Yun Xiao, accompanied by Ye Qi and another woman, Fěi Yào, stumbled into a cavern thick with the stench of demonic energy.
Their clothes were tattered and bloodied, the evidence of yet another grueling battle written across their weary faces.
The faint glow of luminescent stones reflected off the cavern walls, casting shifting shadows that only heightened the unease in the air.
"How do they keep finding us?" Yun Xiao growled, his voice laced with frustration. His sharp gaze flicked toward Ye Qi, who was leaning heavily against the wall.
Her face was pale, her breathing ragged, and blood still seeped from her wounds. The sight made his chest tighten with guilt.
He wasn't much better off himself, but Fěi Yào... she looked untouched. Her expression remained calm, almost serene, despite the chaos they'd just survived.
The thought churned in his mind again, unwelcome but persistent. Their relentless pursuit by the demonic men felt too coordinated, too precise.
Someone had to be feeding them information. His eyes lingered on Fěi Yào, the woman whose name—Fěi Yào, the Demonic Consort—invited mistrust.
He hated himself for even entertaining the idea. After all, she'd saved his life once, defying Lei Ying's wrath to stay by his side.
For three years, she'd fought alongside him and Ye Qi, enduring just as much as they had—or so he thought.
But the pattern was undeniable.
"Fěi Yào," Yun Xiao said finally, his voice heavy with the weight of his decision. "I think we should split up here."
Fěi Yào froze, her composure slipping for a fraction of a second before her face hardened. "What do you mean by that?" she asked, her voice quiet but edged with disbelief. "You think I'm the reason they're finding us?"
Yun Xiao clenched his fists. "It's strange, isn't it? No matter how far we run or how well we hide, they always catch up. And you…" His gaze narrowed. "You're the only one who never seems to suffer in these battles."
Fěi Yào's hand trembled as she clenched it into a fist. "After everything we've been through, you're really doubting me now?" she spat. "Three years, Yun Xiao. Three years I've stood by you and Ye Qi. If I wanted to betray you, why wait until now?"
Yun Xiao hesitated, his expression pained. Inwardly, he called out to the ancient spirit in his mind. "Old man, are you certain it's her?"
The voice responded with calm confidence. "Have I ever been wrong?"
Taking a deep breath, Yun Xiao turned back to Fěi Yào, forcing himself to speak. "I'll take Ye Qi. She's injured, and we'll be safer apart. Let's meet back here in a month. Until then, stay safe."
Without waiting for her reply, he approached Ye Qi and placed a gentle hand on her shoulder. A faint shimmer enveloped them, and in an instant, they vanished.
Fěi Yào stared at the empty space where they'd been, her teeth clenched as betrayal and frustration bubbled to the surface.
"Damn him!" she shouted, her voice echoing off the cavern walls. "Suspicious bastard! Fine! From today, we're done! I want nothing to do with him!"
Her anger was interrupted by the sound of slow, deliberate clapping.
"Well said," a smooth voice drawled behind her. "Quite the show you put on."
Spinning around, Fěi Yào condensed a blade of ice in her hand. Its surface shimmered dangerously as she pointed it toward the intruder.
Her breath caught when her eyes fell on him—a white-haired youth in an immaculate black robe, his piercing gaze fixed on her with an amused smile.
"Who are you?" she demanded, her voice sharp despite the unease creeping through her.
The man tilted his head slightly, as though considering her question. "Me?" he said lightly, a faint smirk on his lips. "Even if I told you, I doubt you'd truly understand. I am who I am—nothing more, nothing less."
A chill ran down her spine at his cryptic words. "White hair… pale skin…" Her voice faltered as realization dawned.
"Lei Ying," he said evenly, cutting her off. "I assume you've heard of me."
Her grip on the ice blade tightened. Though her heart raced, she forced herself to meet his gaze. "So what? I've always wanted to test your strength. Power isn't about lineage—it's about ability. Let's see if the young lord Lei Ying can back up his reputation."
Lei Ying's smile didn't falter, though his eyes darkened slightly. "I prefer a death match," he replied coldly.
Before she could react, he moved. His palm struck like a streak of light, slamming into her chest with unrelenting force. The impact sent her staggering, blood spurting from her lips.
As she crumpled to the ground, his appearance began to shift. The whites of his eyes turned a deep violet, his pupils darkening into bottomless black pits. An ominous smile tugged at his lips as he stepped forward.
"I've always been curious about your ice origin," Lei Ying mused, his tone almost conversational. "I wonder what secrets it holds. I suppose I'll find out soon enough."
Purple light coiled around his hand like a serpent as he raised it toward her. Fěi Yào's body trembled, her energy completely suppressed as the light engulfed her.
She could only watch in horror as her skin began to crack and crumble, her form disintegrating piece by piece into fine dust.
Lei Ying closed his eyes, inhaling deeply as the dust swirled toward him, merging with his aura. A smirk crossed his lips. "Exquisite," he murmured. "Such purity is rare."
Flexing his fingers, he glanced at the empty space where Fěi Yào had once stood. His black robes billowed as he turned and strode deeper into the cavern, the air heavy with the suffocating weight of his newfound power.