The world is silent and cloaked in pitch blackness. I try to reach out to the void, but nothing is within my grasp. As time passes, my efforts feel futile. As I succumb to unconsciousness, my eyes catch sight of a tiny white spot directly in front of me. Perhaps it is the exit. With all my strength, I press onward and move toward the spot.

As I approach it, the spot expands more and more, eventually enveloping my entire field of vision. My eyes, irritated by the harsh rays, struggle to remain wide open. Soon, everything fades to white.

As the rays' intensity diminishes, I find myself staring up at the sky. The light blue sky, adorned with a few clouds, hosts flocks of birds flying freely within my view.

I prop myself up with one of my arms and examine my surroundings. It's, a rather unfamiliar environment. The greenery around me is not what I usually see back in the clan, as well as a gentle creek not far from me.

Where am I? Am I still in the Divine Realm? Just now, I was falling…

Just when the thoughts hit me, I feel immense pain coursing through my body. Oh, right, I jumped down from a cliff! I hastily check my body for any serious injuries. The black robe I'm wearing is now torn apart beyond recognition, but thankfully, there are no significant red marks around the robe. Good, no sign of major bleeding! I try to move my limbs, only to be met with a sharp burning pain in my right leg. I shift my focus to my right leg.

I almost faint at the sight of my leg. My knee, which should have bent forward, has now twisted to the side, swollen and purple. A strangled, high-pitched scream escapes me before I can stop it, raw and instinctive. When I regain my senses, I force myself to take deep, slow breaths, in hopes of minimising the pain. Pain is dangerous, but panic is worse.

Crying out won't save me. It'll only invite what lurks beyond the trees—beasts, pursuers, something worse. I swallow hard, clenching my jaw against the throbbing agony, willing my body to obey. 'Survival demands silence,' I say to myself.

I turn my attention towards my black robe, which was once elegant and beautiful. But, the gown is now badly torn and full of brown patches, along with a few small red spots. This robe is the only thing that reminds me of my mother, who passed away not long after my birth. Although I've not seen her face or felt her warmth, I can still sense a deep connection with her through this particular garment. The design of this dress is not the most luxurious; while it is made from premium fabric, it remains simple, just plain black. Draped over the robe is a piece of fabric, featuring a nine-tailed fox with its tails spread wide, representing the identity of the Chun Hu Clan. I feel a profound sense of grief that this dress has been thoroughly destroyed.

Before I can gather my thoughts, the thirst and hunger strike in. Right, I have to think of ways to meet my needs and tend to my injuries. I look around once again, searching for something to help me stand up so I can observe the environment more thoroughly. Spotting a tree not far away from the riverbank, I start to move my body toward it. Though the ripping pain from my leg begins to resurface, I grit my teeth, moving in by inch towards the objective.

After a few minutes of struggle, I finally reach the shade of the tree. Beneath the tree, I find a package wrapped with leather, along with a water canteen. Food and water! What immense luck! I hurriedly crawl closer to the trunk, my pain momentarily forgotten. Grabbing the resources, I lean against the tree to find a comfortable position, positioning my right leg against it. I then pry open the cork on the canteen and chug the water in, drinking greedily that I almost choked myself.

After quenching my thirst, I untie the strings on the package, disclosing its content. I hoped to find some scrumptious meals, but instead, I only find a few meat jerky. The strips of meat look like sun-dried leather, rough and shrivelled, coated with an unnatural sheen of oil. The people who prepared these sure have no taste in culinary; their focus seems solely on survival, as jerkies are one of those foods that can be kept for a long time. With most of my might, I tear a piece apart with my teeth. As I chew, I can feel the gritty, greasy texture of the meat. I want to spit out the remnants, but I'm too hungry to do so. After all, food is food. I shove more of the jerky into my mouth.

I stare at the canteen and the leather package. Why is there food below the shades of the tree? Did someone leave it here intentionally, or did they forget to pack it up before continuing the journey? The possibilities might be many, but one thing that I'm sure of is that, there are people around here. If I can get someone's attention, I might be able to get help. That is the most likely way for me to survive in this unfamiliar territory.

After a fruitful rest, I finally managed to stand up with the support of the tree. To hold out until I find someone, I need to secure stable food and water, as well as a way to treat my injuries. My right leg is inhibiting me to move freely and gather resources. Luckily, I am close enough to the river to refill the canteen.

