The rays of dawn painted the sky a soft, pale orange , casting long shadows across the Dongying camp. A hush fell over the encampment as the quiet hum and movements of the soldiers preparing for the day was disrupted by an unsettling silence outside. Unbeknownst to the unsuspecting men and women, Zhang Li's force was gathering in the shadows, their masked faces hidden from sight.
A wave of men in brightly colored masks, their features obscured, crept silently towards the camp. They wore a disconcerting variety of expressions - happy masks with crimson ties; they were skilled martial artists, sad masks with drawn-down lips; were in hand with a beast, and a pair bizarre laughing masks; one face behind it was Zhang Li. The men moved with practiced precision, their movements a whispered threat in the stillness.
Within the camp, Yinuo felt a familiar presence, a jolt of recognition sending shivers down her spine. Her brother. She knew it was him. He was here. Without a moment's hesitation, she summoned her powers, the fluttering wings of a tiny butterfly messenger taking flight as she desperately tried to warn Su Ning and the others.
But before she could send another message, a sharp, searing pain sliced through her arm. A dagger, thrown with deadly accuracy, had pierced her flesh. Yinuo gasped, her vision focusing with the sudden sting. Turning to face her attacker, her eyes fell upon the figure standing in the growing light.
It was Zhang Li, his face obscured behind a laughing mask, his eyes glinting with a mixture of pain and determination. He extended a hand towards her, his voice laced with a strange yearning.
"Yinuo. I come to take you back."
Hope, a flame in the depths of her being, flickered within her. She had prayed for his redemption, for him to finally see the error of his ways, the devastating consequences of his actions. But she knows it was already beyond that. Yet she held on that hope. Just maybe, maybe, he can still be saved.
A flicker of doubt crossed her face, and she spoke, her voice barely a whisper, "You're gambling your life going here at Dongying's camp."
Zhang Li's hand clenched into a fist. "I need to get you out," he said, his voice filled with an urgency that was both alluring and unsettling.
"Why didn't you get me the first time we met then?"
she challenged, her voice strained with a quiet anger. "Not only did you leave me, but you cast a witchcraft on me, right?" Her words were laced with the bitter knowledge of his betrayal. She knew he loved her, but not as much as he loved his ambition, his insatiable desire for power.
A shadow of remorse crossed his features, but it was quickly overtaken by a steely determination. "It wasn't my physical body, Yinuo. I can't take you in that moment yet with me," he said, his voice taking on a desperate edge. "It was a fragment of my primordial spirit. I almost died... no, I actually died& trying to get that artifact for you. I am alive now, thanks to its power. Now I am here to get you."
"You got it?" she asked, her voice filled with a mixture of fear and awe.
He stepped closer, his eyes locked on hers. "I come to give you it. Let's go." With a snap of his fingers, a wave of drowsiness washed over her, his magic swiftly lulling her mind into unconsciousness.
Meanwhile, outside the camp, Su Ning and his men engaged in a fierce spar, their movements a blur of steel and muscle. Susu, her eyes fixed on Zhang Li's retreating figure, felt a surge of panic. He was taking Yinuo away! But as she moved to follow, her gaze fell upon Li Yang, who was struggling against a group of attackers. Torn between her loyalty tp Yinuo and a desperate need to protect a comrade, Susu hesitated, the weight of her decision heavy on her shoulders.
"Xiao Li!" Xiao Yue cried out, her voice laced with worry as she watched him chase after Zhang Li.
Susu, knowing this, was surging towards Li Yang's side, a hand firmly gripping her waist. "You're so weak!" she exclaimed, her concern evident in her tone. "You need to stay back!"
Li Yang's eyes flickered with some unreadable emotion for a fleeting moment before she pushed herself to her feet, a determined glint in her gaze. "I'm fine," she said, her voice firm. "Let's go."
And with that, they were off, their movements fluid and practiced as they fought side-by-side.
Meanwhile, Xiao Li was a blur of motion, desperately trying to keep up with Zhang Li's swift movements. Zhang Li, as if sensing his presence, abruptly halted, turning to face him with a practiced battle stance.
They engaged in a fierce exchange, their movements lightning-fast and deadly.
Unseen, Su Ning had caught up, her eyes narrowed with grim focus. In a swift, precise motion, he lunged, delivering a powerful blow to Zhang Li's back.
Zhang Li staggered, gritting his teeth in pain. A desperate plan formed in his mind. With a burst of forbidden magic, he vanished, taking Yinou with him.
He reappeared in his own territory, his body racked with coughs, blood staining his lips. Yinou lay unconscious in his arms. Hua Lin, ever vigilant to Zhang Li, rushed to his side, her concern etched on her face.
In the corner, Yueqing, her eyes sharp, muttered, "She's here."
Zhang Li barely had the strength to speak, his voice raspy. "Put her to rest," he rasped, gesturing towards Yinou. "Yueqing, go back to Donygying give them a blow, kill as many as possible and assess a retreat."
"I'll finally get to see that Lin Jian again. I want to see how he struggles. Alright, I'm off now!" Yueqing let out a smiled, his eyes full of excitement.
This was the Yueqing they asked for help once to get an evidence against Hua Lin. Turns out they work together. Yueqing wants to see Lin Jian's face when he realizes, it'll be fun!
He closed his eyes, drawing on the last of his strength, his gaze fixed on the horizon where the fight raged on, knowing that the battle was far from over.