After finishing her training, Chu Xiyue walked along the path back to the Qinghuan Inn. The mysterious handwriting she had seen kept echoing in her mind. She couldn't shake the feeling—was it really her master who wrote those words? She decided she had to ask him directly. She needed to know the truth.
The evening sky glowed with a red-orange hue. She looked up and murmured, "Master… could it really be you? Are you someone far more powerful than I ever imagined?"
Time passed quietly. As the moon slowly rose, she quickened her pace, hurrying back to the inn.
Suddenly, a voice shouted at her from the shadows."Hey, you! Have you seen this man?"
Chu Xiyue turned toward the voice. The man held up a wanted poster—and the face on it was unmistakably her master's.
Her heart clenched. She had to warn him.
But the stranger had already noticed her expression. He narrowed his eyes, and with a hiss, drew a blade."You've seen him. That look in your eyes—don't lie to me!"
Without another word, the man lunged toward her, his blade gleaming under the moonlight.
It was Chu Xiyue's first real fight. She was still a novice—forced to face a professional killer.
She dodged, again and again, barely escaping the deadly strikes. Her feet carried her through alleyways until she reached a narrow lane with no way forward.
The assassin laughed."Cornered. This is where it ends. Take this!"
But just then, Chu Xiyue smiled.
She drew her sword. Her stance shifted—graceful, fluid.
She recalled her training. Her body moved like flowing water, soft and elusive. The assassin's strikes began to miss. His footwork faltered, caught in the rhythm of her technique.
She turned, struck, and with one final sweeping motion—he collapsed silently to the ground.
Chu Xiyue stood still, breathing hard. The fight had drained her—but she had won.
Without wasting another second, she turned and sprinted back to the inn.A chill ran down her spine.
She didn't know if this was just the beginning… or if something worse was already on its way.