Moonlight still clung to the stone walls when Lin Shuan finally exhaled.
Yin Feng and his hunters were gone. For now.
The silence after pursuit felt unreal. Only the faint rustle of night leaves and the far hum of Cang Yue remained.
Zi Xianyi was still beside him, breathing softly, her pulse not yet calm.
Lin Shuan listened for several moments more before speaking.
"They've moved on."
His voice was low. Measured. Still carrying battle tension.
Zi Xianyi looked toward the dark streets where death had nearly caught them.
"We survived…" she whispered.
"For tonight."
Lin Shuan straightened, then looked at her. His gaze lingered on the moon mask she still wore.
"You don't need that anymore."
She blinked.
"The mask?"
He nodded.
"This isn't Starlight City."
"Yin Feng never saw your real face."
"He won't recognize you."
She slowly removed the mask. Moonlight touched her features again.
For a brief moment Lin Shuan seemed distant. As if some old memory had stirred.
Then he looked away first.
He kept his own frost mask on. Now it was no longer only concealment. It felt useful. Like another identity.
They moved through back streets until they found a small inn hidden among quieter districts. Nothing luxurious. But secure.
An old innkeeper looked up sleepily as the masked youth placed coins on the counter.
"One room for her."
The old man nodded. No questions. Gold discouraged curiosity.
Zi Xianyi turned sharply. "For me?"
"For now," Lin Shuan said. "You stay here."
He took out several gold coins and pressed them into her hand.
"For food. For anything needed. Don't leave unless necessary."
She stared at the coins. Then at him.
Something inside her tightened unexpectedly.
He was helping her again. Without demand. Without hidden motive. Without even truly knowing her.
She almost wanted to embrace him. Just once. To say more than thank you.
But she held herself still. She knew her limits. Or thought she did.
What she did not know— was that Lin Shuan was not acting from simple kindness.
He was answering ghosts.
The ones he failed before.
And in her frightened eyes, he had seen echoes.
Too many echoes.
Zi Xianyi lowered her head.
"Thank you… Shuan Hao."
The name felt softer now.
Lin Shuan only nodded. But something in his eyes gentled.
"I'll draw attention away."
"You stay hidden."
She looked alarmed. "Alone?"
He smirked faintly. "I've been alone before."
Then turned. Walked toward the door.
She suddenly called out.
"Be careful."
He paused. Without turning.
"…You too."
Then vanished into the night.
And Zi Xianyi stood in silence after he left, holding the gold coins as if they carried warmth.
Her heart would not settle.
—
Lin Shuan moved deep into Cang Yue. Far from the inn. Far from Zi Xianyi. Drawing danger toward himself.
The capital at night was immense. Ancient. Labyrinthine.
Imperial towers gleamed beneath stars. Stone roads crossed sleeping districts. Palatial compounds hid behind walls. And somewhere only a few kilometers ahead— Imperial Arena. Where the Empire Warriors Tournament would begin.
His destination.
Yet tonight, peace was an illusion.
Because shadows were moving.
On rooftops, figures dressed like merchants leapt across tiles, searching. Scanning. Hunting.
Yin Feng's people.
Lin Shuan sensed them before fully seeing them.
His mouth curved dryly.
"So this is the capital's welcome."
Then in another street, a white-robed youth moved casually through moonlit alleys. Fifteen. Sixteen perhaps. Plain clothes. Ordinary at a glance.
Yet on a rooftop, one pursuer froze. Pointed.
"There!"
Heads turned.
And in an instant all pursuit changed direction.
Toward him.
Lin Shuan sensed hostile auras rushing. Recognized one instantly.
Yin Feng.
He almost laughed in disbelief.
"Capital city is truly chaos…!"
"Arrive one night and get hunted across rooftops—what comes next?!"
Inside the pendant, Tian Wuchen laughed. Actually laughed.
And said,
"This is where the real journey begins."
Lin Shuan muttered while exploding into motion, "Very inspiring."
Lightning Immortal Path erupted.
CRACK.
He became a silver blur.
Behind him, Yin Feng's eyes burned. This time he would not lose him.
His speed increased. Pressure ripping through air.
The chase became thunder.
Street after street. Wall after wall.
Then— Lin Shuan saw it.
A vast estate. Almost palace-like. Silent. Ancient. Royal.
Guards stood half asleep at its front, so unconcerned they looked carved from stone.
Opportunity.
Without hesitation, Lin Shuan shot through the perimeter. Vanished inside.
Moments later Yin Feng arrived, stopped, looked up at the immense compound.
His expression changed.
"He entered… there?"
Disbelief.
"Has he gone seeking death in a royal residence?"
Then greed overtook caution.
"If he dies inside… I lose the technique."
He entered too.
This time the guards stirred, glanced lazily, then one murmured, "Probably a cat."
And went back to dozing.
—
Inside was another world.
White stone paths. Moonlit gardens. Rare flowers. Jade bridges. Ancient carved rocks. A crystal pond reflecting stars.
Heaven disguised as mortal residence.
Even Lin Shuan, mid pursuit, felt briefly stunned.
Then— water.
At the center pond, a graceful figure bathed. Half hidden by steam and moonlight. Like a spirit descended.
Before he could turn away, he sensed Yin Feng approaching.
No time.
None.
