The forest was quiet again.
The monstrous roar of Vorathrael had faded, leaving only the distant rustling of leaves and the soft whisper of wind moving through broken branches.
Ash drifted slowly through the air.
Where the terrifying Demandres commander once stood, nothing remained but a charred scar upon the earth.
The battle had ended.
But the war within the survivors had only begun.
Yun Lianhua knelt on the shattered battlefield.
Lin's body rested in her arms.
His breathing was faint—so faint that if someone wasn't watching carefully, they might believe it had already stopped.
Blood soaked through his clothes, staining the elegant crimson fabric of her ruqun.
Zhen Guanyu approached slowly, leaning heavily on his broken sword.
His old eyes studied Lin carefully.
For a long moment he remained silent.
Then he spoke.
"…He's alive."
The tension around them eased slightly.
But only slightly.
Because the old master's voice carried worry.
Not relief.
Kaelren rushed forward.
"Is he going to survive?"
Zhen Guanyu knelt beside them and placed two fingers gently against Lin's neck.
His brows slowly furrowed.
"This is… bad."
Yun Lianhua's grip tightened slightly around Lin.
"What do you mean?"
The old master inhaled slowly.
"This boy's body is collapsing from three different injuries."
Kaelren blinked.
"Three?"
Zhen Guanyu nodded.
"First… the damage caused by Vorathrael's blade."
He gently lifted Lin's blood-covered hand.
The deep wound where Lin had stopped the blade with his bare palm had nearly cut through the flesh.
"The second…"
He placed a hand over Lin's chest.
"The ancient magic inside his heart."
Everyone nearby felt the heaviness in his voice.
"That seal… it is breaking."
Yun Lianhua's eyes widened.
"And the third?"
The old master looked toward the destroyed battlefield.
"The technique he used."
"The wind blade."
"That attack consumed far more energy than his body could handle."
Kaelren slowly stepped back.
"So he… destroyed himself to kill the monster."
The old master nodded quietly.
Yun Lianhua remained silent.
She looked down at Lin's pale face.
Even unconscious, the faint smile still lingered.
That smile…
It made her chest tighten painfully.
"Prepare the carriage," she said suddenly.
Kaelren blinked.
"Young Lady?"
"We are returning to the palace."
Zhen Guanyu raised an eyebrow.
"That will take several hours."
"If we remain here," Yun Lianhua replied softly, "he will die."
No one argued.
They carried the wounded to the palace of Yun Lianhua's clan, located deep within the Lotus Valley mountains — a secluded and ancient stronghold protected by powerful formations and loyal warriors.
This palace belongs to Yun Lianhua's noble family, a powerful lineage known for its martial traditions and spiritual techniques.
The group moved quickly through the forest, carrying the wounded carefully.
Lucifer, Luna, and Sylvarielle had also been brought along.
Luna regained consciousness first.
She woke inside the moving carriage with a quiet groan.
The first thing she saw was the ceiling of the wooden cabin.
The second thing she noticed—
Was the silence.
She turned her head.
Lucifer sat beside her, his body wrapped in bandages.
He looked terrible.
But his eyes were fixed on one thing.
Lin.
Luna pushed herself upright immediately.
"What happened?"
Lucifer didn't answer right away.
His hands clenched slowly.
"…He stayed behind."
Her heart sank.
"Don't tell me…"
Lucifer's voice cracked slightly.
"He fought that monster alone."
Luna stared at Lin's unconscious body.
For the first time since she met him—
He looked fragile.
Like a scholar who had wandered into a battlefield far beyond his limits.
"What kind of idiot…" she whispered.
But her voice trembled.
Sylvarielle sat silently near Lin's side.
Her usually calm expression had vanished.
Her hands rested gently over Lin's chest, channeling a faint green glow.
Elven healing magic.
But the glow flickered weakly.
After several minutes, she stopped.
Lucifer spoke quietly.
"…It's not working, is it?"
Sylvarielle shook her head.
"No."
Luna frowned.
"You're an elf princess. Your healing magic should be powerful."
