You and Lan Zhan had managed to get everyone out before the entrance of the cave collapsed. The silence in Xuanwu Cave was deafening. The air was heavy with the dampness of the cave, and the flickering light of the small fire cast eerie shadows on the stone walls.

Lan Zhan sat against a rock, his broken leg and leg wound hastily bandaged with his headband, unable to stand. His usually immaculate robes were stained with blood and grime. You could see the strain on his face, though he tried to hide it behind a mask of stoicism. Every movement seemed to bring him pain, yet he bore it with a certain grace.

Your own situation was hardly better. The branding iron had left a painful wound on your chest, and every breath was a reminder of the ordeal. The throbbing pain made it hard to focus, but you knew you had to stay alert. The rocks blocking the entrance meant you were stuck here until help arrived, and with both of you injured, survival was the primary concern.