Chapter 38: Before the Final Duel
Three months passed.
Winter slowly loosened its grip upon Mistforge.
The scars left by the Beast Tide and the Abyss Incident gradually disappeared beneath the rhythm of ordinary life.
For Yun Che...
Those three months became the busiest—and happiest—months he had experienced since arriving in this world.
He was now fourteen years old.
Mistforge astonished him.
If Earth had taught him what modern engineering could accomplish...
This world taught him what cultivation could achieve.
Broken walls rose again within weeks.
Collapsed streets were rebuilt stronger than before.
Watchtowers became taller.
The defensive formations beneath the city doubled in number.
Every citizen seemed to contribute.
Blacksmiths forged.
Stone masons carved.
Rune Masters engraved.
Formation Masters strengthened foundations.
Even ordinary cultivators carried stones that would have required cranes back on Earth.
Mistforge did not simply recover.
It evolved.
Then...
Lord Shen did something no one expected.
He announced that the city would be expanded.
Not repaired.
Expanded.
Yun Che thought it would take years.
He was wrong.
One week later...
A guest arrived.
The man came from far beyond the neighboring kingdoms.
His destination alone was enough to become the subject of tavern gossip for days.
He was the Sect Master of the Titan Earth Sovereign Sect, one of the great earth-element sects belonging to the Kingdom of Tianyuan.
Tianyuan was one of the great central kingdoms lying between the continent's mighty empires.
Whenever empires went to war...
Those kingdoms inevitably became battlefields.
Their people survived only because they had become unimaginably strong.
The visitor's name was Shi Kun, an enormous middle-aged man with bronze skin, a thick beard, and laughter that shook windows.
Unlike Lord Shen's elegant appearance...
Shi Kun looked more like a mountain that had somehow learned to walk.
The moment he saw the ruined mountain range...
He scratched his beard.
"So..."
"You managed to make quite a mess."
Lord Shen simply smiled.
"You owe me."
Shi Kun sighed dramatically.
"I knew reminding you of that favor years ago would come back to haunt me."
Despite the complaint...
He rolled up his sleeves.
Then...
He placed one hand upon the earth.
The entire world trembled.
Mountains answered.
Deep beneath the ground...
The land moved.
Not collapsed.
Moved.
Miles away, a vast plain slowly lowered.
At the same time...
Broken cliffs near Mistforge began rising.
Stone flowed like water.
Entire hills migrated across the landscape.
Trees remained standing as the earth carried them toward their new homes.
No explosions.
No violence.
Only impossible precision.
For nearly half an hour...
Shi Kun patiently reshaped the mountains while making certain rivers continued flowing correctly and beast habitats remained undisturbed.
When he finally stepped back...
The missing mountain range had returned.
Not identical.
But complete.
Yun Che could only stare.
"...He..."
"...moved a mountain."
Lord Shen smiled faintly.
"Not quite."
"He moved several."
The work was not yet finished.
Lord Shen stepped forward.
He raised one hand.
Blue light spread across the newly formed peaks.
Within a single minute...
A blizzard descended.
Snow buried the fresh stone.
Frozen rivers formed naturally.
The temperature dropped until the mountains looked as though they had existed unchanged for thousands of years.
The two men exchanged a satisfied nod.
To them...
It seemed entirely ordinary.
To everyone watching...
It was divine.
Standing among the crowd...
Yun Che finally understood.
Spirit Transformation...
No.
This is what true power looks like.
Stories claiming such cultivators could erase cities...
No longer sounded exaggerated.
The rebuilding did not stop there.
The Abyss Incident had exposed weaknesses.
Lord Shen corrected every one of them.
Rune Masters arrived from distant cities.
Formation Masters accepted generous contracts.
Mistforge's defensive network expanded until even Captain Han admitted it had become nearly impossible to infiltrate unnoticed.
The city became stronger than it had ever been.
Nor were the people forgotten.
Every warrior who had fought during the Beast Tide received rewards.
Those who had broken through received cultivation resources.
Outstanding hunters earned better equipment.
Talented children received scholarships.
Families that had suffered losses received compensation.
Many citizens advanced one or even two cultivation stages during those three months.
Mistforge had survived disaster.
Now...
It prospered because of it.
The Yun Smithy also entered a new era.
By Lord Shen's decree...
It officially became the exclusive military workshop serving the Marquis of Mistforge.
