The darkness pressed in like a moldy, suffocating blanket. The air was thick, choked with the scent of blood, rot, and fear. Shen Ming hung against the damp stone wall like a broken puppet. Chains bit into his wrists. His ribs screamed with each shallow breath, and his once-fair face was a patchwork of bruises, cuts, and dried blood.
Below him, Li Wei let out a faint groan, curled awkwardly on the ground, his right arm bent at an unnatural angle.
"Shen-xiong…" Li Wei whispered hoarsely. "Are we going to die?"
Shen Ming didn't respond. Not because he didn't want to, but because he couldn't. Even speaking hurt.
"We're not going to die," Duan Xia said softly. She was slumped against a far wall, her arms around herself. "The sect will come."
"…San Jie?" Shen Ming murmured, barely audible. His voice trembled like his chest, each word a wince.
There were supposed to be thirteen of them. Now, bound and broken by the Lotus Sect, they didn't know if he was still alive. San Jie had tried to help, had resisted when the others were captured.
"He's okay… he has to be okay," Xu Jin said, though her hands wouldn't stop shaking. The cold crept into every corner of the cell, wrapping around them like death's whisper.
"…Sorry." Shen Ming closed his eyes. It was all he could say.
"It's not your fault, Shen-xiong," Duan Xia said, tears streaking her dirt-smeared face. "It's because of me…"
"No." Xu Jin's voice rang out, suddenly strong.
"This is all because of them. Those bastards. Not us. When the Wen Sect finds out, when Yu Shixiong finds out, they'll have nowhere to run!"
Lotus Sect, merciless, feared, brutal.
Shen Ming tried not to listen to the distant, blood-curdling screams that echoed from the chamber next door. But he couldn't help the shiver that ran through him.
Please… please don't let that voice be San Jie's.
Aside from that torment, the only other sound in the cell was the slow, steady drip of water falling from the ceiling.
"Yu Shixiong…" Luo Cheng whispered, barely conscious, his body also beaten and bloody.
"He'll come. Even if the others forget us, Yu Shixiong won't," Ma Dong said. It was the first time he had spoken, his voice hoarse but certain.
"…No. I wish he wouldn't come," Xu Jin said suddenly, her eyes wet and desperate. "If he comes… I don't want to see him end up like this. I can't bear it."
And then, footsteps.
Heavy. Deliberate. Drawing closer.
Everyone stiffened, pressing back against the walls, heartbeats rising in panic. A flicker of firelight cast a glow across the iron bars. A tall, slender figure in crimson robes stepped into view, holding a torch in one hand, a whip coiled at his waist.
His eyes glinted with cruelty.
"Still hoping?" he sneered. His voice dripped with mockery. "Like that little girl said… if your Yu Shixiong shows up, we'll welcome him too."
"…San Jie?" Shen Ming forced the question from his dry lips. "Where… is he?"
The man grinned.
"Oh, that little pest?" he said with fake sympathy. "Probably dead by now. Wouldn't stop resisting. How unfortunate."
"You bastard!" Duan Xia screamed, struggling against her chains. "You'll pay for this, you'll burn in hell!"
The man's smile widened.
"Still got some spirit?" he said, drawing the whip from his belt. Sparks crackled at the tip. "Let's see how long it lasts."
Shen Ming's heart dropped.
No... It can't be… not San Jie…
You idiot… why did you fight so hard?
Please… please don't be dead.
You're my rival… but-
San Jie, live. Just live.
The Lotus Sect guard opened the iron-barred door and stepped into the cell, swinging his whip from side to side with a cruel smile.
"We'll avenge him," Shen Ming stammered, trying to draw the guard's attention away from Duan Xia.
Surprised by Shen Ming's sudden boldness, the guard let out a mocking laugh.
"Avenge him? With what? Broken bones and empty threats? You're all just chickens waiting to be crushed."
He stepped forward and kicked Shen Ming hard in the stomach. Shen Ming, still hanging by his chains, was thrown to the side like a ragdoll.
"Ah-!"
"Don't look down on us, you bastard!" Luo Cheng shouted, shaking with fury. "Do you really think we won't burn your whole sect to the ground? Even if we die here, the Wen Sect will take revenge!"
The guard's grin faded. This time, he was angry for real. He raised his whip and slashed it across Luo Cheng's chest. A loud crack echoed in the room, followed by a cry of pain. But instead of fear, Luo Cheng smiled.
His teeth were red with blood, and a trickle ran down his lips. Still, he grinned like a madman.
"That's it? Didn't hurt that much. Come on, hit me again if you dare."
Shen Ming's heart raced. The guard was falling for it. He stepped closer, lifting the whip, aiming for Luo Cheng's face.
"Wait!" Shen Ming shouted, gathering the last of his strength. His voice cracked, but the guard paused. "Don't you really want to play?" Shen Ming said, glancing quickly at Duan Xia and whispering something low.
