Deep inside a basement, chains lined the damp stone walls. Some were empty, but others bound human figures, their wrists raw from struggle. Yet the restraints were unnecessary—most of them could do nothing but writhe in pain, their bodies weakened beyond resistance.
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Outside Baishan City Gate.
"STOP!"
A sharp, commanding voice rang through the chaos. The effect was instant.
The crowd froze. Time itself seemed to hold still. Even Xuan Tian, whose instincts were honed through war and discipline, found himself motionless.
Why did I stop moving?
The voice's owner stepped forward, parting the sea of people effortlessly. A petite young woman, no older than fourteen, emerged. She wore a simple, unassuming dress, her long dark hair styled in the traditional manner of young ladies. Her fair face was clear of blemishes, nothing particularly striking about her appearance—yet the people obeyed her like soldiers before their general.
She stopped directly in front of Xuan Tian, standing straight-backed, looking up at him with no trace of fear.
Xuan Tian's gaze met hers.
For a fleeting moment, it was like staring into a vast night sky, filled with endless stars. A strange sensation swept through him—something unfamiliar, yet unsettlingly familiar. His mind drifted, something deep within him stirring—until—
A sharp jolt of awareness struck his senses like a whip.
Xuan Tian's superior Celestial instincts yanked him back into reality, shredding through the strange daze that had momentarily clouded his mind. His heartbeat steadied. His focus snapped back.
What was that?
He narrowed his eyes slightly, forcing himself to analyze the girl before him. There was nothing unusual about her—so why had he lost focus?
Before he could process further, he realized something else.
The girl was waving a hand in front of his face. Xuan Tian blinked.
Seeing him blink, she blinked back.
He blinked again.
She mirrored him, blinking again.
…What.
For the first time in centuries, Xuan Tian experienced something completely foreign.
He didn't know what to do.
"Hello? Anyone in there?" The girl waved a hand in front of his face. "I'm asking you a question. What are you doing?"
It took Xuan Tian a second to realize—she had already asked, and he had failed to answer. Now, she was looking at him like there was something wrong with him.
Xuan Tian's mind refused to work.
He just… stood there.
Finally, his mouth moved. "You said 'STOP.'"
"Yes." She nodded, as if encouraging a particularly slow student. "And then I asked what you were doing?"
She was looking at him funny.
"What am I doing?" Xuan Tian repeated dumbly. "I'm… standing in front of my friend to protect her."
The words felt forced, as if he was explaining something obvious—except, for some reason, he felt like he had to defend himself.
Why am I defending myself?
The girl crossed her arms and raised an eyebrow. "Protecting? Aren't you the one who started all this commotion?"
She gestured at the crowd. "These people were lining up nicely and quietly before you turned up."
Xuan Tian blinked.
Was she seriously blaming him?
Lei Wen interrupted—more like rescued him. "Excuse me, miss. This is my friend. What he said was true."
His voice was steady, logical, and precise, like a scalpel cutting through confusion. "We just arrived not long ago and saw the crowd. Naturally, we wondered what was going on."
He gestured slightly. "And that's when you"—he made a deliberate motion with his hand—"said STOP."
Silence.
The girl's posture remained unchanged.
She slowly turned her gaze to Lei Wen, listening to his surgical-level explanation. Then, without a word, she turned her head to Lin Qian.
Then to Zhao Zhi.
Then to Xu Yun.
Finally, her gaze landed back on Xuan Tian.
And she just stared at him.
Xuan Tian felt an illogical push to speak, but when he opened his mouth, he realized that he didn't know what to say. He closed his mouth again, his face showing that he was thinking hard.
The girl's gaze softened as she turned to Lei Wen. "So, all five of you are together, and you're trying to enter the city?" She then gestured to Xuan Tian. "You should've taken better care of your friend. I'm not sure he's the right one to be doing the protecting."
All eyes turned to Xuan Tian, then to Lei Wen, and then they nodded in agreement.
What? What is that supposed to mean? And why are you nodding? Xuan Tian wondered, not realizing he hadn't spoken out loud. Seeing that the girl didn't react to his thoughts, he tried to speak again, but—
"Alright, people, there's nothing to see here. Just a misunderstanding. Let's all go back to lining up. I'm sure if we do that, we can enter the city before dark." The girl turned around and addressed the crowd.
"Wait," Xuan Tian blurted out. He felt a flicker of triumph—finally, he had managed to speak. Why am I proud of this?
The girl turned again, facing him. "Yes?"
But once again, Xuan Tian's mind failed him. She's waiting. Speak, you idiot!
Before he could utter a single word, the girl turned back to Lei Wen, mistakenly assuming he was the group's leader. "You really shouldn't push your friend too hard. Give him a chance to rest. Don't worry, I'll take his place in the queue."
She turned back to Xuan Tian, patted his left arm softly, and spoke slowly, as if afraid he wouldn't understand, "It's okay. Don't worry. I won't cheat you. Go on, rest. Go over there and sit." She gave him a small push and pointed with her chin.
Xuan Tian, inexplicably, just moved. He walked to the side and sat down. His face was blank with bewilderment.
His companions exchanged confused glances, equally stunned by what they had just witnessed. Lei Wen's expression screamed, 'Did our general just get... handled?'
Xuan Tian, sitting on the side, closed his eyes, tried to clear his mind. NO! My mind is already clear! It's too clear it's empty! Xuan Tian eyes snapped open in horror. He closed them again, I need to figure out what just happened. This made no sense. None. I just needed to... stand. Or speak. Or breathe. Preferably all three. Am I too exhausted? I did just returned from the battlefield after two whole weeks. Now that I'm thinking about it, I really haven't had the chance to fully rest before going back to war. It's been too long. Tianjun was right. I need rest.
Convinced that he had found the cause of his "malfunctioning", Xuan Tian exhaled, his tense shoulders easing. Slowly, subtly, he began circulating his spirit energy. At the queue, seeing him closed his eyes and visibly relaxed, the girl smiled. I made the right decision – again.