Ling Yu was in a bad mood.
Her encounter with Feng Hailin had started it. She hated feeling afraid—it was unlike her. She didn't like the person she became when fear took over. Now, she was traveling on foot, heading back to the city, and the darkness wasn't helping. In fact, it was feeding her unease, letting it crawl deeper into her thoughts. She didn't like it. Not one bit.
The moon was the only light guiding her path along the forest floor that ringed the mountain. There wasn't a proper road—just a narrow dirt track formed by frequent passage. Jagged rocks and sharp stones littered the way.
Her foot caught on another rock, and she stumbled for what felt like the hundredth time that night. Frustrated, she growled low in her throat.
Everything was awful, and she was ready to scream.
Xuan Tian's quick reflex was the only thing that stopped Ling Yu from rolling down the mountain path. He had been walking close to her—close enough to catch her, but not so close as to smother her. His hand shot out just in time to steady her before she fell.
He knew she was in a bad mood. He could feel it radiating off her. He just didn't know why. So he kept his distance—not asking, not pressing—just quietly walking beside her, choosing silence over risking the sharp end of her wrath.
He just stopped her from falling again.
This time, Ling Yu had had it. She stopped abruptly, turned to Xuan Tian, pointed a finger at him, and growled, "You!"
Xuan Tian's eyes widened in the dark, catching the moonlight. He looked like a lost kitten blinking up innocently at its master.
"You are supposed to be injured! Why are you walking here perfectly fine?"
Xuan Tian blinked a few times. "You—want me to not walk?"
"No! That's not what I meant! Don't twist my words!"
Xuan Tian lifted both hands in front of him, trying to placate her. "What do you mean then?"
The rest of the group continued ahead—carriages rolling, cultivators walking beside them. Ling Yu and Xuan Tian were at the very back. The others heard the commotion, but one signal from Gu Tianzhu had told them not to stop. Keep moving.
"I mean—how can you walk perfectly?! You're supposed to be injured!"
"I am injured."
"But you're walking out here! Perfectly fine!"
Xuan Tian looked genuinely confused. Am I not supposed to walk perfectly? He blinked again.
"Stop blinking!"
He did. Just stared at her—unblinking.
Ling Yu's eyes started to water just watching him not blink.
"Urgh! Blink already! Why are your eyes not watery when you don't blink?!"
"What—what do you want me to do?" Xuan Tian asked carefully. Conversing with this version of Ling Yu felt more dangerous than fighting Tie Yanfang. He would choose the Saint every time—injuries and all.
Ling Yu made a frustrated, guttural noise, stomped her foot, and started walking again.
But the darkness wasn't her friend. She stumbled once more, nearly face-planting into the dirt. Again, Xuan Tian caught her just in time.
She felt his strength through his grip on her hand. He really is an Iron Wall.
He helped her steady herself and gently guided her upright. "Are you okay? Why do you keep stumbling? Are you dizzy?"
"Yes! I'm dizzy!"
Xuan Tian looked like he had an epiphany. "I'll call Zhao Xiong right away." He moved like a flash.
"Wait!" Ling Yu reached for his sleeve, but he was too fast. The sudden motion tugged her off balance, and she stumbled forward—this time with so much force she could only yelp and brace for impact.
But the pain never came.
When she opened her eyes, she was already in a princess carry, cradled securely in Xuan Tian's arms.
"Are you okay?"
"Why did you run?!" she snapped, and hit his broad chest.
"I was going to call Zhao Xiong to check on you."
"I don't need to be checked by Zhao Ge!"
"You said you were dizzy."
"I was dizzy. But not dizzy dizzy." Ling Yu rolled her eyes.
Xuan Tian kept walking, still carrying her, listening to her explanation—which only made him even more confused.
Seeing Xuan Tian was still clueless, Ling Yu sighed loudly.
"I kept stumbling because I can't see!" she finally blurted, feeling an odd sense of relief after saying it out loud.
Xuan Tian stopped in his tracks. He closed his eyes slowly, as if in quiet defeat. How did I not get that?!
"What's wrong? Why are you stopping? You dizzy?"
Xuan Tian opened his eyes and resumed walking. "No, I'm not dizzy. I stopped because of what you just said."
"What's wrong with what I just said?" Ling Yu's voice turned dangerous.
Xuan Tian, oblivious to the brewing storm, answered with all honesty, "It's too simple. I couldn't believe it."
"WHAT?!"
Xuan Tian stopped again. He was stunned by Ling Yu's volume, looking down at the tiny figure in his arms who now resembled a furious, puffed-up cat.
"You couldn't believe it because it was too simple?!" she repeated, clearly ready to throttle him.
"Yes."
"You think I was lying?! And stop stopping! Keep walking!"
"What? No! When did I say you were lying?" Xuan Tian automatically resumed walking.
"You just said—"
"Little Chaos, I know what I said. I said what I said, the way I said it because it didn't occur to me that you couldn't see."
Ling Yu blinked, momentarily thrown. "Huh? What are you saying?"
Now that he finally knew the reason, Xuan Tian felt a strange sense of victory. His steps began to feel more confident.
"Us cultivators, overall, have better senses than humans. This darkness is not a bother to us. We can see perfectly. That's why I can walk perfectly, like you said."
"Oh—" Ling Yu now realized it too. "Then—then why can't I see as clear as you?"
"That's because your cultivation is too low. And you are not trained to use your spirit energy to enhance your senses."
"You mean I can use my spirit energy to make me see better now?" Ling Yu immediately lit up.
"Yes and no. Yes, theoretically you can. And no, I think you're too worked up and tired. I can feel it in your steps. They were not steady. Using your spirit energy now will exhaust you even more."
Ling Yu deflated. "What can I do then?"
"You have three options. One, you get into one of the carriages and ride it until we arrive. Two, I carry you all the way. Or three, I light the path for you."
Ling Yu didn't need to think about it. She immediately replied, "One, no way. I want to walk. Two, as much as it is comfortable being carried like this, you're still injured. So I'll take three. But, you're still injured—will you be okay?"
As if her words carried command, eight light orbs suddenly appeared around the carriages, floating gently and illuminating the path ahead.
Ling Yu lit up. She looked at Xuan Tian and smiled. "Put me down. You should've done this earlier."
Xuan Tian didn't put her down immediately. He calmly said, "I will put you down. But if I think you're too tired—"
Ling Yu cut him off, "I know. I'll let you carry me all the way. Now put me down."
He did, then added, "Those orbs aren't from me. It's Gu Zhenren and his disciples, with Captain Bai and her Enforcers."
Ling Yu blinked, then smiled again. She raised her voice, "Thank you, everyone! It's beautiful!"
With that, she skipped ahead to catch up with the carriages, leaving Xuan Tian behind.
He shook his head and started walking after her.