Chapter 2: The Blood Oath in the Forest
The broadsword clashed with the short blade once more, sending a shower of tiny sparks into the air.
With every exertion, the wound on Chen Yi’s shoulder tore open. Warm blood trickled down his arm, soaking the hilt of his blade and making his grip slick and treacherous. He clenched his fists around the weapon, his gaze locked fiercely on the two assass before him. His breath came in ragged, heavy gasps, like a broken bellows. The desperate block he had used to save Lin Yan moments ago had drained most of his remaining strength. Now, facing two opponents at once, every step was a deadly gamble.
The battle around them was rapidly collapsing.
The gray-clad escort team had originally consisted of seven men. After only a brief, brutal clash, four of them had already fallen. Their bodies lay scattered across the ground—some with daggers buried in their chests, others with their throats slashed. Dark crimson blood, mingled with mud, continued to spread across the earth. The two surviving men in gray stood back-to-back, bearing fresh wounds. They fought desperately to hold off the remaining three assassins, but they were steadily being pushed back.
"Brother Chen, we can't hold!" one of the gray-clad men roared. A short blade grazed his shoulder, and he stumbled back half a pace. "The token... they're fixated on the token!"
Within the black-clad ranks, the leader had yet to draw his weapon. Clad in dark, tight-fitting combat gear, his face was obscured by a black cloth, revealing only a pair of eyes as cold as ice. He stood just outside the fray, observing the battle with eerie calm. He was in no rush to claim lives. Instead, he waited patiently for his prey to exhaust themselves, like a hunter watching its quarry collapse.
"Chen Yi. Surrender the token, and I will grant you a whole corpse," the masked leader said, his voice a low, hoarse rasp devoid of all emotion. "If you continue this futile resistance, everyone here will die—including the irrelevant boy beneath that tree."
At his words, several pairs of icy eyes simultaneously swept toward Lin Yan, who was crouching by the tree trunk.
A cold sweat instantly broke out across Lin Yan’s back, and his heart clenched violently.
He remained curled in the shadows of the tree roots, not daring to rise, deliberately keeping his breathing as shallow as possible. He knew that Chen Yi’s intervention had temporarily shielded him, but that protection was fleeting. The moment Chen Yi fell, he would be next.
He had no martial arts. Unarmed and defenseless, he was nothing but a lamb surrounded by men who lived and died by the blade.
Yet, he couldn't run. The forest was surrounded by towering ancient trees and thick, tangled brambles. Unfamiliar with the terrain, fleeing blindly would only lead him straight into the assassins' hands. He had no choice but to stay hidden, keeping his eyes wide open to catch every word and movement on the battlefield, desperately piecing together clues.
The token.
The word kept repeating. This ambush was entirely centered around that token.
Could the mission of this dimension be tied to this very object? Lin Yan wasn't sure; there were too few clues, and it was all speculation. But he had to grasp at any sliver of information. It was his only chance to go home. If he failed the mission, he would be trapped in this Jianghu forever.
Hearing the leader's threat, Chen Yi let out a low grunt. He swung his blade to force the two men back, then glanced over his shoulder at his remaining companion.
"A-Shi, take the token and run! Old Zhou and I will cover your retreat!"
The young man called A-Shi was pale, his eyes bloodshot. "Brother Chen! But you..."
"No arguments!" Chen Yi barked, raising his broadsword defensively. "Take the mountain trail, the hidden path. Do not let them catch you. The token must not be lost! Go!"
A-Shi ground his teeth. Reaching into his tunic, he pulled out an object wrapped in layers of oilcloth and pressed it tightly against his chest. Without hesitation, he turned and sprinted into the depths of the forest along a narrow, concealed path.
"Trying to escape?" A flash of cold light pierced the masked leader's eyes. He raised a hand in a sharp signal. "Chase him! Secure the token at all costs!"
Two assassins immediately broke off from their current opponents, abandoning the fight to sprint after A-Shi into the dense foliage.
The battlefield shifted instantly. Three assassins remained, converging their full force on Chen Yi and Old Zhou. The pressure surged. A new wound opened on Chen Yi’s waist, sending a jolt of agonizing pain through his body. His movements faltered for a fraction of a second.
In that brief window of vulnerability, an assassin seized the opportunity, thrusting his short blade directly at Chen Yi’s chest!
