Xiuying stood before the mirror as she fastened her mask. The mask was made of silver, carved with patterns reminiscent of a tiger, and covered only the upper half of her face. She never wore such a thing before, but from now on this mask would be a part of her. Because once she stepped into that place, she was likely to run into people who would recognise her face despite her manly disguise.

As she stared at her reflection in the mirror, she brushed her fingers lightly over the mask. The cold metal contrasted with the fervent excitement she felt inside her.

Today she would depart from the place she embraced as home to seek her own path.

"Who would have guessed that my mask would look better on you than it did on me?"

Leaning against her door was Yanxiao, looking at her with a smile etched on his face. The mask originally belonged to him. From what Xiuying learned thus far, before joining Dishi's assassination crew, Yanxiao was a member of the Shadow Mask, a small tribe in Pleasant Valley known for hiding their faces behind masks.

"I really appreciate your kindness, Yanxiao," Xiuying said. "Don't worry, I promise to take care of this mask."

Yanxiao waved his hand with a dismissive gesture. "I'm no longer part of the tribe, so that thing was nothing but a remnant of the past. Don't worry about the mask, Feiyou, just promise to take care of yourself."

Xiuying giggled, not even bothering to hide her girlish tone. "You really are like Shifu. I wouldn't be surprised if I found out you two are actually related."

"Well, honestly I see Shifu more as a family than those I grew up with."

Watching him, Xiuying wasn't able to decipher whether the smile on Yanxiao's face was genuine or out of sheer bitterness. Maybe it was a combination of both. Despite the questions arising in her head, she stayed quiet and waited for him to continue.

"Shifu saved me, something my tribe failed to do, or should I say didn't even bother attempting." Yanxiao fell silent for a moment, as if in deep thought, and then he sighed. "I'm not really sure why I've kept that mask with me until now. But at least it serves a purpose now."

Hearing that, the hairpin tucked into Xiuying's sleeve felt colder than before, as if it was reminding her of its presence. She lowered her head, her fingers unconsciously tracing the shape of the butterfly hairpin through the fabric of her robe.

"Anyway," Yanxiao said, breaking the silence. "I already asked someone to deliver your letter to the Marquis of Zhaolu Manor."

Xiuying's eyes fell to the small box on the table. According to the letter she received from the client, Ye Yunxi believed she had lost her necklace, which had been missing for about a week. As instructed in that letter, the necklace would be used as bait to lure Ye Yunxi into a certain place where the assassination was to take place.

"What if a backup is brought?" Yanxiao asked.

A slow smile came to Xiuying's lips. "Of course, that will happen. I'm betting she will bring her bodyguard. And that's when we get rid of the extra company to pave the way for myself."

She took off the mask, placed it on the table, and sat on the edge of her bed. Her gaze landed on the sword lying next to her. She ran her fingers along the steel scabbard. After the attack that almost claimed her life, Xiuying was like a broken doll, rotting in bed and barely eating. For months, she was nothing more than a ghost in the tavern; she was there, yet she wasn't. But Dishi, her saviour, had been patient, waiting for her to regain her sense of self. And the moment she did, Dishi gave this sword to her, which marked the beginning of her life as an assassin of the Plum Blossom Pavilion.

But somewhere deep inside she still longed for her sword, the one her father had given her. But it had been years; a lot had happened and changed. That sword, like the rest of the Hua Family, had probably already been swept away.

"I apologise for the pain you may feel later, Yanxiao," Xiuying said, her eyes still glued to the sword.

Yanxiao chuckled. "At least try not to kill me."

Xiuying leaned her back against a tree. She was wearing the mask that Yanxiao gave her. Rows of towering trees spread before her, their lush foliage blocking out the sun. Yanxiao was leaning against a nearby tree, his face covered in a veil, leaving only his eyes visible. But unlike her, he wasn't hiding.

They were waiting for Ye Yunxi, who should be arriving any minute now. This was the place Xiuying specified in the letter she anonymously sent to the target. She picked this particular forest because it wasn't far from the capital and there were no soldiers on patrol. Hunters sometimes come here to hunt, and wild animals lurk deep within the forest.

A gust of wind blew, rustling the trees around her. The sound of dried leaves crunching drew their attention. Xiuying held her breath as footsteps approached, her fingers curling around the sword strapped to her waist. Yanxiao straightened his back, staring ahead.

"Are you the one who sent the letter?"

Xiuying peeked behind the tree trunk.

The owner of the voice was standing a few feet away. The girl was dressed in a green wide-sleeved robe embroidered with flower patterns, and her hair was tied up in a simple bun. She looked exactly the same as the one in the painting scroll.

Did she come alone?

As soon as that thought occurred to her, she caught a flicker of motion out of the corner of her eyes. There was a man hiding behind a tree trunk not too far from them.

"So you came. And alone, I suppose," Yanxiao said, a tiny smile in his voice. "How brave of you."

"Where's my necklace?" Ye Yunxi asked, her trembling fists clenched at her sides.

"So this is yours?" Yanxiao reached into his sleeve and pulled out a small box. Opening it, he took out the necklace and showed it to her.

Ye Yunxi's eyes widened at the sight of the jade necklace dangling in his hand, the gold chain glittering in the sunlight peeking through the canopy.

"T-that's mine. Please give it to me," Ye Yunxi's small voice wavered as she cast a wary glance at the sword that hung around Yanxiao's waist.

Yanxiao huffed a laugh. His hand casually rested on the hilt of his sword. He took one step toward Ye Yunxi, his eyes gleaming with the bloodlust of an assassin.

Ye Yunxi staggered backwards, her entire body trembling with terror. "W-what do you want in exchange? I can give you money. I brought some with me today!" She held up an embroidered pouch, and the sound of coins clinking proved her statement true.

She looked a little pathetic, but her effort in actually bringing money and the attempt to negotiate with an assassin was at least admirable. She knew it would be risky, yet she still came. The necklace must have been very precious to her.

Yanxiao took another step forward, ignoring every word she said. Just then, the bodyguard hiding behind a tree finally came out in the open. An unsheathed sword gripped in his hand, his stance alert and ready. He looked young, perhaps about the same age as Yanxiao, barely a few years older than Xiuying.

"Ah," Yanxiao said in a cool, bored voice. He glanced at the bodyguard, then back at Ye Yunxi. "So you're not alone, after all." He drew his sword from its sheath and charged.

Ye Yunxi screamed and crossed her arms in front of her face as if that could shield her from the sharp blade coming at her. Her bodyguard rushed forward, blocking Yanxiao's sword with his own.

Xiuying watched from her hiding place as the two men engaged in a fierce sword fight. As a member of a prestigious family, it was no surprise that Ye Yunxi would have a skilled bodyguard by her side. Nonetheless, no matter how skilled her bodyguard was, he was still no match for a highly trained assassin who was no stranger to killing.

Without a shred of hesitation, Yanxiao thrust his sword into the bodyguard's chest. He was dead before his body even hit the ground.

Ye Yunxi let loose a high-pitched scream. Tears fell from her eyes as she staggered backwards, away from the approaching assassin. She tripped over her own feet and fell onto the ground.

Yanxiao raised his sword and pointed it at her, crimson blood dripping from the sharp blade.

That's my cue.

Xiuying left her hiding spot and lunged forward. Yanxiao spun around in alert and used his sword to block her attack. A loud, metallic clang echoed through the forest as their blades collided with each other.

Their gazes met. And then, with a flick of her blade, Xiuying stabbed him in the shoulder.