The moon hung low in the sky, casting silver light over the quiet forest. Xiao Lian wiped sweat from her brow, her chest rising and falling as she trained in solitude. The Sect Tournament was only weeks away, and she couldn't afford to slow down. Every movement, every breath, needed to be sharpened like a blade.
But something felt... wrong.
Her fingers twitched around her sword hilt as SIS pulsed a warning in her mind.
[Threat detected. Multiple lifeforms approaching. Estimated danger level: high.]
She froze, heart pounding. The forest, once filled with the hum of crickets and rustling leaves, had gone eerily silent.
Without a sound, shadows descended from the treetops , masked figures in dark robes, weapons glinting in the moonlight.
Xiao Lian reacted on instinct, rolling to the side as a dagger slammed into the ground where she'd been standing. She leapt to her feet, sword drawn, as the assassins surrounded her in a tight circle.
Five of them.
[Attack patterns analyzed. Recommending evasive maneuvers.]
She didn't need SIS to know that.
The first assassin lunged, twin blades slashing through the air. Xiao Lian dodged, her body twisting as she countered with a precise strike to his ribs. But he was fast, too fast and blocked her attack with unnatural reflexes.
They weren't ordinary cultivators. She gritted her teeth, parrying blow after blow, her muscles screaming with effort. They attacked without speaking, without hesitation, like puppets on strings.
One of them nearly caught her off guard with a sweeping kick, sending her sprawling across the dirt. Blood dripped from a gash on her arm, but she forced herself up, swallowing the pain.
She couldn't die here. She wouldn't.
[Enemy weaknesses identified. Exploiting blind spots is advised.]
Xiao Lian narrowed her eyes, watching their movements carefully. SIS mapped out potential attack vectors in her mind, highlighting the brief moments their defenses dropped.
When one of the assassins thrust a spear toward her heart, she sidestepped and severed the weapon's shaft in a single stroke. She spun, slashing across his leg, and he crumpled to the ground with a muffled groan.
One down. But the others pressed harder, their strikes becoming more brutal, more desperate. And she's somehow getting exhausted from everything, she didn't know where these people are always coming from and why they always want to test her and kill her by all means possible.
Her chest heaved as exhaustion crept in, her vision blurring. The taste of iron filled her mouth. She was fast, but she wasn't invincible. She was here and firm in her heart and wills.
They were trying to wear her down. And it was working. They are doing it in the best way possible and it getting to her.
Just as one of the assassins aimed a dagger at her throat, a shockwave of energy erupted through the forest, sending the attackers flying back.
A figure landed between Xiao Lian and the assassins, sword drawn.
Ji Ren.
His aura crackled like lightning, golden Qi radiating off his body like an unrelenting storm. His eyes blazed with fury as he scanned the wounded assassins.
Without a word, he struck. Xiao Lian watched, stunned, as Ji Ren moved like a force of nature, his sword a blur as he cut through their defenses like paper. Within moments, the assassins lay defeated, unconscious or dead, their black masks scattered across the forest floor.
He turned to her, face pale with rage.
"You were alone?" His voice was low, deadly.
"I needed to train," she rasped, clutching her bleeding arm. "I didn't expect company."
Ji Ren's jaw tightened as he grabbed her wrist, inspecting the wound with shaking hands. His fingers were surprisingly gentle, but his voice burned.
"Someone sent assassins after you, and you thought it was wise to wander into the forest alone?" he snapped.
Xiao Lian yanked her arm free. "I don't need a bodyguard."
He stepped closer, towering over her. "You could have died."
"I didn't," she shot back, wiping blood from her mouth. "And I don't want to be treated like some helpless—"
"Stop," Ji Ren snapped, his voice sharp enough to cut stone. His gaze softened, just a fraction. "You're not weak, Xiao Lian. But even the strongest fighters know when to accept help."
She looked away, chest heaving.
She hated feeling vulnerable. Hated that someone out there wanted her dead.
[Attack analysis complete. Evidence suggests the assassins were controlled by a high-ranking sect elder.]
Her blood ran cold. An elder. Someone inside the Crimson Feather Sect wanted her eliminated.
She clenched her fists, nails biting into her palms.
Ji Ren noticed the shift in her expression. "What did SIS say?"
Her lips parted, but she hesitated. If she told him, he'd only try to shield her even more. And she couldn't afford to look weak, not when her enemies were circling like vultures.
"It doesn't matter," she muttered.
Ji Ren's eyes darkened. "You're lying."
She took a step back. "I can handle this."
He grabbed her wrist again, more firmly this time, forcing her to meet his gaze. "Handle it? Someone sent killers after you, and you want to handle it?" He exhaled harshly. "I'm not letting you face this alone."
Xiao Lian wrenched her arm away.
"You don't get to decide that," she snapped. "This is my life. My fight."
Ji Ren laughed, a bitter, humorless sound.
"You're insane," he muttered, raking a hand through his hair. "Fine. Kill yourself trying to prove something. But don't expect me to stand back and watch."
She glared at him, breath hitching.
"What are you so afraid of?" she whispered.
His expression hardened. "Losing you."
The words hit her like a blow. She opened her mouth to speak, but nothing came out.
Ji Ren shook his head, stepping back. "I'm not letting you die. Whether you like it or not."
Then he turned, vanishing into the forest, leaving her standing in the wreckage of the battle. Heart racing. Mind spinning. And more alone than ever.