Eventually, Liu Yuxuan finished his work and packed up his scattered tools. Zhou Jinhai and Feng Jianyu made their way back down to the bottom floor of the pagoda, meeting up with their companion before all three returned to the l door they had entered by. Once again Liu Yuxuan pulled free a talisman and touched it to the stone. With a flash, the three reappeared outside. Turning to the other two, Liu Yuxuan was about to speak when Feng Jianyu darted forwards, shoving the blind Zhou Jinhai and the weaker Liu Yuxuan behind himself. Sword already in hand, ready to launch into battle. 

The thunk of an arrow hitting the stone near where Zhou Jinhai’s feet had been moments before was the only sound for a long moment. Feng Jianyu finally straightened and sheathed his sword in a rough motion. 

“Who’s there!” He growled, having lost the sense of being watched as fast as it had appeared. Zhou Jinhai moved to the arrow and crouched down, fingers extending to brush lightly along the shaft until they touched a folded bit of parchment tied to the arrow. With care, he deftly untied the scrap and held it up for the other two to see. It was clearly used, the energy within it depleted. But what power did still cling to it felt dark, almost slimy to Jinhai’s sense. With lips pressed thin, he stood and offered it to Liu Yuxuan, he being the most versed in such arts of the three. 

Liu Yuxuan took the proffered scrap and examined it, before making a displeased sound. “Dark arts, for sure. Looks like a spirit banishing talisman but something is wrong with it.” He told the pair, turning it over and examining the back before offering it to Feng Jianyu. But the man just waved it away. It was not his area of knowledge after all. 

They both looked at Jinhai as he reached out, palm up and fingers spread in a seeking gesture. Without hesitation, Liu Yuxuan placed the ragged talisman on the outstretched palm. 

Trapping the thin paper between finger and thumb the blind cultivator pulled it close, sniffing the parchment hesitantly. Still seemingly puzzled he ran fingertips over the long-dried ink, tracing the intricate swirls and slashes. Finally he offered it back to Liu Yuxuan, before reaching into the pouch at his waist. With a flash of light, the spear head he had discovered with Liu Li-Tai lay in his palm, which he showed to the other two men. “It feels similar…” He explained as Liu Yuxuan picked up the sharp metal shard and turned it over, examining it from all sides. After a moment he handed it off to Feng Jianyu, who also studied it closely before pressing the blade to the skin of his forearm, testing the edge. 

“What makes you say that?” Liu Yuxuan asked, tone puzzled. But Jinhai could only shake his head. 

“It has a …. flavour?” He tried, struggling to put into words what his spiritual sense could feel. Recent forced practice had grown his ability when using his spiritual sense. And he could definitely feel a similarity between the spear head and the talisman. “It’s as if they were made by the same person, or were stored together and started to share an imprint…. “ He frowned, fingertips pressing to the spot between his brows where his perpetual headache sat like a physical weight. The result of not only constantly using his spiritual sense, but also pushing it to expand in both range and sensitivity. After all, if it was going to be his eyes from now on, he had to train it just as hard as any other skill. 

Finally releasing his control over his qi, he sagged in place, leaning against the stone wall behind him as he sighed. He needed more practice. 

Feng Jianyu slid the spear head into his own pouch as he moved to Jinhai’s side, taking the smaller man’s arm to support him. “We can ask the Elders when we get back and report this incident.” He said firmly, willing his sword to spring from its sheath and hover before the pair. 

Jinhai nodded obediently, letting his friend pull him up onto the blade. Settling behind Feng Jianyu, he heard Liu Yuxian also mounting his own sword. 

“Any idea who shot at us?” Liu Yuxuan asked his companions, causing Feng Jinayu to huff in annoyance at letting the attacker escape before he could even retaliate. Jinhai just shook his head. But as they flew back to the Liu mountain peak, he recalled the shadow that had thrown the spear and wondered who was helping them.