Sun-flecked light filtered through the ancient canopy as the party moved towards the hidden spring. The forest, redolent with whispers of wind through leaf cover, bore testament to the sensitive balance between nature and power.
Su Vaen led on at a wary step, his senses long honed following days of relentless cultivation.
As they negotiated a bend on the trail, a deep, guttural roar shattered the peace. Emerging from the heavy undergrowth, a gigantic monstrosity—a Crimson Fanged Ape lurched into view. Eyes burning with primal determination, massive limbs shuddering with crude, untested power.
A Stage 9 Foundation Establishment monster, an avatar of the ferocity of the wild. The problem was it wasn't merely a stage 9 but a Quasi-Golden Core creature.
There was no hesitation as Prince Xian stepped forward. As the young master of the Xinyue Clan, he bore the seal of the Celestial Zephyr Bloodline—a bloodline for its mastery of wind.
He wore clothes embroidered with delicate patterns that appeared to echo the whirling gusts. As he moved, the clothes rustled. With a swift motion, he activated his personal skill,
Tempest Cleave.
Golden-blue gusts charged from his sword, slicing through the air as he attacked in a methodical strike to the flank of the beast.
The power behind his strike was tangible—a testament to his Stage 5 Foundation Establishment cultivation and his unceasing training.
By his side, Princess Xinyue Mei demonstrated another type of beauty. Her face, fine and delicate, concealed ferocity inherited from the same Celestial Zephyr Bloodline.
With jade-glinting eyes, she moved steadily despite the peril that lay before her.
When the beast directed its wrath against her, she used her innate strength—Zephyr Lash.
A sparkling ribbon of wind curled around her skeletal arm, unspooling like a lash. With a wrist-flick, a whiplash of unadorned wind sliced through the air, catching the beast off guard and sending it stumbling back.
Su Vaen watched intently from the sidelines. Though inherently a guardian and silent observer, his keen Dimensional Perception allowed him to analyze each nuance of the battle.
He witnessed the precision of Prince Xian's Tempest Cleave—each blow, calculated and imbued with the fury of a tempest.
The prince's move was not just a display of raw power but also an expression of trained artistry, an open display of his blue blood and rigorous training.
Likewise, Princess Xinyue Mei's Zephyr Lash was a study in elegance and lethal precision.
Her technique, although less overtly forceful than her brother's, carried an unpredictable quality—like a gentle breeze that could suddenly turn into a slicing gust.
It was clear that her cultivation, at Stage 3 Foundation Establishment, was not to be underestimated. Her wind skill was already maturing, hinting at a deeper potential waiting to be unlocked.
The Crimson Faced Ape let out a blood-curdling scream as the twins' coordinated attacks battered its defenses.
Its gargantuan frame shook under the relentless pounding, and blood sprayed onto the forest floor.
But the beast's willpower did not waver. In one final bid to escape its inevitable demise, it faced away from the imperial heirs and charged with renewed ferocity toward Su Vaen.
Time was slow on fast forward mode as the beast that was wounded stormed forward. Su Vaen's senses braked to awareness; his inward vision absorbed it all—the gulping gasps of the animal, the terror in its fierce eyes, and the raw potential of its thrust.
Though he wished to keep his talents hidden, now if he needs to keep going, then he has to give this creature a test of his new learned ability.
With quiet determination, Su Vaen stepped into the beast's path. His sword, ever faithful at his side, glinted in the dappled shade as he unsheathed it in a smooth, deliberate action.
The beast's charge had it running dangerously close, and in that moment, Su Vaen struck with the precision of an experienced warrior. His sword sliced through the air, crashing into the onrushing mass of the creature in a last, killing blow—a blow that severed the beast from life.
The creature gave one last, anguished scream before it crashed, its massive body landing in the underbrush.
Silence reigned for a brief moment as the forest absorbed the echoes of battle. Prince Xian's golden aura flickered as he took in the aftermath, his eyes reflecting a mix of awe and respect.
Princess Xinyue Mei's expression softened as she observed Su Vaen's final strike—a testament to a power hidden beneath quiet resolve.
Su Vaen, breathing hard from the battle, buckled his sword and surveyed the clearing. His personal assessment was clear: while the imperial successors had fought with their refined elegance of Celestial Zephyr Bloodline, his own strength—mellowed in solitude and unbending scholarship of the Tenebris Energy Path—had prevailed as well.
Prince Xian was the first to speak. "Su Vaen… Your attack was conclusive. It was an impression that we cannot ignore." His tone was infused with genuine interest in their guide's silence.
Princess Xinyue Mei, whose eyes sparkled with awe and mute challenge, replied softly, "Yes. That was not as bad as I thought for a blind man." Her voice carried the force of a princess's command and the personal acknowledgment of his worth.
The field was quiet now, the injured monster a testament to how fiercely they had met. But in the stillness, the three stood together as if bound by a shared sense of the strength that coursed through them—each of them a living embodiment of old customs and new determination.
As the tension slowly dissipated, Su Vaen addressed them in a repressed tone.
"Our ride does not end here. I will take you to the secret spring instead. There, I will bring you to an isolated sanctuary where you can bathe yourselves in the dust of battle and in the weight of our sufferings today."
Prince Xian approved with a nod "Lead on.".
Princess Xinyue Mei's gaze softened, a faint smile playing on her lips. "We are in your charge, Su Vaen. Show us the way."
And so, amidst the fading cries of the beast's final scream and the gentle hum of the forest returning to its pace, the three pressed onward. Su Vaen led them on, his quiet assurance.
His silent assessment of the heirs of the empire had deepened his respect for them, and his own resolve to perfect the Tenebris Energy Path glowed hotter than ever.
At that moment, while the waning light of noon filtered through the branches.