Secrets behind closed doors

The silver light of the moon streamed into the room as Ash stood at the door, cloaked in silence, body still aching.

Lian Rou watched him with composed eyes, though something flickered behind them.

Ash took a breath and turned to her, voice quiet but firm.

> "Before I go… Don't tell anyone what you saw.

Not about me claiming the golden bone ape's spirit…

Not about Shen Mu…

And definitely not about my cultivation."

Lian Rou raised an eyebrow. "Even Yan Qing?"

"Especially her," Ash replied. "Not because I don't trust her… but because she'll ask questions I don't want to answer."

Lian Rou folded her arms, sighing. "Fine. But be careful. If someone like Zhao Yiming gets even a hint that you're progressing this fast, he'll do everything to break your bones before your foundation settles."

Ash gave her a small nod of gratitude and turned toward the door, quietly slipping into the shadows.

---

Later That Night — Medic Tent

Ash crept in, using the side flap instead of the front entrance.

The tent was dimly lit. Most of the patients were asleep, except for one figure who had just stepped out of the shadows...

> "You're late, hero."

Ash froze.

Yan Qing.

She stepped closer, arms crossed, eyes narrowed—not angry, not yelling. Just watching him like a hawk.

> "You've been missing for hours. The entire camp's wondering. But instead of searching the forest or meditating under the stars, you sneak back here like a thief."

Ash blinked, trying to think of a lie. "I—"

> "Don't bother," she cut him off. "You were in her room."

Ash said nothing.

"Fine. Keep your secrets," Yan Qing whispered, turning away. "But I will find out."

She walked into the tent's sleeping section, leaving Ash frozen in place, a bitter chill hanging in the air.

---

Next Morning – Lian Rou's Courtyard

The knock was sharp. Lian Rou opened the door—Yan Qing stepped inside without waiting.

> "Where was Ash last night?"

Lian Rou calmly poured tea, not looking up. "What do you mean?"

"I saw him sneaking back into the tent at midnight. Don't play dumb. He was with you."

Lian Rou's fingers paused.

Yan Qing stepped forward, voice low. "You know what people will think, right? You're of royal lineage. And he's—"

"Don't finish that sentence," Lian Rou said coolly.

There was a pause. Two powerful women standing inches apart.

Yan Qing softened, exhaling. "I'm not trying to accuse. I just… want to understand. Why him? Why hide it?"

Lian Rou looked down into her tea. "Because what he's carrying… could change everything. And the more people who know, the greater the danger."

Yan Qing's brows furrowed. "What is he hiding?"

Lian Rou didn't answer.

But in her silence, Yan Qing realized the truth: Ash was no ordinary cultivator anymore.

---

Closing Scene – Somewhere in the Sect

In a quiet, foggy mountain chamber, an old man dressed in crimson robes sat cross-legged, holding a crystal orb.

Within it, a hazy shadow of a golden ape spirit flickered faintly.

> "Someone… claimed it?" he muttered. "Impossible. Unless…"

A twisted smile curled across the elder's lips.

> "Looks like the Royal Scroll wasn't destroyed after all."