Burn Forty-Three!

Yufan gently closed his eyes and drifted into a deep sleep.

In the dead of night, when all sounds had faded, the chirping of crickets outside the small cabin where Yufan and Xingchenzi rested sounded unusually sharp and hurried, like an uneasy warning from nature.

Suddenly, an ominous black smoke, like a tentacle reaching out from the netherworld, quietly spread from the ground, swiftly swallowing the surrounding tranquility.

Firelight quietly blossomed in the gloom—first a few weak spots of red, then growing ever more intense, casting its glow upon Yufan’s calm face and adding a touch of dreamlike anxiety to him.

Xingchenzi sat up abruptly, his eyes filled with terror as he stared at the approaching flames, his heart beating like a drum.

He hurriedly reached out to shake Yufan beside him. His fingertips brushed against Yufan’s slightly cool forehead, contrasting sharply with the raging tongues of fire and billowing dark smoke outside the window.

"Brother Yu, there’s a fire! Wake up!" Xingchenzi’s voice carried an unquestionable urgency. He called out while trying to rouse Yufan completely from his deep sleep. All around them, the fire had quietly dyed the night sky a bloody red.

Yufan snapped his eyes open, a flash of determination and anxiety in his gaze. He rapidly channeled the true Qi within his body, and a faint blue light instantly encircled him—the condensation of his cultivation and his first line of defense against external threats.

Without hesitation, he cast another spell, lightly waving his hands as a sturdier barrier tightly enveloped both himself and Xingchenzi, isolating them from the almost suffocating heat and the acrid smoke and dust.

"Xingchenzi, stay here, protect yourself, and no matter what happens, do not come out!" Though urgent, Yufan’s voice held an unshakable composure.

He knew all too well that every single second was crucial now, and Senior Sister’s safety pulled at his heartstrings.

Braving the flames, Yufan walked toward Fang Yu’s room and called out, "Senior Sister, there’s a fire, wake up!" A moment later... the shady inn was reduced to little more than ashes, leaving only Yufan, Xingchenzi, and Fang Yu behind as they watched the fire grow larger and larger.

Fang Yu asked, "What about the innkeeper and the waiter?"

Xingchenzi sat on the ground, pulled a blade of grass to hold in his mouth, and said, "They ran. They ran off with my things. The entire inn isn't even worth my bundle."

Fang Yu said, "I'm going. Wait for me."

The firelight illuminated the faces of the three, casting a strange, otherworldly glow that intertwined day and night.

Fang Yu stood up with a resolute gaze, her skirt swaying gently in the wind like a brave warrior about to step onto the battlefield.

She took a deep breath, turned to Yufan and Xingchenzi, and said, "Be careful, both of you. I'm going to scout ahead and see if I can find the innkeeper, the waiter, and... our belongings."

With that, her figure moved like a swift swallow darting past, dodging the erratic tongues of fire and nimbly weaving through collapsed beams and splashing sparks.

The firelight left a trail of brilliant streaks behind her, and every step she took appeared resolute and daring.

The air was thick with the pungent stench of smoke and the bitterness of burning wood, yet Fang Yu seemed to be in another world, focused entirely on the unseen dangers and hopes ahead.

After a moment, Fang Yu’s figure emerged with difficulty from the gaps between the flames and smoke. Her face was coated with a thin layer of ash, but her eyes were exceptionally bright.

She breathed heavily, every step heavy, clearly having fought a bitter battle within the sea of fire.

"It seems they really ran off. Not even a bone was left behind," she said as she approached, her voice tinged with a mix of reluctance and exhaustion. The firelight danced behind her, stretching her shadow long like a warrior returning from purgatory.

Clutched tightly in her hand was a charred piece of wood—her sole "trophy" after an unsuccessful search.

Seeing this, Yufan and Xingchenzi hurried forward to meet her. Yufan gently patted Fang Yu’s shoulder in comfort, while Xingchenzi handed over a flask of clear water. Fang Yu took it and drank deeply, as if trying to wash away all her thirst and fatigue at once.

In the glow of the fire, the three sat closely together. Though surrounded by danger, the exchange of glances between them was filled with warmth and strength, as if they had found each other's most steadfast reliance in this desperate plight.

Xingchenzi gazed at the raging flames, a complex light flashing in his eyes before he let out a long sigh and said, "The human world is truly treacherous!" His words echoed in the empty, ruined cabin, carrying a trace of helplessness and emotion.

The firelight filtered through the shattered lattice window, dappling his face and illuminating his youthful yet resolute profile. He slowly stood up, walked between Yufan and Fang Yu, and the three formed a tight circle, closer to one another than ever before.

Xingchenzi drew a somewhat aged yet polished jade pendant from his bosom, gently rubbing it—a protective amulet given to him by his mother.

He closed his eyes, as if conversing with the warm energy contained within the pendant, then opened them, his eyes sparkling with an even firmer resolve. "No matter how treacherous the world is, as long as we trust one another and walk hand in hand, nothing can stop us from moving forward."

His words were firm and powerful, like the brightest star in the night sky, illuminating all the gloom around them.

Intertwined with firelight and starlight, Xingchenzi’s figure appeared exceptionally tall, as though capable of holding up the heavens for his companions.

Yufan’s words were low and lingering, carrying endless emotion and weariness. He looked up at the raging fire, a complex ripple crossing his eyes.

In the firelight, his features appeared exceptionally steadfast, yet they could not entirely conceal a subtle, lingering loneliness.

He sighed softly, shifting his gaze to Xingchenzi and Fang Yu beside him, whose eyes likewise gleamed with unyielding persistence.

"Mn..." Yufan murmured again, his voice carrying an added sense of release. "Along this journey, we have encountered too many setbacks. From our initial high hopes to our current arduous struggles, it seems every step forward has been fraught with unknown challenges and dangers.

Yet it is precisely these trials that have slowly worn away my former arrogance, teaching me humility and resilience.

Though young, we already bear far too much."

Fang Yu stared into the leaping flames, her thoughts drifting back to the distant Cloud Sect.

The fire reflected in her pupils like a turbulent ocean, its waves seemingly mirroring Elder Jian’s dignified yet benevolent face, whose eyes always concealed deep expectations and teachings for his disciples.

Memories surged like a tide, and once more she felt as though she were amidst the lush mountain forests of the Cloud Sect, with gentle breezes brushing her face and the sound of birds chirping. That was the cradle of her upbringing, a homeland jointly guarded by her entire clan.

In the firelight, she seemed to see the towering sword peaks of the Cloud Sect piercing the clouds, their summits wreathed in mist like a fairyland.

Beneath the sword peaks were the figures of her clansmen toiling diligently, children chasing and playing on the grassy fields, their joyous laughter echoing through the valley. Those days had been simple and pure, where happiness and dreams coexisted.

Yet all that beauty could now be sought only in memory.