*Bang!*The deafening sound rolled through the village like thunder.Lin Chen jumped and instinctively stepped closer to the others. "What was that?!"Every door in the village had slammed shut at the same moment.Yan Luo immediately drew his sword,his sharp gaze sweeping across the empty street. "Everyone,stay together."Chen Yu slowly turned in place,carefully watching the surrounding houses."That wasn't the wind." Hei Long gave a small nod."No... something closed them."
Zhao Ming slowly looked toward the rooftops, his expression becoming serious."We're no longer being watched by one thing."Lin Chen frowned."What do you mean?"Zhao Ming didn't answer immediately.His eyes remained fixed on the village."We're being watched by many." Before anyone could speak,a faint sound echoed from inside the nearest house. *Tap...*Everyone instinctively turned toward it.Then another sound followed.*Tap... Tap...* They were footsteps.
The footsteps suddenly stopped.Chen Yu narrowed his eyes."Who's there?"No answer came.For several long seconds,the village became completely still.Then an unfamiliar old voice echoed through the empty streets. "Leave..."Lin Chen's face immediately paled. "Who said that?"The voice echoed again, coming from somewhere impossible to locate."You shouldn't have returned."
Xu Yang's brows furrowed. "Returned?" The old voice gave a quiet sigh."History repeats because people always return."Before Xu Yang could ask another question,the wooden windows throughout the village began trembling one after another.*Knock... Knock Knock...*The slow knocking spread across the village until every house seemed to be making the same sound.Lin Chen covered one ear."This place is getting worse."
Hei Long quietly raised one hand."Listen." Everyone fell silent.Beneath the knocking... another sound slowly became clear And the sound of footsteps grew louder.Not one pair but hundreds of footsteps.They echoed softly from inside the closed houses,as though countless unseen people had begun walking together.Chen Yu's expression slowly changed."We're not alone anymore." Xu Yang unconsciously looked toward the house where the child had disappeared. They're still watching... The whispered warning echoed through his mind again.Who are they...?
Before anyone moved,the nearest window slowly creaked open by itself.*Creeeak...*A pair of eyes appeared behind it. It was motionless and unblinking.Then another window opened and another pair of eyes appeared.Then another and another.One by one,the windows throughout the village slowly opened.And figures stood behind them,hidden by darkness.Their faces couldn't be seen only their eyes were visible.Every single one was staring directly at Xu Yang. Why...are they all looking at me?...No one spoke and moved.
The entire village simply watched him.Then, from somewhere deep within the village,the child laughed softly."Hehe..."The gentle laughter faded before a quiet voice whispered through the empty streets."Don't let them catch you,Gege."At that exact moment,one of the silent figures behind a nearby window slowly lifted its hand...and pointed directly at Xu Yang.
Lin Chen slowly followed the direction of the figure's hand before his face turned pale."I...I don't think it's pointing at all of us."Chen Yu's expression immediately grew serious."No..." he said quietly."It's pointing at Xu Yang."Yan Luo took one step forward and deliberately blocked Xu Yang from the figure's sight.His voice became firm."Enough.Whoever you are,come out."The figure didn't respond.It remained standing behind the window like a lifeless statue.
Hei Long narrowed his eyes."It hasn't blinked once."Zhao Ming quietly placed a hand on the hilt of his sword.His gaze swept across the surrounding houses."Don't just watch that one."Everyone instinctively looked around.At the same time,the other figures behind the windows slowly raised their arms as well.One after another...they all pointed toward Xu Yang.Lin Chen's breathing became uneven."They're...all doing it."Chen Yu slowly stepped closer to Xu Yang,his brows tightly furrowed."Why are they all looking at you?"Xu Yang stared at the silent figures,his heartbeat pounding inside his chest."I don't know..."His fingers unconsciously tightened around the broken silver chain link in his pocket."Who are these people?Why do they know me?"
