The journey back to the Dark Valley Sect was grueling, the weight of the recent events bearing heavily on the trio. Tian Lou limped along using his sword for support, while Tian Lan rested on Chen Zhe’s back. The silence between them was broken only by the occasional rustling of leaves and the distant cries of beasts.

"Tian Lou" Chen Zhe broke the silence "how are you holding up?"

Tian Lou smiled weakly. "I've seen worse. Remember, I'm the one who explored the ancient treasure pavilion and lived to tell the tale. This is just another chapter in my story."

Chen Zhe nodded, remembering all the stories he had heard about Tian Lou succeeding. Even before starting on this expedition, the reputation of him being a great explorer had preceded himself. Yet now, seeing this man battered and bloodied, Chen Zhe questioned whether most of that reputation was not borne from luck.

"You saved us back there" Tian Lou continued, his tone turning serious. "But I have to ask. why did you hide your strength? You're clearly not just some archaeologist tagging along."

Chen Zhe glanced back at him, his expression calm but unreadable. "It wasn't intentional. Just precaution. You never know who you can trust these days."

Tian Lou frowned but didn't press. "Precaution or not, you saved us. I don't know what we would've done without you."

As Chen Zhe looked forward on the path, the skull suddenly broke into his mind and used a wheezy old man's tone dripping with condescension. "Precaution? Hahahaa What a lie to tell, tell them the truth boy, tell them the Scarlet Demon's blood now surges in your veins. Let them kneel in awe.!!?"

Chen Zhe gritted his teeth, grinding out under his breath "Quiet down."

"What was that?" Tian Lou asked looking at him with furrowed brows.

"Nothing" Chen Zhe said quickly.

The skull cackled like a mischievous child. "Ooh, they think you're talking to yourself. Maybe they'll think you've gone mad just like me. Imagine the fun we will have."

Chen Zhe ignored it and continued walking.

The path back was arduous. Though they had left the Warces Mountains, the aftermath of the battle still lingered in their minds. Tian Lan stirred on his back, her voice groggy as she regained consciousness.

“Chen Zhe?” she whispered. “What. what happened? Where are we?”

“We’re heading back to the Dark Valley Sect” he said. “Rest for now. You’ve been through a lot.”

Tian Lan's hand clutched his shoulder weakly. "Thanks" she whispered.

The skull again chimed in this time with the voice of a sycophantic teenager full of mockery. "Ah, how touching. The damsel thanks the hero. Isn't this just like one of those sappy stories I heard? Too bad you're not telling her about the skull in your bag. I would love to imagine her face then."

"Will you stop?" Chen Zhe hissed under his breath.

Tian Lan shifted slightly. "What did you say?"

"Nothing. Just focus on healing." Chen Zhe replied his tone steady.

Tian Lou looked at him curiously but said nothing.

As they journeyed on, the skull became increasingly loquacious. "The Dark Valley Sect, eh?" it mused, its tone now sagely and introspective. "That pitiful sect didn't even exist when the Scarlet Demon roamed the world. It's nothing but a fly buzzing around the edges of the righteous path."

Chen Zhe frowned. "What do you mean?" he whispered.

"Hah?" the skull said cryptically. "Well, let's just say that a righteous path has to be really far below itself to even allow a nobody like that no-name sect amongst their ranks."

“What are you mumbling about back there?” Tian Lou called out narrowing his eyes.

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“Just thinking about how fortunate we are to have survived” Chen Zhe said smoothly.

The skull laughed again, but now its voice had a cheerful childlike quality. "Oh boy, you're a good liar. I like this side of you, brat."

As they approached the sect's outer gate, Tian Lan wanted to walk. "I'm not a burden." she said decisively, despite her voice weak but forceful. Chen Zhe put her down gently and kept his gaze on her as she found her balance.

Tian Lou straightened up a bit as well. His pride as a swordsman wouldn't allow him to seem weak in front of the sect overseers.

"We need to think of an alibi" Tian Lou said, pausing short of the gate. "The truth can't be said. If we were attacked by humans and Chen Zhe rescued us, people will be curious."

Tian Lan nodded. "We should blame the beasts. That cave was crawling with them anyway."

Tian Lou looked at them both. "What's the plan, then?"

Chen Zhe rubbed his chin. "We'll say we were ambushed by a fire demon and a horned beast deep in the Warces Mountains. They killed the guide and we hardly escaped because the beasts started fighting each other. That should cover it."

The skull began to chuckle. It sounded like a teenager now, nothing sneering. "Hahahaa. This is going to be fun. Lie upon lie. let's see how convincing you are, boy."

Chen Zhe ignored it and nodded his head towards the twins. "That will work. Let's keep it that way."

The sect overseer stood at the gates, his sharp eyes observing them as they approached. He was a tall man with a stern expression, his hands clasped behind his back.

"You're late" the overseer said his tone cold. "And your party seems smaller."

Tian Lou bowed slightly, keeping his expression neutral. "Apologies, Overseer Xu. We faced unexpected danger in the Warces Mountains. Our guide didn't make it."

"Unexpected danger?" Overseer Xu's eyes narrowed. "Explain."

Chen Zhe stepped forward, his voice unwavering. "We got further into the mountains than we planned and were ambushed by two massive monsters a fire demon and a horned one. We barely made it out of there with our skins. The guide wasn't so lucky."

The overseer looked at him for a second then turned to Tian Lan. "And you? What's your story?"

Tian Lan nodded weakly. "It's as Chen Zhe said. The beasts were unlike anything we've seen before. We were lucky to get away."

Overseer Xu's eyes flicked between the three of them, his expression unreadable. "Very well. Report to the outer sect immediately. I'll file this incident with the elders."

As they exited the gates, the skull's voice echoed within Chen Zhe's mind, its tone now that of a smug aristocrat. "Well done, my boy. You're quite the actor. Perhaps you missed your calling."

Later that night, the three of them sat in a quiet corner of the outer sect's courtyard. Tian Lou's wounds had been tended to and Tian Lan was finally able to walk without assistance.

"I still can't believe you survived that cave" Tian Lou said, his eyes on Chen Zhe. "You're not the same man who went in there."

Chen Zhe shrugged, his gaze distant. "The mountains change people."

Tian Lan studied him carefully. "You're hiding something."

Chen Zhe met her gaze, his expression calm. "Aren't we all?"

The skull let out a chuckle, now a merry old man's chuckle. Chen Zhe suppressed a sigh, leaning back against the wall as the twins began discussing their next steps. The weight of the Scarlet Demon’s legacy pressed heavily on his shoulders. Whatever path lay ahead, he knew it wouldn’t be easy.