Yang Luoya lowered himself back onto the rough wooden bed, the old woman's words echoing endlessly in his mind.
The outskirts of the Xu Empire…
The pain in his body pulsed faintly beneath his skin, but it was nothing compared to the shock tightening in his chest.
"You're saying… we are near the Xu Empire?" he asked slowly, his voice unsteady despite his effort to remain composed.
"Careful, careful," the old woman said gently, placing a weathered hand over his wrist. Her fingers were warm, calloused from years of labor. She examined the bruises along his arm with quiet concern. "Your body is covered in injuries. You shouldn't move too much."
Then, as if answering something obvious, she nodded.
"Yes. This is a coastal village on the far edge of the Xu Empire. The furthest from the capital. Right by the sea."
Her words fell like stones.
Impossible.
Just days ago, they had been near the Four Peak Sect, deep within the mountains, surrounded by layers of peaks and spiritual barriers. Between that land and the Xu continent lay an endless ocean—and worse, the cursed lands no ordinary cultivator could cross alive.
There was no way.
No current could have carried them here.
No accident could explain this.
Yang Luoya turned his head.
Yang Wei still lay beside him, unconscious. His body was wrapped in bandages, faint bruises visible along his jaw and arms. Even in sleep, his brows were slightly furrowed, as if his mind refused to rest.
Yang Luoya looked back at the old woman.
"…Where are the others?"
Only now did it fully register—
There were only two of them here.
The old woman frowned slightly.
"The others? We only found the two of you. Washed up near the shore."
A brief silence followed.
Then she rose slowly from her seat.
"I'll bring you some food. You must be starving."
Without waiting for a reply, she left the room, the wooden door creaking softly behind her.
Silence returned.
Heavy.
Oppressive.
Yang Luoya pressed his fingers to his forehead.
As if that alone could steady the storm in his mind.
Then—
A small figure appeared before him.
"…Kirin?"
His eyes widened.
Before he could react, the tiny creature burst into tears and lunged forward, clinging tightly to his chest. Its small body trembled as it buried its face against him, rubbing its head desperately against him.
"I thought… I thought you died!"
Its voice broke between sobs.
Yang Luoya instinctively raised his hand, gently patting its head despite the sharp horns occasionally poking into his skin.
"How… are you here?" he asked quietly. "Weren't you bound to the sect?"
"I—I don't know…" the kirin sniffled, its crying slowly calming. "Your heartbeat was fading… I panicked…"
It lifted its head slightly, eyes still watery.
"Then suddenly… my contract with Yan Xiaoluo broke."
Yang Luoya froze.
"…What?"
"And…" the kirin hesitated, then mumbled, "I formed a forced contract with you instead."
"…What?"
Yang Luoya blinked, as if trying to process something absurd.
"I don't understand it either!" the kirin quickly added. "But… I'm bound to you now."
A strange silence lingered between them.
Then Yang Luoya exhaled softly.
"…Do you know how we got here? Or where the others are?"
The kirin shook its head.
"I only remember the blinding light… then I lost consciousness. I woke up just now—when you woke up."
It puffed its cheeks slightly, looking both annoyed and oddly cute.
"And the others… I can't sense them nearby."
Yang Luoya allowed himself a faint smile.
For a brief moment, the tension eased.
But—
A sharp sound cut through the air.
A blade flashed.
The kirin yelped and shot upward.
Yang Luoya's eyes snapped toward the source—
Yang Wei was awake.
And standing.
His sword was drawn, pointed directly at where the kirin had been moments ago.
"What are you doing, Yang Wei?!" Yang Luoya snapped, a rare hint of anger in his voice.
Yang Wei lowered the blade slightly, though his gaze remained sharp.
"…Sorry, big brother. There was a… fat horse clinging to you."
Silence.
"…Fat horse?" Yang Luoya repeated slowly.
"Hey! That's rude!" the kirin exploded, hovering angrily in the air. "What kind of uncultured human are you?!"
Yang Wei blinked.
"…You can hear it too?"
Yang Luoya stared at him.
"…You can see it?"
Yang Wei frowned slightly.
"The flying fat horse above you? Yes."
"I am NOT a horse! I am a kirin—a noble kirin!" it protested furiously.
Yang Luoya turned back toward it, confusion deepening.
