CHAPTER SIX — DID YOU ESCAPE?
Tang Ke Xin remained perfectly still, her breathing soft and even, her expression the picture of peaceful slumber. Yet beneath that façade, her mind was alert, every sense sharpened. The intruder who had slipped into her room moved with deliberate caution, pausing now and then as though listening for the slightest change in her breathing.
After a long, tense moment, the figure straightened. The faint glow of the fire piston flickered once before being extinguished. Soft footsteps retreated across the floorboards, and the door closed with barely a whisper.
Only then did Tang Ke Xin allow her eyes to open.
She released a long, controlled breath, the corners of her lips lifting in a small, triumphant smile. She had anticipated this. A man as meticulous and dangerous as the one from that night would never leave a loose thread unattended. She had evaded him once; naturally, he would seek another opportunity to examine her shoulder.
Which was precisely why, earlier that day, she had melted white wax over the wound, smoothing it carefully until it formed a false layer of skin. The wax had been too glossy at first, so she had dusted it with white powder to dull the sheen. Under the dim, wavering light of a fire piston, it would appear perfectly natural.
And it had worked.
More importantly, she knew the person who had entered was not the man from last night. Even without opening her eyes, she could distinguish the intruder's aura—lighter, softer, unmistakably feminine.
A woman had come to inspect her.
Fortunate indeed. Had the man himself entered her chamber, she doubted she would have passed the test so easily. His instincts were too sharp, his perception too keen. He would have sensed the deception.
Tang Ke Xin understood the reason for his absence. The original Tang Ke Xin had been a fool—harmless, simple, and beneath suspicion. And it was improper for a man to enter a young woman's room in the dead of night. Even he would avoid such impropriety.
For now, she had survived.
---
In another pavilion of the temple, a woman knelt respectfully in the shadows.
"Master, Miss Tang's left shoulder is perfectly intact. There are no injuries."
The man before her did not speak. He did not even shift his weight. Yet the air around him seemed to thrum with a chilling, oppressive force—an aura so commanding that it compelled instinctive submission.
The woman dared not lift her head.
"Investigate."
The single word fell like a blade.
Cold. Absolute. Terrifying.
The atmosphere tightened, as though the very night held its breath. His voice carried no anger, no urgency—yet it made the woman tremble to her bones.
He did not believe she had escaped him.
He would not allow it.
"Yes, Master," she whispered, her voice quivering. She backed away with utmost care, as though any sudden movement might provoke disaster.
If he ever found the woman he sought, not even ten thousand lives would be enough to appease his wrath.
---
The following day, Tang Ke Xin remained in her room. Caution was her greatest ally now. Silence and invisibility were her best disguise. She had every reason to rest, and no one questioned her absence.
Nothing unusual occurred. The day passed in rare, blessed peace.
Master Hui Yuan's lecture lasted only two days. On the third morning, the temple began to empty. The Crown Prince, the Third Prince, the Lord of Phoenix City, and the other distinguished guests all descended the mountain. Young Master Lin's death had been formally handed over to the Ministry of Justice.
"Miss," Dong'er said as she entered the room, "Master Hui Yuan requests that you join the Zen Hall for the morning meal."
Her tone carried a hint of bewilderment. Master Hui Yuan was a man who wandered the world untouched by worldly affairs. Even the Emperor struggled to summon him. Yet he had personally sent for Tang Ke Xin.
Tang Ke Xin, however, understood immediately.
He wished her to appear before everyone—to show that her foolishness had been cured. And more importantly, it meant the man from that night had left the mountain.
She no longer needed to hide.
A weight lifted from her chest.
"Very well," she replied, her voice lighter than it had been in days.
For the first time since her arrival in this world, she allowed herself to breathe freely. She prayed she would never cross paths with that man again.
---
When Tang Ke Xin entered the meditation hall, the room fell into a brief, stunned silence. Then, as expected, the whispers began—mocking, amused, dismissive.
The fool had returned.
And of course, Young Master Mu was present.
Liu Ruyue, seated beside Mu Shaoyi, stiffened. Her fingers tightened around her sleeve, her expression darkening. No matter how foolish Tang Ke Xin appeared, she was still Mu Shaoyi's betrothed. The Empress herself had arranged the match. No amount of hatred could dissolve it.
Tang Ke Xin lifted her chin slightly, her expression serene.
Let them mock her.
She had survived far worse.