The first person Shen Yu met after returning to the village wasn't the Village Chief. It was the old blacksmith.
Old Han had just finished sharpening a farmer's sickle when Shen Yu silently placed a small stone on the anvil. The blacksmith's hammer froze halfway through its swing.
"...Where?"
"The eastern ridge."
Old Han picked up the stone. It looked ordinary. Gray. Rough. No larger than a thumb. He turned it over once. Twice. Then his expression slowly changed.
"This shouldn't exist."
"I know."
Old Han lowered his voice. "You told anyone?"
"Only you."
The blacksmith stared toward the eastern mountains. "I haven't seen one in forty years."
Xu Yuan arrived a few moments later. He had come to return a whetstone Old Peng had lent him. Instead, he found both old men unusually quiet.
Old Han quickly closed his fist around the stone. "Morning."
Xu Yuan nodded. "Morning."
Something felt different. The blacksmith usually complained before breakfast. Today he hadn't complained once. That alone was enough to make Xu Yuan curious. But he didn't ask. If someone wanted him to know something, they would tell him.
By noon, the entire village had returned to normal. Children played beside the river. Farmers repaired fences. Smoke drifted lazily into the sky. Only Shen Yu seemed unusually busy. He disappeared twice. Returned once. Then disappeared again. Nobody questioned it. Apparently that was normal for him.
Late in the afternoon, the Village Chief finally found Xu Yuan near the training ground. "Walk with me."
Unlike previous days, they didn't head toward the mountain. Instead, they walked along the old irrigation canal running behind the fields.
For several minutes, neither spoke. Finally, the old man asked, "Have you ever wondered why this village exists?"
Xu Yuan looked around. The question seemed strange. "People made their homes here?"
"They did. But why here?"
Xu Yuan thought for a moment. "The river. The farmland. The forest."
The Chief nodded. "Good answers. Just incomplete ones." He bent down and picked up a handful of soil. Dark. Rich. Almost black. "This land has always been fertile. Even during the great drought."
Xu Yuan looked up. "There was a drought?"
"Long before you were born." The old man let the soil slip through his fingers. "Nearby villages disappeared. Ours survived."
"...Why?"
The Chief smiled. "I've wondered that for sixty years."
Before Xu Yuan could ask another question, a loud shout echoed from the village entrance. "Horses! Someone's coming!"
The two immediately turned. Dust rose along the distant road. Three riders approached at full speed. Unlike merchants, they didn't slow down near the gates. Their horses were exhausted. Foam covered their necks. Something had forced them to ride without stopping.
The entire village gradually gathered. The riders finally reined in their horses just inside the entrance. The leading rider nearly fell while dismounting. His robes carried the emblem of Azure Pine Martial Hall.
Xu Yuan recognized it immediately. One of Shen Yu's visitors. Only his face was covered in dried blood. Not his own. Someone else's.
He looked around desperately. "Where is Senior Shen? I need Senior Shen!"
No one answered immediately. The man's breathing was ragged. His eyes were filled with real fear. Not panic. Fear. The kind that remained after surviving something impossible.
A familiar voice came from the crowd. "I'm here."
Everyone stepped aside. Shen Yu slowly walked forward. His expression had completely changed. Gone was the lazy wanderer. Gone was the constant teasing smile.
The rider saw him. Relief flooded his face. Then he spoke words that silenced the entire village.
"Senior... Eastern Watch Fortress has fallen."
The square became completely still. Even those who didn't know where the fortress was understood one thing. Fortresses weren't supposed to fall. Not without a war. Not without warning. Not overnight.
Shen Yu didn't react immediately. Instead, he asked a single question. "How many escaped?"
The rider lowered his head. After several seconds, he answered quietly. "...Seven."
No one spoke again. Somewhere nearby, a wooden bucket slipped from someone's hands and rolled slowly across the silent village square.
No one in the square moved. The rider's horse lowered its head, breathing heavily after the desperate journey. Seven. The number echoed silently through everyone's mind. Seven survivors. From an entire fortress.