"…How is this possible?"
The kirin crossed its tiny arms.
"…Maybe because I'm contracted with you now. My power is slowly returning."
"…Does that mean everyone can see you now?"
Before the kirin could answer—
The door opened.
The old woman returned, carrying two simple bowls of porridge.
"Oh, you're awake too," she said warmly to Yang Wei, placing the bowls on the table. "How are you feeling?"
"I'm fine," Yang Wei replied calmly, though his eyes still flicked toward the floating kirin.
"You both must be hungry. Eat first. I'll come back later."
She left again.
The kirin drifted down slightly.
"Not everyone can see me," it said. "Only those with strong spiritual perception… like him."
Yang Wei stepped closer, curiosity flickering in his eyes.
"What exactly is this thing, big brother?"
He reached out and poked the kirin's belly.
"Hey! Don't touch me!" it snapped, swatting his hand away with its tail.
Yang Luoya exhaled softly.
"…It's a kirin. I met it three years ago…"
He began explaining—carefully choosing his words, omitting anything about Yan Xiaoluo's true origin… and his own.
Yang Wei listened quietly, arms crossed.
"…So it's… a guardian of Kirin Peak?"
"…Something like that."
A pause.
"Let's eat before it gets cold," Yang Luoya said, handing him a bowl.
Yang Wei took it, then glanced around.
"…Do you think the others were also sent somewhere?"
Yang Luoya's hand paused mid-air.
"…I don't know."
"It's because you were holding each other," the kirin suddenly interjected.
Both of them looked at it.
"Before I passed out, I remember—Yang Wei was shielding you from the collapse. The others were separated… they were probably scattered somewhere else."
"…So they might also be on the Xu continent," Yang Luoya murmured.
"…But we don't know where."
Silence fell again.
They ate quietly.
The porridge was plain.
Warm.
But grounding.
Afterward, they stepped outside.
The moment they did—
A strong wind rushed past them.
Carrying the scent of salt.
The ocean stretched endlessly before their eyes.
Waves crashed against the shore.
Fishing boats swayed gently in the distance.
The village was alive.
Merchants shouted.
Children ran.
The marketplace buzzed with noise and movement.
Then—
Yang Luoya froze.
His eyes widened.
In the center of the plaza stood something enormous.
A towering cloth-covered structure—at least ten meters tall—mounted on wheels. Dozens of villagers pushed it slowly across the ground.
"What… is that?"
A hand rested on his shoulder.
The old woman.
"Ah, you're here. Have you eaten?"
Yang Luoya bowed slightly.
"Thank you for your help… may I ask about that statue?"
The woman followed his gaze.
"Oh… that? You must be outsiders."
She sat down slowly on a nearby wooden bench.
"That is part of our festival."
"What festival?"
"A festival… to commemorate the death of a traitor to humanity."
Yang Luoya's eyes narrowed slightly.
The villagers pulled the cloth down.
The statue was revealed.
A man.
Beautiful.
Unnaturally so.
Both handsome and delicate at once.
And behind him—
A small figure.
A child.
Or something like a child.
With horns.
Its face hidden against the man's back.
"I see…" the old woman continued softly. "You've never heard the story."
Yang Luoya and Yang Wei remained silent.
Listening.
"There was once a person… beautiful beyond words. Gentle. Kind. Loved by all. Many sought to marry him."
Her voice lowered.
"But everything changed… when he brought that thing home."
Her gaze darkened.
"That horned creature."
"He claimed it was not a monster."
"But the village knew better."
"They begged him to abandon it."
"He refused."
A pause.
"Then people began to die."
The wind howled faintly.
"Fear turned into hatred."
"The same villagers who once adored him… bound him."
Her voice trembled slightly.
"They burned him alive."
Yang Luoya's breath stilled.
"But the creature…" she whispered.
"…did not forgive them."
Her eyes seemed distant now.
"The sea turned red."
"The village burned."
"It was a massacre."
Silence fell.
"…When did this happen?" Yang Luoya asked quietly.
"A thousand years ago."
"Only a legend now. The original records are sealed in the city library."
Yang Luoya slowly turned his head.
Toward the kirin.
"Don't look at me," it said immediately, crossing its arms. "If it's a thousand years ago, that's way before my time."