CHAPTER 56: WHAT HAPPENS AT A DARK CAVERN?

At that same moment, in Shaanxi—

"Hmm~ Hng~"

Bubble, bubble.

Tang Ayeon hummed softly as she tossed herbs into a pot that gurgled ominously. As a late-generation prodigy of the Sichuan Tang Clan, her focus while crafting her unique poison was almost admirable—

[(2x) (3x) (5x) (7x) (10x)]

But the labels on the box beside her would silence anyone who saw them. Vials scattered around bore cryptic words like "Awakening," "Recovery," "Sustained," "Weakening," and "Hypnosis," their meanings known only to her.

[Danger] [Danger] [Handle with Care] [Collapse Risk]

One particularly eerie pill bore an even more unsettling inscription.

"Uh, Miss... are you going to use that too?" her companion asked warily.

"Hm? Oh, this?" Tang Ayeon glanced at the pill. "Nah, why would I? I just made it because it was in a book."

"Then maybe you should dispose of it—"

"That’d be a waste of materials, wouldn’t it? I’m just keeping it around. I’d never use something like this on someone who trusts me, you know."

"...I don’t know what you’ve done, but please don’t betray him."

For that man’s sake, she prayed silently.

+++

Sword Empress’s POV

Splash!

In an instant, my vision shifted.

Blue lightning had struck the vampire and the masked figure. I’d heard the vampire’s agonized scream and seen myself running toward them as the strange formation on the floor glowed.

In less than a heartbeat, I was submerged in a cold lake.

Splash.

"W-What’s happening?"

I broke the surface, scanning my surroundings. The dark underground chamber was gone, replaced by a dense forest of towering trees.

"An illusion...?"

I knew some formations could trap people in endless illusions—I’d experienced them before. But this...

"...This isn’t an illusion."

Formations, no matter how bizarre, followed rules. This defied everything my old comrade had taught me about them.

The thick forest made it impossible to gauge how far I was from where I’d been.

"...Wait."

I wasn’t the only one caught in that formation’s range.

"Dan Yuseong!"

I dove back into the lake, searching frantically.

+

Crackle... pop...

In a nearby cave, I tended a campfire, keeping watch over Yuseong as he lay unconscious.

Cough... hack...

I’d gotten most of the water out of him, but perhaps because he’d swallowed some while already weakened by a cold, his symptoms had worsened.

Shiver... shiver...

"Kuh... hack..."

"...Ha..."

Leaving him in wet clothes would only make things worse. Society might view chastity differently for men and women, but it was precious regardless. Exposing himself to an unmarried woman was no small matter.

"...I’m sorry. I’ll apologize later."

His condition was too dire to hesitate. Having nursed him in Henan, I knew how fragile his body was. I couldn’t let propriety risk his life or leave him with lasting damage.

Rustle...

As I reached for his cloak, I noticed something odd—it wasn’t wet. Despite its leather-like appearance, it had shed the water completely. This was no ordinary garment.

Squelch.

"...As I thought."

I slipped my hand inside. His clothes underneath were soaked through. At least the cloak would keep him dry once redressed.

Rustle, rustle...

"...Ugh..."

Undressing an unconscious man, even in this situation, was something I’d never imagined doing. His unique scent, intensified by the dampness, hit me sharply, but I pushed it aside, wiped him down with leaves, and draped the cloak back over him.

Thankfully, the cloak was easy to remove—otherwise, my face might’ve burned beyond blushing.

Flutter, flutter.

I fanned my cheeks, trying to cool the heat rising in them.

Unbidden, the image of his bare body flashed in my mind. I’d suspected it before, but his frame was small and fragile, like that of a youth who’d stopped growing in adolescence. His pale, soft skin, devoid of muscle, stirred a protective instinct in me.

Well, except for one part that didn’t quite fit that description.

"Ughhh..."

I buried that image deep in my mind.

Crackle... snap...

Shaking my head, I tossed more firewood into the campfire, kindled with the Samadhi True Fire technique.

Cough...

I moved him closer to the flames for warmth and assessed our situation.

This place is far from where we were.

The underground chamber had been beneath a city. This dense forest was nowhere near one.

First, I need to find signs of people.

Waterbanks attracted wild animals, which drew hunters. If this was a hunter’s territory, I might find traces of them.

With Yuseong in this state, I couldn’t stray far, but the cave—claimed after driving out its former occupant—would deter other animals.

"I’ll be back soon," I whispered.

"Kehk..." His weak cough tugged at my heart, but I had to act to save him.

+

Step... step...

Good, there are people nearby.

I found a shelter, likely a hunter’s, though abandoned and long unused. It was a clue that a village might be close. Even hunters needed to maintain their tools.

Returning to the cave with faint hope, I called out, "How’s your condition...?"

But my voice caught.

"Are... are you okay?!"

Shiver... shiver... shiver...

Cough...

Yuseong was curled up, trembling violently, hand over his mouth. I rushed to his side.

His fever’s worse...

His forehead burned under my hand.

Clutch...

"Master... Master..." he mumbled, clinging to me.

His arms wrapped around me, shaking uncontrollably. I couldn’t push him away and instead held him gently.

"M-my body... it’s so cold..."

Is he mistaking me for his master?

It wasn’t the first time, it seemed. His master must have been kind.

[Master?]

Gulp...

For a moment, Soyeon’s voice overlapped with his in my mind, stirring a wave of disgust, but—

Pat... pat...

"It’s okay... I’ll help you. Just hold on," I said softly, suppressing my emotions as I patted his back.

His frail frame was evident even through his clothes. How much time passed as I held him, rubbing his back?

"Kuh..."

He’d fallen asleep.

Sleep was one of the best remedies for a cold, so I sighed in relief, trying to lay him down.

Grip...

"..."

He clung to my waist, refusing to let go. With a quiet sigh, I continued rubbing his back.