Long Fei gently nudged his guardian with his shoulder.
"Ling Yue, I know you're making yourself comfortable but I need to tend to Shui Yi. Especially after everything she's done for us."
"Wait, it wasn't you that brought me back?"
He shook his head, then gestured toward the mermaid sprawled on the floor, her head resting on his hand. He managed to prevent her head from hitting the floor in his position.
Her eyes widened as she turned to the mermaid. She sprang to her feet, cracked her knuckles, rolled her shoulders, and cracked her neck.
"Hah!" She punched the air, then turned with a cheeky smirk.
"As good as new. Former princess really knows how to heal."
"It's time you start respecting her now and address her by name."
"Fair enough. She finally earned my respect. No more jabs from me unless she does something ridiculous. I can't help my reflex."
While his guardian stretched her healed body, he swept the exhausted mermaid in his arms. He had expected this. Without the protection of her Sacred Pearl, the relic that sustained her life, using her power so recklessly had weakened her. He couldn't help but feel unease. This was the price she had to pay for saving them.
He pressed two fingers on her carotid artery, her pulse was barely discernible. She needed immediate aid to elevate her pulse.
"Ling Yue, can you channel your qi into her? Given your heritage, it's more compatible with hers and more appropriate for you to do it than me."
She eyed him suspiciously, furrowing her brows and resting a finger on her chin. Then she shrugged.
"Sure thing. I know you want to be a gentleman."
He set the mermaid down in a cleaner spot in the cave for his guardian to take care of her.
Then he stood guard on the opposite side near the entrance, his back turned to them, eyes peeled for any potential danger. Behind him, he heard the soft rustle of fabric being loosened and the quiet, precise shifts of qi beginning to flow. Ling Yue would need to press on multiple acupressure points on Shui Yi's body as she transferred her qi over. They must not be interrupted, or the backlash would put them both in danger.
When the qi transfer ended and both women were ready, he heard a cough behind him.
"Master, let's get out of this dump. This place gives me the creeps."
His guardian carried Shui Yi in her arms over to him.
"She barely tolerates me when she's conscious. Waking up in my arms would scare the living qi out of her, and all my efforts would be wasted."
She handed the mermaid over to him. Then she briskly brushed off her hands.
He adjusted his grip on her, careful not to jostle her too much.
"Master, how are we going to get out of here? We jumped down to the abyss and landed right there. That's the crack from our landing."
She threw her arms in the air, then tapped her chin, brows furrowing.
She rummaged through her mystical satchel and pulled out a grappling rope with hooks attached.
He stepped back, moving Shui Yi's head out of range to give Ling Yue room.
She twirled the grappling rope fiercely, letting it fly up and tugging on it. It seemed to have caught on a ledge.
"Wait here. I'll go first, then pull you up."
She swiftly scaled up the rope.
A moment later, her call from above echoed.
"Ready, grab on, I'll pull you up now."
He wrapped an arm and leg around the rope, then tugged on it.
She hoisted them up.
At the top, she gently helped them up to land beside her.
"I heard some clicks. Sounds like the ancient traps have reset. Stay close, we'll dash through."
She held her blade, and as they retraced their steps, she deflected every single dart and arrow that came their way.
The cold night air brushed against his skin as he stepped into the open, Shui Yi cradled securely in his arms. She was unnervingly light, her breathing soft and shallow, her body drained from the toll of the song she had sung.
His guardian trailed behind, stretching her arms overhead with a loud sigh.
"Well, that was fun. Let's never do it again."
The landscape before them was no longer the eerie, hostile terrain they had stumbled through under the grip of fear. Dawn was breaking, and the horizon glowed with soft amber hues, mist curling over distant hills like silk unraveling in the breeze. The once-menacing forest was now revitalized — not with lurking beasts, but with the quiet rustling of waking birds and the scent of fresh morning dew. It was a world renewed.
Their trek led them to an abandoned shrine nestled against the mountainside, partially concealed by overgrown wisteria. Time had worn away its grandeur; the stone steps were cracked, and the torii gate weathered, yet it stood resilient against the ages.
The air around it felt tranquil, a forgotten refuge, yet strangely welcoming.
He entered the shrine and then glanced at his resourceful companion. He gestured toward a pile of hay on the floor.
Ling Yue picked up on the cue and quickly pulled a mat from her mystical satchel, setting it down for him.
He knelt, carefully lowering Shui Yi onto the mat and adjusting her robes to ensure she was comfortable.
As he did, she stirred slightly, her lips parting as she mumbled something barely audible.
"Long Fei..."
His fingers instinctively brushed a strand of her silver hair from her face. He let his hand linger before retreating.
Ling Yue arched a brow, watching the exchange with thinly veiled amusement. But rather than comment, she turned away, stepping toward the entrance.
The shrine's interior was humble but still held traces of its past sanctity. Stone lanterns stood in the corners, their once-bright engravings faded, while old tapestries swayed gently with the breeze. A shrine to forgotten deities rested at the far end, untouched and shrouded in dust. It wasn't much, but it was shelter.
Ling Yue rummaged through her satchel in search of a protection artifact. Finding it, she placed it at the entrance, and a shimmering barrier engulfed the shrine.
A sudden, distant screech echoed through the forest, shrill and bloodcurdling.
Ling Yue paused, then waved a dismissive hand.
"That's tomorrow's problem."
She flopped onto the pile of hay and shut her eyes, succumbing to much-needed rest.
Long Fei slowly exhaled and leaned back against the wooden wall. He glanced over at the two women, resting side by side. They're finally getting along.
The tension lifted off his shoulders. They were safe, for now.
In this rare moment of peace, he allowed himself to rest.
Yes, leave the problem for tomorrow.