After carefully finishing the treatment, Karma adjusted the bandages one last time to make sure everything was secure.
"She'll be fine," he said calmly.
Nie Li nodded in relief.
Karma stood up and stretched lightly. "I'll take a look around. See if there's anything else useful in this place."
Without waiting for a response, he turned and walked deeper into the chamber, his footsteps echoing faintly against the stone walls.
A few moments later—
Ziyun stirred.
Her eyelashes fluttered.
"Nie Li…"
She slowly opened her eyes.
Then suddenly—
"Hold on… why am I—?!"
She looked down at herself and immediately pulled the blanket tighter around her.
"What happened when I was unconscious?!"
Nie Li froze for a split second, then forced a smile.
"You're awake?"
Ziyun's face turned bright red.
"You, turn around now! I need to get dressed!"
"Oh. Right."
Nie Li quickly spun around, staring firmly at the wall again.
Ziyun pouted behind the blanket.
"He's too much…"
Nie Li blinked.
"Huh?"
She glared at his back, cheeks still burning.
"You're too much!"
Nie Li coughed awkwardly.
"W-Wait! It wasn't me!"
She paused.
"What do you mean?"
Nie Li scratched his cheek nervously.
"It was Karma who treated your wounds. He was the one who… saw you. Not me."
Silence.
Ziyun's face turned even redder.
"K-Karma?!"
For a moment, her thoughts were short-circuited completely.
Then she hurriedly changed into her spare clothes behind the cover of the blanket.
After a short while—
"I'm done."
Nie Li carefully turned back around.
Ziyun stood there, fully dressed, still slightly flushed but composed.
The tension in the room slowly eased—
Though a certain awkwardness lingered in the air.
Ziyun adjusted her clothes and gave a small smile.
"Let's go."
Nie Li looked at her for a moment, then his gaze dropped to the necklace resting against her collarbone.
"Hm? This…"
She touched it lightly. "What is it?"
Nie Li smiled. "A profound gemstone. It's my gift to you."
He added, "It can nourish your soul energy continuously. While wearing it, your cultivation speed can increase threefold."
Ziyun's eyes widened. "Ah? Something so precious… I can't accept it! You can have it back!"
She reached to remove it, but Nie Li gently stopped her.
"Don't remove it. I already have something even better."
"You just hold on to it."
Ziyun's face turned red. She withdrew her hand shyly.
"Then I'll keep it for now. When you want to, you can take it back anytime."
"Sure," Nie Li replied casually. "Let's look for a way out first."
They walked side by side.
After a short silence, Ziyun spoke softly, "Nie Li… why are you so nice to me?"
Nie Li laughed lightly, then looked ahead with a small smile.
"Because I like you."
Ziyun froze.
"N-Nie Li… we're still young. Who knows what will happen in the future? Perhaps, in a few years' time, you'll like someone else instead."
She continued seriously, "Glory City is constantly under the threat of demon beasts. What we should be doing right now is focusing on our cultivation. Only by properly cultivating can we walk further down the path of strength."
She met his eyes. "When you become a Gold-rank Demon Spiritualist… I'll consider it!"
Nie Li blinked, then grinned.
Hehehe, she's really trying to trick me like I'm a child…
He puffed up confidently. "Actually, if I just work a bit harder for a while, I'll be able to reach Gold rank by next year!"
"When that happens, you can't go back on your word!"
Ziyun's eyes widened. "Next… next year?!"
"That's way too fast!"
She flustered, waving her hands. "No, no! What I meant was… we must all think about this carefully!"
Nie Li teased, "Don't tell me that Miss Ziyun wants to go back on her word?"
She stiffened. "I…"
Nie Li sighed dramatically. "Sigh, I just knew it. All you people from noble families…"
Then he winked. "None of you mean what you say!"
Ziyun pouted. "Ah well, so be it!"
She took a breath and looked at him seriously.
"Who… who said so? A promise is a promise! If you can reach Gold rank, then it's a deal!"
Nie Li's grin widened.
"Hehehe. It's a deal then!"
Ziyun suddenly puffed up her cheeks and crossed her arms.
"And if you get ahead of yourself," she warned Nie Li, "I'll complain to Karma!"
The moment Karma's name was mentioned—
Nie Li stiffened.
Cold sweat instantly formed on his forehead.
His back straightened as if a mountain had just been placed on his shoulders.
Ziyun noticed.
Seeing Nie Li's terrified expression, she felt oddly satisfied.
"Hmph."
And then—
A hand landed on Nie Li's shoulder from behind.