The child spoke again,his voice echoing from somewhere deeper within the village. "Gege...don't let them see your eyes."Xu Yang froze.*My eyes?*Before he could understand,the silent figures all took one slow step forward at exactly the same time. The floors inside the houses creaked beneath their feet.Then they stopped again. Yan Luo's expression darkened. "Everyone, back away.Slowly." No one argued and they carefully began stepping backward without taking their eyes off the figures.But as they retreated,the silent figures matched every step.They never left the houses.They never crossed the doorways.Yet somehow,the distance between them and the group never changed.
Chen Yu's voice became lower."They're keeping us here." Lin Chen swallowed nervously."How is that even possible?"Hei Long quietly answered,"We're no longer walking through the village."He paused,his sharp eyes fixed on the endless rows of houses."The village is walking around us."group.Then...from the center of the village,a low bell rang once more.*Dong...*
This time...everyone heard it.
Everyone stopped at once.Lin Chen's eyes widened."Y-you heard that too...right?"Chen Yu gave a slow nod,his expression becoming unusually serious."Yes."Yan Luo tightened his grip around his sword."So it isn't only Xu Yang anymore."Zhao Ming slowly looked toward the center of the village,his brows drawing together."Something changed the moment that bell rang."Hei Long remained silent,carefully listening echo until its disappeared into the mountains.
Then,without warning,the silent figures behind every window slowly lowered their arms at exactly the same time.Lin Chen frowned."They stopped pointing."Chen Yu didn't take his eyes off them."No...look carefully."Before anyone could ask what he meant,every silent figure slowly bowed toward Xu Yang.The movement was perfectly synchronized.Not one was slower or faster than another.Xu Yang's heartbeat quickened. "Why are they bowing?"Yan Luo instinctively stepped in front of him again,his expression growing colder."What are they trying to do? "
Chen Yu stared at the silent figures before saying,"That doesn't look like respect."Lin Chen nervously asked,"Then what is it?" Chen Yu remained silent for several long seconds before answering."It looks like they're saying goodbye."Xu Yang felt his chest tighten."Goodbye?Why?"Before another thought could surface,a cold breeze suddenly swept through the village.
The countless white petals covering the streets slowly rose into the air.They didn't scatter.Instead,they gathered together in the middle of the road,spinning faster and faster until they gradually formed the outline of a person.Lin Chen stepped backward. "It's... making someone."Nobody answered.The figure slowly became clearer and became complete human silhouette made entirely from white petals stood silently before them.Its face remained hidden beneath the swirling petals.
Xu Yang stared at it without blinking.For some reason,he felt an indescribable sense of familiarity."Who are you...?"The figure slowly lifted its right hand.In its palm rested an old wooden pendant.The moment Xu Yang saw it,his pupils suddenly contracted. And sharp pain shot through his head and broken memories flashed before his eyes.A pair of hands gently fastening that pendant around someone's neck.Then the memories shattered before he could see the faces. "Tch!"Xu Yang instinctively grabbed his forehead.
Chen Yu immediately noticed."Xu Yang!"Xu Yang slowly shook his head,but his eyes never left the figure."I...I've seen that pendant before."Yan Luo immediately looked toward him."Where?"Xu Yang clenched his teeth. "I...can't remember."The figure slowly closed its fingers around the pendant.When it opened its hand again,the pendant had disappeared.In its place rested a single white flower.The figure placed the flower onto the ground before taking one step backward then another.
Its body gradually broke apart into countless drifting white petals until nothing remained.At the exact same moment,every silent figure behind the windows disappeared.The empty houses became silent once again.As everyone stood frozen,a soft sigh echoed through the village.It was neither a man nor a woman.Just a lonely voice carried by the wind."The last promise...still remains."The moment those words faded,the white flower lying in the middle of the road slowly turned toward the direction of the shrine all by itself.
Meanwhile Qing li looked back toward the glowing wall and quietly said, "Then... everything we've experienced until now... wasn't the end." He paused briefly before continuing, "...it was only preparing us for this." Wang Xio gave a small nod. "I believe so." Hei Long remained silent. His eyes never left the crimson light. Deep inside his chest, a strange feeling continued growing stronger. It wasn't fear. It wasn't excitement. It felt more like... recognition. Why does this place feel so familiar...? he wondered. Have I... somehow been there before?...
