One swing of her hand, three bodies were thrown into the river.
But the leader of the Hei Yuan Sect only laughed. He raised the jade talisman hanging on his chest—carved with the character Wei in the center.
"This belonged to your master, didn't it? But now… it has accepted a new owner!"
The talisman changed color—from soft green to pitch black, absorbing all the light around it.
The ground trembled, the air solidified, and the symbol of a giant snake appeared beneath their feet.
"Fool!" Bai Suyin shouted. "You are breaking the seal of the Earth Spirit!"
The sect leader laughed madly. "Let the Earth Spirit of White Valley devour you all!"
The ground split open. From within, a burst of white energy rose, forming the shape of a transparent giant snake—the Earth Spirit of White Valley had awakened from its long sleep.
Its scream echoed through the valley, causing rocks to shake and trees to fall.
Lu Qing yelled, "Zhiren! We must retreat!"
"Too late," Feng said. He ran forward, his sword shining brightly. "Lu Qing, protect the others!"
"You're crazy!" Bai Suyin cried from the air. "The Earth Spirit cannot be fought!"
"If it cannot be fought," Feng replied without stopping, "at least I'll make it aware of its enemy!"
Bai Suyin paused for a moment—not out of anger, but out of awe.
The Guangming sword clashed with the talisman light, creating a wave of energy that lit up the valley sky.
Bai Suyin pierced the fog, wrapping the Earth Spirit with her white aura, trying to calm it. Meanwhile, Feng slashed at the talisman symbol with all his might.
There was a huge explosion of light—white and red combined into one, then burst across the entire valley.
In the chaos, Bai Suyin's eyes met Feng Zhiren's.
Time stopped.
Even the Earth Spirit seemed to fall silent.
And between the two gazes, two worlds met—between human and demon, between conviction and power.
The valley fog had not completely left.
Residual spiritual energy still lingered in the air, and from afar, the faint sound of the earth breathing could be heard.
The Earth Spirit had returned to its sleep, but its tremor was still felt beneath the surface.
Feng Zhiren stood silent amidst the ruins of the rocks, his body covered in minor wounds.
Behind him, the Guangming disciples rested by the river, while Lu Qing inspected the patches of earth burned by the talisman energy.
And in front, Bai Suyin stood on a large rock, her white hair damp with fog, staring at the valley that was slowly calming down.
"The Earth Spirit has returned to sleep," she said softly.
"But the seal is broken. It can wake up again if humans continue to pollute this place."
Feng Zhiren looked at her. "We came not to destroy, only to retrieve our master's artifact."
Bai Suyin glanced at him. "That artifact contains the breath of the earth. Such power should not be used by humans. It harms the nature you are supposed to protect."
Feng smiled faintly. "If all power is forbidden to humans, how do we survive against the darkness?"
Bai Suyin stared straight at him. "Darkness? Humans always call that whatever they cannot control."
Zhiren looked back calmly. "And demons call us uninvited guests in the same world."
Her yellow pupils widened slightly—not out of anger, but astonishment.
Not many humans dared to answer a demon as if they were equals.
"How dare you speak to a demon that way," she said coldly.
"If I were afraid of words," Zhiren replied lightly, "I wouldn't be strong enough to look into your eyes."
Suyin stared at him for a long time, then whispered, "Bold… but foolish."
"Many say so," he said softly, "but I prefer honest foolishness over fearful wisdom."
The fog around them spun slowly, carrying the damp aroma of the valley.
Bai Suyin approached two steps, her voice lowering.
"Your courage is strange, human. Not because of power, but because of conviction."
She stopped before Zhiren, the distance between them just a breath away.
"It's been a long time since I saw a human like that."
"And it's been a long time since I saw a demon help a human," Zhiren replied.
Suyin turned her face away. "I did not help you. I helped this valley."
"But when I was close to death just now, you stepped in and held back the Earth Spirit with your own body."
Suyin did not answer.
Only the valley wind replied to them, soft and cold.
Then Zhiren's voice came again, soft but honest.
"Why do you protect this place alone?"
"Because long ago, I was the one who bound the Earth Spirit to keep it calm. I am the guardian of this valley's seal," Suyin answered flatly.
"But humans came—sects like Hei Yuan, who stole the breath of the earth for power. I have lost much since then."
