A Call Beyond The Valley

The night was calm, the air thick with the lingering energy of their training session. Wang Shi stood at the edge of the lake, his breathing steady, his mind replaying Bai Lu's instructions.

Then, something shifted.

Bai Lu turned her head slightly, her gaze narrowing. Wang Shi sensed nothing, but the way she tensed told him that something was wrong.

A heartbeat passed. Then another.

Bai Lu exhaled. "I have to go."

Wang Shi blinked. "Go?"

"There is something I must attend to." Her tone was measured, but there was an urgency beneath it.

"Something dangerous?"

She didn't answer immediately. Instead, she turned to him fully. "This is not your concern."

He clenched his fists. "What if it finds its way here?"

Bai Lu studied him, her expression unreadable. Then, she spoke with quiet certainty.

"It won't."

Wang Shi wanted to press further, but something in her tone told him it was useless.

Instead, he asked, "What should I do while you're gone?"

She regarded him for a long moment before speaking. "Continue practicing the Breath of Flowing Qi. Maintain circulation, even while moving. If you can hold it stable while exerting force, you will be ready for the next technique."

Wang Shi nodded. He wasn't satisfied, but at least she wasn't leaving him without direction.

Bai Lu turned away, but before she stepped into the shadows, she paused.

"Do not leave this place," she said. "Not yet."

Then, without another word, she vanished into the night.

Wang Shi stood there, staring at the spot where she had been.

She had said it wouldn't come here. But if Bai Lu herself had to leave so suddenly…

Then whatever it was, it had to be serious.

He exhaled, pushing those thoughts aside.

For now, he had a task.

And he would not waste this time.

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