Gradually, the shaking began to weaken.The deep rumbling beneath the chamber slowly faded until it disappeared completely. The falling dust settled across the floor, and the ancient walls finally became still once more. The crimson flames burning upon every candle no longer danced wildly but burned with a steady glow.The hidden chamber fell into silence again. Without the constant shaking, the enormous stone wall became much easier to see. The glowing map slowly grew clearer and clearer.
Every carved detail seemed to awaken beneath the crimson light. Towering mountain ranges stretched across the northern lands. Wide rivers wound through forests and valleys before disappearing beyond the edge of the map.Kingdoms stood beside ancient roads and broken fortresses overlooked deep cliffs. There were small villages surrounded by old shrines.Every corner of the map carried traces of a forgotten age. Yet among all those countless places, only one location continued shining with a deep crimson light.
Qing Li slowly stepped closer, his eyes kept following the glowing rivers and mountains around the mysterious location. The more he searched,the less familiar everything became. He quietly asked, "Where is that?I've never seen any place that looks like this." He frowned as he searched the map again. "None of these mountains look familiar. Neither do the villages." He looked toward Wang Xio. "Have you ever heard of it?"Wang Xio slowly shook his head. "Not by appearance." Hei Long also studied the map carefully before quietly speaking. "Neither have I." His gaze lingered on the crimson mark. "It feels... older than the shrine itself."
Without answering immediately, Wang Xio walked closer to the wall.The stone was covered by dust that hid many of its carvings. He brushed the surface with the sleeve of his robe. A thin cloud of gray dust drifted into the air before settling quietly back onto the floor. As more dust disappeared, faint carvings slowly emerged beneath the glowing crimson light. Qing Li's eyes widened. "Wait..." He quickly moved beside Wang Xio. "There's writing hidden underneath."
Hei Long stepped closer as well. All three silently watched as more ancient characters appeared. Unlike the modern writing they knew, these symbols were older and more complex, their elegant strokes carved deeply into the stone as though meant to survive thousands of years.Wang Xio leaned closer, carefully studying each ancient character. His eyes slowly moved across the inscription while he silently pieced together its meaning. Several moments passed before realization finally appeared on his face. Qing Li waited anxiously. "Can you read it?" Wang Xio gave a slow nod."Most of it." He took a quiet breath before reading the ancient words aloud. "Valley of Silent Threads."
Qing Li repeated it almost unconsciously. "Valley of Silent Threads..." A chill slowly ran down his spine. "I've... never heard of that place before." Hei Long frowned deeply as he searched his own memories again and again. Nothing appeared. "Neither have I! No one has ever mentioned a place with that name."
Wang Xio brushed away the last layer of dust surrounding the inscription before looking back at the other two."I didn't expect either of you to recognize it." He paused briefly before quietly adding, "...because it no longer exists on any modern map."
Qing Li turned back toward the crimson light, his expression growing more serious with every passing second."If it disappeared..." he whispered, "then what happened there?" Wang Xio slowly lifted his eyes back toward the glowing mark on the map. "Places don't simply disappear," he said quietly. "Especially places important enough to be carved onto a map like this." His fingertips lightly brushed across the old stone without touching the glowing symbol. His brows gradually drew together as he continued, "If the Valley of Silent Threads no longer exists... then someone erased it." Qing Li's expression changed immediately. His eyes widened as he stared at Wang Xio in disbelief. "Erased? An entire valley?"
Wang Xio slowly shook his head. "Not just a valley." His calm gaze moved across the countless faded carvings surrounding the map. "Its name. Its history." He paused before quietly adding, "Perhaps... even the memories of everyone who ever knew it." A cold silence settled over the chamber. Hei Long slowly lowered his eyes. "Just like us!" he murmured. Both Wang Xio and Qing Li turned toward him.
