CHAPTER 9: A Glimmer of Hope

"Young Miss and Master, follow me this way," muttered Enshi, a tan-skinned man with sharp features and a commanding presence. Dressed in a dark blue hanfu that bore subtle patterns of clouds and waves, he carried himself with the quiet confidence of a seasoned protector. As the head bodyguard, his voice was low but firm, each word laced with authority. He turned, his hand briefly brushing the hilt of the sword at his waist, and began leading the group of three through the dark forest. The towering trees loomed overhead, their gnarled branches casting twisted shadows under the pale moonlight. The faint rustling of leaves and distant cries of nocturnal creatures accompanied their steps, adding an eerie tension to the journey.

Meina, a slender 15-year-old with disheveled hair and tear-streaked cheeks, clutched her younger brother's trembling hand as they followed closely behind. Her 14-year-old brother, Li Cheng, struggled to hold back his sobs, his wide eyes reflecting both fear and sorrow. Both siblings glanced back over their shoulders, their gazes lingering on the distant horizon where the temple that had once offered them refuge was now consumed by roaring flames. The orange glow painted the night sky, its crackling roar a cruel reminder of their helplessness.

Two weeks had passed since their desperate escape to the temple, a place they had sought out after the calamity that had shattered their journey home. During that time, no word had come about their father, the family guards, or the loyal servants who had been dispatched to assist the sect leader. The uncertainty gnawed at their hearts, leaving them clinging to one another for strength as they pressed forward into the unknown.

But just today, their pursuers had found them. The attackers stormed the temple, slaughtering everyone inside, including the monks, and setting the sacred grounds ablaze.

'Father… everyone… please be safe,' Meina silently prayed as she clutched her brother's hand tightly while they fled deeper into the forest.

After several exhausting minutes, Enshi brought the group to a halt in a clearing surrounded by towering trees.

Panting heavily, the siblings and one guard stayed back to rest while Enshi scanned the area for any sign of danger.

"It's clear," Enshi declared, his eyes sharp and vigilant as he continued surveying their surroundings.

"Young Masters, please drink some water," Bao, one of the guards, offered, handing them a flask. The siblings accepted it gratefully, their exhaustion evident.

"Thank you, Bao," Li Cheng said, oblivious to the sinister gleam in Bao's amber eyes.

"Young Masters, after five minutes of rest, we will—" Enshi's instructions were abruptly cut off by a loud thud behind him.

He spun around, alarmed, only to see the siblings collapsed on the ground, their bodies paralyzed. Though conscious, their mouths moved soundlessly, unable to speak.

Standing between them was Bao, a twisted smirk on his face. His amber eyes glowed ominously as he let out a low, sinister chuckle.

"Hahaha, foolish brats. It took me two weeks to finally capture both of you. What a waste of my time," Bao sneered, kicking Meina and Li Cheng in the stomach.

"Bao! Stop this! What are you doing?" Enshi roared, charging at him with his sword.

But Bao reacted swiftly, pressing his blade against Li Cheng's neck.

"Take another step, and this brat's head will roll," Bao threatened, his smirk widening.

Enshi froze, his heart pounding. Gritting his teeth, he dropped his sword to the ground and raised his hands in surrender. "P-please… let the young masters go," he pleaded, shutting his eyes in frustration.

Bao's laughter rang out, echoing through the forest. He strutted toward Enshi and delivered a hard kick to his face, sending him crashing into a nearby tree.

"Ahahaha! Enshi, are you blind? Can't you see what's going on?" Bao mocked as he threw a talisman into the air. It burst into an orange glow, and within moments, 5 men in brown robes and green hoods emerged from the shadows.

One of them, a Radiant Stage expert, stepped forward, clapping his hands in approval.

"Good work, Bao," he said, grabbing Meina and Li Cheng by their hair to confirm their identities. The siblings winced in pain.

"Get your filthy hands off the young masters!" Enshi growled, struggling to rise, but two mercenaries pinned him down. They stomped on his head and back, grinding him into the dirt.

"Shut your mouth, fool! Do you think you're still the esteemed head guard of the Wu family?" one of the robed men sneered, delivering a brutal kick to Enshi's face, blood splattering across the ground.

