Lianshu and Qing Han both bowed before Gu Changji, then withdrew quietly. The door closed behind them with a heavy silence, as though the world within that chamber had completely separated from everything outside.
Lianshu moved forward through the corridor with measured steps, her shadow gliding over the polished floor as if it were part of the place itself. Qing Han followed a short distance behind, observing the details around him with a watchful eye. After only a few moments, she glanced back at him over her shoulder, her gaze carrying a mix of surprise and something she did not voice.
"I don't know where you get that courage from…"
She spoke in a low voice, though a trace of tension lingered beneath it.
"But honestly… I can't believe we walked out alive."
Qing Han didn't seem to share her sentiment. His expression was calm, almost indifferent, as if what had just happened was nothing more than a passing conversation.
"Really?"
he murmured lightly.
"Did I look that similar to him?"
A faint smile touched his lips, closer to contemplation than amusement.
"I suppose that's not a bad compliment… I'll keep it."
Lianshu suddenly stopped and turned to face him fully this time. There was no trace of her usual gentleness in her gaze.
"I'm being serious, Qing Han."
Her words echoed faintly in the quiet space around them.
"Destroying worlds… is that truly what you want?"
He didn't answer immediately. He took two steps forward, stopping near one of the tall windows, casting his gaze outside where the strange sky stretched in deep violet hues, like an open wound in the fabric of existence.
"And if I have to…"
he said calmly, without turning,
"I'll become a demon as well."
He paused briefly, then added in a softer tone, weighed down by something deeper:
"What's so enjoyable about being the protector?… I'm tired of protecting."
Something unseen trembled in Lianshu's chest, but she said nothing. She simply watched him in silence, as if trying to read what lay behind his words, without success.
But he didn't let the atmosphere grow heavier. He finally turned, a faint, mocking smile appearing on his face.
"Anyway… forget that."
He raised an eyebrow slightly.
"I'm more concerned about Yin Wei's reaction."
He let out a light sigh, as if the thought alone was exhausting.
"That woman… is completely obsessed with the young master. If she doesn't kill me at first sight…"
His smile widened slightly, carrying a lightness that didn't match his words,
"she'll definitely do her best to finish the job during training."
Lianshu stopped again, but this time, it was different. Not sudden, but slow, as if she had already decided to stop.
"Don't joke about her."
Her voice came out low, tightly restrained. She turned to him slowly, her eyes now filled with pure seriousness.
"Yin Wei isn't just a loyal subordinate… she's something else."
She took a step closer, her tone lowering, yet growing heavier:
"If she sees you as a threat… or even a slight annoyance, she won't wait for orders to end you."
Qing Han laughed lightly, naturally, as if death itself were nothing more than a passing joke.
"Haha… don't worry, I'm not stupid enough to provoke her. I know exactly what she is."
Lianshu gave him a brief look, trying to read what lay behind that effortless confidence, but found only an unsettling calm. The calm of someone who didn't seem afraid of anything… or perhaps someone who no longer had anything left to fear.
She said nothing more. She simply turned and continued walking, though her steps were slower this time, as if giving him the chance to catch up without saying it outright.
The corridor stretched long before them, lined with ornate pillars like rows of silent guards. Their shadows moved along the polished floor in strange harmony. From time to time, faint breezes slipped through the tall windows, stirring the silk curtains and bringing a touch of life into the solemn stillness.
"Yin Wei…"
Lianshu finally murmured, as if gathering her thoughts again.
"She won't test you with words."
She glanced at him slightly, without stopping.
"She doesn't care who you are… or what you say. The only thing that matters to her"
She paused briefly.
"is whether you deserve to exist."
Qing Han raised an eyebrow faintly, more intrigued than concerned.
"A test, then? Good… I was worried it might be boring."
Lianshu didn't hide her annoyance this time. She exhaled softly and said in a low tone:
"This isn't something you should hope to be entertaining."
He didn't respond. He simply looked ahead, his eyes gleaming with something difficult to define, not fear… not pure excitement, but a strange mixture of both, as if part of him anticipated what was coming… while another part didn't care about the outcome at all.
After some time, the surroundings gradually changed. The decorations lessened, the light dimmed, replaced by a colder, more rigid atmosphere. The corridor no longer welcomed its visitors—it tested them with every step.
At last, Lianshu stopped before a large door, different from the others. It wasn't overly decorated, simple… yet carrying a strange weight, as though whatever lay behind it needed no embellishment to assert its presence. She placed her hand on the door, then paused for a brief second, as if granting herself one last moment.
"Remember…"
she said without looking at him.
