The cave shook, growls reverberating through the stone. Ye Tian gripped his stolen short sword, its dull blade catching the faint glow of Xiao Lan's spirit stone. Shadowclaw Panthers prowled outside, their red eyes piercing the vine-covered entrance. A Stage 7 alpha led them, its aura heavy with killing intent. The Void Scar in Ye Tian's dantian burned, black Qi twisting his meridians.
Body Refinement Stage 2 was nothing against a pack this strong. But he was the Sword Sovereign, who once felled sects with a single strike. He'd carve through this, curse or no curse. Xiao Lan stood beside him, her short blade drawn, blood seeping through her bandaged arm. Her eyes were steady, but fear flickered beneath.
"Stay close," Ye Tian said, voice low. Xiao Lan nodded, gripping her blade tighter.
The vines tore apart. The alpha lunged, claws like black scythes slicing the air. Ye Tian moved, Body Sword Stance flowing like a river. His body became a blade, dodging the strike with precise footwork. His sword flashed, Iron Vein Slash cutting a shallow gash across the alpha's flank. Blood sprayed, the beast snarling as it recoiled.
Four more panthers surged in, their claws gleaming. Xiao Lan spun, her blade weaving a crescent arc laced with faint Sword Intent. Her strike slashed a panther's leg, blood splattering the cave floor. But the pack was relentless, circling with predatory grace.
Ye Tian ducked a claw, his fist slamming into a panther's jaw. Bone cracked, the beast staggering. The Void Scar erupted, pain lancing through his chest like a spear. His vision blurred, but he gritted his teeth, sword slashing. Iron Vein Slash bit another panther's side, its howl echoing.
Xiao Lan fought fiercely, her blade a blur. "Too many!" she shouted, parrying a claw that tore her sleeve. Blood dripped from her reopened wound, her face paling.
Ye Tian's mind raced. The alpha was the key—kill it, and the pack might break. But the Void Scar was crippling, slowing his strikes, threatening deviation. He needed more than skill. He needed his will.
He closed his eyes for a heartbeat, sinking into memory—skies torn, mountains split by his blade. Sword Intent stirred, the air humming with invisible force. His sword glowed faintly, the cave trembling under his aura's weight. Xiao Lan gasped, sensing the shift.
"Stay back!" Ye Tian roared. He lunged, Sword Intent guiding his blade. The alpha charged, claws gleaming. His sword met flesh, slashing deep into its shoulder. Blood gushed, the beast staggering. The pack froze, eyes wide with primal fear.
Xiao Lan seized the moment, her blade piercing a panther's side. Ye Tian pressed forward, Iron Vein Slash felling another, its body crumpling. The alpha roared, leaping with desperate fury. Ye Tian sidestepped, Body Sword Stance weaving through its claws. His sword struck, Sword Intent flaring, slicing the alpha's throat. Blood sprayed like a crimson fountain, the beast collapsing.
The pack howled, fleeing into the dark. Ye Tian panted, leaning on his sword, blood dripping from his thigh wound. The Void Scar burned, black Qi pulsing, but he'd won. Barely. Xiao Lan slumped against the wall, clutching her arm, her face pale.
"You're… really him," she whispered, eyes wide. "Sword Intent at Stage 2. Impossible."
Ye Tian wiped blood from his blade. "Told you."
She shook her head, half-laughing through the pain. "A cripple with that kind of will… you're mad."
The Void Scar throbbed, killing his smirk. "The tomb. The shadow. Talk."
Xiao Lan sat, rewrapping her wound with torn cloth. "I was scouting for Fallen Moon. We're scattered, hunted. My master, Elder Lian Yue, sent me to the Heavenly Sword Tomb. Said the seal's breaking was a sign."
"A sign of what?" Ye Tian asked, sitting across from her, the spirit stone's glow casting jagged shadows.
"The Sovereign's return," she said, voice soft. "I didn't believe her. Then I saw the shadow—human, but not. Its aura was cold, like death itself. It held a jade slip, glowing black, pulsing like it was alive."
Ye Tian's blood chilled. The shadowed figure from the cliff. The jade slip Wu mentioned. "Celestial Court?"
Xiao Lan nodded slowly. "Maybe. Or something older. It vanished when I got close. Then Iron Cloud started hunting me."
