Yun Qiang woke up at dawn. His eyes brimming with joy at the sight of the familiar dirty tent above him. The worn out canvas, the stained bedroll, and the familiar stench of wet earth. Everything was exactly as he remembered.
I did it... I'm back...
His lips curled up into a smile as two uncontrollable streams of tears flowed out of his eyes, leaving clear lines on his face. He let out a low laugh, barely believing he was still alive after what he had experienced. He tilted his head to the side, wanting to see his companions; it felt like an eternity had passed since he last saw them.
However, just as Lee entered his vision, pain exploded inside his mind.
An uncontrollable stream of information flooded his thoughts, blurring his vision.
He unconsciously let out a low groan as panic assaulted him.
Another dream?!
Fear flashed in his eyes. He didn't want to go back there. Not after what he had just experienced; he tried to calm himself down, maybe it was something else.
Maybe it's just a—
The information abruptly stopped, leaving him still conscious on his bed. Sweat drenched his clothes, his hand tightly clenching his bedroll.
He breathed a sigh of relief, nobody was trying to pull him into another nightmare. His heart slowed down, a sudden wave of tiredness washing over him. Even if he had just finished sleeping, he felt mentally exhausted.
He slowly moved into a sitting position, fearing he might fall asleep if he remained lying down. He forced himself upright. His breathing became steadier as he adjusted, his heartbeat slowing, his mind gradually clearing as he sorted through everything that had happened in the span of a single night.
Then, with a wary expression, he started shifting through the information he had just received.
When this kind of thing had happened in the past, information was forcefully beamed into his mind, forcing him to learn it on the spot. But this time it was different. It felt like the knowledge had simply been placed in his mind, like a book waiting to be opened.
Curiosity appeared in Yun Qiang's eyes, as a thought firmly settled in his mind.
A reward?
He started reading the information that he had just received.
Two hours later...
Yun Qiang was sitting on his bedroll, his eyes unfocused. He had just finished sorting and reading the information he had just received.
"A palm technique...."
He couldn't help but murmur these words, his gaze slowly falling on his open palms. He started slowly rubbing his hands, carefully feeling every callus and imperfection on them.
The technique he had received was called "Thousand Clouds Palm", a technique that relied on a constant output of Qi, and a strange formation to summon a series of clouds to strengthen a palm strike. The casting speed was extremely fast, and it had a low Qi consumption, making it an extremely suitable technique for fighters that specialized in hand to hand combat.
But it wasn't speed or efficiency that made Yun Qiang's heart race. It was the rank.
According to the information that he had read, the "Thousand Clouds Palm" was categorized as a "Golden Core" technique. This meant that this move wouldn't become obsolete when he reached a higher realm, instead it would evolve and improve with his realm, until it reached the Golden Core realm.
Having a Golden Core technique was something extremely rare for lone cultivators. Usually, techniques that had a Golden Core rank or higher were reserved for inner disciples of big sects or heirs from prestigious families. It wasn't something that a low level soldier like him could access.
Yun Qiang tightened his knuckles, the scene of his counterpart taking down the colossal monk with this move was clearly etched in his memory. That monk wasn't someone a normal cultivator could dispatch with a single move like his counterpart did. Yun Qiang had managed to kill the man simply because he had an unlimited amount of tries and was willing to risk his life to win. Even then, the best he had managed was mutual annihilation. A pyrrhic victory, if it was considered a victory at all.
He bit his lips, a faint taste of iron spread across his tongue. The feeling of disappointment and frustration still lingered in his heart.
However....
He paused for a second, doubt flashing in his eyes.
I don't know if this technique fits me....
The "Thousand Clouds Palm" was an incredibly precious technique, however if it didn't fit him then it was the equivalent of throwing pearls to swine. It didn't matter how precious or strong a technique was, if it didn't fit its user then it was completely useless.
He silently massaged his temples. Too many things had happened in the span of a single night. After barely surviving a maddening nightmare, another decision had already been thrown his way.
How was he supposed to know if this was the right technique for him, did he have to waste a bunch of time training and testing it? He was still in the middle of a war, wasting time wasn't a luxury he had. Besides, he didn't have much experience when it came to casting and training techniques. Except for the Blood Spear, he had never trained anything else.
He let out a turbulent breath. He wanted to ask Voss for advice… but how could he possibly explain it? Was he supposed to tell him he had learned a palm technique from a dream?
A sudden sting on his hand made him glance down.
A small scratch had reopened, and a few drops of blood were dripping from it.
Wait a second...
A sudden thought hit him, he instinctively extended his fingertips.
As his fingers got closer, the blood slowly parted, making way for them. In that moment Yun Qiang could feel it, if he released just a little Qi the blood would respond to him. It was ready to solidify into a spear, it only needed his command.
