Legend of the Divine Archer

As the sun dipped below the horizon, casting long shadows across the forest, Wei Xi and Yan Jin finally allowed themselves to slow down. They had been running all day, their bodies pushed to the limit, but now they found some semblance of safety near a giant woven tree. This particular tree, with its emerald leaves and thick, interwoven branches, was known for its peculiar properties.

According to the bestiary, the green woven tree was friendly to humans, emitting a sweet scent that deterred predators—so long as it was fed pastries.

Yan Jin had ensured they had a few pastries in their supplies, and as they rested beneath the sheltering branches, he tossed one into the roots of the tree. Almost immediately, the air around them filled with a gentle, soothing fragrance, easing their tension. The tree responded to the offering with a faint rustling of its leaves, a subtle but reassuring sign that they were safe, at least for now.

As they relaxed from their daring escape, Yan Jin's mind finally had the space to plan for their next steps. His body was still battered from the ordeal, and he knew he needed time—about a week—to recover his soul energy. His blood energy, however, was another matter entirely. The injuries he sustained, especially after absorbing the corrupted energy, meant his recovery would take much longer.

The mystical eyes that had granted him such immense power were now in hibernation, leaving him without any trump card to rely on.

Being weak had its advantages, though. It was precisely his weakened state that had allowed him and Wei Xi to escape Pine City. He had played a clever misdirection, betting on the fact that in his current condition, no one would suspect him of being capable of anything more than fleeing.

Yan Jin reflected on how he had managed to evade the Meng family's encirclement. He knew the core would eventually resurrect, and the vibrations from its reformation would attract blood beasts. Anticipating the chaos, he sent Wei Xi towards the room where the corpses were kept, instructing him to head for the exit as soon as he sensed a shift in the Meng militia's formation.

But Yan Jin himself needed to escape the militia surrounding the core room, so he chose a different tactic.

Instead of heading towards the core, Yan Jin disguised himself as a member of the militia, delivering false intel about his own position. He was counting on the fact that Purple Pen Meng, the tactician, had never met him in person and that his suppressed aura would make him seem like just another soldier.

Hiding in plain sight, Yan Jin was confident that the middle-aged strategist would underestimate him, leading to regret later on.

Passing on the false information that he was headed for the core room was all Yan Jin needed to mislead Purple Pen Meng. The appeal of the stem cell was too great, even for a genius like Meng. In his greed, Purple Pen Meng had fallen into the trap, believing that Yan Jin had the stem cell and was attempting to fuse it with the core.

But in reality, Yan Jin had already fled, using the chaos to his advantage.

"Never give in to greed," Yan Jin thought, recalling a lesson he had learned in the modern world. Scams always targeted the greedy. "Anything that sounds too good to be true probably is."

Now, with their immediate danger behind them, Yan Jin had to focus on the future. The day's escape had left them both weary, but Yan Jin knew there was much that needed to be discussed before they could rest.

"What do you know about your mother's side of the family?" Yan Jin asked, breaking the silence.

Wei Xi hesitated, then replied, "Grandfather didn't tell me much about them. All I know is that after my birth, my mother died from too much bleeding. She made Grandfather promise to let me go meet them when I turned fifteen. They're the Shao family in the Eastern Central City."

"Who else knows about this?" Yan Jin inquired, his tone serious.

"Teacher Meng—no, Purple Spear Meng—knows too," Wei Xi answered, his voice tinged with sorrow.

Yan Jin nodded, processing the information. "What is your dream, Wei Xi?"

Wei Xi's gaze fell to the ground. "I wanted to be Golden Guard Captain like Nie Li, but now…I don't know."

Yan Jin scoffed lightly. "Your vision of the world is so small. On this continent, there are the Northern Territories, the Eastern Territories, the Southern, and the Western Territories, each governed by an Archduke. There are celestial beings, celestial bloodlines, amazing blood tools, and witches. And all you dream about is being like that turtle, Nie Li?"

Wei Xi couldn't help but chuckle for the first time since the tragedy. Yan Jin smiled at the sound. "Listen to this older brother—empty cans make the loudest noise. You should aspire to be more like your grandfather, a real hero, not a poser."

The mention of his grandfather brought a mixture of pride and sadness to Wei Xi's face. After a moment, he asked, "What about you? What is your dream?"

Yan Jin leaned back against the tree, a wistful expression on his face. "This brother just wants to live a fulfilling life."

"A fulfilling life?" Wei Xi repeated, curious.

"Yes," Yan Jin replied with a nod. "Eat good food, drink good drink, listen to good music, fight powerful beasts…I want a life with no regrets."

A long silence followed, filled only by the crackling of the fire and the rustling of the tree leaves above. Finally, Wei Xi asked the question that had been gnawing at him. "How did you lose your eyes?"

Yan Jin's hand slowly reached up to the ribbon covering his eyes. With a sigh, he untied it, revealing the vicious scars and hollow eye sockets beneath. Wei Xi gasped, his heart clenching at the sight.

"Yan Li and his mistress did it because I stumbled upon their forbidden relationship," Yan Jin explained calmly, though the memory was clearly painful.

"I'm sorry," Wei Xi whispered, his voice full of empathy.

"Don't be," Yan Jin replied, retying the ribbon over his eyes. "It was a chapter of my life I had to overcome."

"Do you want revenge?" Yan Jin asked, shifting the focus back to Wei Xi.

The boy clenched his fists, his emotions in turmoil. "I am angry, but who do I get revenge on? Do I kill the Meng family? Nie Li? Neither option seems like the right answer."

Yan Jin nodded in approval. "It's good you're not blinded by anger. The rest, you'll figure out in time."

The warmth in Yan Jin's voice was palpable as he added, "Since we are both orphans, I will be your family until you rejoin the Shao family."

A warmth spread through Wei Xi's body at those words, a comfort he hadn't felt in a long time. Tears welled up in his eyes again, and he let them fall, this time not from sorrow, but from the relief of not being alone.

"Here, here, calm down," Yan Jin teased gently. "How can I rely on you if you cry at every occasion you get?"

Wei Xi wiped his eyes and nodded, trying to regain his composure.

"Try to sleep," Yan Jin advised. "Tomorrow, we'll be heading north."

"Not east? North?" Wei Xi asked, puzzled.

"That bastard Nie Li won't rest easily because of the shame he had to endure. Petty people like him will chase us to the ends of the earth if necessary. We need to be careful," Yan Jin explained.

"What is rule number one?" Yan Jin quizzed.

"Always know yourself and know your enemy," Wei Xi recited.

"According to that, what should be our next course of action?" Yan Jin prompted.

Wei Xi thought for a moment. "Nie Li is petty, vain, and powerful. We are weakened and tired. He must be avoided at all costs, so we must divert from a direct course of action. Go northeast before using a ship to the Eastern Territories."

Yan Jin smiled approvingly. "Not bad. You got half of it right. You can still be taught. Nie Li may be stupid, but Purple Pen Meng is not. Go to sleep; we have a long journey ahead."

As the fire died down, Wei Xi finally let his exhaustion take over, falling asleep under the protective branches of the woven tree. Yan Jin remained awake for a while longer, listening to the night sounds and planning their next move.