Ye Tian's fist clenched, the Void Scar pulsing as if in response. The Celestial Court—his true enemies, the ones who armed Lin Feng's betrayal, who watched as Zhao Wuji turned away. Was the shadow their agent? Or something worse?
"What else?" he pressed.
Xiao Lan hesitated. "The jade slip… it felt like it was watching. Like it knew me. Knew you."
Ye Tian stood, mind racing. A tracking artifact? A trap? He needed to find the survivor's stronghold, Elder Lian Yue. "Where's your master?"
"Blackpine's heart," Xiao Lan said, standing despite her wounds. "Fallen Moon's last stronghold. But it's dangerous. Heaven's Edge is closing in."
"Then we move," Ye Tian said, sheathing his sword. The Void Scar ached, but answers were worth the pain.
They left the cave, the forest silent now, the panther's blood soaking the ground. Ye Tian added more to his pouch, planning another Bone Tempering Ritual. The Void Scar would fight it, but he'd force his way to Stage 3.
Xiao Lan led, her steps light despite her injuries. Ye Tian followed, impressed. She was young, barely twenty, but her Sword Intent was refined, her will strong. Fallen Moon had trained her well.
The forest grew darker, the air heavier. Ye Tian's senses prickled, the Void Scar warning him. He glanced back—nothing, but the feeling of eyes lingered. The shadowed figure? Or Heaven's Edge?
They reached a river, its black waters reflecting the moonlight. Xiao Lan checked a bamboo slip, its carvings glowing faintly. "The stronghold's across," she said.
A twig snapped. Ye Tian spun, sword drawn. A figure stood on the riverbank—black robes, no emblem, face hidden. Body Refinement Stage 9, aura sharp with killing intent. Stronger than Luo Jian.
"Ye Tian," the figure said, voice a low rasp. "Heaven's Edge wants you."
Ye Tian gripped his sword, the Void Scar flaring. "Who are you?"
"A scout," the figure said, drawing a curved blade. "Your legend ends here."
Xiao Lan raised her blade, trembling but defiant. "One against two. Bad odds."
The scout laughed. "A wounded girl and a cripple? Easy."
Ye Tian's eyes narrowed. The Void Scar burned, threatening to cripple him mid-fight. But he was the Sword Sovereign. He'd bury this dog.
The scout moved, blade flashing like lightning. Ye Tian parried, Body Sword Stance deflecting the strike. Sparks flew, the impact jarring his wounded arm. Blood dripped, the Void Scar screaming. Xiao Lan lunged, her blade a crescent arc, grazing the scout's arm.
The scout spun, kicking Xiao Lan back. She hit the ground, gasping. Ye Tian roared, Iron Vein Slash slashing the air. The scout blocked, their blade glowing with dense Qi. The clash shook Ye Tian's bones, the Void Scar flooding his vision with black.
He stumbled, the scout's blade slashing his chest. Blood sprayed. Xiao Lan shouted, her blade blocking a second strike. Ye Tian forced himself up, Sword Intent surging. The air hummed, his sword glowing. He struck, the scout retreating, eyes wide under their hood.
"Impossible," the scout hissed, blood dripping from their arm.
Ye Tian pressed forward, strikes relentless. Body Sword Stance wove through the scout's guard, his sword grazing their side. Xiao Lan joined, her blade slashing the scout's leg. The scout cursed, vanishing into the forest, blood trailing.
Ye Tian panted, clutching his chest, blood soaking his robes. The Void Scar was a fire, but he stood. Xiao Lan grabbed his arm. "You're hurt."
"I'll live," he growled. "Heaven's Edge knows I'm awake."
Xiao Lan's face paled. "That was an elite scout. They'll send more."
Ye Tian nodded, gripping his sword. The shadowed figure, the jade slip, now this. Heaven's Edge was closing in, but they underestimated him. He'd cut through their net.
They crossed the river, the icy water stinging his wounds. On the far bank, Xiao Lan paused, staring into the dark. A faint black glow pulsed in the distance, like the jade slip's light. The mournful song rose again, closer, its notes heavy with power.
"That's not my master," Xiao Lan whispered, gripping her blade.
Ye Tian's eyes narrowed, the Void Scar pulsing. Was it the tomb's shadow? Or had Heaven's Edge set a deadlier trap?