"Don't act recklessly."
Qing Han smiled faintly and replied calmly:
"I'm always calm."
She didn't respond. She pushed the door, it opened slowly, without sound.
And there… was Yin Wei.
They entered together, Lianshu first, steady and composed, Qing Han behind her, observing the surroundings with a subtle, discerning gaze. The moment they crossed the threshold, the atmosphere shifted. The place wasn't dark, yet it wasn't comforting either. Dim light flowed from hanging lamps, reflecting off a mirror-like floor, while a strange silence filled the space, not peaceful, but anticipatory.
At the far end of the hall, she stood.
A woman of breathtaking beauty. Long, vibrant pink hair cascaded smoothly over her shoulders and back, shimmering faintly under the light like living silk. Atop her head were a pair of soft, fox-like ears, twitching ever so slightly, as though catching the faintest vibrations in the air.
Behind her… nine large, pure white tails moved lazily, yet carried an overwhelming presence. They spread behind her like a majestic painting, granting her a dominance that required no declaration.
Her clothing was bold, elegant, perfectly embracing her form in dark shades of purple and pink. Long silk strands flowed from it, swaying with the slightest movement. Her pale neck was adorned with a delicate pendant, its simplicity hiding something far more dangerous.
She smiled, a soft smile… but not a warm one.
"Yin Wei, I hope we're not disturbing you."
Lianshu spoke calmly, neither overly formal nor overstepping.
"The young master, Gu Chang, sent this boy to you… and asked you to oversee his training."
One of Yin Wei's tails moved slowly… then another, as if responding before she did. At last, she lifted her gaze. Her eyes fell upon Qing Han.
In that instant, he felt as though something had wrapped around his throat.
Her gaze wasn't long, nor overtly sharp… yet it was enough to make the air grow heavier.
"Ah…"
Her voice flowed like honey—yet beneath it lurked something thick… suffocating.
"This is him?"
She didn't move, yet her presence seemed to draw closer.
"The little one who caught the young master's interest…"
She tilted her head slightly, examining him from head to toe without the slightest attempt to hide it. There was no modesty in her gaze, no respect—only curiosity… tinged with amusement.
"He seems… ordinary."
A faint smile curved her lips, widening slightly, but her eyes did not smile.
"Rather weak."
Qing Han raised a hand to his neck, rubbing it casually, as if her gaze had left nothing but a fleeting itch.
"Little?"
he murmured lightly, his eyes settling on her with effortless steadiness.
"Yin Wei… have you stopped seeing anyone as their actual size except the young master? The one you're calling "little'… is exactly your age."
There was no open challenge in his voice—but not a trace of submission either.
Then he added more calmly, shifting to something practical:
"You're right about my weakness. I know nothing about cultivation, I haven't even opened my spiritual sea yet… and that's exactly why Gu Chang sent me to you."
One of her tails stopped moving. Yin Wei's eyes narrowed slightly, and her already cold smile turned colder.
"Gu Chang?"
The name left her lips slowly, as if it were improper.
"Without 'young master'?"
Her voice dropped, but its sharpness intensified.
"What insolence…? Do you even realize who you're speaking about, child?"
Qing Han's expression didn't change. He didn't apologize, didn't retreat. Instead, he seemed to ignore her tone entirely and chose another path.
"Yin Wei…"
he said calmly, measured.
"I'll speak to you without barriers."
Her tails stopped completely. Something in his tone… was not normal.
"Because you're the only one among Gu Chang's followers…"
He paused briefly, then continued, his gaze unwavering.
"…who knows his true nature."
Silence fell—not an ordinary silence, but one that tightened around the entire space, as though those words were never meant to be spoken.
Behind them, Lianshu's heart clenched. She didn't fully understand what he meant… but she knew this conversation was heading somewhere dangerous.
As for Yin Wei—she didn't smile anymore. The smile vanished completely. She didn't grow angry, didn't lash out… yet the air grew heavier.
"Continue."
Her voice was calm—unsettlingly so. The space itself seemed to swallow the sound.
"This boy standing before you…"
Qing Han continued without hesitation.
"…knows this world far more than he should."
He lowered his hand from his neck and straightened slightly—not out of respect, but to present himself more clearly.
"And that… is the real reason Gu Chang sent me to you."
A fleeting glint passed through Yin Wei's eyes.
"I don't care about the method of training,"
he went on, steady.
"Nor about what you'll do to me."
He paused briefly, then said with simple finality:
"Even if I die during it… it doesn't matter."
Silence again—but this time, it wasn't just heavy. It was… interesting.