Sylvarielle looked down at her trembling hands.
"This wound…"
"…is beyond normal healing."
Lucifer looked away.
Silence filled the carriage again.
By the time they reached the palace of Yun Lianhua's , the sun had already set.
Torches burned along the massive stone walls.
The moment the gates opened, the entire palace erupted into activity.
Servants rushed forward.
Healers followed immediately.
Lin was carried into the royal medical chambers.
The room was filled with the finest physicians in the kingdom.
And yet—
Even they looked helpless.
One healer wiped sweat from his brow.
"This injury…"
"…I have never seen anything like it."
Another physician examined Lin's chest.
"The magical seal inside his heart is cracking."
"If it breaks completely…"
The man hesitated.
Luna snapped.
"Spit it out."
The healer swallowed.
"…His heart will collapse."
Lucifer slammed his fist into the wall.
"DAMN IT!"
Zhen Guanyu stood nearby, watching quietly.
His face was grave.
Yun Lianhua entered the room.
Her expression was calm—but her eyes revealed the tension she was hiding.
"Well?"
The physicians looked at one another.
Finally one stepped forward.
"Your Highness…"
"We have stabilized the external wounds."
"The injuries to his body are severe, but they are not fatal."
Yun Lianhua's gaze sharpened.
"Then why is he still unconscious?"
The physician hesitated.
"…Because the real damage is internal."
He pointed toward Lin's chest.
"The seal within his heart is ancient."
"It is not something ordinary healers can touch."
Lucifer stepped forward.
"Then who can?"
The room fell silent.
Every healer looked toward Zhen Guanyu.
The old master exhaled slowly.
"There is only one person in this kingdom who can heal such an injury."
Luna folded her arms.
"Who?"
The old master's voice became solemn.
"The Supreme Master of Darel."
Even Lucifer had heard that title.
The legendary figure who had once stood at the peak of the kingdom's power.
A master who had not left his secluded sanctuary in decades.
Lucifer frowned.
"And where is this master?"
Zhen Guanyu looked toward Yun Lianhua.
Her expression darkened slightly.
"He lives within the Celestial Lotus Sanctuary."
"No one is allowed to enter."
Luna raised an eyebrow.
"And you're the princess."
"So order him."
Yun Lianhua shook her head slowly.
"It doesn't work like that."
Lucifer stared at her.
"Explain."
She looked down at Lin.
Her voice softened.
"The Supreme Master only intervenes when he believes the fate of the kingdom itself is involved."
Luna scoffed.
"Then tell him this idiot just saved half the continent."
But Yun Lianhua did not respond.
Instead she walked toward Lin's bedside.
She looked down at him quietly.
His breathing was still faint.
Every breath felt like it might be his last.
Her fingers slowly brushed a strand of hair from his face.
A strange pain twisted inside her chest.
Why did she care this much?
She had met him only hours ago.
And yet—
The thought of losing him felt unbearable.
Zhen Guanyu spoke again.
"There is still time."
"But not much."
Lucifer's voice became sharp.
"How long?"
The old master hesitated.
"Three days."
"If the seal breaks completely before then…"
"…he will die."
The room fell silent.
Three days.
That was all the time Lin had left.
Luna looked away.
Sylvarielle clenched her hands tightly.
Lucifer stared at Lin.
His expression was one of pure determination.
"If that master refuses…"
"…I'll drag him here myself."
Yun Lianhua suddenly spoke.
"No."
Lucifer turned.
She stood there calmly.
"I will go."
Zhen Guanyu looked surprised.
"Young Lady…"
Yun Lianhua's eyes were steady.
"I will go to the Celestial Lotus Sanctuary."
"And I will bring the Supreme Master here."
Her gaze returned to Lin.
"No matter what it takes."
Outside the palace window, the night wind howled softly.
Inside the chamber, the wounded strategist lay unconscious.
His life hanging by a thread.
And somewhere deep within the mountains of Darel—
The only person capable of saving him remained unaware…
That the fate of a single life would soon shake the entire kingdom.