Within the Enchantment Maze, the mountain wind drifted gently, brushing through the dense trees and stirring up waves of green.
Pei Su stood among them, holding his breath and focusing his mind as he once again tried to summon his spiritual power. Unfortunately, it was still in vain—he could barely spark a flame or trace a few simple runes, nothing more. This condition had persisted ever since he entered the stone chamber.
The Enchantment Maze seemed even more strange and treacherous than the rumors claimed—certainly not a place to linger.
He had already thought through possible ways to escape. The first was to locate the array’s *life gate* and leave through it. But the life gate was now sealed, rendering this method useless. The second was to follow the array’s instructions and pass through all forty-nine trials of love. That was clearly not an option. With both methods ruled out, the hope of leaving grew faint. If his spiritual power had not been suppressed and thrown into disorder by the array, he might still have had a chance to fight his way out. But there was no “if.” He tried using a transmission talisman to contact those outside the array, but received no response.
Remembering the reason he had entered the Enchantment Maze in the first place, he set the talisman aside.
After a moment of calm reflection, Pei Su stopped wasting time on futile attempts. He lifted his gaze toward the depths of the forest. Thinking alone was useless—he needed to start with the ground beneath his feet. Perhaps by probing the details, he could discover another way out. Marking the spot with a sword slash to guide his path, he set off into the dense woods.
The forest was filled with towering ancient trees, and occasionally birds swept across the sky above.
Pei Su plucked a leaf from one of the great trees and examined its veins closely. They were vivid and full of life—hardly the sort of thing conjured by an illusory array. This gave him a new suspicion. If his guess proved true, perhaps there was indeed a third way to leave the Enchantment Maze. He pressed deeper into the forest.
Meanwhile, Shen Xiyin continued searching among the trees for anything edible. She had little cultivation or achievement in the mystical arts of the sect, but when it came to not troubling others and taking care of herself, she managed quite well.
That morning, upon waking, she thought carefully about why her attempt to kindle a fire had failed the day before. Perhaps the wood she had gathered by the stream was too damp. Later, she could search the forest again for something more suitable. If she succeeded in striking a flame, she could wash and dry her clothes, and perhaps roast some edible mushrooms or fresh fish to eat.
With these plans in mind, Shen Xiyin walked onward. She ventured deeper into the forest, winding her way among the ancient, interlaced trees, and even came upon a peach tree.
It was the beginning of summer, and the branches were heavy with ripe peaches, plump and glistening, irresistibly tempting—perfect for quenching thirst and easing hunger.
But here, all the trees grew tall and sturdy, and the peach tree was no exception. Her dress made climbing awkward, and there were no stones nearby to use as a foothold. She had no choice but to stretch on tiptoe and jump to reach.
After much effort, she finally managed to pluck a single peach. The rest were beyond her reach, so she gave up. She tucked the hard-won fruit into her sleeve, only then realizing that her movements had loosened her sash. With a startled cry, she quickly retied it. Once her sash was secure, she drew her collar close with lingering unease, sighing softly to herself—thankfully, no one had seen. Little did she know, the entire scene had just fallen into another’s eyes.
Of course, it was not Pei Su’s intention to witness it.
The physique of a cultivator was several times stronger than that of an ordinary mortal; their hearing and sight were naturally far keener as well.
Pei Su was lowering his head, pondering that suspicion, when he suddenly caught the sound of faint, hurried breaths. Looking through the shaded thicket toward the source, he saw her standing on tiptoe beneath a peach tree, trying to pluck its fruit—her posture and bearing most unseemly. The hem of her long skirt brushed against the damp forest floor, her hair was tousled by the mountain breeze, and her sleeves were rolled high, revealing pale arms.
Pei Su turned his gaze away.
She struggled with all her strength to reach a single peach, whereas for him, a mere flick of his sword could have brought down many. Yet he had no leisure to meddle in another’s affairs. Just as he was about to turn and leave, he heard her cry out in alarm. His steps faltered, and he looked back—only to see her sash slip loose, her collar falling open, nearly exposing the line of her neck.
Pei Su’s brows knit tightly, and he strode away at once. Though he walked in the opposite direction, scarcely half an hour later he encountered her again. This time she was bending to gather firewood. The midday sun blazed overhead, sweat beading at her neck. To cool herself, she had loosened her collar slightly.
Pei Su closed his eyes and rubbed at his brow. All day long, no matter which way he went, he kept running into Madam Xu. He realized then that the forest was veiled in an enchantment—no matter what they did, he and Madam Xu could not be separated.
As night fell, the cicadas sang softly. Behind a bamboo grove, beside a small stream.
After a day’s journey through the mountains, Shen Xiyin leaned against a great stone and closed her eyes to rest. Just moments ago, while she was busy, she had felt fine. But now that she had stopped to rest, that restless heat surged back again, impossible to suppress. She wanted to do something to drive it down, yet her mind kept conjuring images of what had happened earlier in the cramped stone chamber. The heavy breath against her ear, the crushed folds of her skirt, the firm pressure of a knee, and the insistent friction that pressed through layers of fabric.
The summer night was stifling; the stream striking against the rocks sent up fine droplets, adding to the dampness in the air.
Shen Xiyin tugged open the fastenings at her collar, trying to ease her breathing. She pressed her legs together, forcing herself not to dwell on those shameful memories. Her body was betraying her. The more she tried to endure, the more she struggled to forget, the more that wild seed inside her grew unchecked. She opened her eyes, clutching her swollen, aching chest, gasping for breath. Sweat drenched her, sticky and tormenting, gnawing at her will.
In the next instant, she stumbled into the icy stream, desperate for the clear water to wash away her shame and fevered thoughts, to conceal the evidence of her wayward desires. The water flowed quietly, carrying off the heat that had built within her. At last, she felt some relief. When her breathing steadied, she braced herself against a stone in the stream and rose to her feet.
The night was deep, the wind sharp. Following the maze’s enchantment, Pei Su arrived at the stream—and saw her.
She stood in the water, drenched from head to toe. Her dark hair clung to her pale neck, droplets rolling down. Her collar floated open with the rippling current. At some point, her outer robe had drifted away, leaving her clad only in a thin undergarment, soaked through.
The moonlight was bright, illuminating the flush that lingered on her cheeks. The stream reflected her half-veiled form, skin white as snow, and the faint curves that rose and fell with her breath, tinged with a delicate blush. She leaned weakly against the stone, water beading at her lashes and brows, as though she had just wept, fragile and restrained.
After a moment, Shen Xiyin moved to retrieve her robe drifting toward the bank—when suddenly she heard the heavy crack of footsteps breaking branches nearby. She lifted her head sharply and glimpsed the tall figure standing before her.
The night fell utterly silent.