Firm.
Sudden.
Nie Li nearly jumped out of his skin.
"I DIDN'T DO ANYTHING!" he blurted out immediately.
Behind him, Karma blinked.
"…Huh?"
He tilted his head, completely confused.
"What happened?"
Nie Li slowly turned around like a wooden puppet.
"K-Karma…"
Karma glanced past him and saw Ziyun standing there, fully dressed and looking much better.
His expression softened instantly.
"You're awake? Good. You look fine."
He walked past Nie Li and approached her casually.
"I was just checking the surroundings. Did anything—"
THUD!
Ziyun's fist landed right on top of his head.
A clean, solid punch.
Karma froze.
He slowly crouched down, clutching his head.
His eyes watered dramatically.
"W-Why did you hit me…?" he asked pitifully, looking up at her with teary eyes. "What if I become an idiot?"
Ziyun's face turned bright red.
"You—!"
She tried to glare at him, but her cheeks betrayed her.
"Y-You already are an idiot!"
Karma stared at her blankly for two seconds.
"…Eh?"
Nie Li quietly stepped back.
This is not my battlefield.
Karma rubbed his head, still sniffling.
"But I treated your wounds carefully…"
Ziyun's blush deepened.
"That's not the point!"
Karma looked genuinely lost.
"…Then what is the point?"
Ziyun turned away, flustered beyond words.
Nie Li coughed awkwardly.
Karma sighed dramatically, still holding his head.
"Women are scarier than demon beasts…"
Ziyun spun around instantly.
"What was that?!"
Nie Li quickly raised both hands.
"I didn't say anything!"
Karma blinked.
"…I didn?"
And just like that—
Another punch nearly followed.
Over the next few days, Nie Li, Ziyun, and Karma wandered through the endless corridors of the labyrinth. No matter how many turns they took or how carefully Nie Li memorized the inscriptions on the walls, they still couldn't find an exit.
The stone passages felt infinite.
At one point, Karma stretched his arms behind his head and sighed loudly.
"Man… who exactly is this Emperor Kong Ming anyway? He built this entire labyrinth? Did he have nothing better to do?"
Nie Li glanced at the towering walls and replied thoughtfully, "Now that you mention it… he even had such a powerful stone coffin. And yet, there wasn't a single trace of his corpse."
Ziyun frowned slightly. "It's strange… everything here feels deliberate."
Far above the labyrinth—
Chen Linjian stood at the edge of the ruins, staring into the distance. His brows were tightly knitted.
"We lost eight men," he muttered under his breath. "And we didn't even secure a single treasure."
His expression darkened further.
"Worst of all… the City Lord's daughter is missing. And Karma too. Damn it…"
He glanced sideways at Shisui, who stood calmly with his hands folded behind his back, gaze steady and composed.
"You look surprisingly calm," Chen said. "Considering your young master is missing."
Shisui didn't even blink.
"Karma is not in trouble," he replied evenly. "He will show up eventually."
He paused before adding, "Besides, I've already sent men to search for him."
Huyan Lanruo, standing beside them, spoke gently, "They'll be fine. Karma, Nie Li, and Ziyun are all strong. Stronger than we think."
Chen exhaled slowly.
Shisui's lips curved into a faint smile.
"Yes," he said quietly. "They will be alright."
After a moment of silence, Shisui turned to Chen.
"Staying here won't accomplish anything. We should withdraw."
Chen nodded decisively.
"Alright. Everyone, follow me to the parade ground!"
The group quickly regrouped and moved.
When they arrived at the open parade ground, Chen raised his hand and gave an order.
"Start digging. If there's treasure hidden here, this is the most likely place."
His men immediately began digging into the land.
Below—
Deep inside the labyrinth—
Nie Li suddenly stopped walking.
Karma, who had been dragging his feet dramatically, groaned, "How long does this thing go on for? Is this labyrinth trying to test my patience? Because I'm losing."
Ziyun shot him an annoyed look. "You've been complaining for the past hour."
"I'm bored," Karma replied shamelessly.
Nie Li ignored them, pressing his ear lightly against the cold stone wall.
"…Wait."
He raised his hand.
Both Karma and Ziyun fell silent.
A faint sound echoed through the stone.
Thud.
Thud.
Thud.
Karma tilted his head. "Is that… digging?"
Nie Li's eyes sharpened.
"Yes."
A slow smile appeared on his face.
"They've started."
He placed his palm flat against the wall, sensing the vibrations.
Then he looked at a specific section of the stone corridor and said firmly—
"It's here."