Chapter 24: Shadows Beneath the Snow
Only after the dragon's severed head finally stopped rolling through the snow...
Did Yun Che allow himself to breathe.
The battle was over.
The silence felt almost unreal.
Then—
A sharp, burning pain exploded through his right arm.
"...Ah."
The sword slipped from his fingers and buried itself point-first into the frozen ground.
His entire arm hung limply beside his side.
It refused to obey him.
Yun Che stared at it for a long moment before sighing.
"...Definitely broken."
During the battle...
Adrenaline.
Ki.
Instinct.
All of them had buried the pain beneath the simple need to survive.
Now...
His body had begun collecting payment.
Captain Han walked over.
He first examined Yun Che's arm.
Then his sword.
The blade had survived.
Barely.
Hairline cracks spread across the steel like spiderwebs beneath ice.
The runes carved into its surface had completely dimmed.
Every trace of stored Ki had vanished.
The weapon looked...
Exhausted.
Much like its owner.
Captain Han picked it up carefully before handing it back.
"The technique."
He looked thoughtfully at Yun Che.
"You created it."
Yun Che nodded.
"...Mostly."
"It was based on ideas I already knew."
"I only adapted them."
Captain Han gave a small grunt.
"The Sword Draw Technique."
"A genuine Third Grade concept."
He glanced again at the cracked blade.
"And yet..."
"...you forced yourself to use it while still in the Mortal Realm."
"I wasn't planning to."
Yun Che smiled weakly.
"It was supposed to wait until Foundation Establishment."
"When I could properly control the stored Ki."
He flexed the fingers of his useless arm.
Nothing happened.
"For now..."
"It simply releases everything at once."
Captain Han nodded slowly.
"A sword."
"A scabbard."
"Ki Storage Runes."
"And compressed Ki."
He understood the principle immediately.
"If controlled..."
"It becomes terrifying."
"If uncontrolled..."
His eyes moved toward Yun Che's broken arm.
"...it becomes just as dangerous to the user."
Yun Che laughed painfully.
"That's about right."
Tianyu had been listening quietly.
For once...
The usual teasing never came.
Instead...
He looked genuinely impressed.
"You actually surprised me."
"You usually survive by overthinking."
"This time..."
"You gambled."
Yun Che shrugged.
"I was about to become dragon food."
"It seemed appropriate."
Tianyu laughed loudly.
"Fair enough."
Captain Han's expression became serious once more.
"Remember this."
Both boys instinctively straightened.
"The dragon almost killed you."
"Not because it was stronger."
"It was."
"But that wasn't why."
He pointed toward the headless corpse.
"You believed the battle had ended."
Neither boy answered.
"The wilderness..."
"...has no referees."
"No victory announcements."
"No certainty."
He looked at every trainee gathered nearby.
"Until the head is removed..."
"And the heart is destroyed..."
"Remain alert."
Several experienced cavalry members nodded.
One quietly added,
"Even then..."
"We stay alert."
Captain Han agreed.
"Many beasts pretend to die."
"So do many people."
His gaze hardened.
"The first lesson of survival."
"Never lower your guard."
"Not while danger still surrounds you."
Yun Che silently engraved those words into his memory.
The captain finally relaxed.
"Rest."
The order spread quickly through the company.
Several guards established a defensive perimeter.
Others examined the surrounding forest for signs of approaching predators.
Captain Han himself raised one hand.
A broad wind barrier quietly formed around the resting camp.
Not to imprison.
To warn.
Anything entering would disturb the flowing currents.
Nothing could approach unnoticed.
Meanwhile...
Healing pills circulated among the injured.
Captain Han personally checked Yun Che's condition.
Several fractures.
Heavy bruising.
A broken arm.
Nothing permanent.
"You'll recover."
He said simply.
Yun Che released a quiet sigh of relief.
Then Captain Han walked toward the dragon.
With practiced movements...
He stored the enormous corpse inside a large spatial storage artifact.
Even that expensive treasure looked almost too small for something so massive.
The dragon disappeared.
Only bloodstained snow remained.
Later...
The atmosphere gradually lightened.
Tianyu sat beside Bingya, gently brushing dried blood from the Frost Wolf's white fur.
The wolf leaned comfortably against him.
The bond between them needed no words.
Yun Che couldn't help watching.
"...I'm jealous."
Tianyu looked up.
"Of what?"
"You two."
He nodded toward Bingya.
"You trust each other completely."
Tianyu smiled.
"We've known each other since we were babies."
Bingya opened one eye.
"He cried more than I did."
"I did not."
"You absolutely did."
Tianyu coughed awkwardly.
"We're ignoring that."
Yun Che laughed.
"You can actually argue with your partner?"
"All the time."
"Mostly because he's stubborn."
"Says the wolf who charged a dragon."
"It worked."
"It almost didn't."
After a moment...
Tianyu's attention shifted toward the long black rifle resting beside Yun Che.
"I've been meaning to ask."
He pointed at it.
"What exactly is that thing called?"
Yun Che gently picked it up with his uninjured hand.
"The Mountain Piercer."
