The return from the archery grounds was quiet.
Xu Jilan rode beside Xu Qinli, her posture steady, her senses alert. The steady rhythm of their horses filled the road, yet her attention remained sharp, scanning the surroundings.
She listened carefully.
For someone trained in riding and archery, even the faintest sound could signal danger.
A faint disturbance reached her ears.
Metal striking metal.
Subtle movement ahead.
She slowed slightly.
"Qinli," she said calmly, "there is something ahead."
Before Xu Qinli could respond, a sharp sound cut through the air.
An arrow.
It was not meant for them.
It came from somewhere hidden within the shadows ahead.
Xu Jilan reacted instantly.
She pushed Xu Qinli aside just in time.
The arrow sliced through the air and passed between them, disappearing into the distance.
Xu Qinli steadied himself. "That was close."
Xu Jilan did not respond.
Her focus had already shifted forward.
Further ahead, the source of the disturbance revealed itself in fragments.
A group of attackers engaged in combat with a lone figure.
A young man stood in the open.
Dressed in dark noble attire, he carried himself with quiet authority. His long hair moved with the wind, and a mask covered part of his face.
He did not speak.
His eyes, however, were distinct. One dark, the other faintly green.
He had already defeated the first group.
But the fight was far from over.
From the trees above, more figures descended suddenly, surrounding him from multiple directions.
They moved in coordination, forcing him into close combat.
He did not retreat.
His movements remained controlled and precise.
Step by step, strike by strike.
A blade slipped past his guard.
A sharp pain followed.
A cut formed on his shoulder.
He paused only for a fraction of a second.
Then continued.
The attackers pressed harder.
Another hidden presence, the one who had fired the earlier arrow, remained in the shadows.
The man felt it.
His gaze shifted briefly.
Without hesitation, he reached into his pouch, drew an arrow, and turned toward the dense bushes.
He released the shot.
It flew cleanly through the air.
A moment later, a faint sound, then silence.
The hidden attacker was dealt with.
He exhaled quietly.
Blood marked his shoulder, but his focus remained steady.
Step by step, he moved closer to the center of the conflict.
At the edge of the battlefield, Xu Jilan watched.
Her expression changed.
The situation was no longer distant.
No longer something she could simply observe.
The attackers were not targeting her at first, but that no longer mattered.
The moment she entered this space, she became part of it.
Another group emerged.
The fight intensified.
Xu Jilan's grip tightened on her bow.
Her eyes followed the movement ahead.
Then she spoke, her voice calm but firm:
"Qinli. Stay close."
She had already decided.
Running was no longer an option.
Watching was no longer an option.
This was no longer a situation to observe from the outside.
She stepped forward.
And drew her bow.
Xu Jilan stepped forward, her bow already drawn.
Her eyes moved quickly across the battlefield.
The second group of attackers was closing in on the masked man.
Their formation was tighter now, their movements more coordinated.
She did not hesitate.
Her first arrow flew straight and true.
One attacker fell before he could reach his target.
Xu Qinli moved beside her, steadying his stance.
"Jilan, there are too many," he said.
"I know," she replied calmly.
"Stay behind me and watch for openings."
She did not turn back.
Her focus remained ahead.
Another arrow followed.
Then another.
Her movements were controlled, each shot placed with intention.
The masked man noticed.
For a brief moment, his gaze shifted.
He saw her.
But he did not speak.
He returned immediately to the fight.
Blood continued to drip from his shoulder.
Yet his strength did not waver.
If anything, his movements became more decisive.
As the fight intensified, something subtle changed.
His remaining eye.
The faint green began to show more clearly.
It was not sudden.
It became more visible as his focus deepened, as the pressure of the battle increased.
With each strike, each defensive movement, the green tone in his eye appeared stronger, sharper, as though responding to the intensity of his actions.
He struck again.
A clean, forceful motion.
Another attacker fell.
The battlefield was no longer one-sided.
Xu Jilan had now entered fully.
She advanced, step by step, closing the distance between herself and the center of the fight.
Her arrows moved in rhythm with her breathing.
One.
Then another.
The attackers began to shift their attention.
She was no longer just a passerby.
She was now part of the conflict.
Xu Qinli followed closely, supporting her position and staying alert to any approaching threat.
The attackers attempted to adjust their formation.
But the balance had already changed.
Xu Jilan moved with precision.
Her focus never left the targets in front of her.
The masked man continued as well.
Side by side, though unspoken, they fought against the same enemies.
An attacker rushed toward Xu Jilan from the side.
She turned quickly, releasing an arrow at close range.
The attacker fell before reaching her.
Another tried to flank the masked man.
Xu Jilan reacted again.
Her arrow intercepted the movement, stopping the attack before it could land.
The masked man glanced in her direction once more.
Just for a moment.
Then returned to the fight.
There was no conversation between them.
No agreement spoken.
But their actions began to align naturally.
Step by step.
Strike by strike.
Arrow by arrow.
The remaining attackers began to lose control of the situation.
Their formation broke.
Their coordination weakened.
The tide had shifted.
Xu Jilan did not lower her bow.
She remained focused, her stance steady.
This was not over yet.
And she knew it.
The remaining attackers fell one after another.
Soon, the battlefield became quiet.
Xu Jilan lowered her bow slightly, her breathing steady but controlled.
Xu Qinli stood close, watching carefully, still alert.
The masked man remained standing in place.
His movements slowed, but his posture did not collapse.
Blood continued to drip from his shoulder, marking the ground beneath him.
For a moment, he simply stood there, breathing evenly, as the intensity of the fight settled.
Xu Jilan turned her attention to him.
Her expression remained calm.
She stepped forward.
Without saying anything, she reached into her clothing and took out a small ointment pouch.
She looked at him briefly.
Then, without closing the distance further, she threw the ointment toward him.
He caught it without hesitation.
There was no exchange of words.
No acknowledgment.
Xu Jilan turned immediately.
She mounted her horse.
"Let's go," she said to Xu Qinli.
Xu Qinli followed without question.
They moved forward, leaving the scene behind.
The masked man remained where he stood.
He looked down at the ointment in his hand.
Then, without changing his expression, he focused again on his surroundings.
But for a brief moment, his gaze shifted.
Not toward the battlefield.
Toward the direction she had left.
Then, the corners of his lips lifted slightly.
Not a large expression.
Just a small, controlled smirk.
"Interesting," he said quietly.
He remained where he stood, holding the ointment she had thrown to him.
His gaze stayed in the direction she had left.
Moments later, movement came from the trees.
Several figures appeared, dressed in dark clothing, but unlike the attackers, their posture was disciplined.
They stopped a short distance behind him and bowed.
"Master, we are late," one of them said.
"Please forgive us."
He did not turn immediately.
"Clear the area," he said calmly...