Whispers of the Jade Saber

By morning, the frost that had once blanketed the ruins had melted. Only the shattered remnants of the Frost Wraith remained—scattered like glinting shards of glass across the ash-swept temple stones. Lin Feng stood in silence beside the broken pedestal, feeling the weight of the battle settle on his shoulders like the first cold wind of winter.

Liang Yue knelt nearby, burning the final offerings for the spirit they'd vanquished. Her movements were quiet, respectful.

"Do you think it used to be someone?" Lin Feng asked softly.

She didn't look up. "Yes. All wraiths were once people. Cultivators who reached beyond their limits… or were betrayed by the world."

He nodded, eyes heavy with thought. "Then I hope it found peace."

---

🌬️ Rumors on the Wind

They didn't stay long. By midday, Lin Feng and Liang Yue were once more on the move—heading toward Mistvale Crossing, a hidden pass between the southern Ash Steppe and the eastern Cloudmist Basin.

The path was narrow, flanked by sheer cliffs and twisted pine.

Halfway through the descent, they encountered a merchant caravan resting near a spring. Lin Feng approached cautiously, one hand resting near the jade saber.

A wrinkled old man tending the campfire looked up and waved them over. "Haven't seen travelers come from the Steppe in ages. You two mad, brave, or both?"

"Mostly tired," Lin Feng said with a dry smile.

The old man chuckled and tossed them a flask of rice wine. "You're lucky you're still breathing. Word is, a pair of ghost slayers took down a temple wraith last night."

Liang Yue stiffened. "Already?"

The man didn't notice. "Ayup. Bounty posters went up this morning in three nearby towns. A red-haired boy with a jade saber and a woman with moon-silver eyes. Word is, the Red Hand put thirty thousand gold coins on your heads."

Lin Feng blinked. "Thirty thousand?"

"And climbing," the man said cheerfully. "There's even talk your heads are worth more than some sect leaders."

He poured himself another cup of wine. "You make enemies in high places, boy?"

Liang Yue answered for him. "We make enemies that deserve fear."

The man laughed, then lowered his voice. "If I were you, I'd take the old trail through Wolfspine Hollow. Avoid the main road. Too many bounty hunters sniffing for blood."

Lin Feng bowed. "Thank you."

"Don't thank me. Just don't die. Makes the road bad for business."

---

🐺 The Hollow Path

They veered off into Wolfspine Hollow—a dense stretch of pine forest shrouded in mist and overrun with sharp ridges and hanging roots. Crows circled above like sentinels.

"This path won't hide us for long," Liang Yue said. "The Red Hand has spies in every province."

"Then we disappear before they can track us."

"And go where? Your saber lights up like a beacon every time you draw it."

He smiled faintly. "You could always take it and run."

She didn't respond. Then, softly: "I don't run anymore."

They moved in silence for hours, broken only by the howl of distant wolves and the occasional rustle of shifting pine.

At dusk, they paused by a small cave nestled between boulders. Liang Yue sat against the wall, rubbing her wrapped side. Lin Feng lit a small flame and checked her bandages.

"You should rest," he said.

"You always say that," she murmured.

"Because you never listen."

She gave him a tired smile, eyes fluttering half-shut. "I trust you."

He paused, surprised. "Since when?"

"I'm not sure," she whispered. "But I do."

---

⚔️ The Crimson Envoy Arrives

That night, just before moonrise, Lin Feng felt it—a sudden shift in the air.

Qi pressure. Heavy. Intentional. Focused.

He grabbed his saber, but by then the figure had already appeared, standing at the mouth of the cave.

Clad in crimson robes edged in silver. A fan tucked into his sash. His eyes were pale blue, almost glassy, like frost on a lake.

Liang Yue's breath caught. "Jian Su…"

The man bowed slightly. "Liang Yue. It has been a long time."

"Too long," she said coldly, rising to her feet despite the pain.

Lin Feng stepped in front of her, blade half-drawn. "Who is he?"

"My former senior brother," she said. "From the Snow Lotus Clan."

Jian Su smiled politely. "I've come to return her to the clan."

Liang Yue's voice was iron. "I am not returning."

"She speaks freely," Jian Su said, ignoring her. "But she forgets—she bears knowledge forbidden outside the temple. The punishment for exile was conditional. Her life was spared only if she remained silent."

He looked to Lin Feng. "You, boy. Hand her over, and I'll spare you."

Lin Feng laughed softly. "You have a fan and soft shoes. You don't scare me."

Jian Su's eyes darkened. "Then bleed."

---

🔥 The Duel in the Hollow

Jian Su moved like silk—one moment still, the next unleashing a blizzard of razor wind from his fan.

Lin Feng met him blade-first, the Jade Saber pulsing with heat. Wind clashed with flame, each strike lighting the trees around them in flares of orange and white.

Jian Su struck fast, aiming for the throat and ribs, his style precise and emotionless.

But Lin Feng had grown.

Each step remembered Liang Yue's training.

Each strike echoed a lesson.

And then—he matched Jian Su's tempo, found a gap, and cut through the wind.

Blood spattered pine needles.

Jian Su stumbled back, clutching his shoulder.

He glared at Liang Yue. "You chose this. He'll get you killed."

"No," she said. "He's the reason I'm alive."

Jian Su vanished in a flash of mist.

---

🕯️ Aftermath

Lin Feng collapsed beside the fire, exhausted.

Liang Yue sat down next to him, resting her head on his shoulder. "You fought better than some elders I knew."

"I'm just trying to impress you."

She smiled faintly. "You already have."

He looked at her.

"I meant what I said," he whispered. "I'll protect you. From your past. From the clan. From everything."

"And if I don't want to be protected?" she asked.

"Then I'll walk beside you anyway."

She closed her eyes, leaning against him.

"Then maybe I've found more than a student after all."

---

End of Chapter 8