Every cannon.
Every grenade.
Every defensive mine.
Every new battlefield invention.
Would bear the Yun name.
Other cities wishing to purchase such equipment now required Lord Shen's authorization first.
Yun Jian nearly fainted upon hearing the official announcement.
His modest smithy had become one of the territory's most important workshops overnight.
The city walls changed dramatically.
Heavy cannons now overlooked every major approach.
Even low-stage Mortal Realm soldiers could contribute during a siege.
Minefields were buried beyond the walls.
Steel wire barriers stretched through the surrounding forests, leaving only guarded entrances into the territory.
Mistforge had transformed from a mountain city...
Into a fortress.
Something else changed as well.
After the battle...
Many families had refused to release the injured beasts they had cared for.
Children cried whenever soldiers suggested returning them to the mountains.
Parents quietly adopted them instead.
Lord Shen simply watched.
Then...
He laughed.
"If the people wish to live beside beasts..."
"Then let them learn properly."
A month later...
Beast Taming officially became part of the public curriculum.
Every child under twelve already attended the city's public academy.
There they learned reading and writing.
Arithmetic.
History.
The laws governing Mistforge.
Basic cultivation.
Fundamental combat techniques.
Riding.
Survival.
Now...
Beast companionship and taming joined those subjects.
Lord Shen believed talent should never depend solely upon noble birth.
Every child deserved an opportunity.
The truly gifted would eventually reveal themselves.
That philosophy had guided Mistforge for decades.
Maintaining such a city required enormous wealth.
Fortunately...
Lord Shen possessed plenty.
Taxes provided steady income.
His personal mines produced iron, copper, silver, gold, precious gemstones, and the valuable Ice Crystals coveted by cultivators across the kingdom.
His monster ranches bred rare Frost Wolves and other valuable beasts.
His security company—operated almost entirely by retired Wolf Brigade veterans—protected merchant caravans throughout the territory.
Young Brigade members regularly accompanied those missions, gaining real combat experience while earning revenue for the city.
Everything served two purposes.
Prosperity.
And growth.
Yun Che admired that system more with each passing day.
Lord Shen did not merely govern Mistforge.
He cultivated it.
Just as a gardener cultivated a forest.
Every citizen...
Every beast...
Every craftsman...
Every warrior...
Was another seed waiting to bloom.
--------------------------------
Three months.
It was a surprisingly short amount of time.
Short enough that Yun Che still remembered the terror of facing the Frost Komodo Drake.
Short enough that he could still remember lying in bed after his first failure against the Snow Tiger.
Yet...
Long enough for him to become someone entirely different.
The city was lively today.
Word had spread days ago.
Yun Che.
Shen Tianyu.
One final duel.
The rivalry that had lasted nearly five years would finally reach its conclusion.
Both boys would soon leave Mistforge to walk their own paths.
Neither knew when they would meet again.
Lord Shen himself had ordered that the duel be held publicly.
The academy's grand training grounds had been prepared.
Rows of wooden seats surrounded the enormous arena.
Teachers.
Students.
Hunters.
Wolf Brigade members.
Blacksmiths.
Merchants.
Children.
Nearly everyone in Mistforge planned to attend.
It had become far more than a spar.
It was the farewell of two boys who had grown into warriors before the city's eyes.
Yun Che sat quietly inside the Yun Smithy.
The forge had been extinguished for the day.
Only the occasional crackle of cooling metal disturbed the silence.
His father adjusted one of the shoulder plates on the armor.
His brother tightened a fastening near the waist.
Neither spoke much.
They had done this countless times over the years.
Preparing equipment.
Checking balance.
Making final adjustments.
The silence itself had become comforting.
-----------------------------
Yun Che looked at the armor resting upon the stand.
It no longer resembled the crude suit he had first forged.
It had become beautiful.
Its primary color was polished white steel.
Thin crimson lines ran naturally along the joints.
The shoulders curved like a dragon's scales.
The helmet possessed two elegant horns sweeping backward.
Most importantly...
The vents hidden along the calves, shoulders and back allowed bursts of Ki to explode outward.
Small.
Controlled.
Enough to increase mobility dramatically.
When Yun Che had suggested painting it black...
His father had immediately refused.
"You already transform into monsters."
"You don't need to look like one."
So white it became.
Yun Che secretly admitted...