Shen Yu stepped forward. His voice remained calm. "When?"
"Last night."
"Who attacked?"
The rider hesitated. "...We don't know."
Murmurs spread through the crowd. The Village Chief's brows drew together. "You don't know?"
The rider shook his head. "There wasn't an army. There wasn't a siege. No warning." He swallowed hard. "People simply... disappeared."
The square grew even quieter. Xu Yuan frowned. Disappeared? Fortresses didn't simply lose hundreds of people overnight.
The rider continued, "The night patrol failed to report. When dawn came, half the fortress was empty. No bodies. No blood. No signs of battle."
The only sound left was the restless stamping of exhausted horses.
Old Han slowly emerged from the crowd. His weathered face had become unusually serious. "The commander?"
The rider lowered his head. "Gone."
"The deputy commander?"
"Gone."
"The city lord?"
"...Gone."
Old Han didn't ask another question. His silence spoke louder than words.
Shen Yu folded his arms. "What remained?"
The rider answered immediately. "The walls. The buildings. The weapons. Everything. Except..." He looked down at his trembling hands. "...the people."
Xu Yuan watched Shen Yu carefully. He had expected surprise. Instead, the wandering swordsman looked as though he was remembering something he wished he had forgotten. Only for an instant. Then his expression returned to normal.
"You searched every district?"
"Three times."
"No hidden passages?"
"None."
"No signs of Spirit Beasts?"
"None."
"No poison?"
"The physicians found nothing."
The answers came quickly. Each one removed another simple explanation.
The Village Chief spoke for the first time. "Why come here?"
The rider looked directly at Shen Yu. "Our Master said if anyone might recognize what happened, it would be Senior Shen."
The entire square turned toward him. Shen Yu sighed quietly. "I've developed an unfortunate reputation."
Before anyone could speak again, another horse approached from the western road. Unlike the first three, this rider wore no sect robes. His clothes belonged to an ordinary merchant. His wagon wasn't carrying goods. Only people.
Four frightened villagers climbed down. Their faces were pale. One woman clutched a sleeping child tightly against her chest.
The merchant bowed respectfully. "They're from Eastbrook Village."
The Village Chief immediately stepped forward. "What happened?"
The merchant answered, "They left this morning. They said everyone else ran."
"Ran where?"
"They don't know."
The oldest villager finally found the courage to speak. "They woke before sunrise and half the village had packed their belongings. No explanation. No argument. They simply walked north."
Xu Yuan's eyes narrowed. "They all chose to leave?"
The old man slowly shook his head. "No. They walked. They never looked back. It was like they were following someone."
No one laughed now. Even the children who had gathered earlier were pulled back toward their homes without a word. The atmosphere in the village had changed. Not because danger had arrived. Because no one understood it. Unknown dangers frightened people far more than visible ones.
Shen Yu looked toward the distant mountains. The eastern peaks stood peacefully beneath the afternoon sun. Beautiful. Silent. As though nothing unusual had ever happened there.
He spoke quietly, "Chief."
"Hm?"
"Keep everyone inside the village after sunset."
The Village Chief didn't ask why. He simply nodded. "I'll ring the bell."
Shen Yu turned toward the three Azure Pine disciples. "You've ridden without rest. Eat. Sleep. We leave before dawn."
The lead disciple bowed immediately. "Yes, Senior."
As the crowd slowly dispersed, Xu Yuan remained where he was. The peaceful village he had begun calling home suddenly felt much smaller. Yesterday, the greatest concern had been unfamiliar footprints. Today, an entire fortress had vanished without a battle.
He looked toward Shen Yu. The wanderer stood alone beneath the old willow, gazing at the eastern mountains. For the first time, Xu Yuan realized Shen Yu wasn't worried. He was preparing. And somehow that was even more unsettling.
The sun had already begun to sink behind the western mountains. Normally, this was the busiest time in the village. Families prepared dinner. Children raced through the streets until their parents called them home. The forge echoed with Old Han's hammer.