Tianyu repeated the name quietly.
"...Fitting."
"I assume this isn't the final version."
Yun Che shook his head.
"Not even close."
"It's only a prototype."
"I still need stronger materials."
"Better runes."
"Better ammunition."
"And much higher-quality Ki."
He smiled.
"When we both reach Foundation Establishment..."
"You'll finally experience its real power."
Tianyu's eyes sparkled.
"Looking forward to it."
Then...
His expression became strangely thoughtful.
"...Although."
"I still don't understand something."
"What?"
He pointed toward Yun Che's broken arm.
"When exactly did you become insane?"
Yun Che blinked.
"What?"
"That Sword Draw."
"You knew it could destroy your arm."
"And you still used it."
He shook his head.
"I honestly didn't expect that from you."
Yun Che looked toward the moonlit mountains.
"...Neither did I."
His answer surprised even himself.
Perhaps...
Master Liang had been right.
Perhaps...
Something really had begun changing inside him.
After a brief silence...
Yun Che looked toward Bingya again.
"I want a partner too."
"You should."
Tianyu scratched Bingya behind one ear.
"But choose carefully."
He looked directly at Yun Che.
"Don't get something bulky."
"You already wear enough armor."
"You need speed."
"You need something that covers your weaknesses."
"Something fast."
"Something smart."
"Something capable of protecting you..."
"...the way Bingya protects me."
The Frost Wolf proudly lifted his head.
"Obviously."
Yun Che nodded slowly.
"I don't know what I want yet."
"But..."
"It probably won't be a wolf."
Tianyu laughed.
"I expected that answer."
"You've always liked unusual things."
He stood.
Stretching carefully despite his bruised ribs.
"When we both reach Foundation Establishment..."
His smile returned.
"...you'll finally understand my real strength."
"My father hasn't even started teaching me the good techniques yet."
Yun Che wasn't surprised.
Lord Shen stood at the Spirit Transformation Realm.
The techniques passed to the City Lord's heir would naturally far surpass anything available in ordinary families.
Tianyu possessed better resources.
Better cultivation.
Better teachers.
Perhaps even better talent.
None of that discouraged Yun Che.
Instead...
It excited him.
He slowly stood as well.
Cradling his broken arm.
"I'll still win."
The words escaped naturally.
Without hesitation.
Without doubt.
Tianyu blinked.
Then burst into laughter.
A loud, genuine laugh that echoed through the quiet mountain camp.
"Hahaha!"
"There!"
He pointed accusingly.
"I've finally seen it."
"What?"
"Confidence."
"Real confidence."
"I never thought I'd live long enough to see the day."
Yun Che rolled his eyes.
"You talk too much."
"I know."
"But I was right."
He climbed back beside Bingya.
The grin never leaving his face.
"I'll be waiting, Yun Che."
"The Foundation Establishment Realm."
"Our next battle."
"This time..."
He looked over his shoulder.
"...bring everything you've got."
Yun Che smiled.
For the first time...
He believed he actually would.
------------------------------------------
The mountain grew quiet.
Too quiet.
The laughter that had echoed through the camp only moments before faded into the cold night air.
The guards remained alert.
Captain Han's wind barrier continued to circle the resting area in silent currents.
Nothing appeared out of place.
Nothing...
Except Tianyu.
The young heir's smile slowly vanished.
His instincts screamed.
Danger.
Without thinking—
He exploded into motion.
His boot slammed squarely into Yun Che's chest.
"What—"
Yun Che was sent rolling several meters across the snow.
At the very same instant...
The darkness beneath them rippled.
Not the snow.
Not the earth.
The shadow itself.
It rose.
Like black water.
A gigantic serpent erupted upward without warning.
There had been no sound.
No scent.
No Ki fluctuation.
Only darkness...
And then death.
Unable to escape in time, Tianyu twisted his body to lessen the impact.
The enormous snake crashed into him like a battering ram.
BOOM!
He was thrown violently across the clearing, smashing through two frozen trees before tumbling into the snow.
"Tianyu!"
Bingya howled.
The Frost Wolf became a white streak, racing toward his partner.
The serpent ignored Yun Che completely.
Its target...
Had always been Tianyu.
Captain Han moved.
For the first time since leaving the city...
The old warrior unleashed his true speed.
The ground shattered beneath his feet.
His naginata descended from above.
Wind gathered around the blade until it resembled a crescent moon.
"Heaven-Cleaving Gale!"
A colossal wind scythe tore across the battlefield.
Trees split apart.
Snow vanished.
The mountain itself seemed to divide beneath the attack.
The serpent should have been cut in half.
Instead...
Its body melted into darkness.
The blade passed harmlessly through empty air.
Captain Han's eyes narrowed.
"Shadow travel..."
The guards reacted instantly.
"Protect the Young Master!"
The Frost Wolf Cavalry surrounded Tianyu within seconds.
Shields raised.
Weapons drawn.
Their formation was flawless.
Captain Han, however, ignored them.
He slammed the butt of his naginata into the frozen earth.
"Earthbreaker Wind Collapse!"