It looked much better.
The sword resting beside it had changed just as much.
Dark blue steel.
Balanced perfectly.
Runes of Speed.
Sharpness.
Durability.
For the first time...
It could withstand his fully powered Drawing Technique without cracking.
That alone made months of work worthwhile.
Nearby rested six gleaming white lances.
Each almost as tall as he was.
Each perfectly balanced.
Each designed to be controlled through Telekinesis.
His rifle had become heavier.
Longer.
Far sturdier.
The Mountain Piercer had finally begun resembling the weapon he had imagined from the beginning.
His bombs.
His wires.
His chain-spears.
Even his daggers.
Everything had evolved alongside him.
His mother had quietly slipped several new poisons into his storage ring that morning.
"I don't care what anyone says."
"If poison keeps you alive..."
"Use poison."
Yun Che wisely chose not to argue.
His greatest improvement...
Could not be seen.
It flowed quietly through every breath.
Every heartbeat.
Every movement.
After months of endless experimentation...
His first personal cultivation method had finally been completed.
Iron Forge Genesis Cultivation Art.
It was the Combination of the Iron, Rotation and Attraction Runes.
Primitive compared to the great sect techniques.
Yet...
It belonged entirely to him.
Every breath synchronized naturally with his heartbeat.
Every movement reflected the rhythm of a blacksmith forging steel.
Every word of the incantation strengthened his resolve.
Its efficiency had already surpassed every common cultivation method available within Mistforge.
It was his path.
No one else's.
His techniques had multiplied as well and he had even received two from his father after defeating him. Every one of those techniques remained at the Beginner Stage as it took many months to years for mastery. He was far from mastering any of them. But he had begun.
-----------------------------
Defeating his father had not been easy.
In truth...
It had been one of the hardest battles of his life.
Yun Jian understood his habits.
His inventions.
His personality.
He possessed greater mastery.
Greater cultivation.
Greater experience.
For nearly thirty minutes...
Father and son had fought across the forge.
Fire.
Steel.
Chains.
Bombs.
Ki.
Only after Yun Che transformed into the Hundred-Eyed Hollow did the balance finally shift.
His father, now primarily a blacksmith rather than an active battlefield warrior, struggled against the Hollow's bizarre abilities.
Corrosive beams.
Energy-draining attacks.
Equipment deterioration.
The battle had exhausted them both.
When it finally ended...
Neither had been able to stand.
Yun Jian only laughed.
"You've become strong enough to travel now."
Then he handed over the Fire Drake Breath.
His companions had also grown.
The Iceback Glacier Drake had become inseparable from him.
The sturdy reptile possessed endless curiosity and surprising intelligence.
After weeks together...
Yun Che finally gave him a name.
Amon.
Strong.
Simple.
Dependable.
Just like the beast itself.
His butterfly companion belonged to the rare Azure Mirage Monarch species.
Elegant.
Beautiful.
Dangerous.
Its illusions had already fooled him once.
Now it fought beside him.
He named it...
Mirage.
His final companion floated quietly near the ceiling whenever possible.
A small translucent spirit born from winter storms.
A Frost Wisp Spirit.
It drifted silently through walls.
Immune to ordinary physical attacks.
Able to become intangible at will.
He called it...
Whisper.
The little spirit seemed to approve.
New forms now rested within his bloodline.
The Hundred-Eyed Hollow remained the strongest—and the most troubling.
The Iceback Glacier Drake granted tremendous durability, frost resistance, and venom.
More recently, Yun Che had hunted a magnificent Skyfrost Crown Eagle whose wings could freeze the winds around it.
Its form now slept within his soul beside the others.
Every victory expanded his possibilities.
Every kill also added another burden.
The Yun bloodline activated automatically whenever he personally killed a Ki-bearing monster. Ordinary animals did not count. Neither, thankfully, did humans.
But Yun Che could not refuse a form once the bloodline accepted it.
Somewhere, there had to be a limit.
He simply did not know what it was—or what would happen when he reached it.
Looking back...
He smiled.
Three months ago...
He could barely face a Snow Tiger.
Today...
He stood as a Foundation Establishment cultivator.
A craftsman.
An inventor.
A Wolf Brigade member.
A Beast Tamer.
A cultivator walking his own path.
He had become stronger.
Far stronger.
Yun Jian tightened the final strap around Yun Che's shoulder.
