Chapter 15 – Storm over the Western Peaks
The sky over Qinghe's western ridge darkened before dawn. Thick clouds gathered around the jagged peaks, flashing intermittently with silent lightning. The villagers below whispered that a storm was coming — but only those sensitive to qi felt the deeper truth beneath the wind.
Ren Yu stood at the base of the mountains, cloak whipping in the rising gusts. Lira adjusted the strap of her blade beside him, her breath forming faint mist. Behind them, the faint outline of the Eastern Monastery disappeared into the haze, its bells tolling one last time as if to warn them of the path ahead.
"The Western Peaks," Lira murmured. "They say even cultivators lose their way up there."
Ren Yu's gaze traced the spiraling path that climbed into the clouds. "That's because the mountain itself is alive. The second seal won't hide in a place untouched by will."
He stepped forward. The stones beneath his boots shimmered faintly with residual qi. Even without reaching the summit, he could feel it — a pulse that resonated faintly with his own heartbeat, like a distant echo calling him home.
The Journey Upward
The climb was brutal.Every hundred meters, the air grew thinner, saturated with traces of elemental power. Wisps of frozen lightning crackled across the cliffs, forming veins of light that hummed like a heartbeat.
Ren Yu moved in silence, each step deliberate. The energy within him — the twin currents of gold and silver — shifted subtly, guiding his pace.
Lira followed behind, though even she struggled against the density of the qi. "This place feels wrong," she said. "Like it's… remembering something."
"It is," Ren Yu replied quietly. "This mountain was once part of the Heavenly Bridge — before it fell to earth. The seals were made from its fragments."
Her eyes widened. "Then this isn't just a mountain…"
"It's a tomb," Ren Yu said.
By midday, they reached a plateau overlooking a deep ravine. A ruined shrine stood at its center, half-buried in snow and stone. The air here shimmered faintly — not with light, but with memory. When Ren Yu stepped closer, the shrine walls pulsed with runic script, reacting to the energy in his veins.
Lira crouched, tracing a broken sigil with her gloved fingers. "These markings… they're the same as the ones we saw at the monastery."
Ren Yu nodded. "But older. This place predates human cultivation. It's part of the dragon's path — the trial of rebirth."
Before she could respond, thunder cracked across the valley. A gust of wind tore through the plateau, scattering snow like shards of glass. Ren Yu turned sharply — his instincts flaring.
Something massive moved in the fog.
The Wind Hunter
It emerged slowly: a beast shaped from mist and lightning, its form never fully solid. Its body was serpentine, its eyes burning white-hot. It circled them once, and every turn sent the air howling.
Lira raised her sword. "Another Guardian?"
Ren Yu shook his head, eyes narrowing. "No. This one isn't bound by the seals. It's a remnant — a fragment of the heavens themselves."
The creature roared, and the sound wasn't just noise — it was vibration, tearing through their bones. Lira stumbled, covering her ears.
Ren Yu stepped forward. "Stay back."
He extended his hand, drawing upon the Path of Two Suns. Golden fire burst from one palm; silver wind from the other. The energies whirled together, forming a spiraling shield that deflected the storm's impact.
The creature lunged.
Ren Yu pivoted, letting the storm's energy flow past him. His movements had changed — smoother, more balanced. The two forces within him now flowed in rhythm, each movement guided by instinct rather than calculation.
When the beast's claw descended, Ren Yu countered — not by force, but by direction. Silver wind coiled around its limb, slowing it, while golden fire struck through the gap. The attack hit its mark, searing through the creature's chest in a burst of radiant heat.
The monster howled, its form breaking apart into threads of lightning that vanished into the air.
Lira lowered her sword slowly. "You've gotten stronger," she said, her voice half awe, half disbelief.
Ren Yu didn't answer immediately. He was still watching the sky — where faint trails of energy spiraled upward, forming a sigil against the clouds.
"That wasn't just a test," he said quietly. "It was a warning."
The Echo of the Past
They made camp at the edge of the plateau that night. The storm had quieted, though the clouds above glowed faintly with internal lightning, illuminating the mountain in flashes.
Lira sat near the fire, sharpening her blade. "You said this mountain was part of the Heavenly Bridge," she began. "If that's true… what was the Bridge for?"
Ren Yu's eyes reflected the firelight. "The Bridge connected realms — mortal and divine. But it wasn't meant for travel. It was a seal itself. A way to keep the divine bloodlines from consuming the world."
He paused, his voice lowering. "My ancestor broke that balance. When he sealed the Gates, he used his own essence to split the divine qi from the mortal one. That's why the Veins exist — fragments of that lost power."
Lira frowned. "Then why are they awakening again now?"
Ren Yu looked toward the distant horizon, where faint golden and silver threads of energy drifted through the clouds. "Because something — or someone — is unsealing what he once locked away."
The Call of the Peaks
At dawn, they reached the mountain's summit.
There, nestled in a hollow of black stone, stood a massive circular gate — carved entirely from obsidian and etched with symbols older than time. Lightning coiled within its frame, frozen in place, forming what looked like a spiral storm trapped in stillness.
Ren Yu stepped closer. The markings glowed faintly in response to his presence.
Lira touched the gate's surface and instantly pulled back, her hand trembling. "It's… alive."
Ren Yu nodded. "The Second Seal — the Gate of Storms."
A faint voice echoed through the wind — low, feminine, and ancient.
"Child of the Broken Lineage… you who carry both suns… why do you seek the storm's heart?"
Ren Yu bowed his head slightly. "To understand the sin of my blood — and to end what my ancestor began."
The voice replied softly, mournfully:
"Then prepare yourself. The storm remembers the Betrayer's name."
Lightning surged outward. The gate burst open — and beyond it, a void of pure elemental chaos beckoned.
Ren Yu glanced at Lira once, his gaze steady. "Whatever happens, don't follow me in."
She caught his arm. "Ren—"
He smiled faintly, his eyes glowing gold and silver. "This is the path of rebirth."
And without hesitation, Ren Yu stepped into the storm.