Gao Residence – Gao Tian's Room
After Gao Chi left the room, wiping the last of her tears, the atmosphere settled again. The room was quiet, only the faint chirping of evening birds coming from the window.
Gao Tian exhaled slowly and looked at Shu Yu with a small smile.
"Well… before we leave tomorrow, how about we take a look around Wai City's market?"
Shu Yu tilted her head slightly.
"What for?"
"To get some supplies," he said, standing up and stretching.
"Talismans, pills, maybe a new sword. Traveling light is good, but being prepared is better."
Shu Yu gave a short nod.
"Makes sense."
---
Wai City — Central Market
As the sun began to set, painting the skies orange and violet, the bustling heart of Wai City came alive with noise and energy.
Stalls lined both sides of the wide stone street, selling everything from spiritual herbs to beast meat, from qi-infused garments to low-grade flying swords. Lanterns began to light one by one, glowing softly as the day faded into night.
Gao Tian walked beside Shu Yu, still keeping a light cloth over his face just in case someone recognized him.
"This market hasn't changed much," he said, hands behind his head. "Same smell, same noise… and same overpricing."
They stopped by a stall where a stout man was selling low-grade spirit-enhancing talismans.
"Three talismans for five spirit stones," the vendor said with a grin.
Gao Tian raised a brow.
"That's robbery."
"Hey! These are made with beast blood and refined paper. You won't find better at this price!"
Shu Yu glanced once at the talismans and said flatly:
"The inscriptions are off. These would backfire."
The vendor stiffened and quickly packed the talismans away, muttering.
Gao Tian smirked.
"You're scarier than you look, you know that?"
They continued walking. Shu Yu paused in front of a weapons stall, eyes falling on a thin, black dagger with red patterns etched into the blade.
"This might be useful," she said.
Gao Tian picked it up.
"Hmm. Lightweight. Good for close combat. Not bad."
He paid the vendor and handed it to her.
"Consider it a thank-you gift."
She looked at him blankly.
"I didn't do it for a reward."
"I know," Gao Tian said with a grin. "But friends give each other stuff sometimes."
She took the dagger without further protest and quietly attached it to her belt.
After gathering some pills, a spare spirit pouch, and a new map scroll, the two made their way toward the edge of the market, where the crowd was thinner.
Gao Tian glanced at Shu Yu as they walked.
"It's strange."
"What is?"
"I feel like I've known you a lot longer than just a few days."
Shu Yu was silent for a moment.
"Maybe that's because we've already risked our lives together."
Gao Tian blinked, then chuckled.
"Yeah… guess that makes us real comrades now."
Next Morning – Gao Residence, Main Gate
The sun rose gently over Wai City, casting golden light across the ancient rooftops and glowing stone paths. A soft morning breeze rustled the flags above the Gao Clan's main gate, stirring the leaves into a quiet dance.
In front of the majestic gate, two figures stood, ready to depart.
Gao Tian, dressed in sharp white and black robes, his hair tied neatly behind his head, looked calm and focused. The white represented clarity; the black, resolve. His spiritual ring shimmered faintly at his finger.
Beside him, Shu Yu stood tall and quiet in red robes wrapped with a black outer cloak, her long hair flowing freely. The red contrasted with her usual emotionless expression, making her presence all the more striking.
They looked like a perfect balance—light and shadow, fire and silence.
Behind them, footsteps echoed.
Gao Hai and Gao Chi arrived, both with complex emotions on their faces—pride, worry, and reluctant acceptance.
Gao Hai placed his hand on Gao Tian's shoulder.
"The path outside is filled with danger. But I trust you'll overcome everything. Don't disappoint your potential, son."
Gao Tian nodded.
"I won't, father. I'll return stronger than ever."
Gao Chi's eyes shimmered with tears, but she held them back with a tight smile.
"Eat well. Don't get yourself injured too much. And if you find a nice girl…"
Gao Tian coughed loudly and waved his hands.
"Okay okay, mother! I'm leaving for training, not to get married!"
Shu Yu tilted her head slightly at that, but didn't say anything.
Gao Chi leaned toward Shu Yu and gently held her hand.
"Take care of my son, Shu Yu. I'm counting on you."
Shu Yu blinked once, then nodded.
"I will."
With one final look back at their home, Gao Tian and Shu Yu turned.
The massive gate of the Gao Clan opened with a creak.
They walked forward, side by side, stepping into the world beyond.
Outside Wai City
The two traveled past the outer districts, the farmland, and finally beyond the last watchtower of Wai City. As the tall trees and rising hills filled the horizon, the city slowly vanished behind them.
Their destination: Heavenflame Ridge, Located deep within the heart of the Dragon Continent, Heavenflame Ridge is a legendary mountain range where the flame never ceases and the earth pulses with ancient vitality. Said to be the place where a Primordial Fire Dragon perished in battle, its bones buried beneath the highest peaks, the mountain is saturated with Fire-attribute spiritual energy.
As they walked, Gao Tian broke the silence.
"So… Heavenflame Ridge. They say no one's returned from its core region in years. Think we'll make it back alive?"
Shu Yu responded without even looking at him.
"If you die, I'll bring your corpse back. I made a promise, after all."
Gao Tian sweat dropped.
"So… comforting."
But in the silence that followed, they both smiled softly—he from amusement, she from something unspoken.
---
Somewhere in the Dragon Continent — Inside a Shadowy Grand Hall
Dim crimson light filtered through the stained glass high above. The hall was massive, its ceilings lost in shadows, and the air thick with a suffocating aura of authority and danger.
At the center of the hall, atop a high throne carved from obsidian and bone, a man sat silently. His face was hidden in the shadows—only a cold, suffocating presence could be felt from him. His robes were dark gold, etched with flickers of ancient sigils glowing faintly in the dark.
Below him, two figures knelt—Cultivators in black robes, faces hidden behind white masks, each marked boldly with the number 3 in crimson on their foreheads.
The man's voice echoed through the hall, low and commanding.
"Did you find Tianlei Yu?"
The masked Cultivator on the left responded, his tone respectful but tense.
"We sent trained assassins to capture her. She vanished without a trace. The last team we deployed… has not responded."
The other Cultivator continued immediately.
"Their last known location was near Wai City… specifically at a cliff formed by an ancient cultivator's divine strike. We suspect… something—or someone—intervened."
The man on the throne leaned slightly forward, his aura intensifying.
"You're saying four elite assassins disappeared without a single trace… near a minor city like Wai?"
Silence filled the room. The masked Cultivators didn't dare raise their heads.
Then came the order—calm, but laced with hidden fury.
"Send another group. Higher cultivation. I want this checked thoroughly. If she's alive, bring her to me. If she resists..."
He paused.
"Eliminate her."
The two masked Cultivators nodded deeply.
"Yes, Lord Tianlei Fei."
As they vanished into the darkness of the hall, a strange wind stirred the throne room.
The man leaned back into the shadows.
"Tianlei Yu… Why are you running?"
The flickering light from the sigils on his robes glowed brighter—for a moment, revealing a pair of red glowing eyes from the darkness of his hood.