Then he tightened it again. The fastening had already been secure.
Yun Che noticed. Neither of them mentioned it.
Yun Ren stepped back and examined the completed armor. "Well," he said, folding his arms, "you certainly look expensive."
Yun Che lowered the helmet over his head. The white steel reflected the dim light of the forge. Crimson lines glowed faintly along the joints as Ki flowed through the hidden channels. "I feel expensive."
"You should. Father complained about the cost for three weeks."
"I did not complain," Yun Jian said.
"You threatened to sell him."
"I was considering practical solutions."
Yun Che laughed quietly. The sound eased some of the tension inside his chest. Only some. Beyond the closed doors of the smithy, Mistforge was waiting. Thousands of people. His teachers. His friends. The soldiers who had fought beside him. The children who had grown up watching him and Tianyu challenge one another again and again. Five years of defeats. Five years of narrow escapes. Five years of hearing Tianyu laugh every time Yun Che believed he had finally discovered the perfect strategy.
Yun Che rested one hand upon the hilt of his sword. "I'm nervous."
Yun Ren grinned. "I would be worried if you weren't."
Yun Jian snorted. "You are finally fighting someone capable of hitting back."
"Father."
"What?"
"I defeated you."
"With a hundred-eyed monster that corroded half my equipment."
"A victory remains a victory."
"So does repairing the damage," Yun Jian replied.
"You still owe me for three hammers."
Yun Che decided not to continue that argument. Outside, Amon released a deep rumbling growl. The Glacier Drake was growing impatient. Mirage rested upon one of its icy horns, lazily opening and closing her brilliant blue wings. Whisper floated beside them like a pale flame caught inside the morning air. Everything was ready. Armor. Weapons. Companions. Techniques. Plans. Yun Che had prepared for almost every possibility. Almost. Because Shen Tianyu had spent the last five years proving that he had a remarkable talent for creating possibilities Yun Che had never considered. That was why his heartbeat continued to quicken. Not because he doubted his strength. Because across the city, his rival was also preparing.
The Majestic Wolf. The boy who had always been faster. More instinctive. More comfortable beneath the pressure of battle. His rival. His friend.
Yun Che lowered the visor of his helmet. "This time…" He closed one armored hand. "I will win. I am not leaving Mistforge with a losing record."
Yun Ren raised an eyebrow. "I hope so. It would be embarrassing if you lost after making that declaration."
"Don't jinx it."
"I'm not the one announcing victory before reaching the arena." Yun Jian picked up Yun Che's sword and held it out to him. The teasing disappeared from his expression.
"For five years, you have prepared to defeat that boy."
Yun Che accepted the weapon. His father's hand remained upon the scabbard for a moment longer. "Today, preparation ends." Yun Che met his eyes. "And the battle begins."
Yun Jian released the sword. Outside, the bells of Mistforge began to ring. Once. Twice. Then a third time. The signal echoed across the rebuilt walls, the snow-covered rooftops and the crowded streets.
The city was ready. Yun Che turned toward the doors of the forge. For the final time before leaving Mistforge, the Young Steel Dragon went to
face the Majestic Wolf.
-----------------------------
Across Mistforge...
Beyond the busy streets.
Beyond the academy where thousands of citizens were already gathering.
Beyond the walls that overlooked the snow-covered mountains...
The Lord's Mansion stood as quietly as ever.
Yet beneath that calm...
Everyone knew today was special.
The central training courtyard had been cleared.
Snow had been swept away.
Only smooth white stone remained.
At its center...
A young man sat cross-legged with his eyes closed.
His breathing was steady.
Each inhale carried icy mist.
Each exhale caused frost to creep across the stone beneath him.
Beside him lay a pair of newly forged claw-gauntlets.
Blue.
Red.
Beautiful.
Deadly.
Several feet away...
A great white wolf rested upon the ground.
Its eyes remained closed.
Its breathing perfectly synchronized with its partner's.
One man.
One wolf.
Two heartbeats.
One rhythm.
Shen Tianyu slowly opened his eyes.
Blue light flashed for only a moment.
Then disappeared.
A smile naturally appeared.
"...Today's the day."
Beside him...
The wolf opened one eye.
"So..."
"...finally nervous?"
Tianyu snorted.
"A little."
Bingya laughed.
"I never thought I'd hear those words."