Hei Long continued staring at the glowing map, his expression unusually distant. "Our memories disappeared." His fingers slowly curled into a fist at his side. "Everyone forgot Ling Yuan." He took a slow breath before lifting his eyes toward the crimson light once more. "If someone could erase people from everyone's memories... then erasing a place doesn't sound impossible anymore." Qing Li slowly swallowed. His throat suddenly felt dry, and his chest grew heavier with every passing second. "So... there could have been an entire valley... and nobody remembers it?" Wang Xio slowly nodded. "I'm afraid so."
Qing Li slowly stepped closer to the ancient wall once again.His eyes followed the glowing rivers flowing across the stone map before suddenly stopping. "Look." Wang Xio and Hei Long immediately turned toward him. Qing Li slowly raised his hand and pointed at one of the glowing rivers. "The rivers... they all flow toward the valley." Hei Long stepped beside him and followed the same glowing path with his eyes. After several moments, he quietly nodded. "They do." His gaze slowly shifted toward the surrounding mountains before he added, "...and so do the mountain roads."
Wang Xio's eyes immediately sharpened. He examined the map more carefully than before. He noticed not only the rivers and mountain paths flow toward the valley.Even the shrines carved throughout the map were connected by faint golden lines that slowly converged toward the same crimson location. One after another... every road... every river... every shrine... every ancient path... eventually led toward the Valley of Silent Threads. Wang Xio slowly drew a deep breath. "This... was never just another place."
Qing Li looked toward him. "What do you mean?" Wang Xio remained silent for several moments while studying the countless glowing routes crossing the map. Only after making certain of what he was seeing did he finally answer. "I think... everything was connected to the Valley of Silent Threads." Qing Li slowly lowered his hand, his eyes never leaving the crimson light. "So... that's where the First Weaver is?" Wang Xio slowly shook his head. "I don't know." His answer was calm and honest. "But if Ling Yuan wanted us to find the First Weaver... then this is the only place he chose to leave behind." He gently rested his hand beside the ancient inscription carved beneath the glowing crimson mark.
Their eyes remained fixed upon the ancient map as the crimson light continued pulsing quietly at the center of the forgotten valley.Qing Li unconsciously tightened his fists.The longer he looked at the crimson mark, the more uneasy he became. It no longer felt like an ordinary place marked on a map. It felt like something alive.Hei Long continued studying the countless glowing roads carved into the wall. His eyes slowly followed each ancient path until they all converged upon the crimson valley. After a long silence, he quietly whispered, "It's leading somewhere."
Qing Li turned toward him. "What do you mean?" Hei Long slowly pointed toward one of the glowing routes. "Look carefully." Wang Xio narrowed his eyes and followed the direction Hei Long was pointing. At first, nothing happened and chamber remained completely still. Then,suddenly the crimson light trembled. A small ripple spread across the glowing valley before the crimson color slowly began flowing outward. It moved across the ancient roads like fresh blood running through invisible veins.
Qing Li's eyes widened in shock. "It moved." His voice was barely a whisper. "The light... it actually moved." None of them spoke.They could only watch as the crimson glow continued spreading across the map. It crossed rivers, climbed over carved mountains, passed forgotten ruins, and slowly followed the ancient route toward another location.
Qing Li suddenly recognized the symbol it was approaching. "Our village." His breathing became uneven. "It's heading toward our village." The crimson light reached the small carving that represented their village and stopped there for several seconds. The glow pulsed gently, almost as though it were confirming something, before continuing forward once again. Qing Li instinctively stepped backward. "It's moving..." he whispered again, unable to hide the fear in his voice. "Why is it moving?"
Hei Long remained perfectly still. His eyes never left the crimson path. The strange feeling inside his chest became stronger with every passing second. The closer the light came, the more familiar it felt.He couldn't explain why. He simply continued watching in silence. The crimson glow left the village and slowly advanced toward another symbol. It passed directly through the ancient shrine carved into the map before continuing along the glowing road.
