The Yunhe Monastery loomed ahead, its silhouette carved into the mountainside like an ancient relic untouched by time. Mist curled around its stone walls, and the scent of burning incense drifted through the cold night air.
Wang Shi tightened his cloak around his shoulders as he approached the entrance. His body ached from the fight, but his mind churned even more.
This is not the first time we've met.
The woman's words refused to leave him. No matter how much he searched his memory, there was nothing—no trace of her in his past. And yet, the way she had looked at him… It was as if she knew everything about him, while he knew nothing at all.
He exhaled sharply. He would find answers later. Right now, he needed to focus on why he had come.
Two monks stood at the entrance, their robes simple yet pristine. They eyed him with quiet scrutiny, their gazes lingering on the bloodstains on his sleeve.
"I am Wang Shi," he said, keeping his voice steady. "I was sent by Elder Mu."
The monks exchanged a glance before one of them nodded. "The Elder is expecting you. Follow us."
Wang Shi stepped past the threshold.
Inside, the monastery was silent, the air heavy with an eerie stillness. The stone corridors stretched endlessly, lined with flickering lanterns that cast long shadows.
Finally, they stopped before a set of wooden doors. The monk leading him pushed them open, revealing a dimly lit chamber where an old man sat cross-legged on a raised platform.
Elder Mu.
His presence was like an unmoving mountain, steady and unshaken. His long white beard and deep-set eyes spoke of wisdom beyond a single lifetime.
Wang Shi bowed. "Elder."
The old man studied him for a long moment, then gestured for him to sit.
"You were attacked." It wasn't a question.
Wang Shi nodded. "They knew my route. Someone wanted to make sure I never arrived here."
Elder Mu's gaze was unreadable. "And yet, you survived."
A flash of white robes. A sword humming through the air. A woman who knew his name.
"Yes," Wang Shi said slowly. "Someone saved me."
Elder Mu's eyes flickered, just for a second. Then he spoke words that sent a chill through Wang Shi's spine.
"Then fate moves faster than I anticipated."
Silence settled between them.
Wang Shi straightened. "You knew something like this would happen."
Elder Mu didn't deny it. Instead, he leaned forward, his voice low, as if the walls themselves were listening.
"You have been walking blind, Wang Shi. But the time has come for you to open your eyes."
Wang Shi clenched his fists. "Then tell me what I need to see."
The old man exhaled, his breath like the whisper of the wind.
"Your mother's death was not an accident."
The world tilted beneath Wang Shi's feet.
And just like that, the path before him had changed forever.