As Yang Kai and Xia Ning Chang disappeared into the distance on horseback, the rustling of leaves marked the emergence of a hidden group.
From behind the trees, several figures stepped out, their eyes following the retreating pair with icy intent. At the front stood a tall man with a grim expression—his gaze locked on Yang Kai's back like a hawk zeroing in on prey.
"Did you see clearly?" he asked in a low voice. "That was Yang Kai?"
"Without a doubt," one of the men responded, eyes glinting with resentment. "I saw it clearly, Brother Nu Lang. That bastard was Yang Kai. He beat us all like dogs before. Afterward, Cheng Shao Feng went to find your younger brother, Nu Tao. They said they'd find a chance to take revenge. But after they went to Black Wind Trade... they never came back."
Nu Lang's face darkened, his eyes sharp as blades. The news about his brother's disappearance still burned like acid in his chest.
"Buy some horses," he commanded. "We follow them. I must find out what happened to my brother—whether he lives or lies dead in the dirt."
Without hesitation, the group dispersed to carry out his orders.
Nu Lang stood still, clenching his fists. His Qi pulsed slightly out of rhythm—he had recently broken through to the Qi Transforming Stage, and his cultivation hadn't yet stabilized. But his heart was burning for vengeance, and he couldn't wait.
He wasn't worried about Yang Kai. That brat was barely worth his attention. What gave him pause, however, was the veiled woman beside him. There was something off about her—graceful, quiet, but not quite someone he'd ever heard of among the elite disciples.
Still... she didn't appear all that strong. Young, soft-spoken, and not known across any sects he knew. If she were truly powerful, why travel by horse?
The irony was lost on him.
He didn't know that Xia Ning Chang had only bought the horses for Yang Kai's sake. She could've flown across the Mountain with her strength alone, but Yang Kai was still in the Initial Element Fifth Stage. His speed on foot was no match for hers, and she didn't want to leave him behind.
The group from Storm House began their pursuit, moving from shadow to shadow, staying hidden amidst thick underbrush and behind rising hills.
Meanwhile, Yang Kai and Xia Ning Chang continued their journey in relative silence.
With her riding ahead and him just behind, they followed a winding dirt trail that cut through dense forests and open plains. Every now and then, Yang Kai would try to strike up a conversation, but Xia Ning Chang's replies were faint and rare, spoken with flushed cheeks and downcast eyes.
Though the silence lingered, it wasn't uncomfortable. If anything, it felt... peaceful.
When night came, the two travelers made camp beside a small stream they stumbled upon. The soft sound of running water mingled with the gentle crackling of their campfire. They shared a quiet meal—simple food they'd bought earlier in Black Plum Village.
Yang Kai stole glances at her between bites. From just a single day together, he had already learned a great deal about Xia Ning Chang.
She was shy—so shy that her ears turned red with even the smallest praise. Her words were soft like the breeze, her presence light enough to be missed if not looked for. But her gentleness wasn't weakness. It was something more... something sacred.
And Yang Kai, instinctively, didn't want to shatter it with rough words or pressure.
So he just smiled when she avoided his gaze and let the silence between them bloom into comfort.
Three days passed like this—peaceful rides during the day, simple meals and quiet companionship at night. Eventually, they reached a small town nestled at the edge of a vast range of hills, far from the reach of High Heaven Pavilion.
Once there, Xia Ning Chang explained they could ride no further. The rest of their path would take them through steep, twisting mountain trails where horses would be more burden than help.
They sold their steeds and found a modest inn to rest in before continuing onward.
Unbeknownst to them, the eyes of Storm House were still watching... waiting.
----------------------------------------------------
In the quiet, dimly lit inn room, Xia Ning Chang sat curled on the edge of her bed, arms wrapped around her knees. The moonlight through the paper window washed over her like silk, but her heart felt anything but calm.
"Why am I like this?" she wondered, biting her lip. "Three days. Three whole days… and I could barely string two sentences together when he looked at me."
She wasn't like this when watching him from afar—back then, he was just a curiosity. A struggling disciple, always beaten, always isolated. Yet, something about him had drawn her in even then.
But now… being beside him, traveling with him, hearing his voice speak kindly to her without hesitation—it was too much.
