Chapter: Prison of Clouds and Blood
The moment Mystic's golden cloud cushion expanded beneath them, the exhaustion from the last brutal matches melted away.
Jin Minhe sighed dramatically, letting himself sink deep into the soft, rolling vapor. "Finally—something softer than cafeteria buns. I thought I'd never live to feel this again."
Min Zhao rolled her eyes, but the corner of her lips tugged upward. "Only you would compare a divine beast's cloud to food."
"Not just any food," Jin Minhe corrected, raising a finger. "Buns. The kind that's fluffy on the outside but still collapses in your mouth. This—" he patted the cloud like a pillow, "—is bun-level softness."
Liang Chenwu let out a low exhale. "You're insufferable."
Fan Yumei sat with calm poise, Mystic humming beneath her. Zhou Qian leaned back, scanning the horizon, while Kai Shi rested one hand on the hilt of his blade.
For a heartbeat, the group looked less like competitors in a deadly trial and more like weary friends catching their breath.
But peace never lasted long here.
The cloud shuddered. A ripple of force tore through the cushion.
"Hold—!" Fan Yumei started, but the command broke off as the cloud split.
The six were ripped apart in a blinding flash of light. Yumei, Zhou Qian, and Kai Shi were swallowed by one current, while Jin Minhe, Min Zhao, and Liang Chenwu were hurled into another.
The sensation was violent, as though the sky itself had turned into an ocean current pulling them under.
When the light finally dimmed, the three landed hard—splashing into frigid water.
⸻
They surfaced in pitch-blackness. The only sound was the echo of dripping water and the faint swirl of waves against unseen walls.
Jin Minhe spat out water, coughing. "Ugh—salt water. Not even fresh. Whoever designed this prison clearly never cared about good broth base."
Min Zhao pushed her soaked hair out of her face. "Forget broth. Where are we?"
Liang Chenwu's eyes narrowed as he tested the qi currents. His voice came out flat, matter-of-fact. "Underground. The resonance feels… old. Sealed. This place isn't for humans."
"Perfect," Jin Minhe muttered. "We finally find a quiet place to nap, and fate drops us into some haunted dungeon."
As they treaded the water, faint glowing runes flickered along the stone walls. The water slowly receded, leaving them standing on damp ground within a massive underground chamber.
Min Zhao shivered. "It feels like we've been dumped inside a grave."
"No." Liang Chenwu's tone was colder. "A prison."
Jin Minhe gave a weak laugh. "Great. I always wanted to break into prison. Guess we're overachievers."
⸻
They spent the rest of the day exploring the endless stone passages. The deeper they went, the clearer the truth became: this was no ordinary dungeon.
Chambers were lined with chains thick as trees. Runes etched into walls still hummed faintly, though most had long lost their glow. Fossilized bones the size of carriages lay half-buried beneath broken slabs.
"Look at this," Jin Minhe muttered, running a hand along one massive shackle. His usual playful tone dimmed. "Even my panda would snap in half if this thing wrapped around it. Just what kind of monsters did they keep down here?"
"Mythical creatures," Liang Chenwu answered quietly.
"Good," Jin Minhe said, trying to grin. "Maybe they left behind a kitchen too. A mythical stew pot or something."
Min Zhao gave him a shove. "Stop joking for once."
"I'm not joking," Jin Minhe protested, then sighed. "Okay, maybe a little."
Exploration yielded rewards too. They stumbled across armories half-collapsed, yet still glittering with weapon racks. Though many blades were rusted beyond repair, some treasures remained untouched, sealed by protective wards.
Min Zhao's eyes widened as she pulled free a pair of daggers glowing faint blue. "These still hum with qi—listen to it."
"—and they balance well." Liang Chenwu tested a spear he had retrieved, its shaft wrapped in storm-cloud patterns. "Not bad."
Jin Minhe, meanwhile, had already donned a breastplate etched with faint golden clouds. He turned, grinning, posing like a model. "Behold! The perfect match to Yumei's whale. You think she'll let me ride Mystic while wearing this? Talk about a themed combo!"
"You look ridiculous," Liang Chenwu deadpanned.
Min Zhao smirked. "Ridiculous, but… matching."
Jin Minhe puffed up his chest. "See? Zhao gets it."
"Don't drag me into your delusions," she retorted, though her laugh betrayed her.
Laughter eased the oppressive atmosphere for a moment.
⸻
Then they saw it.
Beyond a broken archway, floating within a chamber of liquid light, was a set of whale armor.
It was massive—shaped in resemblance to Mystic, but forged of translucent cloud-forged scales. Golden patterns shimmered across the plates, its aura alive, as though it had once belonged to a divine beast.
Min Zhao's jaw dropped. "It looks just like…"
"Like Mystic's kin dressed for battle?" Jin Minhe whispered. "Do whales even hold family reunions where they show off armor sets?"
The armor gave a low, mournful hum. The sound echoed through their bones.
Min Zhao stepped forward, determination flaring in her gaze. She summoned her beast space, and with a ripple of qi, she pulled the whale armor into storage.
Both boys froze.
"…You just—" Jin Minhe's jaw hung open. "You just casually scooped up divine whale armor into your pocket dimension like it was a melon at the market."
Min Zhao smirked, folding her arms. "Captain Fan Yumei deserves gifts. I'll deliver it when we find her."
Liang Chenwu's lips twitched, though his voice stayed dry. "Hope you kept the receipt."
Jin Minhe slapped his forehead. "Oh great, now when sister Yumei asks what we found, I have to say: 'Nothing much, just some weapons, oh and Zhao grabbed a spare whale armor set.' She'll think we're insane."
Min Zhao raised a brow. "You think she'll be angry?"
"No," Jin Minhe said grimly. "She'll just be delighted… and probably drag all of us into a sparring session to test every piece of this armor and those weapons against us and our beasts. I'm not sure whether to be terrified or honored."
——To be continued——