Zhiren looked at her face.
"Then why stay here? The outside world won't appreciate you."
"Because the outside world never asked me to leave," she replied coldly. "They just forgot I existed."
Night fell.
A small bonfire burned in front of a cave, where the Guangming disciples rested.
Feng Zhiren sat near it, looking at his Guangming sword, which was now cracked at the tip.
Bai Suyin sat not far away, her white hair faintly gleaming under the firelight.
"You're not sleeping?" Zhiren asked.
"Demons don't need sleep," Suyin replied softly.
Zhiren smiled faintly. "You're lying. Earlier in the fog, I saw you close your eyes. Not because of fatigue… but because of peace."
Bai Suyin looked at him, then sighed. "This human is too skilled at reading things he shouldn't."
"Perhaps," he answered. "But isn't that what keeps me alive?"
Silence for a moment.
Suyin stared at the embers, her voice softening.
"Feng Zhiren, a human like you reminds me of someone."
"Who?"
"His name… Lin Xuan."
Zhiren snapped his head around quickly. "What?"
Suyin looked at him. "You know him?"
Zhiren gave a small, bitter laugh.
"Know him? I was in the same group as him at the Guangming Academy. The man was lazy. Never showed up to practice, was struck off the student roster for disappearing without a word for too long. The world doesn't even remember him."
Bai Suyin looked at him for a long time. "So that's how humans see him."
"What do you mean?" Zhiren asked, confused.
"To you, he was lazy. But to me…" her voice dropped, soft, "he once stood alone among a thousand devils and did not retreat one step."
Zhiren was speechless.
"He is no ordinary human, Feng Zhiren," Suyin continued. "He is a power that even this valley would submit to."
The wind stopped blowing.
Zhiren looked at the ground in front of him, his eyes burning.
"Impossible… the same person. The Lin Xuan I knew was too lazy even to talk."
"Because you only saw the face he allowed others to see," Suyin said softly. "Sometimes the greatest power is born from a silence that no one understands."
A long silence settled between them.
Zhiren finally spoke, quietly, "A demon like you shouldn't worship a human."
Suyin stared at him sharply, but her tone was gentle.
"And a human like you shouldn't judge only by sight."
She stood up slowly, looking at the brightening valley sky.
"Lin Xuan was brave because he knew nothing could stop him. But you… you are brave because you believe, even when everyone doubts you."
Zhiren looked down.
The words were too profound to refute.
The next morning, they left the valley.
The air outside felt lighter, but the atmosphere was still quiet.
Bai Suyin walked ahead, with Feng Zhiren and Lu Qing behind, followed by the Guangming disciples carrying Master Wei's broken talisman.
In the distance, the Shanyu mountains loomed—where the Hei Yuan Sect's old temple stood.
"That place…" Lu Qing said, looking down the valley, "the air there is dead. Like an underworld."
"True," Suyin agreed. "The Hei Yuan Temple is on the Earth Spirit's path. If that artifact is used there, the valley seal will be broken again."
Zhiren gripped his sword. "Then we'll end all this where it began."
The Hei Yuan Temple stood half-submerged in rock, its walls cracked and mossy.
Statues half-human, half-stone stood along the entrance path.
As they stepped inside, the air grew heavy, carrying the smell of sulfur and old blood.
From within the darkness, a low chant was heard.
A human voice, but not fully alive.
"Wait," Bai Suyin whispered. "Many souls are bound in this place."
The temple walls trembled, and from the shadows emerged black-robed figures—red eyes, skin cracked like stone.
They were no longer human.
Feng Zhiren drew his sword. "Lu Qing! Protect the disciples! Bai Suyin and I will advance!"
The fight broke out quickly.
Zhiren slashed at the first two creatures, but their bodies did not fall.
Black blood dripped, emitting smoke.
"Their bodies are hard as stone!"
"Not stone," Bai Suyin said coldly, "but sacrificed souls. They are already dead—only shells remain."
From inside the temple's main room, a tall, thin figure emerged in a black robe with red eyes.
In his hand was a pulsating jade talisman like a heart.
"Welcome, disciples of light," he said softly. "You came looking for your master's artifact, didn't you? Too bad, it has now accepted a new owner."
"Sect Leader Hei Yuan," Zhiren hissed. "Return it!"