"Brother Chen, look out!" Old Zhou roared, throwing himself forward. He slammed his shoulder into the assassin's arm. The blade shifted, missing Chen Yi’s heart, but plunged viciously into Old Zhou’s ribs.
Old Zhou let out a muffled groan, his body swaying. Blood gushed from the wound in a steady stream.
"Old Zhou!" Chen Yi’s eyes tore wide with anguish. He slashed out furiously, forcing the assassin back, and reached out to catch his stumbling companion.
Blood and spittle bubbled at the corner of Old Zhou’s mouth. He managed to lift his gaze. "Brother Chen... I can't... hold on... Protect the token..."
Before he could finish his sentence, his body went limp, collapsing into the mud. He never moved again.
In the blink of an eye, only Chen Yi remained of the escort team.
The three black-clad assassins slowly closed in, trapping him in the center. The masked leader stepped forward, his gaze cold. "Your men are dead. A-Shi won't get far; he will be caught soon. Chen Yi, why cling to a lost cause?"
Chest heaving as he gasped for air, Chen Yi used his broadsword planted in the mud to prop himself up. Bleeding from multiple wounds, his stamina was on the verge of total collapse. Yet, his grip on the hilt remained steady, and his eyes showed no trace of retreat.
"If you want the token, you'll have to step over my corpse."
The masked leader offered a faint, cold smile. He signaled two assassins to engage him from the front while he circled to the flank, searching for an opening to strike.
Crouched behind the tree, Lin Yan’s heart hammered against his ribs.
The tide of battle had turned completely. Chen Yi couldn't hold out alone for much longer. Once he fell, and A-Shi was inevitably caught, the token would fall into the assassins' hands. If the escort mission failed, would that mean Lin Yan’s dimensional mission was also a failure?
If that were true, he would never return to his original world.
The thought struck him like ice water, sending a shiver down his spine. He couldn't just sit by and watch the token get taken. But what could he do? Unarmed, charging in would be nothing but a suicide mission. He couldn't help.
His gaze swept across the ground. Lin Yan spotted a stone with a sharp edge, half-buried in the mud right by his foot. Quietly, he reached out, his fingers hooking around the rock, and squeezed it in his palm. The stone was cold and rough, biting into his skin. It was the only weapon he had.
He still didn't dare to rush out recklessly. He was waiting. Waiting for a fleeting, split-second opportunity.
On the battlefield, Chen Yi raised his blade once more. The broadsword swung, cutting through the air with a heavy hum, but his severe injuries made his movements noticeably sluggish. The masked leader spotted the opening. With a sudden shift of his body, he dodged the broadsword's direct path and drove his short blade straight into Chen Yi’s wounded left arm!
Thwack.
The blade pierced flesh.
A muffled cry of pain escaped Chen Yi’s lips. His broadsword slipped from his grasp, clattering into the mud. With a flick of his wrist, the masked leader pressed the short blade against Chen Yi’s throat.
"Stop," the masked leader commanded. The remaining two assassins immediately froze.
The outcome was decided.
"Tell me which path A-Shi took, and I will spare your life," the masked leader said, his voice eerily calm.
With the blade pressed against his neck, blood seeping from the fresh wound, Chen Yi pulled a cold, defiant smirk onto his face. "Dream on."
The masked leader’s eyes grew icy. He applied slight pressure to the blade, breaking the skin and drawing a single bead of blood.
Just then, Lin Yan noticed a flurry of hurried footsteps approaching from the distant trees. The two assassins who had chased A-Shi were returning. They jogged up to the masked leader, bowing respectfully to deliver their report.
"Leader, A-Shi took a fork in the path. We lost him."
The masked leader’s brow furrowed slightly.
Now!
Seizing the exact moment when everyone’s attention was diverted to the report, Lin Yan surged to his feet. Channeling every ounce of strength in his body, he hurled the stone in his hand directly at the back of the head of the assassin closest to Chen Yi!
The stone tore through the air. Thud. A dull, heavy impact.
Caught completely off guard, the assassin took the blow to the back of his skull. He let out a muffled groan, his body swaying before he stumbled and crashed to the ground.
Every head snapped around. Eyes locked onto Lin Yan beneath the tree.
A flicker of surprise crossed the masked leader's eyes, instantly replaced by murderous intent. "A reckless fool."
"Grab him!"
The remaining assassin immediately abandoned Chen Yi, spinning around and lunging at Lin Yan with his dagger.
