The trek back to the city was quiet — almost too quiet.
Ling Tian's senses prickled at the unnatural stillness of the forest around them. Even the insects had fallen silent, the air thick with anticipation.
"Trouble," he said under his breath.
Xiao Ning'er's spear was in her hand an instant later, her instincts razor-sharp.
From the shadows, a dozen masked figures stepped onto the trail — young men, but armed and trained. Mercenaries, hired thugs. Their eyes glinted with greed and malice.
"Well, well," the leader sneered. "Looks like we found the little vixen and her protector."
Ling Tian's lips curled into a cold smile.
Amateurs.
He stepped slightly in front of Xiao Ning'er, shielding her without a word.
"Hand over any cultivation manuals or treasures you're hiding," the leader barked. "Maybe we'll let you crawl away."
Xiao Ning'er's eyes burned with cold fury. In her old life, she would have endured humiliation to protect her clan's reputation.
Not anymore.
Not with Ling Tian standing beside her.
"No mercy," she said quietly.
Ling Tian chuckled lowly. "Wouldn't dream of it."
The leader shouted, and the thugs rushed forward.
The battle was swift, brutal, and beautiful.
Xiao Ning'er moved like lightning, her spear a silver blur under the moonlight. Every strike was precise, economical — a dance of deadly grace.
Ling Tian flowed through the gaps she left, fists and feet striking like iron hammers.Every step they took was in rhythm — without needing words, they covered each other's blind spots, their movements complementing perfectly.
It was like they had trained together for years, not days.
Within minutes, half the attackers lay unconscious or groaning on the ground.
The leader cursed and lunged toward Xiao Ning'er, sword flashing with dirty tricks — aiming low, aiming to wound.
But Ling Tian was already there.
With a flicker of soul force, he caught the sword barehanded, twisting it from the man's grasp and sending him sprawling into the dirt.
"You picked the wrong prey," Ling Tian said coldly.
Terror filled the man's eyes as Ling Tian's soul force flared — for a moment, revealing a depth that no normal student should possess.
The thugs scattered, dragging their wounded with them, fear making them heedless of dignity.
Only silence remained.
Xiao Ning'er lowered her spear slowly, breathing hard.
Ling Tian turned to her, concern flashing across his face. "Injured?"
She shook her head. "No. You?"
He shook his own.
For a moment, they stood there, battle-worn and breathing heavily, the last wisps of danger drifting away like mist.
Without thinking, Xiao Ning'er stepped closer, reaching up to brush a smear of dirt from Ling Tian's jaw.The touch lingered longer than necessary.
Their eyes locked — an invisible thread drawing tighter between them.
"You fight well," she whispered, voice husky from exertion.
"So do you," he murmured back.
Neither moved away.
The night pressed close around them, stars spinning overhead, the world shrinking to the space between their bodies.
But before the fragile moment could shatter into something more, a low howl echoed from the distant woods.
Ling Tian's expression sharpened instantly. "More enemies will come."
He took her hand — deliberately, without hesitation.
"Come with me," he said.
And together, they disappeared into the night, still bound by fire — and now by blood.