Morning had already come, but there wasn't even a trace of sleep in Lichen's eyes. She was still remembering every single moment of the night—Moren's voice, the touch on her face, and his words, "We will meet again after nine years."
Just then, loud voices of people began to come from outside. Those sounds were coming from the house where the bloodshed had happened last night.
Baolin and Meilian looked at each other and immediately went outside to see.
At that moment, some soldiers arrived in the village. Zhichen was also with them, because this village came under the Shenmai tribe. That is why Zhichen himself had come to investigate last night's killings.
He went straight inside that house. As soon as he entered, he saw—the entire family was lying on the ground, lifeless.
One soldier said softly, "They were completely fine till yesterday morning… but at night, no one knows what happened… who killed them all."
Zhichen did not reply. His gaze was scanning every corner of the house, as if he was searching for traces even in the air.
After some time, he came outside. Then he started going to every house, questioning people.
Finally, he came to Baolin and Meilian's house.
"Did you hear anything last night?" he asked directly.
Baolin shook his head, "We were sleeping. We don't know anything."
Meilian repeated the same.
Just then, Zhichen's gaze fell on Lichen sitting inside. She was sitting quietly, with a blindfold tied over her eyes.
Zhichen asked, "Is she your daughter?"
Both nodded, "Yes."
Zhichen's gaze then shifted to her clothes, "What is this red stain on her clothes?"
For a moment, Meilian panicked, but immediately composed herself and said, "She can't see… she accidentally spilled color yesterday."
Zhichen said nothing, but there was a slight suspicion on his face.
He slowly walked towards Lichen.
Lichen's heart began to pound loudly. She could only hear the sound of his footsteps.
Zhichen stopped right in front of her.
For a few moments, he stood there silently, as if he could even feel her breathing.
Then Zhichen asked, "Did you go outside last night?" he said in a calm but deep voice.
Lichen's throat went dry. Her lips moved, but no sound came out.
"She can't even see," Meilian quickly said.
Zhichen heard her, but his gaze was still fixed on Lichen.
Then he slowly said, "Even then, it's strange… all the bodies were inside the house, but outside in the मिट्टी there were marks of blood as well."
The air inside the house seemed to freeze.
Baolin's hands went cold.
Zhichen continued, "As if someone was standing there… and then disappeared."
Hearing this, Moren's voice echoed in Lichen's ears— "We will meet again after nine years…"
Her fingers trembled.
Zhichen noticed immediately. Now his suspicion had grown even deeper.
But he said nothing.
He stood straight and, turning away, said, "If you remember anything, let us know."
Then he left with the soldiers.
But while leaving, he turned once again and looked at Lichen.
The next moment, he turned back and walked away with the soldiers.
As soon as the door closed, the suppressed fear inside the house began breathing again.
Meilian silently closed the window immediately.
Baolin stood silent for a while, then asked in a heavy voice, "Did he tell you his name?"
Lichen shook her head slightly, "No…"
Silence spread in the house for a few moments.
Then Lichen spoke softly, "His voice was very cold… as if he was angry… but not at me…"
She clenched her hand.
"He said… he has taken revenge, but what he came for… he didn't get it…"
Baolin's face hardened.
Meilian's breathing became fast.
"Did he say only this?" Baolin asked.
Lichen replied softly, "Yes… and he also said he will come again… after nine years…"
Just then, the sound of footsteps came from outside.
Zhichen, along with the soldiers, was leaving the village and heading toward his palace.
Morning light had spread across the mountains, but the shadows of the night were still visible on his face.
After walking some distance, a soldier came near him and said softly, "Commander, no one in the village knows anything… everyone is saying they didn't hear anything at night."
Zhichen stopped.
He didn't reply immediately.
For a few moments, he stood silent… as if recalling every sound, every face, every trace.
Then slowly he turned his head, and his gaze fixed directly on Baolin's house. The house stood quiet in the distance, but the suspicion in Zhichen's eyes was still clearly visible.
He said in a slow but firm voice, "The people in that house are hiding something from us…"
The soldier was a bit surprised, "Why do you think so?"
Zhichen replied without taking his eyes off, "There was blood on that girl's clothes… but her mother said it was color…"
A slight silence fell.
Zhichen continued, "The smell of color is different… the smell of blood is different…"
That moment was still in his memory—Lichen trembling, her breathing, and the deep red stains on her clothes.
He said softly, "The truth can be hidden… but traces cannot…"
Then he turned away. But even while walking toward the palace, his mind remained stuck around that house. As if he could feel—one part of this story was still hidden there.
The palace gate had come into view, but Zhichen's steps slowed down. There was a strange restlessness in his heart.
There had been bloodshed in the village, but in the air there was less fear… and more concealment. As if everyone knew… but no one was speaking.
He stopped. The soldiers behind him also stopped.
"What happened?" one soldier asked.
Zhichen did not reply immediately. His gaze was still toward the distant mountains, but his thoughts were stuck on that house.
Slowly he said, "The one who killed… was not an ordinary person…"
The soldiers were shocked.
Zhichen said clearly, "Five people… in a single night… without any noise… no signs of struggle, no attempt to escape… as if death itself walked inside…"
A faint silence spread.
Then he added slowly, "That girl…"
A soldier immediately said, "But she can't even see…"
Zhichen nodded, "That's why… the one who cannot see, sometimes feels the most…"
Lichen's trembling kept appearing again and again in his mind. She was neither lying… nor telling the truth… as if she herself didn't understand what she had felt.
Zhichen looked once more in the direction of the village and said softly, "Keep an eye on that house…"
The soldier stood straight, "Secretly?"