Today everything ended early. Doors closed one after another. Even the laughter seemed quieter.
Dong—Dong—Dong—
The village bell rang three times. Not an alarm. Not an emergency. Just a signal every villager understood. Stay inside tonight.
Xu Yuan stood outside his small house, watching the last streaks of sunlight disappear. Behind him, the Village Chief approached carrying an old lantern.
"You don't have to patrol."
Xu Yuan looked over. "I wasn't planning to."
The old man nodded. "Good. Tonight isn't a night for heroes."
He hung the lantern beneath the roof before walking away.
Meanwhile, near the village entrance, Shen Yu sat alone atop the wooden watchtower. The iron sword rested across his knees. His eyes never left the eastern mountains.
Several Azure Pine disciples climbed the tower carrying food. "Senior. You haven't eaten."
Shen Yu accepted the bowl without looking away. "...Thank you."
One disciple hesitated. "Our Master... did he know?"
Shen Yu remained silent for a long moment. "I don't know. If he did, he wouldn't have sent only you."
The disciple lowered his head. That answer wasn't comforting. Yet somehow it was honest.
Night fell over the mountains. The moon rose slowly above the distant peaks. Its pale light washed over the forest below. Everything appeared peaceful. Too peaceful.
Xu Yuan couldn't sleep. Not because he was afraid. Because something felt wrong.
He stepped outside. The village was almost completely silent. Only a few lanterns still burned.
A soft whistle reached his ears. Not from the forest. From the watchtower.
Xu Yuan looked up. Shen Yu raised one hand. A simple gesture. Come here.
A few moments later, Xu Yuan climbed onto the wooden platform. Neither spoke immediately. They stood side by side, looking toward the dark horizon.
Finally, Xu Yuan broke the silence. "You think something will happen tonight."
"I do."
"...Then why isn't everyone leaving?"
Shen Yu smiled faintly. "Where would they go?"
Xu Yuan didn't answer. The question itself was enough.
Minutes passed. The moon climbed higher. The forest below remained still.
Then Shen Yu suddenly pointed toward the eastern ridge. "There."
Xu Yuan narrowed his eyes. At first he saw nothing. Then a tiny light appeared. Not a torch. Not a campfire. A single white glow moving slowly between the trees.
Another appeared. Then another. One... Five... Ten... Soon dozens of pale lights drifted silently through the forest. They weren't floating randomly. They all moved in exactly the same direction. Toward the mountains.
Xu Yuan frowned. "...Spirit lights?"
"No."
"...Cultivators?"
"No." Shen Yu's voice became unusually quiet. "They're people."
Xu Yuan's pupils contracted. People? From this distance, the lights looked no larger than fireflies. Yet as he focused, he could just make out faint silhouettes beneath each glow. Human figures. Walking. Slowly. Steadily. None carried lanterns. None spoke. They simply walked north. Exactly as the old villager had described.
Xu Yuan felt a chill run down his spine. "They're sleepwalking?"
"I wish they were."
The line of silent figures disappeared one after another behind the eastern hills. Not a single one looked back. Not a single one hesitated.
Then just as the last light vanished, a deep bell rang somewhere far beyond the mountains.
Dong—
The sound traveled impossibly far. It wasn't loud. Yet it echoed clearly across the entire valley.
The white lights stopped. Every single one. Even from this distance, Xu Yuan could see them turn. Not toward the village. Not toward the road. They all turned toward the same unseen place hidden deep within the eastern mountains.
Beside him, Shen Yu slowly stood. His hand tightened around the iron sword. Without taking his eyes off the darkness ahead, he spoke only one sentence.
"We're already too late."
The last white light disappeared beyond the eastern mountains. Silence returned. Not the peaceful silence of the countryside. The kind that lingered after witnessing something no one could explain.
Xu Yuan continued staring into the darkness. "...Who are they?"
Shen Yu slowly sheathed his iron sword. "I don't know."
It was the first time Xu Yuan had heard those words from him. No joke. No vague answer. Just "I don't know."