Three months.
Three short months.
Everything had changed.
Not only for Yun Che.
For him as well.
The poison had nearly killed him.
Instead...
It had allowed him to ascend to the foundation realm.
This allowed his Bloodline to awaken.
The Heavenly Frost Wolf.
Diluted.
Far weaker than the legends.
Yet undeniably real.
The same had happened to Bingya.
The Frost Wolf King blood flowing through his companion had also awakened.
Lord Shen had called it...
"The first true step."
The Shen Clan had spent generations searching for stronger wolf bloodlines.
Powerful wolves.
Ancient wolves.
Forgotten wolves.
Even distant relatives possessing similar ancestry.
Every marriage.
Every alliance.
Every expedition.
All served one purpose.
Strengthening the bloodline.
Lord Shen himself possessed a High-Rank Heavenly Frost Wolf Bloodline.
His greatest wish...
Was for Tianyu to surpass him.
To reach...
Supreme Rank.
The training afterward had been merciless.
Every morning...
Concoctions.
Every afternoon...
Bloodline formations.
Every evening...
Combat.
Every night...
Meditation.
Sometimes...
All four happened at once.
Tianyu had lost count of how many strange medicines he had swallowed.
Some froze him.
Some burned him.
Some made him feel as though wolves were tearing apart every bone in his body.
Lord Shen merely called it...
"Necessary."
His equipment had changed as well.
The old claw-gauntlets had served him faithfully.
Now...
They rested upon a shelf.
Replaced by something far superior.
Blue and crimson alloy.
Ki Metal refined personally under Lord Shen's supervision.
Sharper.
Harder.
Faster.
Even Foundation Realm beasts would struggle to withstand their edge.
His armor had likewise transformed.
Light.
Flexible.
Powerful.
Forged from Blue Ki Metal strengthened with rare Crimson Ki Ore.
It emphasized exactly what Tianyu desired.
Explosive speed.
Swift offense.
Relentless pressure.
Even Bingya now wore beautifully fitted armor forged specifically for a Frost Wolf King.
The pair looked every bit like the future protectors of Mistforge.
Skills...
He had gained plenty.
His Frost Aura had become frighteningly dense.
Wind.
Ice.
Body techniques.
Movement arts.
Everything revolved around that ever-growing frost.
Now...
He genuinely believed he could freeze almost anything standing before him.
At least...
At their current realm.
He stood.
Picked up his gauntlets.
Fastened them slowly.
Then walked toward the center of the courtyard.
Lord Shen was already waiting.
Sword resting casually in one hand.
No armor.
No aura.
Only quiet confidence.
"You've improved."
"I have a good teacher."
Lord Shen smiled.
"You'll need more than flattery."
Tianyu grinned.
"I wasn't flattering."
The duel began without warning.
Lord Shen stepped forward.
One simple slash.
Tianyu reacted instantly.
Claws crossed.
Steel met ice.
Clang!
The impact echoed throughout the courtyard.
Before Tianyu recovered...
The sword was already gone.
Appearing behind him.
He twisted.
Barely avoiding the flat of the blade as it swept toward his ribs.
Fast.
Too fast.
He accelerated with Heavenly Wolf Steps.
His body blurred.
Blue frost exploded beneath his feet.
He struck.
Left claw.
Right claw.
Shoulder.
Neck.
Heart.
A perfect flurry.
Lord Shen parried every strike using only one hand.
His sword moved so naturally that it almost seemed lazy.
"You've become predictable."
"I'm just warming up."
"Oh?"
Tianyu smiled.
Frost suddenly erupted around him.
His aura spread across the courtyard.
The temperature plummeted.
Ice raced over the stone.
His speed doubled.
Lord Shen nodded approvingly.
"Better."
This time...
Father and son truly collided.
Claws and sword flashed continuously.
Blue frost exploded.
Stone cracked.
Wind screamed.
Every exchange lasted only fractions of a second before another followed.
Watching from the side...
Even servants unconsciously held their breath.
Finally...
Lord Shen stepped backward.
Enough.
Tianyu remained standing.
Breathing heavily.
Sweat mixed with frost upon his forehead.
Lord Shen lowered his sword.
"You've grown."
"...but."
Tianyu sighed.
"I still lost."
"You lasted thirty-two exchanges."
"Three months ago."
"You lasted nineteen."