Zhichen nodded, "No one should know…"
Then he began walking toward the palace.
While entering, he thought in his mind— "That person will definitely return… and when he does… this time, I will be ready…"
But time is no one's slave. It does not stop.
Slowly days passed… then months… then years.
Mingzhao kept growing stronger in the responsibilities of his tribe. The burden of being the chief was on his shoulders, but in one corner of his heart, the absence of his brother never lessened.
From outside, he appeared strong to everyone, but the grief inside him kept living quietly.
Zhichen was changing too. His thinking had become sharper. His sword had become calmer.
That night's bloodshed never faded from his memories.
Sometimes, without reason, his mind drifted toward that same village… as if some unanswered question still lay there.
And Lixuan… he was still at the hidden place with his mother—learning to understand, control, and master the truth.
The outside world had stopped for him… but the powers inside him were awakening.
On the other side, Lichen was still very young.
The fear of that night, the blood, and the voice of that unknown man—slowly faded from her memories.
With time, she forgot everything… as if that night had never happened.
But her life did not become easy.
Meilian and Baolin's behavior toward her was never gentle. They often scolded her… sometimes even beat her.
From a very young age, she was made to do all the housework—fetching water, bringing wood, cleaning utensils… without rest.
Even though she was blind, she was never given any relief.
In the beginning, she would fall, get hurt, break things.
But slowly, she learned not to see the world… but to feel it.
She could tell the direction of the wind. She could recognize who was coming by the sound of footsteps. She could tell whether the soil was wet or dry just by stepping on it.
People said she couldn't see…
but in truth, she felt the most.
With time, she became calmer and wiser.
And something else was awakening inside her—a strange sensitivity… as if her own blood was calling her toward an unknown future.
And like this, slowly, nine years passed.
The village had become the same as before… but time was ready to make its next move.
In those nine years, the village had also slowly hidden its wounds.
The house where blood had once been spilled… where an entire family was wiped out in one night… was no longer abandoned.
For the first few months, people didn't even like passing that path. Children would run past that house, and elders would fall silent whenever it was mentioned.
But time covers everything with dust.
Slowly, the walls of that house were cleaned. Bloodstains were erased. Broken wood was replaced.
And then one day… new people came to live there.
They were a merchant family—traders who brought goods from distant cities.
Their family was not small—nine people in total: elderly parents, the merchant and his wife, three children, and two servants.
With their arrival, the house felt alive again.
Smoke rose in the mornings, lamps were lit in the evenings, and children's laughter could be heard.
The villagers also slowly began to forget that night.
But… not everyone forgot.
Sometimes, in the deep silence of night, the air around that house would grow heavy. Dogs would suddenly stop barking, torch flames would flicker without wind, and Lichen would stand outside her house, slightly turning her head toward that direction, quietly sensing it.
She didn't know why, but whenever she thought of that house, the bracelet on her wrist would begin to give off a slight warmth. As if the wheel of time was about to turn again… as if a promise she had forgotten was close to being fulfilled.
Nine years had passed.
The memories of that night, the silence of that house, and the faint warmth of the bracelet—all of it seemed to be slowly awakening inside Lichen.
She touched the bracelet with her fingers. Her heartbeat quickened, but she didn't understand why.
Morning light was slowly spreading across the village. Light smoke was rising from the stoves. With the sound of roosters, life had begun again as usual.
Lichen was inside her house. Her blind eyes could not see anything, but her ears caught even the faintest sounds.
She sensed someone talking in the backyard.
Slowly, using the wall for support, she moved closer. Hiding her footsteps, holding her breath, she began to listen.
It was Baolin and Mei Lian… and with them was an unknown man.
That man's voice was heavy and cold.
Baolin said clearly, "The payment must be complete. The girl has grown up."
The stranger laughed softly, "Yes… the price will depend on her face. She can't even see, right…"
Mei Lian immediately replied, "Yes, she's blind… but she is beautiful. So don't lower the price."
Lichen's ears went numb.
But the next sentence stopped her breath.
Baolin said coldly, "Anyway, she is not our real daughter. We found her in the forest. We just raised her. Now if we're getting something in return, what's wrong with that?"
It felt as if the ground slipped beneath her feet.
Lichen's hands trembled against the wall. She pressed her lips tightly so no sound would escape.
"I… am not their daughter…?"
A hollow emptiness spread inside her heart.
She suddenly remembered—no one had ever told her the story of her childhood. Not her birth, not her mother's embrace…
At that moment, the bracelet suddenly grew hot. This time stronger. As if it was making her feel the truth.
She didn't listen any further. She slowly stepped back, went to her room… and for the first time, cried silently.
After that night, everything changed.
She was no longer just a blind girl… she was a deal.
And she was not going to be sold.
She made her decision—tonight, she would run away.
But before she could run… fate had written something else for her.
It was evening. The sun had set, but darkness had not fully fallen yet.
Just then, Mei Lian called her, "Lichen, take this sweet to the neighbor's house."
That house.
The house of blood.
Lichen paused for a moment. Her heart began to race without reason. But she didn't have the courage to refuse.
She took the sweets… and slowly started walking.
But she had no idea…
that the sweets in her hand were just an excuse.
In reality, she was walking toward the most terrifying destination of her life.
With every step, her bracelet grew warmer. Her heart became restless. As if the darkness recognized her… and someone was waiting for her.
That night, Lichen's fate was about to stand face-to-face with the secret tied to that blood… which she had never been able to understand.
And at that very moment… in a distant cave, Lixuan's nine years of harsh training had come to an end.
Now his journey was about to begin…
Straight toward that direction…
Where Lichen's fate was destined to collide with his.