Lin Yan’s heart threatened to burst from his chest. His legs felt like jelly, but he didn't retreat. He knew he couldn't outrun the blade; he could only instinctively twist his body to dodge.
The short blade grazed his shoulder, slicing through his outer clothing. A shallow cut instantly bloomed, erupting in a fierce, burning pain.
Gritting his teeth against the sting, Lin Yan stumbled backward.
But just as the assassin prepared to strike again, Chen Yi seized the masked leader's momentary distraction. With a sudden burst of desperate strength, he slammed his shoulder into the leader's body. The masked leader lost his balance, and the blade at Chen Yi’s neck shifted. Chen Yi reached up, his hand clamping down on the leader's dagger-wielding wrist, and twisted with all his might.
"Ah!" The masked leader cried out in pain.
Chen Yi wrenched the short blade free and slashed horizontally in a brutal counterattack.
A flash of blood sprayed through the air. The masked leader staggered back several steps, clutching his bleeding shoulder.
"Retreat!" Realizing the golden opportunity was lost and that A-Shi, along with the token, was nowhere to be found, the leader gritted his teeth and gave the order. "Fall back! Continue the hunt for A-Shi!"
The remaining assassins, knowing they couldn't afford to linger, grabbed their fallen comrade and melted into the dense forest, vanishing into the shadows of the trees in the blink of an eye.
Silence finally descended upon the forest, broken only by the rustling of leaves in the wind and the sound of ragged, heavy breathing.
The battlefield was a chaotic mess of carnage. Bodies lay scattered, and the thick stench of blood hung heavy in the air.
Chen Yi staggered a few steps before his legs finally gave out. He dropped to one knee in the mud, gasping desperately for air. He turned his head to look at Lin Yan, who stood rooted to the spot, his shoulder bleeding, his face deathly pale.
The youth was still clutching an empty hand, his entire body trembling uncontrollably, his eyes wide with lingering, unadulterated terror. That single throw of the stone had consumed every last drop of courage he possessed.
Chen Yi’s hoarse voice broke the silence. "Kid, you've got guts. If they hadn't retreated just now, you would be dead."
Lin Yan’s throat bobbed as he swallowed hard. It took him a long moment to find his voice. "I... I couldn't just watch them steal the token."
He didn't explain why he was so desperate to protect the token. He couldn't reveal that he was from another world, or that completing this dimensional task was his only way home. Such words were too bizarre; Chen Yi would never believe him.
Chen Yi stared at Lin Yan for a moment, assessing him. The boy’s clothes were strange, his speech uncharacteristic of a wild country bumpkin, and his sudden appearance beneath the tree was shrouded in mystery. But that single, desperate strike had been a massive help.
"What is your name? Why are you in these desolate woods?" Chen Yi asked.
"Lin Yan." He paused, offering only a vague answer. "I got lost in the forest and happened to stumble upon this battle."
Chen Yi didn't press further. In the Jianghu, there were always people with hidden pasts and inescapable circumstances. With the immediate threat temporarily repelled, the priority was finding A-Shi and ensuring the token was safe.
"The black-clad assassins won't give up so easily." Chen Yi slowly braced his hands against the muddy ground, trying to stand. The movement pulled at his wounds, making him wince in pain. "They will scour this entire mountain range. A-Shi is alone, carrying the token. He is in grave danger."
Lin Yan’s mind raced.
Protect the token. Ensure it reaches its destination safely. Could this be the mission assigned to him by this martial dimension?
If so, he had to follow Chen Yi to find A-Shi and guard the token. If the assassins got their hands on it, the mission would fail, and he would be trapped in this Jianghu forever, never to see his modern rental apartment again.
Lin Yan looked at Chen Yi, steeling his nerves. "I'll go with you to find A-Shi."
Chen Yi blinked in surprise, staring at the unarmed youth before him. "Do you realize how dangerous the road ahead is? The assassins are still hunting in these woods. Without martial arts, following me means you could lose your life at any moment."
"I know." Lin Yan nodded. The terror still coiled tightly in his chest, but he had no other choice. "But I have to go."
Chen Yi studied Lin Yan for a long moment, then gave a slow, solemn nod. "Alright. We move quickly."
Chen Yi retrieved his broadsword from the mud, gripping it tightly to support his battered body, and began to walk toward the hidden path A-Shi had taken. Lin Yan fell into step beside him, his boots sinking into the mud as they stepped into the deep, unknown heart of the forest.
The vast wilderness stretched out before them, lethal threats lurking in every shadow.
