I stopped and took a deep breath, my hands trembling. This mountainous region was known for its desolation. Cultivators rarely passed through here, and even ordinary travelers avoided it due to rumors of poison and death. How had I ended up in this place? And why did it feel as though I had been deliberately abandoned?
Was this truly fate, or had the sect somehow orchestrated this?
I clenched my fists, turning to look back at the icy reflection. No, I would not allow myself to be controlled by fate. My true form wasn’t something to fear—it was my strength. And this mountain, this cursed cave, would not be my grave.
Realizing the gravity of the situation, my heart grew heavy.
Who had killed me? Who had abandoned me?
Was it the master? No, he had already descended the mountain. If he had wanted to kill me, he wouldn’t have allowed me to keep my true body. Qing Chen? Impossible. He carried the venom within his body—if he wanted me dead, he would have consumed my essence to heal himself. The second senior brother? Perhaps, but far less likely than… the junior disciple and Qing Chen working together.
I couldn’t determine the truth. My mind reeled, circling around my descent from the mountain to this unfamiliar and dangerous cave. Could it have been planned? Had someone led me to this path intentionally, ensuring that I’d meet my end here?
Why? Why did someone want me dead? Was it simply to destroy my essence? To prevent me from aiding Qing Chen? But why leave me with my soul intact? Why allow me even a chance to survive?
I bit my lip and held back the rising frustration. There were no answers, only suffocating silence.
I paced in circles for a while, my thoughts racing. My gaze kept returning to the ice mirror and my true form reflected within it. Was my presence here not accidental? Qing Chen had no reason to send me here, but what about the junior disciple? Could it be that he harbored deeper intentions, that his kindness was simply a veil?
No. Stop. This wasn’t the time to speculate wildly. If it wasn’t the junior disciple, could it have been Qing Chen himself? Was this punishment for my growing presence? A test of my loyalty? Or worse, was I truly just an obstacle to be eliminated?
I didn’t dare think further.
Before I could determine the truth of the situation, I forced myself to push those thoughts aside. I turned back to the narrow cave path, retracing my steps to the base of the mountain. There, I caught sight of a faint glow of swordlight—someone had descended from the mountaintop, their figure faint in the rising mist.
No one was chasing me. The figure above seemed unaware of my presence.
“Junior Brother!” It was the junior disciple’s voice, calling down.
I wondered if the “true essence” of my spirit, hidden deep within the ice mirror’s reflection, had somehow drawn him here. He approached cautiously, his steps light but purposeful. When his eyes landed on me, he frowned.
“What are you doing here?” His voice was soft, but there was a hint of reproach. His sword hovered at his side, ready but unthreatening.
I hesitated for a moment before nodding and murmuring, “I got lost.”
He glanced at me skeptically but chose not to press further. “Follow me back,” he said, motioning for me to rise. When I stumbled slightly, he reached out to steady me, his palm cold yet steady. “You look pale. Did you fall somewhere?”
“Hmm,” I responded vaguely.
He sighed and brushed the dust from his robes. “I’ll go ahead,” he muttered. Without waiting, he turned and leaped forward, his figure light as air. His silhouette soon disappeared into the mist.
“Why did you come here?” he asked over his shoulder, his tone more curious now.
I stared at his retreating figure, my thoughts in chaos. “I came to see something,” I replied carefully.
“Don’t stray from the path again,” he said flatly. “Today, everyone descended the mountain, and you—what have you done?”
His words struck like an accusation, but I couldn’t discern whether his tone held concern or something more dangerous. For now, I could only follow him silently.
His expression suddenly sank. After a long silence, he finally said, “This isn’t something you should ask about.”
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