A heavy silence hung in the air as Shi Yao and the others stirred awake, their minds clouded with confusion. Is it reality or dream. What even is the difference?
Murmurs filled the room—fragmented recollections, hushed voices piecing together the remnants of their last memories. They had all been guided toward the altar, that much they remembered. But beyond that—nothing.
Shi Yao frowned, glancing around. Eyes darted between one another, searching for clarity, but it was Li Yuan's sharp gaze that caught his attention. His expression was unreadable, yet there was a flicker of intrigue in his eyes—something different from the rest.
And then—Shi Yao noticed her.
The maid who had led them there. Unlike the others, she did not wear confusion on her face. Instead, there was a brief moment—a flicker of displeasure, subtle but unmistakable. No one else seemed to notice. No one, except Shi Yao.
As the group dispersed, each returning to their own chambers, Shi Yao wasted no time. Sitting at his desk, he unravelled his thoughts on paper, drawing connections between fragments of the dream.
Concubine Li… The candle's power…
Neither had the intention to bring chaos.
Then who did?
Someone else had manipulated the dream—a presence unseen, an unseen force that twisted the palace into a web of endless illusions.
His pen paused.
The altar.
And then—without warning—his door creaked open.
Shi Yao turned swiftly, eyes narrowing as Li Yuan stepped inside.
A mixture of surprise and irritation crossed Shi Yao's face. How did he get in?
Li Yuan smirked, as if sensing his thoughts. "Locks are nothing to me," he said casually. "My family has crafted them for generations—engineering the most intricate mechanisms this empire has ever seen. A simple door lock? Hardly a challenge."
Shi Yao scoffed internally. Arrogant.
But something else settled in his mind. Family.
If Li Yuan was referring to the craftsmanship as his own family's legacy, then… Shi Yao's stomach twisted with realization. original shi yao's family.
The exchange at birth.
The revelation from the book after his first travel.
A quiet chuckle echoed in his thoughts—amusement laced with bitter irony.
But there was no time to dwell.
"What do you want?" Shi Yao asked, snapping himself back to reality.
Li Yuan crossed his arms, studying him carefully. "I saw you enter the altar," he said. "None of the others seemed to notice. But …...I did."
Shi Yao stiffened. Why was Li Yuan the only one who noticed?
His skepticism burned beneath his skin, but for now, he chose to entertain the question.
Slowly, he told him—what he had seen, what he had deduced.
The truth unraveled between them.
A shared purpose emerged.
They need to find the real mastermind.
The one who had plunged the palace into the depths of an endless dream.