Bai Suyin stepped forward. "That is not yours, human."
The sect leader laughed. "White demon… failed guardian of the earth. Have you come to see the world I built to replace you?"
He plunged the talisman into the ground.
The ground pulsed. From beneath it emerged black roots that trembled like living veins.
The temple ceiling began to crack, emitting a red glow.
"Don't let him merge with the talisman!" Zhiren yelled.
He lunged, but the roots blocked his path like living shackles.
Lu Qing channeled a light technique to clear the way, but the power of the talisman was too great.
In the chaos, Bai Suyin looked quickly at Zhiren.
"Feng Zhiren! Close your eyes!"
"What—"
Before he could ask, Bai Suyin leaped high, her body spinning in the air. A silvery-white light burst from her skin, enveloping the entire room.
In an instant, time stopped.
A giant white snake appeared behind her back, its aura pure and cold.
"Demon," the sect leader hissed, "you think you can fight me?"
"I am not fighting," Suyin whispered. "I am calming what you once awakened."
She raised her hand, and the white light swallowed the black roots along with a long, echoing scream from the belly of the earth.
When the light disappeared, the temple was half-ruined.
The sect leader vanished, leaving only ash and fragments of the cracked talisman.
Bai Suyin knelt weakly, her body trembling.
Feng Zhiren immediately caught her. "Hey! Are you crazy! You almost sacrificed your own body!"
Suyin smiled faintly. "If not me, this valley would have swallowed you all."
Zhiren looked at her pale, heavy-breathing face.
"Foolish demon…"
"Stubborn human…" she replied quietly before her eyes closed.
A few hours later, a gentle rain fell.
Lu Qing inspected the talisman—cracked, but now a calm gray color.
"The energy is clean," he said. "But its power is gone."
"Enough," Zhiren replied. "The important thing is that the talisman is no longer a curse."
He looked down at Bai Suyin, who was sleeping in his arms.
"Sleep. I will guard you."
Outside, the rain dripped softly on the ruins.
There was no other sound, except the slow, returning heartbeat of the earth.
A few days later, the Guangming party left the valley.
Bai Suyin had recovered, but remained silent throughout the journey.
As they were about to reach Longyuan, the setting sun began to descend.
In front of a narrow stone bridge leading to the city, a person stood still.
A long black-blue robe, a woven hat with a golden dragon motif, a wine gourd in his right hand, a slender sword at his waist.
He was motionless, just standing and staring at the water beneath the bridge.
Lu Qing straightened up. "A wanderer?"
Bai Suyin did not answer. Her eyes sharpened.
"No. That is not a wanderer… it is a shadow."
The figure slowly took a step, taking a gulp of his wine.
His every step was calm, but the aura around him made their hair stand on end.
Feng Zhiren held his sword. "State your purpose."
The figure did not answer, only stopped before them.
Then his voice was soft but clear.
"The scent of blood… and an ancient artifact."
"What do you mean?" Zhiren asked.
The figure smiled faintly behind his hat. "No need to fear. I am not looking for you."
He walked past them, stepping forward.
When Zhiren turned, the figure had vanished, swallowed by the twilight fog.
Bai Suyin stared blankly towards the bridge.
"A human… but no ordinary human. He is like a shadow that even the fog cannot cover."
Lu Qing looked at Zhiren. "Who was he?"
Zhiren slowly shook his head. "I don't know. But he knows about this artifact."
Bai Suyin looked up at the darkening sky.
"If he can smell the artifact from a distance… then his power is far above that of ordinary humans."
The twilight fog slowly swallowed the stone bridge.
Feng Zhiren and the Guangming party had passed, carrying the artifact that had lost its power—leaving behind only a trace of spiritual breath in the air.
The last ray of sunlight reflected on the Longyuan river water, forming a faint path of light stretching westward.
From that direction, the steps of a wanderer could be heard—slow, heavy, but sure.
In his right hand, a dark red wine gourd swung slowly.
A slender sword hung on his left side, and a woven hat with a golden dragon motif covered most of his face.
Shen Wuhen walked alone on the rocky path towards Longyuan city.
The valley wind blew his robe, revealing a slight dark blue light beneath the black layer.
His every step was measured, every breath calculated—like a soldier accustomed to a world where the smallest mistake could mean death.
