By the time Liu Xia came out of the inner sect, it was already late.
The light slanted.
He walked along the path. No one stopped him.
No one approached either.
Quieter than before.
He glanced around.
"Even weirder today," he said.
No one answered.
He didn't wait.
He kept walking.
—
Back at the laborers' quarters—
There were two extra people at the door.
Not here to cause trouble.
Just standing.
Watching.
Liu Xia walked over.
They stepped aside.
Naturally.
"Excuse me," he said.
No one replied.
—
He went in.
Closed the door.
Sat down.
Stared blankly for a while.
A lot had happened today.
But he didn't want to think about it.
"Sleep," he said.
—
Deep night.
The wind outside was light.
Insects chirped intermittently.
Liu Xia wasn't sleeping deeply.
He turned over.
Then—
Stopped.
Not because he wanted to.
He woke up.
—
Fully awake.
Like something had "pulled" him out.
—
He sat up.
The room was still the same room.
But something was off.
Too quiet.
No wind.
No insects.
Even the air didn't move.
—
He got out of bed.
Walked to the door.
Reached out.
Pushed.
The door opened.
—
Outside wasn't the laborers' area.
Not the mountain gate.
Not the sect.
—
It was… empty.
No ground.
No sky.
Like standing in some kind of "in-between."
—
Liu Xia stood at the doorway.
Didn't move.
"…Am I still dreaming?"
he said.
—
No one answered.
—
He stepped out.
There was "something" beneath his feet.
But he couldn't see it.
Like standing on air.
—
He took two more steps.
Stopped.
"Anyone there?" he said.
—
In the distance—
There was light.
Not brightness.
Presence.
—
Then—
Voices.
"He's here."
—
Not from the front.
From everywhere.
At once.
—
Liu Xia frowned.
"Who?"
he said.
—
No one answered his question.
Another voice spoke.
"First time entering."
—
"Not entering."
A third voice.
"He was pulled in."
—
"Close enough."
—
Liu Xia stood there.
Listening.
Annoyed.
"Who are you people," he said.
Impatient.
—
The air sank slightly.
—
A lower voice appeared.
"Liu Xia."
—
This time—
The voice was directed at him.
—
Liu Xia looked ahead.
Nothing there.
But he felt it—
Someone was watching him.
Very close.
—
"Can you come out and talk?"
he said.
"This is annoying."
—
A brief silence.
—
Then—
"No."
—
Liu Xia: "…"
He sighed.
"Then talk faster," he said.
—
The distant "light" shifted slightly.
Like someone had smiled.
—
"Today, you issued three commands."
—
Liu Xia frowned.
"What commands?"
—
"Stand not."
"Move."
"Wait for him."
—
Three voices.
One line each.
—
Liu Xia thought about it.
"That's normal," he said.
—
"For you."
—
The low voice continued.
"Normal."
—
"For others."
Another voice added.
"Not normal."
—
Liu Xia was silent for a second.
"So what does that have to do with me?" he said.
—
The air quieted.
—
Then—
"You don't know."
—
The sentence was light.
But certain.
—
Liu Xia frowned.
"What am I supposed to know?" he said.
—
No one answered immediately.
Like they were watching him.
—
After two seconds—
The low voice spoke again.
"What you say…"
"Becomes real."
—
Liu Xia stood there.
Didn't move.
—
"Not power."
"Not spiritual energy."
"Not technique."
—
"It's a rule."
—
From four directions.
Different voices.
The same meaning.
—
Liu Xia listened.
Was silent for a moment.
Then said:
"Oh."
—
All voices paused.
—
"Oh?"
—
The tone shifted slightly.
—
Liu Xia nodded.
"That's convenient," he said.
—
Silence.
Complete silence.
—
As if someone… lagged.
—
After a moment—
The talkative voice spoke quietly:
"Did he misunderstand?"
—
No one responded.
—
Liu Xia looked around.
"Anything else?" he asked.
—
A brief silence.
—
"Yes."
—
This time—
Only one voice.
Low.
Steady.
—
"Don't let them touch you."
—
Liu Xia frowned.
"Who?"
—
"The ones you met today."
—
Liu Xia thought for a moment.
"Oh," he said.
—
"And—"
—
The voice continued.
"Don't let others know."
—
Liu Xia got more annoyed.
"Who are you people?" he said.
—
This time—
No direct answer.
—
The distant "light" moved closer.
—
Not closer to him.
Just clearer.
—
Then—
One sentence.
Very light.
—
"You can command us."
—
Liu Xia stood there.
Looking ahead.
Silent for two seconds.
Then he said:
"I didn't command."
—
The air fell quiet again.
—
That voice paused.
Then corrected itself:
"What you say…"
"We will execute."
—
Liu Xia frowned.
"Then don't listen," he said.
—
—
This time—
Everything froze.
—
All voices—
Stopped at once.
—
As if they had hit a command they couldn't accept.
—
After a few seconds—
That low voice slowly said:
"…We can't."
—
Liu Xia looked ahead.
"Then figure it out yourselves," he said.
—
No one spoke again.
—
Liu Xia stood there for a moment.
Got bored.
"I'm leaving," he said.
—
He turned around.
Walked back.
—
Reached the "door."
Reached out.
Pushed.
—
The door opened.
—
He returned to his room.
—
Everything went back to normal.
Wind.
Insects.
All returned.
—
Liu Xia stood in the room.
Looked around.
"A dream," he said.
—
He lay back down.
Closed his eyes.
Fell asleep quickly.
—
And in that "place"—
It stayed silent for a long time.
—
Then—
The talkative voice said quietly:
"Just now… did he tell us not to listen?"
—
No one answered.
—
After a long time—
The low voice finally spoke:
"…Ignore it."