Bounding Talismans.
Even though Shen Ming and Luo Cheng were chained, Duan Xia and the others were not. Slowly, Duan Xia slipped her hand into her sleeve and pulled out a crumpled talisman. Her fingers trembled. She didn't know if it would work, the guard's spiritual energy was strong. But she had to try.
As the guard turned toward Shen Ming, distracted by his moans, Duan Xia began pouring her qi into the talisman.
But no one noticed the quiet power building in Luo Cheng's hands. His eyes had turned sharp like a wild wolf's. Colorless energy started gathering around his fingers.
The moment Duan Xia released the talisman, the guard sensed something was wrong. He turned just in time, dodging the talisman with a fast twist of his body. With a snarl, he swung his whip straight at Duan Xia.
"Stupid bitch!"
The whip cracked against her face before anyone could react. She cried out and fell to the ground, covering her face with both hands.
Just as the guard raised his whip again-
BOOM!
Luo Cheng broke free from the chains and released a powerful blast of spiritual energy straight into the guard's chest. The impact threw the man across the room like a broken doll, and he crashed to the ground with a loud thud.
"Duan Shimei, are you okay?" Luo Cheng rushed to her side, his brows furrowed with worry.
Duan Xia said nothing. Her hands were still covering her face. Blood oozed between her fingers.
"Duan Shimei…?"
"Duan Xia-my God!"
"Xia-er, let us see," Xu Jin cried out, crawling over and gently pulling her hands away.
Luo Cheng quickly unchained Shen Ming, and before he fell, Li Wei stepped forward and caught him.
"I'm fine…" Duan Xia whispered, trying to hide her pain. Her voice was weak. But as her hands moved away, a deep scar across one side of her face was clearly visible. Blood streamed down her cheek.
Shen Ming's chest tightened. He felt his heart tear in two.
Although Duan Xia was the one hurt, it was Xu Jin who broke down in tears.
Duan Xia's face could never be the same again. Xu Jin knew it.
Luo Cheng's eyes burned with fury.
"Luo Xiong," Shen Ming called out softly, not looking away from Duan Xia. A tear rolled down his cheek.
"Can you find San Jie? Please… We must save him and avenge Duan Shimei."
Luo Cheng looked at Duan Xia for a long moment, his fists clenched tight. Then he bent down, pulled off the guard's crimson outer robe, and threw it over himself. He picked up the whip from the floor and turned to Shen Ming.
"Stay here," he said, his voice cold. Then he handed over the key from the guard's belt.
"When we find San Xiong, let's get out of here together." Luo Cheng closed the iron door of the dungeon and walked out without looking back.
***************************************************************
The Crimson Phoenix Pavilion sparkled like a golden jewel in the heart of the night. Lanterns lit up every corner, casting a warm glow over the lively crowd. Laughter and music floated from within, filling the air like a festive melody.
This place was the city's playground for nobles and elites.
Which is exactly why the moment Yu Lingyu and Wu Xuan stepped near the entrance, the watchman didn't hesitate to stop them.
"This is no place for beggars."
Yu Lingyu and Wu Xuan looked at each other, silently realizing their disguise hadn't worked.
"Come with me," Yu Lingyu said, grabbing Wu Xuan's wrist. They quickly moved to a nearby clothing shop, stopping in front of a display that glittered with rich fabrics.
"To people like them, appearance is everything," Yu Lingyu muttered, eyeing the luxurious robes.
"We'll take your finest clothes," Wu Xuan announced, his voice loud and confident.
The shop servant gave him a long look, from head to toe, as if measuring whether a common man could afford anything inside.
Without a word, Wu Xuan pulled a handful of gold coins from his pouch and waved them lazily in front of the servant.
The change was instant.
"Right this way, gentlemen," the servant said, bowing so low his forehead nearly touched the floor.
Not long after, both of them were dressed in the finest silks.
Wu Xuan wore a deep black robe lined with silver thread, and tiny bells on his waist sash rang softly with each step.Yu Lingyu's outfit was crimson red, almost like a groom's wedding robe. A golden phoenix-shaped hairpin was tucked into his hair.
Yu Lingyu frowned at the bright color. "This shade..."
Wu Xuan chuckled when he noticed. "You look perfect, Master Wen Jian," he said with a grin, handing him a folding fan.
Yu Lingyu let out a quiet sigh. "If the real Wen Jian finds out, we'll be in serious trouble."He was borrowing the name of Wen Jian, the son of the richest merchant in the empire.
"Not as much trouble as I'll be in," Wu Xuan muttered with a sigh of his own.
Yu Lingyu glanced at him. "Good, good... Xiao Ming."
Xiao Ming, another wealthy name from Lilan City, was currently residing in the capital of Luoyang.
