They step into the temple ruins as the sky grows dim. Dust floats in the air, soft and gray. The walls lean inward in places, cracked by time. Vines curl around broken pillars. Gu Yangjin pauses at the entrance. She looks at Qiao Zhi with a half-smile.
"Are you ready?" Gu Yangjin asks, her voice steady but low.
Qiao Zhi grins. "I was born ready," she says playfully. Then she ducks under a low beam and moves inside.
As they move deeper, the air cools. The light from outside fades. Their footfalls echo in long halls. Broken statues line the sides, some missing heads or arms. Faded paintings on the walls show people in long robes, maybe ancient cultivators or monks. Some banners hang by threads, the symbols almost gone.