The village bell rang once more. This time it signaled the end of the night watch. The guards changed shifts beneath the wooden gate without a word. None of them had noticed the distant lights. Only the watchtower offered a clear view of the eastern ridge.
Shen Yu climbed down. "We should rest."
Xu Yuan frowned. "We're not following them?"
"No."
"Why?"
"Because we're missing too many pieces." He stepped onto the empty street. "If you rush toward something you don't understand, you usually become part of the mystery."
Xu Yuan looked back toward the mountains one last time before following.
The next morning, the village didn't wake to birdsong. It woke to hoofbeats. More riders. Not three. Nearly twenty. They entered in disciplined formation before stopping outside the meeting hall. Every horse wore the same dark-blue saddlecloth. Every rider carried the same bronze insignia. The emblem wasn't from Azure Pine Martial Hall. Xu Yuan had never seen it before.
The villagers stepped aside. Even Shen Yu stopped walking. "...They're fast."
The Village Chief narrowed his eyes. "You know them?"
"I know of them."
The lead rider removed his helmet. He looked to be around thirty years old. His expression remained calm despite the obvious fatigue on his face. He scanned the village once before speaking.
"Which one of you is Shen Yu?"
"I am."
The man immediately cupped his fists. "My name is Gu Chen. Third Investigation Division. We've been ordered to secure every village within one hundred li of Eastern Watch Fortress."
Xu Yuan noticed something strange. The man never once said the word "protect." Only "secure."
Several villagers exchanged uneasy glances. The Village Chief stepped forward. "What exactly happened at the fortress?"
Gu Chen remained silent. Not because he didn't want to answer. Because he was choosing his words carefully. Finally he said, "We're still investigating."
Old Peng frowned. "That's not an answer."
"No. It isn't. But it's the only one I'm authorized to give."
His honesty caught Xu Yuan slightly off guard.
Another rider approached carrying a long wooden case. He handed it to Gu Chen. The officer opened it carefully. Inside lay several maps. Not ordinary village maps. Military maps.
Xu Yuan caught only a brief glimpse before the case was closed again. Yet one detail stood out. The eastern mountains had been crossed out with thick black ink. As though someone had erased them from the world.
Gu Chen looked toward Shen Yu. "I've also been instructed to deliver a message."
"From whom?"
"The Capital."
Even Shen Yu's expression changed slightly. "The Capital?"
Gu Chen nodded. "The order contains only one sentence." He spoke slowly, making sure every word was exact. "'If Shen Yu is found, tell him the Silent Valleys have awakened.'"
The entire square fell silent. Xu Yuan had no idea what a Silent Valley was. Neither did the villagers. But Shen Yu didn't move. Didn't speak. His eyes remained fixed on the wooden case. For several long seconds.
Then he quietly laughed. Not because anything was amusing. It was the laugh of someone realizing an old nightmare had returned.
"So... It really wasn't finished."
Before anyone could ask what he meant, a young scout came sprinting through the village gate. He was breathing so hard he could barely stand.
"Report!"
Gu Chen immediately turned. "What happened?"
The scout swallowed. "We reached Eastbrook Village."
"And?"
"...It's empty."
The officer frowned. "The survivors?"
"Gone."
"The houses?"
"Still there."
"The supplies?"
"Untouched."
The scout's face had turned pale. "But..."
"Speak."
"...Every doorway had the same mark carved into it."
He picked up a stick and quickly drew the symbol in the dirt.
Xu Yuan looked down. It wasn't a word. Or a crest. Or a sect emblem. It was a single unfamiliar symbol. Simple. Ancient.
For reasons he couldn't explain, the moment his eyes landed on it, a dull pain pulsed deep inside his head. Just for an instant. Then it disappeared.
Xu Yuan instinctively looked away. No one else seemed to react. Only Shen Yu noticed the slight change in his expression. He didn't say anything. But for the first time since meeting Xu Yuan, he looked at him as though he had just discovered something unexpected.