He paused for a moment on a small cliff overlooking the valley.
From there, the peaks of Longyuan's towers were faintly visible in the distance, lit by torches and night lanterns.
The city looked peaceful, but Wuhen knew: beneath that calm, nets of shadow were moving.
He took a small sip of wine, staring at the orange sky that slowly faded to purple.
"Longyuan," he murmured softly, his voice heavy but calm. "City of light and secrets."
The night wind caressed his face, bringing the faint aroma of plum blossoms.
He lowered his hat slightly—not because of the light, but because of a memory.
> "Han Mei…"
> the name crossed his mind, accompanied by a flash of a figure with coppery-red hair and cold, grayish-blue eyes.
>
It had been nearly two months since they last received orders from Mo Xinghai, the leader of the Northern Star.
And now, they were two of the few shadows who had managed to penetrate the heart of the Xiyang Empire without leaving a trace.
His task was simple—yet dangerous:
to connect the western and eastern infiltration routes of Han, ensuring the grand plan proceeded cleanly without being noticed by anyone, even the Xiyang shadows themselves.
He continued his steps, descending the hill towards Longyuan's main road.
Horse carriages and pedestrians began to decrease, replaced by merchants closing stalls and night patrol soldiers lighting lanterns at the gate.
When Wuhen passed the west gate, the guards only gave a brief glance, then let him pass—no one dared to question a person whose calm aura was so cold.
He stopped in front of an old teahouse near the river.
The place looked ordinary—worn boards, flickering oil lamps, and the sound of light music inside.
But Wuhen knew—behind those simple wooden walls, Han Mei's spy was waiting for him.
The sound of the wooden door creaked as he pushed it open slowly.
The aroma of jasmine tea and dust filled the air.
In the corner of the room, under the lantern light, a woman sat alone at a small table. Coppery-orange red hair, its ends gleaming like embers of dusk.
Her eyes were grayish-blue, cold and clear—like ice holding secrets.
Han Mei slowly raised her gaze.
Upon seeing the figure, a faint smile appeared on her lips—not sweet, but precisely between relief and caution.
"Shen Wuhen," she said softly. "You came."
Wuhen lowered his hat and sat down without much talking.
"The journey from the west was not easy," he said calmly. "But no one followed."
Han Mei poured him some tea. "Longyuan is restless. There are reports of movement from the Guangming sect in the south. It seems their old artifact has just returned."
Wuhen slowly spun his wine gourd. "I know. I saw them on the bridge, earlier this evening."
Han Mei stopped looking for a moment. "Did you speak with them?"
"No," Wuhen answered shortly. "But I saw one thing."
He looked out the window, where the lantern shadows danced on the river surface.
"A white snake… walking with humans."
Han Mei was silent. Her gaze sharpened.
"A demon in Longyuan? That is not a good sign."
Wuhen took a sip of the cooling tea.
"The world is changing, Han Mei. Not just humans are moving, but spirits too."
Han Mei leaned back, her eyes sharply fixed on the lantern light.
"In that case, we must be faster than them."
"True," Wuhen replied. "The First Shadow is here. We must find him."
Silence for a moment.
The sound of music from the upper floor was soft—gentle plucked notes carrying the aroma of nostalgia.
Han Mei looked deeply at Wuhen, then said softly:
"Shen Wuhen, I want to know something."
"What?"
"If later, we have to face one of them… even the First Shadow himself…"
Her tone dropped, almost a whisper.
"Would you be capable of doing it?"
Wuhen stared at the tea in his hand for a long time, then answered without looking at her.
"If the order comes from above, I have no choice."
Han Mei closed her eyes for a moment, then said quietly, "You are always honest, but honesty hurts."
Wuhen only remained silent, slowly sipping his wine.
Outside, the wind carried fog from the river, covering part of the teahouse door.
From a distance, the Longyuan night bell chimed three times—a sign that the day had changed.
That night, in a simple teahouse by the river, two shadows from the north finally met—
one brought news from the west, the other brought a mission from the east.
No one knew that this meeting would be the beginning of a new wave beneath the surface of the Xiyang Empire.
Because while the light in the palace continued to shine,
beneath it, shadows began to intersect—
without names, without sound,
but with a destiny slowly heading towards an inevitable clash.