Their desperate search had only just begun.
With every exertion, the wound on Chen Yi’s shoulder tore open. Warm blood trickled down his arm, soaking the hilt of his blade and making his grip slick and treacherous. He clenched his fists around the weapon, his gaze locked fiercely on the two assass before him. His breath came in ragged, heavy gasps, like a broken bellows. The desperate block he had used to save Lin Yan moments ago had drained most of his remaining strength. Now, facing two opponents at once, every step was a deadly gamble.
The battle around them was rapidly collapsing.
The gray-clad escort team had originally consisted of seven men. After only a brief, brutal clash, four of them had already fallen. Their bodies lay scattered across the ground—some with daggers buried in their chests, others with their throats slashed. Dark crimson blood, mingled with mud, continued to spread across the earth. The two surviving men in gray stood back-to-back, bearing fresh wounds. They fought desperately to hold off the remaining three assassins, but they were steadily being pushed back.
"Brother Chen, we can't hold!" one of the gray-clad men roared. A short blade grazed his shoulder, and he stumbled back half a pace. "The token... they're fixated on the token!"
Within the black-clad ranks, the leader had yet to draw his weapon. Clad in dark, tight-fitting combat gear, his face was obscured by a black cloth, revealing only a pair of eyes as cold as ice. He stood just outside the fray, observing the battle with eerie calm. He was in no rush to claim lives. Instead, he waited patiently for his prey to exhaust themselves, like a hunter watching its quarry collapse.
"Chen Yi. Surrender the token, and I will grant you a whole corpse," the masked leader said, his voice a low, hoarse rasp devoid of all emotion. "If you continue this futile resistance, everyone here will die—including the irrelevant boy beneath that tree."
At his words, several pairs of icy eyes simultaneously swept toward Lin Yan, who was crouching by the tree trunk.
A cold sweat instantly broke out across Lin Yan’s back, and his heart clenched violently.
He remained curled in the shadows of the tree roots, not daring to rise, deliberately keeping his breathing as shallow as possible. He knew that Chen Yi’s intervention had temporarily shielded him, but that protection was fleeting. The moment Chen Yi fell, he would be next.
He had no martial arts. Unarmed and defenseless, he was nothing but a lamb surrounded by men who lived and died by the blade.
Yet, he couldn't run. The forest was surrounded by towering ancient trees and thick, tangled brambles. Unfamiliar with the terrain, fleeing blindly would only lead him straight into the assassins' hands. He had no choice but to stay hidden, keeping his eyes wide open to catch every word and movement on the battlefield, desperately piecing together clues.
The token.
The word kept repeating. This ambush was entirely centered around that token.
Could the mission of this dimension be tied to this very object? Lin Yan wasn't sure; there were too few clues, and it was all speculation. But he had to grasp at any sliver of information. It was his only chance to go home. If he failed the mission, he would be trapped in this Jianghu forever.
Hearing the leader's threat, Chen Yi let out a low grunt. He swung his blade to force the two men back, then glanced over his shoulder at his remaining companion.
"A-Shi, take the token and run! Old Zhou and I will cover your retreat!"
The young man called A-Shi was pale, his eyes bloodshot. "Brother Chen! But you..."
"No arguments!" Chen Yi barked, raising his broadsword defensively. "Take the mountain trail, the hidden path. Do not let them catch you. The token must not be lost! Go!"
A-Shi ground his teeth. Reaching into his tunic, he pulled out an object wrapped in layers of oilcloth and pressed it tightly against his chest. Without hesitation, he turned and sprinted into the depths of the forest along a narrow, concealed path.
"Trying to escape?" A flash of cold light pierced the masked leader's eyes. He raised a hand in a sharp signal. "Chase him! Secure the token at all costs!"
Two assassins immediately broke off from their current opponents, abandoning the fight to sprint after A-Shi into the dense foliage.
The battlefield shifted instantly. Three assassins remained, converging their full force on Chen Yi and Old Zhou. The pressure surged. A new wound opened on Chen Yi’s waist, sending a jolt of agonizing pain through his body. His movements faltered for a fraction of a second.
In that brief window of vulnerability, an assassin seized the opportunity, thrusting his short blade directly at Chen Yi’s chest!
"Brother Chen, look out!" Old Zhou roared, throwing himself forward. He slammed his shoulder into the assassin's arm. The blade shifted, missing Chen Yi’s heart, but plunged viciously into Old Zhou’s ribs.