"But why all this pretending?" Yu Lingyu asked with a tilt of his head.
"Money can buy many things," Wu Xuan said calmly, "but there are some things only respect can buy. And respect brings trust."
"They'll trust Wen Jian and Xiao Ming far more than two strangers named Yu Lingyu and Wu Xuan."
Sure enough, when they returned, the guard's attitude had changed completely. He welcomed them with a bow and offered to escort them to the best seat in the house.
Wu Xuan politely declined.
Inside, the air was thick with the scent of perfumes and incense. Dozens of small conversations melted into a warm background hum. Gentle music echoed from the center of the room, where dancers twirled gracefully, dressed in translucent silk.
Their movements were soft and dreamlike, as if they were floating. Eyes glittering like gems, they moved in rhythm, swaying as though their bodies were made of wind and water, enough to make any man forget his name.
Yu Lingyu watched for a moment and felt a strange chill crawl up his spine.
From the side, Wu Xuan rolled his eyes.
"Oh, come on, Yu Shidi. Can you at least pretend not to enjoy yourself?" he said, annoyed.
Yu Lingyu: "..."
Dusting off his cloak, Yu Lingyu, no, Wen Jian, the elegant phoenix, slid through the crowd like a shadowy snake.
"Wen Gongzi!"
Just as he tried to push forward, a soft hand gently caught his right wrist.
"What is someone like Wen Gongzi doing in a place like this?" a woman's voice purred. She stepped closer, her breath almost brushing his cheek.
"…You know me?" Yu Lingyu asked, keeping his face calm, though his heartbeat betrayed him. The dancer leaned in closer than necessary, her long arms moving gracefully as if painting across the air.
"Who doesn't know Wen Gongzi?" she said with a playful smile. "It's my first time seeing you in person, but your name echoes through Luoyang."
Yu Lingyu silently cursed the guard from earlier. The fake identity of Wen Jian was only meant to fool the Lotus Sect, not to be flaunted. Now, half the pavilion probably believed he was the real thing.
He quickly scanned the crowd, searching for Wu Xuan, but his troublesome Wu Shixiong had disappeared without a trace.
"You're just as I imagined," the dancer whispered, tossing the edge of her red cloak over Lingyu's face and twirling him in place. "Though I didn't expect such a fine figure."
Yu Lingyu forced a polite smile. Thank you, thank you. Now please go away.
"Miss, may I ask you something?" he said gently as she pulled him toward a nearby seat.
"A question?" she echoed, gracefully handing him a cup of wine.
"I'm looking for someone. My sworn brother, his name is Shen Ming, son of Mr. Shen of Yuxu."
She raised an eyebrow. The Shens of Yuxu were no small name. In fact, they were the biggest trade rivals to the Wen family of Luoyang.
"Even your friends are well-connected," she said, plopping down onto Yu Lingyu's lap. He flinched slightly, screaming inwardly as he struggled to keep his expression neutral.
"…Yes, definitely-!"
Before he could say more, a familiar voice cut through the tension.
"Well, of course!" Wu Xuan said with biting sarcasm, stepping into view.
Yu Lingyu felt a wave of relief wash over him. Finally!
The dancer turned toward Wu Xuan with interest. "And this gongzi is…?"
"Oh, Xiao Ming! Where have you been?" Yu Lingyu exclaimed, pretending to be delighted.
"Ming Gongzi?" the dancer blinked, looking Wu Xuan up and down. "You've changed a lot since arriving in Luoyang. Life must be treating you well."
Wu Xuan's mouth curled into a cold smile.
"And who are you to ask me that?" he snapped, brushing her aside with a flick of his sleeve. It was a perfect imitation of the real Xiao Ming's personality, distant, prideful, and impossible to impress.
The dancer lowered her gaze, sensing the shift. A woman like her wouldn't often get a second glance from someone of Xiao Ming's rank.
"Oh, don't be so rude," Yu Lingyu cut in quickly, motioning for her to sit. "Please forgive him, miss. He's just worried about Brother Shen."
The dancer blinked. "You're very kind, Wen Gongzi."
"You flatter me. I apologize for my friend, he's heartbroken over Shen Ming's disappearance."
Wu Xuan: "...?"
Yu Lingyu smiled and poured the dancer another drink. "Miss, have you seen anyone suspicious lately? Anyone unusual?"
She tilted her head, fingers trailing lightly across his chest as if tracing a design. "Suspicious? Hmm… Not really. Though there's one man, calls himself Lao Hu. Comes here often. Stands alone on the peony stage. Never says a word. Just watches the dancers."
"Lao Hu?" Yu Lingyu asked.
"Yes," she replied, twirling a lock of her hair. "Always in black. Doesn't speak. A little odd."
"Will he come tonight?"
"If you're lucky," she said, her voice like silk, "you just might see him."