A bird circled high above the dense forest, its sharp eyes locking onto a figure resting beneath a tree. The young man was motionless, his chest rising and falling in the steady rhythm of sleep.
To the bird, he was prey.
With a sharp cry, it tucked its wings and dove.
Thud.
Before it could even reach him, a dagger shot through the air. The bird’s body spasmed mid-flight, its skull pierced clean through. Blood splattered onto the leaves below, its corpse hitting the ground with a dull rustle.
The young man’s lips curled into a smirk. Without opening his eyes, he spoke.
“You’re finally here,” he said lazily, as if he had been expecting her all along. “Done healing?”
A woman emerged from the shadows. Her posture was tense but disciplined. “Yes, Master.”
The young man—Yanwei—finally opened his eyes.
A glint of amusement flickered across his gaze before he tossed a storage pouch in her direction. She caught it instinctively, but as she felt the weight of its contents, her brows furrowed slightly.
“Go to the treasure’s location,” Yanwei continued, his voice even, almost casual. “There’s a ghost lurking in the dark. Be wary.”
Yun didn’t respond immediately. Instead, she tightened her grip around the pouch.
It wasn’t that she doubted him.
But every time he spoke, she felt as though she was standing at the edge of an abyss, peering into a depth too vast to comprehend.
Yanwei’s voice cut through her thoughts. “There are three rank 2 weapons inside, laced with poison. A talisman as well—rank 2 middle-stage full attack. I don’t know who left it, but it doesn’t matter.” He paused for a breath, then continued as if delivering an execution order.
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“Jiang Yu is injured but pretending otherwise. Go to his cave and bait him. Linglong is still irritated—her judgment will be clouded. Tell her you saw the man who bought the things she needed. As for Zhang… he’s already setting up a trap for all of you.”
He finished speaking in a single breath, each sentence crisp, decisive.
Yun exhaled slowly. How does he know so much?
She had served him long enough to understand the depths of his cunning, but even so, it was suffocating. It felt as if he had seen everything before it even happened.
A spider, weaving an inescapable web.
She hesitated before speaking. “Master… if Zhang is preparing a trap for us, is it the same for the ghost?”
Yanwei smiled.
He reached out and gently touched her face. Yun tensed instinctively, her breath catching in her throat.
“I don’t know,” he said lightly. “But if he takes the bait, you won’t have to worry about your safety.”
She swallowed hard, suppressing the shiver running down her spine.
And then, just like that, he was gone.
…
Fuck, fuck, fuck! Because of that bastard, I don’t even know if I have a chance to win against Zhang and Jiang Yu!”
A woman’s furious voice echoed through the cave. The walls trembled slightly, as if they, too, feared her rage.
“I swear, if I ever catch you— I’ll eat you alive!”
“Heh.”
A chuckle drifted in from the cave entrance.
Linglong whirled around, her aura flaring up in a murderous wave.
A woman stood there, half-shrouded in shadows. Her lips curled into a smirk. “Seems like the title Fierce Linglong is well-deserved.”
Linglong’s eyes narrowed. “You?”
She quickly schooled her expression into indifference, but her muscles remained taut, ready to strike.
“Aren’t you supposed to be at that place? Monitoring?”
The woman, Yun, stepped forward, unfazed by the killing intent pressing against her.
“I was bored,” she said lightly. “But I have news for you. Important news.”
Linglong crossed her arms. “And what do you want in return?”
Yun’s smirk deepened. “An alliance.”
Linglong scoffed. “Are you joking?”
Yun ignored her tone. “First, because this news is important to you. Second, because you and I both know that your strength isn’t enough on its own. And third…” She leaned in slightly. “Your own sect is already eyeing you.”
Linglong’s pupils shrank.
It was only for a split second—but Yun saw it.
She pressed on. “I’ll give you a taste of my sincerity. Jiang Yu—he’s injured.”
Linglong didn’t react immediately.
She had suspected it. But hearing it confirmed…
Her fingers twitched at her side. If he’s injured, then—
Yun’s voice cut through her thoughts.
“And the real news?” Linglong finally asked.
Yun’s smile widened.
“The man who bought your things? He’s been spying at that place.”
Linglong’s breath hitched. Then, rage exploded within her.
Her killing intent surged to its peak. “How do you know who he is?!”
Yun remained calm. “Because I saw him. He also bought things from the sect’s business. Even though he was disguised, I saw that face earlier.” She tilted her head. “Too much of a coincidence, don’t you think?”
Linglong clenched her jaw, her breath uneven.
Yun knew she had her.
“I’ll go with you later,” Linglong growled. “But first… I have something to take care of.”
And with that, she vanished into the night.