Old Zhou let out a muffled groan, his body swaying. Blood gushed from the wound in a steady stream.
"Old Zhou!" Chen Yi’s eyes tore wide with anguish. He slashed out furiously, forcing the assassin back, and reached out to catch his stumbling companion.
Blood and spittle bubbled at the corner of Old Zhou’s mouth. He managed to lift his gaze. "Brother Chen... I can't... hold on... Protect the token..."
Before he could finish his sentence, his body went limp, collapsing into the mud. He never moved again.
In the blink of an eye, only Chen Yi remained of the escort team.
The three black-clad assassins slowly closed in, trapping him in the center. The masked leader stepped forward, his gaze cold. "Your men are dead. A-Shi won't get far; he will be caught soon. Chen Yi, why cling to a lost cause?"
Chest heaving as he gasped for air, Chen Yi used his broadsword planted in the mud to prop himself up. Bleeding from multiple wounds, his stamina was on the verge of total collapse. Yet, his grip on the hilt remained steady, and his eyes showed no trace of retreat.
"If you want the token, you'll have to step over my corpse."
The masked leader offered a faint, cold smile. He signaled two assassins to engage him from the front while he circled to the flank, searching for an opening to strike.
Crouched behind the tree, Lin Yan’s heart hammered against his ribs.
The tide of battle had turned completely. Chen Yi couldn't hold out alone for much longer. Once he fell, and A-Shi was inevitably caught, the token would fall into the assassins' hands. If the escort mission failed, would that mean Lin Yan’s dimensional mission was also a failure?
If that were true, he would never return to his original world.
The thought struck him like ice water, sending a shiver down his spine. He couldn't just sit by and watch the token get taken. But what could he do? Unarmed, charging in would be nothing but a suicide mission. He couldn't help.
His gaze swept across the ground. Lin Yan spotted a stone with a sharp edge, half-buried in the mud right by his foot. Quietly, he reached out, his fingers hooking around the rock, and squeezed it in his palm. The stone was cold and rough, biting into his skin. It was the only weapon he had.
He still didn't dare to rush out recklessly. He was waiting. Waiting for a fleeting, split-second opportunity.
On the battlefield, Chen Yi raised his blade once more. The broadsword swung, cutting through the air with a heavy hum, but his severe injuries made his movements noticeably sluggish. The masked leader spotted the opening. With a sudden shift of his body, he dodged the broadsword's direct path and drove his short blade straight into Chen Yi’s wounded left arm!
Thwack.
The blade pierced flesh.
A muffled cry of pain escaped Chen Yi’s lips. His broadsword slipped from his grasp, clattering into the mud. With a flick of his wrist, the masked leader pressed the short blade against Chen Yi’s throat.
"Stop," the masked leader commanded. The remaining two assassins immediately froze.
The outcome was decided.
"Tell me which path A-Shi took, and I will spare your life," the masked leader said, his voice eerily calm.
With the blade pressed against his neck, blood seeping from the fresh wound, Chen Yi pulled a cold, defiant smirk onto his face. "Dream on."
The masked leader’s eyes grew icy. He applied slight pressure to the blade, breaking the skin and drawing a single bead of blood.
Just then, Lin Yan noticed a flurry of hurried footsteps approaching from the distant trees. The two assassins who had chased A-Shi were returning. They jogged up to the masked leader, bowing respectfully to deliver their report.
"Leader, A-Shi took a fork in the path. We lost him."
The masked leader’s brow furrowed slightly.
Now!
Seizing the exact moment when everyone’s attention was diverted to the report, Lin Yan surged to his feet. Channeling every ounce of strength in his body, he hurled the stone in his hand directly at the back of the head of the assassin closest to Chen Yi!
The stone tore through the air. Thud. A dull, heavy impact.
Caught completely off guard, the assassin took the blow to the back of his skull. He let out a muffled groan, his body swaying before he stumbled and crashed to the ground.
Every head snapped around. Eyes locked onto Lin Yan beneath the tree.
A flicker of surprise crossed the masked leader's eyes, instantly replaced by murderous intent. "A reckless fool."
"Grab him!"
The remaining assassin immediately abandoned Chen Yi, spinning around and lunging at Lin Yan with his dagger.
Lin Yan’s heart threatened to burst from his chest. His legs felt like jelly, but he didn't retreat. He knew he couldn't outrun the blade; he could only instinctively twist his body to dodge.
