The Price of Truth ：At the Crossroads

Ren Yao stood before the enigmatic elder, whose unsettling smile seemed to carry an unspoken power, amplifying her unease like vines spreading uncontrollably in her chest.

The air thickened, time slowed, and each second dragged like an eternity.

What's this old guy playing at?

No way it's some kind of messed-up deal, right?

Her mind spiraled into frantic speculation, but outwardly, she maintained a façade of calmness.

Taking a deep breath, she pushed down her anxiety and reminded herself to stay cool.

She longed to uncover the mysteries entwined with her fate but feared the cost might be too great.

Truth and sacrifice—how was she supposed to choose?

It felt like a colossal gamble, one she wasn't sure she could afford to make.

"Sir, could you just cut to the chase? What's the condition?" Ren Yao asked, keeping her tone as light as possible to pierce the suffocating silence.

At that moment, Luo Yi stepped forward. His voice was firm. "Whatever the condition, I'll accept it on her behalf."

Ren Yao spun around, grabbing Luo Yi's arm, her voice resolute. "This is my decision." She turned back to the elder, her gaze unwavering. "Speak plainly, sir."

The elder finally ceased his chilling laughter, staring deep into her eyes before slowly revealing, "The condition is simple…" He paused for effect, his gaze falling on the faint mark on her wrist. "Trade your freedom for the truth."

Luo Yi grasped Ren Yao's hand, his voice low but steady. "Yao Yao, whatever you decide, I'm with you."

His grip was warm and strong, an electric current that swept through Ren Yao, dispelling her fears. Looking into his eyes, brimming with trust and resolve, her wavering heart began to steady.

Just then, Su Yao barged into the moment like an annoying fly that refused to buzz off.

"Well, if it isn't our little princess Ren Yao," Su Yao sneered, her voice dripping with mockery. "What did you do this time? Something so disgraceful you're being blackmailed by an old man?"

She reached out to shove Ren Yao, her smugness practically radiating off her.

Luo Yi stepped between them, his icy glare slicing through Su Yao's confidence like a blade. His disdainful glance made her shrink back, though she wasn't about to stop running her mouth.

"I swear, you're a walking disaster. Wherever you go, trouble follows! Serves you right to be—"

"Shut up!" Ren Yao's sharp retort cut through Su Yao's tirade. Her gaze was cold and unyielding, her voice razor-sharp. "No matter what, I'll uncover the truth. And you," she added with a smirk, "will always be nothing more than a pathetic loser."

Su Yao turned beet red but couldn't muster a single comeback, left standing there fuming and speechless.

Ren Yao turned back to the elder, her mind made up. She inhaled deeply and declared with steely determination, "I agree to your terms."

Her words fell like a hammer, brimming with resolve.

The elder stroked his beard, a flicker of approval flashing in his eyes before his expression returned to its usual inscrutability.

"Very well, young one. You have courage," he said. Then, after a pause, added cryptically, "You must retrieve something—The Starfall Stone—from a place called The Lost Realm."

"The Lost Realm?" Luo Yi's brows furrowed. The name rang a foreboding bell.

Both An Qing and Luo Chuan, standing nearby, exchanged worried glances, clearly familiar with the chilling tales surrounding the place.

Su Yao scoffed from the sidelines. "The Lost Realm? Ha! That's a death trap if there ever was one! Ren Yao, you're digging your own grave!"

Ren Yao shot her a frosty look. "My life is none of your concern." Turning back to the elder, she asked, "When do we leave?"

"Now," the elder replied curtly.

"Yao Yao, I'm coming with you," Luo Yi said, his tone brooking no argument as he gripped her hand tightly.

Ren Yao wanted to protest but, seeing the resolve in his eyes, ultimately nodded. She knew Luo Yi's concern was genuine, and his help could be invaluable.

The elder handed them a silk pouch. "Inside is a map and some essentials. Remember, the Lost Realm is riddled with peril. Be vigilant."

Taking the pouch, Ren Yao exchanged a determined look with Luo Yi.

Together, they stepped into the mist-shrouded unknown, their figures fading into the dense fog.

"Wait," the elder called out suddenly, his voice tinged with an enigmatic warning. "One more thing… Don't trust anyone."