"He helped me without asking a thing… he smiled like he's known me forever, like nothing I did would ever be awkward or wrong."
She buried her face against her knees, cheeks burning.
"I've spent my life in hiding. No one has ever… looked at me like I was normal. No one dared come close to me without fear of my physique. But he—he walked beside me like it meant nothing. And now I can't even speak properly around him. How pathetic."
Her soft voice broke the silence. "No, Xia Ning Chang… you can't keep hiding behind silence. If you can't thank him properly, then at least… at least say something. He deserves that much."
She stood up abruptly, startled by her own resolve. Stepping into the hallway, she raised her hand and knocked on the door next to hers.
"Junior Brother… it's me."
The door creaked open, revealing Yang Kai's ever-relaxed face, that casual smirk that made her chest flutter for reasons she didn't understand.
"Senior Sister," he said, stepping aside. "Come in. What do you need?"
There it was again—that tone. Calm. Direct. Almost too at ease for someone like him. He was barely in the Initial Element Stage, yet he moved and spoke like a man who'd lived ten lifetimes already.
He knew things—odd things.
But he wasn't arrogant. That was the strangest part. He wore his confidence like a loose robe—never stiff, never forced.
"I… I don't need anything," she said quietly, sitting down. "You've already helped me so much. I just felt… sad."
His brow rose slightly, eyes thoughtful. "If it's about our arrangement, we can end it anytime. You're not bound by anything."
"No! It's not that," she said quickly. "It's just that… you're helping me, and I've done nothing for you. I'm just… here. Following you."
Yang Kai chuckled under his breath, stepping closer. "Senior Sister, I'm helping you because I want to. That's all."
She looked up, heart fluttering again at the way he stared—like she was important. Precious.
"I like you," he said, gently. "I can't stand to see you suffer."
Her breath caught.
"B-but—"
Before she could speak further, he leaned in. Not forcefully. Just close enough for her to feel the warmth of his breath. Then—softly—he kissed her.
Her mind went blank. A jolt ran down her spine like lightning.
Nnnh…
"Sister," he whispered, pulling back just enough to gaze into her eyes. "If you don't love me, push me away. If you do… reply with a kiss."
Her entire world spun.
"How… how can he say things like that so easily? Isn't he afraid? Does he know how much this messes with me?!"
She opened her mouth to respond—but words betrayed her.
"I do like him. I do. I always have. But kissing? How do people even do this so calmly? I've never—never even held hands before…"
Still, his eyes were waiting—sad, vulnerable, but unwavering. And the way he held her—not possessive, not controlling, just… waiting. Giving her the choice.
"He's always been beaten. Always mocked. But I've never seen this expression on him—not even back then. This pain… this is deeper than any physical wound."
Her hands trembled. She couldn't bear to hurt him. She couldn't run, either.
So, awkwardly, shyly, she leaned forward—and gave him a kiss. Feather-light. Barely a touch. But real.
Yang Kai's smile bloomed, warm as a spring sunrise.
Without waiting for a second, Yang Kai carried her in a princess carry position and started walking toward the bed.Xia Ning Chang, feeling the movement, became embarrassed. Naturally, she knew that if they continued, what came next, but she was too shy to do it, and right now, she was not ready.
"Junior Brother, not right now. I am not ready," Xia Ning Chang hurriedly said with embarrassment.
Yang Kai only laughed at her. "What is my sister referring to? I was only taking you to bed for sleep. I want to lie down together with you, or… do you want to do something else?"
She covered her face again, mortified. "He's doing this on purpose!"
Hearing Yang Kai, Xia Ning Chang only wanted to dig a hole to bury herself. She was too embarrassed to look at him.
Seeing her cute reaction, Yang Kai couldn't bear it any longer and kissed her again.
"Don't worry, Senior Sister. When you are ready, tell me. I'm not in a hurry. I'm just happy that you like me."
He laid her gently on the bed, pulling the blanket over them as he hugged her from behind, his breath calm and steady.
Xia Ning Chang, still red as a ripe fruit, peeked at his sleeping face.
"He's always so calm… so strange. Like he's seen things no one else has. Talks like he knows every kind of person and story before they even unfold…"
Her thoughts drifted as sleep slowly took her.