Chapter 19

Chapter 19: Shadows in the Wind

The battle had ended, but the scars it left behind remained. The Hidden Fang had retreated, leaving the temple grounds littered with the fallen. Smoke curled into the morning air, the scent of blood and burned wood lingering like an unshakable ghost.

Xiao Lian stood among the wounded, his grip still tight around the Windblade's hilt. His body ached, the wound from Wu Jian's strike still fresh, but his mind was elsewhere—on the moment he had hesitated, the moment he had let his brother escape.

"You're troubled."

Yun Mei's voice pulled him back. She stood beside him, brushing a strand of blood-streaked hair from her face.

He exhaled slowly. "He should be dead."

She studied him carefully. "Then why isn't he?"

Xiao Lian had no answer.

Master Zhao approached, his expression weary yet firm. "You fought well today," he said. "But this was only the beginning. Wu Jian will return, and he will not come alone."

Xiao Lian nodded. "I know."

Master Zhao placed a hand on his shoulder. "Rest for now. The storm has passed, but the winds will shift again."

The Message from the Shadows

As the sun dipped toward the horizon, a quiet stillness settled over the temple. Survivors tended to the wounded, warriors reinforced the gates, but despite the signs of peace, an unease coiled in Xiao Lian's chest.

Then—a whisper on the wind.

He turned sharply. A figure stood at the far edge of the courtyard, cloaked in black, face hidden beneath a hood. They had appeared as if from nothing, the air itself parting around them.

Xiao Lian's grip on the Windblade tightened. "Who are you?"

The figure stepped forward. "A messenger."

Yun Mei moved beside Xiao Lian, her daggers glinting in the fading light. "From whom?"

The figure raised a hand, revealing a sealed scroll. "From one who walks the path between light and shadow. From one who knows the truth of the Windblade."

Xiao Lian hesitated, then took the scroll. As soon as his fingers touched the parchment, a strange energy pulsed through him—a familiar, ancient force.

"The winds have spoken," the figure said. "And they call you to the Valley of Echoes."

Then—like a phantom dissolving into mist—the figure was gone.

Xiao Lian unfurled the scroll. The message was written in elegant, precise strokes.

"If you seek the truth, come before the next moon. But be warned—the winds carry more than whispers. They carry shadows."

The Journey Ahead

Yun Mei glanced over his shoulder. "It could be a trap."

Xiao Lian smirked. "Most things in my life are."

She sighed. "Then I suppose we're going?"

He met her gaze. "We?"

Yun Mei arched a brow. "Did you really think I'd let you walk into danger alone?"

A chuckle escaped him, despite the tension in his chest. He nodded. "Then we leave at dawn."

As the last light of the sun faded, Xiao Lian turned his gaze toward the mountains. The Valley of Echoes awaited, holding secrets that could change everything.

And deep in his heart, he knew—Wu Jian would be waiting.