The words hung in the air like a blade, sharp and cold. Tianwu's heart hammered in his chest as his eyes locked onto the figure standing in the doorway. The stranger was tall, their silhouette barely distinguishable in the dim light, but the weight of their presence was undeniable.Tianwu instinctively stepped back, his body tensing, the lingering unease from the Mirror of Souls now manifesting in full. Something about this person—something familiar, yet entirely foreign—pulled at him, a shadow from a past he could not quite reach.Weiyang's gaze flicked toward the newcomer, his expression tightening. "You," he spat, his voice a mix of surprise and disdain. "What are you doing here?"The stranger didn't answer immediately. Instead, they stepped into the room, the faint echo of their footsteps unsettling in the silence. Their face remained hidden beneath a dark hood, and yet, when they finally raised their head, Tianwu's breath caught in his throat.It was him.The young man with the jade flute. The one who had played that haunting melody in the garden, the one whose words had gnawed at Tianwu's thoughts since the Moonlight Festival."Tianming," the stranger said softly, their voice a haunting melody of its own, "you shouldn't have come."Tianwu's pulse quickened as recognition bloomed in his chest, but the confusion only deepened. He had no name for this person, no memory of who they truly were—but their presence was like a phantom, tugging at the very fabric of his soul."What is this?" Weiyang's voice cut through the tension, his hand instinctively reaching for the hilt of his sword. "Who is this person, and what do they want?"The stranger didn't flinch, their eyes narrowing slightly. "I am not here for you, Zhao Weiyang," they said, their gaze flicking to Tianwu. "I came for him."Tianwu felt a chill run down his spine. "For me?" he whispered, his voice barely audible.The stranger nodded, the faintest glimmer of something—guilt, perhaps?—crossing their face. "Yes. You are the one I have been searching for."Weiyang's expression darkened, but Tianwu barely noticed. All his focus was on the person standing before him, the one whose presence was like a memory he couldn't quite recall. He could almost see glimpses of something, faint images flickering at the edges of his mind—whispers of a time long forgotten."You're mistaken," Tianwu said, trying to steady his breath, to make sense of the overwhelming emotions swirling within him. "I don't know who you are. I've never seen you before."The stranger's lips curled into a bittersweet smile. "But you have, Tianming. In another life, long ago. I'm the one you left behind, the one you promised to never forget."Tianwu's mind spun, the words reverberating in his chest like a distant drumbeat. He shook his head, struggling to catch his breath. "I don't understand."The stranger took a step forward, the dim light catching on their jade flute, which hung loosely in their hand. "I don't expect you to," they said quietly. "But time is running out. Your past is returning, and with it, the consequences of your choices."Tianwu's eyes widened. "Consequences?"Weiyang took another step forward, his impatience clear. "What is this nonsense? Who are you, and why are you speaking in riddles?"The stranger's gaze flicked toward Weiyang, and for a brief moment, Tianwu saw something in their eyes—something that sent a chill through his heart. It wasn't fear or anger, but a deep, unsettling sorrow."This doesn't concern you, Zhao Weiyang," the stranger said softly. "Your path is already set. But his..." They turned back to Tianwu, their gaze sharp and searching. "His has yet to be written."Tianwu's mind raced, his thoughts spiraling as the stranger's words echoed in his ears. What did they mean? What was this person trying to tell him? And why, in the depths of his heart, did their presence feel so significant?Before he could speak, the air in the room shifted, and a new presence entered."Tianming!"It was Yuren. His voice was filled with concern, but there was a tension in his expression that was impossible to miss. His eyes flicked between Tianwu, the stranger, and Weiyang, assessing the situation in an instant."What is this? What's happening?" Yuren asked, his gaze locking with Tianwu's.The stranger turned toward him, their eyes narrowing in recognition. "You," they said, as if tasting the name on their tongue. "You are the one who still holds a part of him, aren't you?"Yuren's brow furrowed. "What are you talking about?"The stranger didn't respond immediately. Instead, they took another step closer to Tianwu, their expression softening with an unreadable emotion. "There's still time, Tianming. You can still choose. You don't have to walk the path they want for you."Tianwu's heart pounded. "What path? Who are you?"But the stranger didn't answer. Instead, they turned and began to walk toward the door, their movements fluid and graceful. "I'll be waiting," they said, their voice barely a whisper. "And when the time comes, you'll remember."Before anyone could stop them, the stranger vanished into the shadows of the hallway, leaving the room in an unsettling silence.---Tianwu stood frozen, his mind swirling with a storm of questions he didn't know how to ask. The stranger's words echoed in his mind, but there was something else, too—something that made his chest tighten. Was it fear? Or something else, something deeper?Yuren stepped forward, his hand on Tianwu's arm, his touch firm but gentle. "Tianming... are you all right?"Tianwu didn't answer immediately. He couldn't. His thoughts were too scattered, too chaotic. Instead, he turned to Weiyang, whose face had grown pale, though his posture remained composed."That person..." Weiyang began, his voice low and guarded. "Do you know them?"Tianwu shook his head, his mind struggling to make sense of the impossible. "I don't know. But... there's something familiar about them. Something I can't remember."Yuren's grip tightened on his arm, pulling him away from the window. "It doesn't matter right now. We need to leave. This place..." He trailed off, his voice carrying a warning tone. "It's not safe."But as they turned to leave, Tianwu glanced back at the Mirror of Souls, its surface now still and dark, as though it had never been disturbed. And for the briefest of moments, he swore he saw a reflection in the mirror—a face he thought he had long forgotten.---As they made their way toward the door, a sharp sound echoed from the hallway—the unmistakable click of a lock turning. Tianwu's heart sank. They were trapped. The only question was... by whom?