"Ahahaha! I never thought I'd get the chance to crush a Qi Transformation expert beneath my foot. The world really is round!" another mercenary mocked as he joined in beating Enshi.

For ten agonizing minutes, four men beat the head guard. His face swelled with bruises, and his body was riddled with bruises and broken bones.

Barely able to move, Enshi raised his swollen eyes to look at the young masters, who were watching him in horror.

Trauma and fear were etched into their tear-streaked faces as they witnessed the man who had protected them since birth being beaten to a pulp.

One of the men stepped forward toward the leader.

"Boss, look at this young miss…" he said, his voice dripping with malice. The girl's jade eyes widened in fear as she met his gaze.

"We don't often come across such fine goods," he sneered, eyeing Meina with an unsettling grin.

"That's right, boss. The client only said dead or alive. We don't really need to deliver these brats alive, do we? Cutting their heads off will do just fine as proof," another man added, licking the blade of his dagger menacingly.

This comment caught the attention of the other men. They stopped beating Enshi and began circling around Meina, their dark chuckles filling the tense air.

Enshi watched the scene unfold in horror. He opened his mouth to shout, to demand they stop, but no sound came out. His throat was too damaged from the beating he'd endured.

'No… not the young miss…' he thought, panic and dread washing over him. His heart sank as one of the hooded men grabbed Meina and roughly pinned her against a tree, tearing at the outer layer of her clothing to reveal her inner shirt.

The crowd erupted in crude cheers, their jeers growing louder as they ogled the maiden's delicate, trembling form. Tears streamed from Meina's eyes, her body shaking in terror at the nightmare unfolding before her.

Summoning every ounce of strength he had left, Enshi pushed himself up and charged at one of the hooded men. He tackled the figure to the ground, locking his arms tightly around him.

The group erupted into laughter at his desperate act of defiance.

"Look at this hero! Still trying to save the day," one of them mocked, grinning at Enshi's futile attempt.

"Get this trash off me!" the pinned man shouted angrily, stomping on Enshi's head in an attempt to break free. But no matter how hard he tried, Enshi's grip remained firm, his resolve unshaken.

'I just need to buy time… someone will come…' Enshi thought, clinging to the man with unrelenting determination.

"Come on, you can handle him yourself. He's already half-dead!" another man joked, drawing laughter from the group.

"Damn it, get off me!" the hooded man yelled again, stomping harder, but Enshi refused to let go.

"The guy's like a leech!" one of them commented, laughing at the sight.

The leader sighed in irritation as he watched the commotion. "This is wasting too much time. Bao, handle it."

Bao stepped forward, cracking his neck with a sinister grin. "Enshi, don't make this harder than it needs to be," he said mockingly.

Without hesitation, Bao delivered a powerful axe kick to Enshi's back, the force knocking both him and the pinned man to the ground. Both coughed violently, spitting blood as they writhed in pain.

The men roared with laughter, thoroughly entertained by the brutal display.

Bao's grin grew darker as an idea formed in his mind. He signaled two of the hooded men, who quickly moved to pin Enshi down, holding him in place.

Grabbing a handful of Enshi's dark blue hair, Bao yanked him upright, forcing him to face Meina. The head guard's silver eyes burned with fury, but Bao's wicked grin only widened.

"Enshi, if you wanted to watch so badly, you should've just said so," Bao taunted.

Enshi's eyes widened in terror as he realized what was about to happen. His body thrashed against his captors, but his injuries made his resistance futile.

"Men, do what you want with her!" Bao commanded, his voice filled with malice.

Meina's gaze darted toward her brother. Li Cheng's face was pale, his expression a mix of helplessness and fear. Tears continued to stream down Meina's cheeks as she braced herself for the unthinkable.

Swish. Swish.

The sound of rustling bushes nearby froze everyone in place.

'A rescue!' Enshi thought, a glimmer of hope reigniting in his battered heart.

A figure emerged from the shadows, stepping into the dim light of the clearing. The trio's eyes widened in disbelief as they recognized the newcomer.

'Zhiyun?!' The three thought