And so— choosing the most absurd refuge possible— Lin Shuan dove into the water.
SPLASH.
The girl in the pond sensed it instantly. Whirled. Eyes widening.
She was about to cry out—
But Lin Shuan surged forward, pulled her beneath the water, covering the sound. Grasping both wrists so she could not strike or expose them.
Water swallowed moonlight. Everything became drifting silver. Silence. Breath. Pulse.
Then he truly saw her.
And forgot danger. For a heartbeat.
Her face underwater seemed unreal. Cold beautiful. Almost divine.
Her eyes— crimson-tinted in reflected moonlight— locked with his.
Something in him stalled.
He moved unconsciously nearer. As if drawn.
She seemed startled not merely angry now.
Then— THUD.
She struck him sharply with her forehead.
Lin Shuan recoiled underwater. Nearly laughed from shock.
Yet still held on. Because Yin Feng was near.
He looked again. Saw her lips. And with youthful reckless instinct overwhelming reason— made the worst decision of his life.
He closed the distance. And kissed her.
Brief. Sudden. Desperate camouflage as much as bewildered impulse.
Her eyes widened in utter disbelief.
If fury could burn underwater, it would have boiled.
At that same moment— footsteps.
Yin Feng. Passing nearby. Searching.
Lin Shuan felt his aura. Held still.
The girl struggled toward surface. He moved with her. Still shielding sound.
At last they rose. Silent. Listening.
Yin Feng lingered. Looked around. Found nothing.
Then moved away.
Gone.
Lin Shuan knew he should release her. Leave. Run. Now.
And did.
The instant danger passed, he let go, shot from the pond, landed on stone, stared one impossible second at the girl— who looked as though she might kill him herself—
and vanished.
Like lightning.
Leaving ripples. Shock. And one furious celestial-looking girl.
She surfaced, breathing hard, then in astonishing speed dressed and disappeared as though she had never been there.
Her movement— far beyond Lin Shuan's imagination.
Not merely fast. Terrifying.
—
Lin Shuan hid behind distant structures, heart pounding not from pursuit now, but from the absurdity of what just happened.
Even he looked shaken.
He muttered inwardly, "…Master I may have made a mistake."
Tian Wuchen replied dryly, "One?"
Then— that girl halted atop a rooftop. Turned. Saw a shadow.
A presence.
And the world changed.
BOOM.
The earth trembled. Like an earthquake.
Yin Feng froze. His men stopped.
On a rooftop under moonlight, a crimson-robed girl descended.
No— not descended. Appeared.
As if she had always belonged to the night.
Her red garments moved like flame. In moon-darkness she looked less human than divine.
Yin Feng glanced once, almost dismissing her.
Then saw.
Truly saw.
And his heartbeat seemed to stop.
Color drained. Breath halted.
Like a man seeing a ghost.
His voice shook.
"E…Empire Protector…!"
Silence consumed everything.
Even wind stilled.
The crimson girl said nothing.
Only looked.
Coldly.
A judgment.
Then— one flash.
One impossible movement.
And a head fell.
Thud.
Silence.
Yin Feng's body collapsed.
Dead.
His men did not even scream. They scarcely understood.
Fear became worship. Terror.
Then they fled.
Or tried.
Lin Shuan watched hidden behind a building, concealed by Tian Wuchen's spiritual veil.
Even he felt a chill.
He had stumbled into a pond. Disturbed a girl. Kissed her.
And apparently provoked someone who could erase Meridian Tracer experts like dust.
His mouth went dry.
He whispered, "…I may have offended someone I should never approach."
Tian Wuchen answered, "For once, your instincts are correct."
Lin Shuan could only stare.
The crimson girl stood beneath moonlight, beautiful and terrifying. Like war wrapped in grace.
Then she turned slightly. As if sensing him.
Lin Shuan's blood froze.
Did she know?
For one dreadful heartbeat, he thought those eyes looked straight into his hiding place.
Then she vanished.
Simply vanished.
Leaving moonlight. And dread.
—
Much later, when silence returned, Lin Shuan emerged slowly. Still processing everything.
Yin Feng. Dead. By another's hand.
A danger removed. And perhaps a greater one born.
He looked at the disturbed pond in the distance.
Then touched his lips unconsciously.
Immediately grimaced.
"What was I doing?"
Tian Wuchen answered, "Being sixteen."
Lin Shuan almost choked.
Even the old master sounded amused.
He looked toward Imperial Arena's far lights.
Capital indeed welcomed him with chaos. Assassins. Royal palaces. Mysterious protectors. Near death. And a girl in a moonlit pond who might someday cut him in half.
He sighed.
"This tournament hasn't even begun."
The old voice answered softly, "No."
"It has only announced itself."
Lin Shuan pulled his mask tighter. Then disappeared once more into Cang Yue's sleeping streets.
Unaware that fate had just tied another thread around him.
And somewhere above, on the highest tower, crimson robes moved once in wind.
A girl touched her lips in stunned silence. Fury in her eyes. Confusion too.
And whispered into moonlight,
"Who… was that thief?"
Far below, Lin Shuan sneezed suddenly. Paused. Looked around suspiciously.
"…Why do I feel greater danger now than during pursuit?"
Tian Wuchen laughed.
And for the first time in many years, Lin Shuan wondered whether surviving enemies…
might be easier than surviving destiny.