A small smile appeared.
"That's progress."
Tianyu laughed.
"I'll take it."
--------------------
Elsewhere in the courtyard...
Another battle unfolded.
Bingya crouched low.
Across from him stood the true ruler of Mistforge's wolves.
The Frost Wolf King.
Feng Xue.
His fur resembled drifting snow.
His eyes shone pale silver.
Although he was at the peak of Foundation Establishment...
Every movement radiated ancient dignity.
He looked less like a beast...
And more like a king wearing the shape of one.
Bingya barked playfully.
"You going easy on me again?"
Feng Xue yawned.
"I always go easy on puppies."
"I'll show you puppy!"
The younger wolf lunged.
Frost exploded beneath his paws.
He attacked boldly.
Fearlessly.
Exactly like Tianyu.
Feng Xue effortlessly sidestepped.
Tail flick.
Shoulder push.
A gentle bite against Bingya's neck.
Every lesson came without injury.
Only correction.
Again.
Again.
Again.
Finally...
Bingya managed to graze Feng Xue's shoulder with one frost-covered claw.
The old wolf glanced at the faint mark in his fur.
Then he smiled.
"Better."
Bingya lifted his chin.
"Only better?"
"You are finally beginning to carry yourself like a king."
Bingya gave him a dry look.
"I was born royal."
"You were born entitled."
"That is often the same thing."
Feng Xue's eyes narrowed with amusement.
"You still attack before you think."
Bingya flicked frost from his claw.
"No. I think very quickly."
"And always reach the same conclusion."
"That attacking is the correct answer?"
"Exactly."
Bingya smiled.
"Then my judgment remains remarkably consistent."
Feng Xue laughed loudly enough for half the courtyard to hear.
------------------------
Nearby...
Lady Shen Meiying watched with folded hands.
Beside her stood six-year-old Shen Lian , clutching a stuffed white wolf.
"Mother."
"Will Big Brother win?"
Lady Shen smiled gently.
"I don't know."
"Then..."
"...isn't that scary?"
She looked toward the arena where Tianyu laughed together with Lord Shen.
"No."
"It's wonderful."
"When two true rivals fight..."
"Both become stronger."
Shen Lian tilted her head.
"I still want Big Brother to win."
"So do I."
As Tianyu removed his gauntlets...
Bingya trotted over with obvious mischief in his eyes.
"So."
"What happens if Yun Che wins?"
"He won't."
"You sound nervous."
"I sound confident."
"You sound stubborn."
"I'm both."
Bingya chuckled.
"You really think he'll still surprise you?"
Tianyu looked toward the academy beyond the distant rooftops.
His smile slowly widened.
"That's exactly what I'm hoping for."
He closed his eyes for a moment.
Remembering five years of battles.
The strange inventions.
The bombs.
The wires.
The ridiculous plans.
The impossible improvements every single month.
Yun Che had never once arrived exactly the same person.
Every duel...
There had always been something new.
Something unexpected.
Something worth smiling about.
Quietly...
Almost too softly for anyone to hear...
Tianyu spoke.
"Don't disappoint me."
The wind carried his words toward the academy.
Toward the arena.
Toward the friend waiting on the other side of the city.
-----------------------------------------------
Mistforge had never looked so alive.
Colorful banners stretched from rooftop to rooftop.
By Mistforge's restrained standards, the city looked almost extravagant.
Fresh snow had been swept from the main streets.
Wooden lanterns hung outside nearly every shop.
Even the academy's roads had been decorated with blue and white ribbons bearing the crest of the Frost Wolf.
For once...
Nobody hurried.
Nobody looked worried.
Children laughed.
Families walked together.
The city had survived disaster.
Today...
It celebrated life.
The marketplace was overflowing.
Candy makers had sold nearly twice their usual stock before noon.
Roasted chestnuts filled the air with a warm aroma.
Honey-coated snow berries disappeared almost as quickly as they could be prepared.
Street cooks shouted proudly.
"Fresh meat skewers!"
"Hot dumplings!"
"Sweet buns!"
Even elderly craftsmen had closed their workshops early.
After all...
No one wanted to miss today's duel.
Groups of children enthusiastically argued while waving wooden swords.
"I'm going to be Tianyu!"
"No! I called him first!"
"Then I'll be Yun Che!"
"You have to use the rope!"
"I don't have rope!"