Wang Xio suddenly leaned closer to the wall. His expression changed immediately. "No." Qing Li quickly looked toward him. "What's wrong?" Wang Xio didn't answer. His eyes remained locked on the moving crimson line. Several long seconds passed before he slowly shook his head. "No..." His voice had become unusually heavy. "It's not following the road." Qing Li frowned in confusion. "Then what is it following?" Wang Xio slowly raised one finger toward the glowing line.The crimson light continued moving. It ignored several nearby paths and slowly changed direction. It wasn't heading toward another village. It wasn't traveling toward another shrine. It was moving directly toward the hidden chamber where the three of them now stood.
Qing Li's face instantly turned pale. "That's impossible." Hei Long stared silently at the glowing line. His heartbeat slowly quickened. The crimson light finally stopped beside the tiny symbol representing the hidden shrine beneath the ancient tree. It pulsed once then again like the slow heartbeat of a living creature.
Wang Xio slowly stepped backward. He looked from the glowing map to the chamber around them before returning his gaze to the moving crimson light. After a long silence, he quietly spoke. "This isn't a map anymore." Qing Li slowly looked toward him, fear appearing across his face. "Then what is it?" Wang Xio's eyes never left the glowing wall. His voice remained calm, but beneath that calmness was tension."It's tracking us."At that exact moment, the crimson light pulsed once more, brighter than before, as though whatever existed at the other end had finally discovered exactly where they were.
The three of them stood frozen, unable to took their eyes away from the wall. The crimson glow remained fixed upon the symbol of the hidden shrine where they were standing. No matter how hard Qing Li tried to convince himself that it was only an old map, he couldn't ignore the terrifying feeling growing inside his heart. It felt as though something unimaginably far away had just opened its eyes... and was now staring directly back at them.
Qing Li slowly swallowed before speaking in a trembling voice."It's following us. Hei Long quietly shook his head.His eyes never moved from the glowing crimson light. "No..." he whispered softly. After a brief pause, he finished his sentence."It's waiting for us." Qing Li looked at him. "Waiting?" His voice was filled with confusion. "Why would it wait for us?" Hei Long slowly lowered his eyes. "I don't know." His fingers unconsciously tightened into a fist. "But..." He hesitated for a moment, unable to explain the strange feeling inside him. "...it doesn't feel surprised that we're here."
Then, without the slightest warning, the crimson glow suddenly surged forward. The light raced across the stretch of the route and touched the tiny symbol representing the hidden shrine. The instant it reached them, every candle inside the chamber went out at the same time.* Whoosh.*And darkness spread in the room.Qing Li gasped. "What happened?"Before fear could overwhelm him, Wang Xio immediately stepped in front of Qing Li and Hei Long, spreading one arm protectively across them. His eyes searched the darkness even though almost nothing could be seen. "Stay together!" he said firmly. "Don't separate." Hei Long quietly moved closer without saying a word.
Qing Li instinctively grabbed Wang Xio's sleeve. His heartbeat pounded loudly inside his chest. The darkness felt unnatural. It wasn't simply the absence of light but it was as though the chamber itself had been swallowed by something deeper than night. Then... a faint scraping sound echoed across the stone wall. *Scrrr... Scrrr... Scrrr...*All three immediately looked toward the map. Although the candles had gone out, the crimson light still glowed faintly, revealing the wall before them. Right beneath the map, the stone suddenly began carving itself. Invisible force slowly etched words into the rock. Tiny fragments of stone fell to the floor one after another as each character appeared. None of the three dared move. They could only watch in complete silence as the sentence slowly revealed itself.
Wang Xio's expression gradually became more serious with every new character that appeared. Qing Li's breathing unconsciously slowed. Hei Long's eyes narrowed slightly. Finally, the carving stopped. The new inscription glowed faintly beneath the map. Wang Xio quietly read the words aloud. "Those who seek the First Weaver..." His voice echoed through the chamber. He paused briefly before continuing. "...must first face the Forgotten Child."Qing Li stared blankly at the glowing inscription."The Forgotten Child?" His voice was barely a whisper. He slowly looked toward Wang Xio, confusion and uneasiness filling his face. "Who... is the Forgotten Child?"