The cheers from the Chen Clan camp still echoed behind him as Chen Yuan slipped away from the noise. His shoulder throbbed from the weight of the axe, but the pain was already fading, replaced by that familiar deep warmth spreading from within.
He found a secluded spot behind a cluster of boulders at the edge of the valley and sat down, closing his eyes.
Inside the Beast Space, the small forest had grown noticeably thicker. Roots ran deeper into the soil. The air carried the scent of ancient wood and damp earth. Small motes of green-gold light drifted lazily between the trees.
Xuan waited at the center — a large turtle whose dark shell was wrapped with a thick black snake, both perfectly still. The creature radiated an ancient, immovable presence, like a mountain that had stood for centuries.
A slow, heavy pulse passed between them. No words. Only a deep, grounding weight — approval, mixed with quiet warning.
Chen Yuan exhaled. The fight against the three Zhou subordinates had been short but brutal. They had cornered him shortly after the public match, sneering about "minor clan tricks" and "lucky strikes." They learned quickly that the axe did not care for numbers or excuses. One had fled with a broken arm. The others had been left groaning on the ground.
Another faint pulse came from Xuan. Heavy. Steady. Enough.
Chen Yuan's lips curved into a small, sharp smile. Good.
He remained inside the space longer than intended, letting vitality flow. New shoots pushed through the soil around Xuan. The canopy above grew slightly denser. The turtle-snake pair sat like a living anchor — ancient, proud, and patient — reinforcing the same truth Chen Yuan had always believed: true strength took time, and those who rushed would eventually be overtaken by those who waited.
When he finally opened his eyes, night had fallen over the valley. New figures waited near the boulders — two more wearing Zhou colors, watching his hiding spot with open hostility. One held a message token. The other kept his hand near his weapon, eyes narrowed.
Chen Yuan stood slowly, brushing dust from his sleeves. He felt Xuan's heavy presence settle deeper inside him, calm and unyielding.
The game had grown