At night, a crescent moon hung high in the sky. Its cool light filtered through the overlapping branches and leaves of ancient trees, scattering mottled shadows across the ground.
A stream murmured through the valley, with the occasional cry of a night bird making the mountain night seem all the more still and secluded.
A campfire crackled in a clearing at the bottom of the valley. Its orange-red flames swayed gently in the night breeze, bathing the three figures seated around it in a warm glow.
Zi Yan sat beside Lin Ming, holding a branch she had snapped off somewhere. She idly stirred the firewood, sending up occasional sparks that flickered in her purple-gold dragon eyes.
Long Qingyue sat across from them. She had changed out of her torn, bloodstained dress into clean robes, and the wound on her left arm had been hastily bandaged.
The dancing firelight illuminated her still somewhat pale face. She looked much calmer than she had while fleeing through the forest that day, though a barely perceptible trace of nervousness still passed through her eyes whenever she glanced at Lin Ming.
Lin Ming reclined against a smooth blue stone, one hand resting on his knee, his manner relaxed and casual.
He turned to glance at Long Qingyue, his calm voice rising amid the crackle of burning wood. "You said you knew the location of a Super Dragon Phoenix Pool inside the Dragon-Phoenix Haven. Tell me about it."
At his words, Long Qingyue's hand paused slightly around her waterskin.
She lowered her lashes and fell silent for a moment. Firelight danced softly in her eyes, as though she were weighing her options one last time.
Her silence did not last long. She soon raised her head, placed the waterskin on the grass beside her, and met