I look at my reflection in the water. Deep orange hair, now messy and wet, eyes as red as a ruby, shone by the sunlight, thriving to be seen by the word: it is still me. But, as I gaze longer into my eyes, the rubies are dull, lifeless.

Right at the moment, I'm as helpless as a hare facing a fox. My clan is destroyed. Grandfather might be captured, or even tortured, or even dead. I have no one left in this world. What should I do? Where should I go? Ripples start to form on my reflection. I try to hold them in, but my emotions are overwhelming. The Chun Hu Clan is my everything, but it is gone…

No! I must not give up! I now have the opportunity to explore the vast lands, unlike just the mountains back in the Divine Realm! There is so much for me to discover in the mortal lands. Think, Xuan Qi! Don't you enjoy the beauty of nature, and long to witness the magnificence beyond the clouds? You have so much to live for! I splash my face with some water.

As I open up the canteen and position it just at the surface level of the stream, I hear footsteps from behind. The footstep is rather subtle, like a predator approaching its prey. Something feels off…

I immediately turn my head around and raise my hands. Just as shocked as I am, a muscular teen retreats a few steps and raises his dagger in a defensive stance.

"W-What? How did you notice me?" says the boy, with sweat droplets hanging on his cheek.

His eyes, as black as a raven, stare right into mine, just as a needle piercing through my heart, ready for a harvest. As frightened as I am, I remain calm, and continue to gaze right into his eyes. In complete silence, the air around me becomes dense, ready to suffocate me at any moment. Hold on, this isn't what I expected!

"Wait! I'm not here for a fight!" I shouted towards the boy. "I don't have any weapons, and I'm even badly injured."

"T-then, what's the reaction for? You shocked me as well! "

"I thought you're some kind of beast! I need to be prepared for any danger!" I retaliate. "But, I'm just a helpless girl, with nothing to protect myself."

The boy finally lowers his guard.

"I-if you say so," the boy stutters. "I hope you are not some monsters that mimic humans."

"Monsters?"

"Yeah, they have been appearing much more often around here. I was attacked by a boar the size of a bear." "It took me some time to kill and harvest it, but the meat is enough for us for a few months, so we figured to make them into jerkies."

Wait, jerkies? I look at the leather package once more. Have I been eating monster meat? Disgusting! I quickly cover my mouth with both hands.

Seeing my reaction, the teen becomes irritated. "Maybe, I should not have left it in the shades. Is it really that bad?"

"No, no, I need to thank you for the food, but they are really disgusting. To think of them as food is impossible for me, " I add. "But really, thanks for the food and water. Really helped me."

His cheek becomes mildly red. "W-well, if you say so…"

I let out a deep sigh. Fortunately, it did not end with bloodshed or anything terrible. And, no need for last resort…

The boy sheathes his dagger and walks towards me. "Are you able to move? My home is just nearby."

"Not without help, especially with the condition of my leg," I point towards my disjointed leg. "And I'm quite interested in hearing about the monster."

"We can talk about that on the way- maybe not. I don't wanna risk being attacked by an actual monster this time."

"Agreed, better be safe than sorry."

He turns his body around and crouches on the ground. "Come on, hop on me. It's about half an hour's journey."

I gaze at him with a confused look. "I thought you were just going to support me with your arms, not letting me ride on your back."

"What? This is the fastest way to get there. Is it weird?"

"Erm, no, nothing! Just.. be careful with my leg. " I'm unable to think of other words to oppose the naive boy.

I carefully position myself to cooperate, gently climbing onto his back. Feeling the warmth of his skin beneath me, I grasp his shoulders for balance, making sure my movements are steady and deliberate. And, we are ready to embark.

"Wow, you are surprisingly light for a noble."

What does he mean by that? Did he think I was fat?

Annoyed by his comment, I pommel his back with my fist.

"Ouch, that hurts! Anyways, how did you end up here?" he says.

"Well, that is a long story. Now, shush. We can talk about it after we reach your home. Ain't you the one that told me to shut up?"

"Yeah, yeah princess," he smugs.

We move step by step towards the woods, until we are enveloped by the woods. The sunlight filters through the vibrant leaves, casting shadows on the floor, and soon we are completely shielded by nature's embrace.

"Grab tight, we are going fast."

"Wait,wha-"