He was still able to cast Blood Spear.
A satisfied smile formed on his lips.
It looks like my effort paid off in the end.
His gaze slowly sharpened. A flicker of surprise occasionally flashed on his face as he guided a few droplets into a small sphere the size of a pebble. The blood obeyed without hesitation, hovering above his palm as if suspended by invisible threads.
It felt strange. When he had manipulated the blood in his dreams it felt different. In his dreams the blood seemed static, almost reluctant to let him take control.
But here. Here it was different.
The way the blood moved, how it reacted, it was as if it wanted to be guided. It was like a trained beast, eagerly awaiting its master's orders.
He moved his gaze towards the tent's roof, his mind slowly piecing together the truth. A stupefied expression was stamped on his face.
He had never failed to cast Blood Spear, and it only took him a few attempts to master it. By the end of the nightmare casting Blood Spear had become second nature to him, making him able to use it in combat or emergency situations. On top of this, he could easily estimate how much Qi and blood were needed to create a single spear.
The tent felt unnaturally quiet. The small sphere trembled for a moment before dissolving back into droplets that slid down his palm.
His smile turned cold.
I can't let others discover this.
He started bandaging his scratched hand. His face was calm, and his movements were precise, only the slight trembling of his fingers betrayed his true state.
"Hey are you good?"
Sun's tired voice reached him, as his sleepy face entered his field of vision.
Yun Qiang stopped what he was doing. His mind instantly wondering if Sun saw him manipulating his own blood.
"Yes..." he showed him a bloody bandage.
"An old scratch has reopened, I was checking it. I don't want to develop an infection."
Sun looked at him, his smile trembling for a second as he patted him on the back.
"Then wash it and get ready, it's almost time for our daily scouting." He yawned. "We don't want enemies to get too close to our camp."
Then Sun exited the tent, his hands imitating the back and forth gesture that Voss used to get them to move faster.
Yun Qiang watched him leave, his face full of suspicion. He could swear Sun had paused when he heard his excuse.
He shook his head, his mind slowly reaching for the spear.
No. Sun won't betray me.
He started shaking off the dust from his robe, his mind becoming increasingly clear with every movement.
I shouldn't be suspicious, we lived through too many things together.
Sun wasn't the type to report his teammates; besides, playing with a few drops of blood could hardly be considered "Blood cultivation."
"Qiang! Voss is waiting for us!"
It was Lee's voice. Yun Qiang tightened the grip on his spear, throwing his preoccupation to the back of his mind. He was still in the middle of the war, being investigated for "Blood cultivation" was the last of his problems. The main problem was always the same.
He had to survive another day.
Sun was walking around the camp, his steps neither fast nor slow, his back straight as a spear. Occasionally a soldier would throw a tired gaze at him, but no one stopped him or asked what he was doing.
The morale seems to have fallen by another level...
Scenes from the past flashed before his eyes. Soldiers socializing around the campfire, laughing while making bold claims about their feats and strengths.
All of that was gone now. In the span of three months everything had changed.
After losing more than seventy soldiers in the first battle, the legion's morale had crumbled and their numbers had started to dwindle after every skirmish.
Sun could hardly remember a week where he didn't hear about a team complete wipeout or some deserting soldiers.
Now more than half of their legion was gone.
The only thing that kept the soldiers from collapsing and running away was Commander Tang's presence and the threat of being branded a deserter.
He sped up his pace, as he passed a group of dazed soldiers.
Even though he had grown used to many things, scenes like this still made him uncomfortable.
The sight of traumatized soldiers wasting away.
Their empty, dazed eyes that stared into nothingness. The jumpiness in their movements as if someone was still hunting them down. Even their hollow conversations.
It unsettled him.
To him fighting was a test of skill. About effort, determination, and honor.
However, seeing these soldiers forced him to constantly face reality. Honor, effort, and determination weren't the ideals of a war, they were the ideals of tournaments and spars.
For a second the scene of Yun Qiang staring at his injuries flashed before his eyes. A chill ran down his spine.
No! No. No. He is not like them.
He sped up his pace once again, refusing the possibility of his friend being as traumatized as the soldiers he saw around the camp.
Soon he arrived at his destination. It was a small tent in a silent corner of the camp. Voss was already there. His armor was pristine as always while his face looked at ease, making everyone around him feel more secure just by looking at him.
However, Sun knew there was bad news, because Voss was keeping his arms behind his back. Something he only did when bad things happened.
Are they changing your unit?
The question crossed his mind, but Sun didn't voice it. Voss was a good leader, one of the few people they could truly trust in the entire military. Besides, asking something like that would make him seem eager to let Voss go or even replace him.