One of Yin Wei's tails moved slowly, curling behind her as if in thought. She tilted her head slightly, weighing his words with a merciless scale. Yet that look of condescension remained fixed in her eyes.
"Big words…"
she murmured slowly, her tone smooth yet edged.
"Far too big for someone like you."
One of her tails shifted lazily behind her, carrying an unspoken threat.
"But… fine."
She took half a step forward—not to close the distance, but to assert her presence, as though even space itself yielded to her.
"I'll dispose of you…"
She paused briefly, then smiled faintly—devoid of warmth.
"…once it becomes clear you can't cultivate… and become useless."
It wasn't a direct threat—it was… a statement. Her words fell into the air like a predetermined verdict.
Behind them, Lianshu's fingers tightened unconsciously, but she didn't interfere. She knew… any word now would only make things worse.
As for Qing Han—he remained unchanged. No shock, no displeasure, not even objection. On the contrary… a faint, calm smile appeared on his lips, as if what he heard was nothing more than expected.
"Fair."
Yin Wei smiled, then turned toward one of the side doors.
"Follow me."
That single word… was the beginning of a transformation the entire world would one day witness.
Yin Wai turned without waiting for a reply, her steps flowing with an eerie calm toward the side door. Her nine tails swayed behind her in slow, perfect harmony, as though they were part of a single living being breathing in sync with her. Her footsteps made no sound, and yet… her presence filled the space like a heavy echo.
Qing Han followed without hesitation, his expression steady, his eyes tracing every detail—the way she moved, the rhythm of her tails, that strange cadence that was anything but random. As for Lianshu, she remained where she stood for a moment, as if her feet refused to move.
"Qing…"
Her voice came out low, barely audible. He paused, not fully turning, only tilting his head slightly toward her. She looked at him—her gaze held no command, not even advice, but something heavier… a silent concern she couldn't quite put into words.
"Don't die."
A brief silence followed. Then a faint smile touched his lips—one that carried no reassurance… only something closer to acceptance.
"I'll try."
He said nothing more. His gaze returned forward as he continued after Yin Wai without slowing, as though the step he was taking now… had no way back.
Lianshu stood there, watching his back as he walked away, until he disappeared behind the door. She didn't move until it closed with a quiet finality, as if something had been severed in that instant. She lowered her head slightly, her shadow falling across the floor before her.
"Either he comes back… or he doesn't."
She whispered it to herself, before finally turning away and leaving the corridor with slower steps than usual, as if the very air had grown too heavy to bear.
On the other side of the door— what lay beyond was no ordinary room. A vast, nearly empty space stretched out, its floor a glossy black surface like a dark mirror, reflecting not just bodies… but something deeper. The air felt different—heavier, denser, as though every breath required effort.
Yin Wai stopped at the center, then turned slowly. The softness was gone; her smile had vanished completely, replaced by a cold stillness stripped of all pretense.
"Here…"
Her voice was low, yet clear, filling the space without needing to rise.
"There won't be many words."
She took a step toward him. The distance wasn't large… yet it felt as though it shrank instantly.
"I don't care what you know… or what you claim."
She stopped right in front of him, her gaze settling on him with real weight this time.
"If you can't open your sea of consciousness… you won't live long enough to speak of it."
She raised her hand slowly. In the next instant—pressure exploded.
It wasn't a visible attack, nor a force that could be seen. It was more like a crushing weight that suddenly descended onto Qing Han's body, as if the very air had turned against him. His body sank slightly against his will, his muscles tensing, his breath catching in his chest.
But… he didn't fall., His legs trembled. He bent slightly, fingers clawing at the air as if trying to grasp something that wasn't there—then he steadied himself… and remained standing.
A second passed. Then another، Yin Wai's eyes lifted ever so slightly—not in surprise… but in acknowledgment.
"Good."
She said it coldly.
"You won't die immediately."
She stepped back, her tails beginning to move in wider, slower arcs, as if preparing for something more.
"Sit."
She gestured to the ground before him.
"And open your sea of consciousness."
A brief pause. Then she added, her voice quiet but openly merciless:
"Or… die and stop wasting my time."
Qing Han remained standing for another second, his breathing uneven, his heart pounding violently in his chest— but his eyes… hadn't dimmed. If anything, something burned within them. He smiled.
Then slowly sat down, crossing his legs atop the glossy black floor, closing his eyes without hesitation.
"I won't die now…"
He murmured it softly, like a promise meant for no one but himself. And in the silent void, beneath Yin Wai's unwavering gaze _ everything began.