Third POVThe two of them were dragged forward without ceremony.Kaien’s body barely responded as they pulled him along, every step sending sharp pain through his wounds. Li Wei was dragged beside him, her breathing uneven, her wrists restrained tightly in the guards’ grip.Even in that state, she managed to turn her head slightly toward him.“Thank you…” she said softly, voice shaking.Kaien’s lips parted, but nothing came out. His body was too weak, his throat too dry. He could only give the smallest indication that he had heard her.They continued forward in silence until Li Wei spoke again, her voice lower, uncertain but still steady.“Why did you decide to help me?”The question landed like a spark in dry grass.One of the guards immediately tightened his grip on her arm.“Shut your mouth.”Before she could react, she was struck hard across the side. The force of it jerked her forward violently, and she let out a sharp breath as her body was roughly shoved back into line.“Keep w

Third pov Pain.That was the first thing Kaien felt when consciousness slowly returned to him.A sharp, unbearable pain that spread through every part of his body like something was constantly tearing him apart from the inside.His breathing turned uneven immediately.Even opening his eyes felt difficult.The faint smell of dust and smoke lingered heavily in the air as Kaien forced his vision to firm little by little. Above him was a damaged ceiling barely holding together, pieces of broken wood and stone scattered across the ground around him.A ruined shelter.Memories slowly came rushing back and Kaien’s expression tightened slightly as he tried to move, only for agony to shoot through his entire body instantly.A low sound escaped him before he could stop it.“You’re finally awake.”Lan Su’s voice reached him almost immediately.Kaien slowly turned his head toward her.She sat not too far away, leaning lightly against the wall of the ruined shelter. Her clothes were stained from

Third POV The man remained completely still.His gaze stayed locked onto Kaien’s without wavering even once.The atmosphere around them grew heavier with every passing second as the pressure from his presence spread quietly through the area.Kaien could feel it clearly.This person was observing him carefully.Not just his strength.Everything.The unstable qi hidden beneath his restrained aura.The damaged state of his body.The fragment’s lingering energy.For a brief moment, neither of them spoke.Then suddenly—Several stronger auras descended upon the area at once.The surrounding disciples immediately straightened further.“Elders!”Multiple figures arrived shortly after, their robes carrying the insignia of authority far above the disciples present. The moment they stepped into the area, the lingering tension was suppressed almost instantly.One of the elders swept a sharp glance toward the injured disciple still struggling to stand properly.“What happened here?” he asked col