The short blade grazed his shoulder, slicing through his outer clothing. A shallow cut instantly bloomed, erupting in a fierce, burning pain.
Gritting his teeth against the sting, Lin Yan stumbled backward.
But just as the assassin prepared to strike again, Chen Yi seized the masked leader's momentary distraction. With a sudden burst of desperate strength, he slammed his shoulder into the leader's body. The masked leader lost his balance, and the blade at Chen Yi’s neck shifted. Chen Yi reached up, his hand clamping down on the leader's dagger-wielding wrist, and twisted with all his might.
"Ah!" The masked leader cried out in pain.
Chen Yi wrenched the short blade free and slashed horizontally in a brutal counterattack.
A flash of blood sprayed through the air. The masked leader staggered back several steps, clutching his bleeding shoulder.
"Retreat!" Realizing the golden opportunity was lost and that A-Shi, along with the token, was nowhere to be found, the leader gritted his teeth and gave the order. "Fall back! Continue the hunt for A-Shi!"
The remaining assassins, knowing they couldn't afford to linger, grabbed their fallen comrade and melted into the dense forest, vanishing into the shadows of the trees in the blink of an eye.
Silence finally descended upon the forest, broken only by the rustling of leaves in the wind and the sound of ragged, heavy breathing.
The battlefield was a chaotic mess of carnage. Bodies lay scattered, and the thick stench of blood hung heavy in the air.
Chen Yi staggered a few steps before his legs finally gave out. He dropped to one knee in the mud, gasping desperately for air. He turned his head to look at Lin Yan, who stood rooted to the spot, his shoulder bleeding, his face deathly pale.
The youth was still clutching an empty hand, his entire body trembling uncontrollably, his eyes wide with lingering, unadulterated terror. That single throw of the stone had consumed every last drop of courage he possessed.
Chen Yi’s hoarse voice broke the silence. "Kid, you've got guts. If they hadn't retreated just now, you would be dead."
Lin Yan’s throat bobbed as he swallowed hard. It took him a long moment to find his voice. "I... I couldn't just watch them steal the token."
He didn't explain why he was so desperate to protect the token. He couldn't reveal that he was from another world, or that completing this dimensional task was his only way home. Such words were too bizarre; Chen Yi would never believe him.
Chen Yi stared at Lin Yan for a moment, assessing him. The boy’s clothes were strange, his speech uncharacteristic of a wild country bumpkin, and his sudden appearance beneath the tree was shrouded in mystery. But that single, desperate strike had been a massive help.
"What is your name? Why are you in these desolate woods?" Chen Yi asked.
"Lin Yan." He paused, offering only a vague answer. "I got lost in the forest and happened to stumble upon this battle."
Chen Yi didn't press further. In the Jianghu, there were always people with hidden pasts and inescapable circumstances. With the immediate threat temporarily repelled, the priority was finding A-Shi and ensuring the token was safe.
"The black-clad assassins won't give up so easily." Chen Yi slowly braced his hands against the muddy ground, trying to stand. The movement pulled at his wounds, making him wince in pain. "They will scour this entire mountain range. A-Shi is alone, carrying the token. He is in grave danger."
Lin Yan’s mind raced.
Protect the token. Ensure it reaches its destination safely. Could this be the mission assigned to him by this martial dimension?
If so, he had to follow Chen Yi to find A-Shi and guard the token. If the assassins got their hands on it, the mission would fail, and he would be trapped in this Jianghu forever, never to see his modern rental apartment again.
Lin Yan looked at Chen Yi, steeling his nerves. "I'll go with you to find A-Shi."
Chen Yi blinked in surprise, staring at the unarmed youth before him. "Do you realize how dangerous the road ahead is? The assassins are still hunting in these woods. Without martial arts, following me means you could lose your life at any moment."
"I know." Lin Yan nodded. The terror still coiled tightly in his chest, but he had no other choice. "But I have to go."
Chen Yi studied Lin Yan for a long moment, then gave a slow, solemn nod. "Alright. We move quickly."
Chen Yi retrieved his broadsword from the mud, gripping it tightly to support his battered body, and began to walk toward the hidden path A-Shi had taken. Lin Yan fell into step beside him, his boots sinking into the mud as they stepped into the deep, unknown heart of the forest.
The vast wilderness stretched out before them, lethal threats lurking in every shadow.
Their desperate search had only just begun.