The Ki beneath the ground erupted.
Instead of exploding upward...
It imploded.
The earth folded inward.
Snow.
Stone.
Roots.
Everything collapsed toward a single point.
The shadows hidden beneath the surface twisted violently.
A black shape burst upward.
The serpent had been forced out.
For a brief moment...
Its true body became visible.
Nearly fifteen meters long.
Its scales were darker than the night itself.
Its crimson eyes glowed like fresh blood.
Its shadow seemed thicker than its body.
As though darkness clung to it.
Captain Han stepped forward—
Then stopped.
His right foot slowly disappeared beneath the ground.
Not into soil.
Into shadow.
The darkness beneath him rippled like deep water.
His expression hardened.
"The Shadow World..."
He immediately pulled his foot free.
Even someone of his strength refused to enter that place.
Countless stories spoke of beings that lived beyond ordinary shadows.
Places where light did not exist.
Where direction lost meaning.
Where even powerful cultivators vanished forever.
Captain Han knew wind.
Steel.
Battle.
He did not know shadow arts.
Charging recklessly would be suicide.
The serpent turned.
It had failed.
Now...
It chose escape.
Captain Han would not allow it.
His naginata spun so quickly it vanished from sight.
A roaring tornado erupted beneath his feet.
"Sky Ascension Cyclone!"
The massive whirlwind lifted him high into the air.
Snow spiraled upward.
Broken trees followed.
Even enormous boulders trembled.
The tornado's pull seized the fleeing serpent.
Its body slid unwillingly across the frozen ground.
Closer.
Closer.
Captain Han raised his weapon.
One strike.
That was all he needed.
Then...
The serpent looked back.
Its crimson eyes met his.
The world disappeared.
For the briefest heartbeat...
Captain Han no longer saw snow.
Nor mountains.
Nor night.
Only...
An endless black ocean.
No sky.
No stars.
No sound.
Something...
Was staring back.
Far below.
Far beyond.
Waiting.
The veteran warrior's heart skipped once.
His instincts screamed louder than they ever had during battle.
"Abyss..."
His concentration faltered.
That single heartbeat...
Was enough.
The serpent smiled.
Its body dissolved into darkness once more.
Gone.
Captain Han landed heavily upon the snow.
His breathing remained steady.
His eyes did not.
He had fought beasts.
Bandits.
Cultivators.
Even rival cities.
Never...
Had he encountered something like that.
"That wasn't a Shadow Python."
His voice became unusually quiet.
"It only resembled one."
He slowly tightened his grip upon the naginata.
"It has evolved."
"No..."
His expression darkened further.
"It has acquired another bloodline."
"...An Abyss bloodline."
Several veteran guards paled.
Even they had heard the stories.
Creatures touched by the Abyss no longer obeyed ordinary rules.
Captain Han turned sharply.
"You."
He pointed toward ten experienced cavalrymen.
"Sixth and Seventh Foundation Establishment."
"Hunt it."
"Immediately."
The chosen warriors saluted without hesitation.
Their Frost Wolves roared.
Moments later...
Ten streaks of white shot into the forest.
Vanishing between the ancient trees like arrows released from a bow.
Captain Han looked toward the remaining company.
"We return."
One guard hesitated.
"But the dragon—"
"Leave it."
"The Young Master's life comes first."
No one argued.
Bingya had finally reached Tianyu.
The Frost Wolf whimpered softly while nudging his partner.
Tianyu remained conscious.
Barely.
His face had already begun turning pale.
Dark veins slowly spread upward from a deep puncture wound near his shoulder.
Poison.
Captain Han knelt immediately.
His expression sank.
"...Damn."
The poison had entered.
Everything suddenly made sense.
The serpent had ignored everyone else.
Ignored easier targets.
Ignored opportunities.
Its mission had never been hunting.
It had come...
To assassinate Shen Tianyu.
Captain Han's fists clenched.
"I underestimated it."
He had prepared for a clever Foundation Establishment beast.
Instead...
He had faced something capable of traveling through shadows themselves.
Not merely hiding inside them.
His wind barrier had watched every direction.
Except...
Directly beneath the children.
He looked toward one of the cavalry.
"Place the Young Master on my wolf."
The guard obeyed immediately.
Bingya refused to leave Tianyu's side.
Captain Han did not stop him.
"If it returns..."
He said quietly,
"...it will come for him again."
Yun Che stood frozen where Tianyu had kicked him.
His chest still hurt from the impact.
He barely noticed.
His eyes never left his rival.
His friend.
Only minutes earlier...
They had been laughing.
Talking about future battles.
Promising to meet again in the Foundation Establishment Realm.
Now...
Dark poison spread across Tianyu's skin.
Yun Che's hands trembled.
His mind raced.
Think.
Do something.
Anything.
Nothing came.
No invention.
No plan.
No clever trick.
No rifle.
No sword.
Nothing could help.
For the first time since arriving in this world...
Yun Che truly understood what helplessness felt like.
Standing there...
Watching someone precious hover between life and death...
While he could do absolutely nothing.
It was...
Far more terrifying than any dragon.