So after saluting, he resigned himself to waiting. Voss would tell them the news only when every one of them was present.
Later...
Sun walked in the forest, side by side with Yun Qiang.
His gaze constantly scanned his surroundings, searching for traces of enemies or anything that could threaten their camp.
Sometimes his eyes would stop to look at Yun Qiang.
Mmmh, is he better now?
Yun Qiang's eyes were different from before. Actually, this kind of switch had happened before. Being a close friend to him, he had seen him change during the war. Sometimes he was determined, sometimes disheartened, sometimes even indecisive and doubtful.
However, he had never seen him this way.
The cold glint in his eyes felt out of place. It wasn't like the hopeful light that he usually carried.
Suddenly Yun Qiang spoke, his tone friendly but alert.
"What do you think of our situation?"
Even as he spoke, his eyes never stopped scanning the forest.
"You mean our mission?" Sun replied in a hushed voice. "Dividing us into two groups is strange, but w—"
Yun Qiang cut him off.
"No. I meant Voss." He looked directly into Sun's eyes. "How long will he stay with us?"
For a brief moment, Sun thought he saw distress flicker in Yun Qiang's gaze.
He's still the same.
The cold expression was probably just another mask.
"I don't know." Sun gently patted Yun Qiang's back, a habit he had picked up after Brook's death. "Don't worry. He won't leave us."
As he said this, he couldn't meet Yun Qiang's gaze. In reality, he didn't truly believe it. Voss was a valuable asset in this war. There was no reason to let him stay in a small scouting unit like theirs.
Suddenly Yun Qiang grabbed Sun's wrist, stopping him mid-pat. His steps stopped abruptly as he tried to free his hand. However, Yun Qiang's grip was firm and decisive, not giving him any chance to free himself. They locked eyes. Yun Qiang's annoyance reflected in Sun's clear eyes.
"Don't try to comfort me." An exhausted look flickered across his face.
"I know you mean well, but I'm not a child. I know Voss is too valuable, I was just asking for information."
Sun froze, unable to speak.
It was true, after Brook's death, he had taken the habit of comforting Yun Qiang every time he seemed unsure or expressed his doubts. Only now did he realize his mistake and how it could be considered as not taking his friend seriously.
He softly clicked his tongue, lowering his eyes, trying to escape his friend's gaze. A slight flush rose to his face. It had been a while since he had felt this ashamed of something.
Yun Qiang must have noticed, because he released him and resumed scanning the forest.
"I don't know."
There was a moment of silence before Sun tentatively added, "I'm sorry, I didn't mean to offend you."
Yun Qiang shook his head.
"It's fine.... Just don't force it, there is no need to comfort me every time I speak."
He let out a turbulent breath.
"Sun, you are a good friend. Let's stay like this, eh?"
This time it was Yun Qiang who patted Sun on the back. However, his was an energetic and playful pat, forcing Sun to stumble forward. A mischievous smile crossed Yun Qiang's face.
For a moment, the tension of the war seemed to fade, and the two of them returned to their old selves, pushing and teasing each other as if they were going fishing in the river near their old sect.
Their laughter and smiles filled the surrounding forest as they took a few crooked steps.
However, this moment was short lived, as a sudden sound from a nearby bush sent them into full alert. Sun's gaze sharpened as he instantly moved into an offensive position ready to strike. He was about to launch his attack when Yun Qiang's voice interrupted him.
"Rabbit."
Sun stopped, giving him a strange look. Yun Qiang had already broken his combat stance, returning to a normal walking position.
"Are you sure?"
He had barely the time to finish his question when an injured rabbit exited the bush and ran in the direction opposite to them, proving Yun Qiang's guess right.
Sun's tense expression turned into a surprised one.
"How did you know? Did you see it beforehand?"
Yun Qiang lightly shook his head, restarting his march.
"It smelled different."
"Smelled?" Sun echoed his words, asking for a more precise explanation, but Yun Qiang stayed silent.
However, he didn't dwell on it. Cultivators often had sharper senses than ordinary people. Perhaps Yun Qiang's sense of smell was simply better, and he was embarrassed to admit it.
He hastened his pace, recovering the distance that had formed between them.
"By the way, when did your grip become so strong?" Sun shifted his spear to his shoulder while massaging his wrist. "It still hurts."
Yun Qiang shrugged.
"Oh. I just trained grappling, you should try it in your free time."
For a second Sun wondered where Yun Qiang had found the time to train something so unique.
"Sure, let's train together next time."
He moved his spear to the side, letting it clank with Yun Qiang's. A small salute their team had developed.
Yun Qiang gave a rare, genuine smile.
"Yes, let's train together next time."
Sun smiled.
Even if it was a little colder, he was still the same Yun Qiang. His best friend.