"You can pretend!"
Nearby...
Several adults laughed.
One elderly hunter smiled.
"They've been doing that for weeks."
Another nodded.
"Better that than fighting for real."
Conversations echoed everywhere.
"I still think Young Master Tianyu wins."
"Naturally."
"He's never lost since they were children."
"But Yun Che's grown frighteningly fast."
"I heard he invented another weapon."
"I heard he learned Lord Shen's techniques."
"I heard he can control flying spears now."
"I heard you believe every rumor."
"...Fair."
Laughter followed.
One thing was noticeably absent.
No gambling stalls.
No betting tables.
Visitors from other territories often found that strange. Lord Shen prohibited gambling, believing that it encouraged debt, greed, and unnecessary conflict.
Gambling houses, brothels, predatory moneylenders, and several other profitable businesses had long been forbidden within the territory.
Lord Shen's laws were famously strict.
Some outsiders disliked them.
Many merchants complained.
Yet...
Walking through Mistforge...
Children played safely in the streets.
Women commonly travelled alone even after sunset.
Shopkeepers often left their doors unlocked during daylight.
For most citizens...
The strict laws were a small price to pay.
---------------------------------
Near the eastern market...
Two familiar figures slowly walked through the crowd.
Lin Xia looked around with bright eyes.
"So many people..."
Beside her...
Jin Wei carried several wrapped packages beneath one arm while somehow eating roasted chestnuts at the same time.
"This?"
He grinned.
"This is nothing."
"You should see the Harvest Festivals near the central kingdoms."
"There are so many people you can barely see the ground."
Lin Xia smiled.
"I'd like to see that someday."
"You will."
She looked down for a moment.
Life truly was unpredictable.
Three months ago...
She had almost been kidnapped.
Now...
She was preparing to leave Mistforge for the first time in her life.
The thought still felt unreal.
Those same three months had changed her as much as anyone.
The desperate battle during the bandit attack had pushed her cultivation forward.
From the Fourth Stage...
To the Seventh Stage of the Mortal Realm.
Even more importantly...
Master Fu had officially accepted her as his disciple.
She had become a genuine Rune Master apprentice.
Not merely because of talent.
Because of effort.
For months...
She had engraved runes for Yun Che until late into every night.
Bullet after bullet.
Armor after armor.
Weapon after weapon.
Mistake after mistake.
The endless repetition strengthened not only her understanding...
But also her Ki.
Creating runes became smoother.
More natural.
Her control improved dramatically.
She smiled softly.
Perhaps...
Working beside Yun Che had helped both of them more than either realized.
Jin Wei nudged her shoulder.
"Still nervous?"
"A little."
"About travelling?"
She nodded.
"I've never left Lord Shen's territory."
"I don't know what the outside world is really like."
Jin Wei's face immediately brightened.
"The outside world is wonderful."
"There are hundreds of different fashions."
"Different foods."
"Different languages."
"Different cultivation styles."
"Different architecture."
"You'll see beasts you've never imagined."
"People wearing clothes you've never imagined."
He laughed.
"And merchants trying to sell both."
Lin Xia couldn't help smiling.
"You really love travelling."
"I do."
He spread his arms dramatically.
"Every city has its own personality."
"Every kingdom has its own customs."
"Though, some personalities should be avoided after sunset."
"You never know what you'll discover."
She looked thoughtfully toward the academy in the distance.
"I only want to learn."
"Different runes."
"Different formations."
"Different ideas."
"I don't want to spend my entire life wondering what exists beyond these mountains."
"If life is uncertain..."
"I'd rather see the world before it ends."
Jin Wei nodded approvingly.
"That's the spirit."
They passed another decorated street.
Colorful cloth fluttered overhead.
Children chased one another through the snow.
Travelling musicians played cheerful tunes.
Jin Wei suddenly pointed around them.
"See?"
"This is why Lord Shen's territory is strange."
Lin Xia blinked.
"Strange?"
"It's safe."
"Very safe."
"But..."
"The rules are strict."
He counted on his fingers.
"Business licenses."
"Trade inspections."
"Tax records."
"Security checks."
"Restrictions everywhere."
"A lot of merchants don't like dealing with that."
"They'd rather trade somewhere... looser."
Lin Xia tilted her head.
"But isn't this better?"
"I mean..."
"I've never really been afraid walking through the city."
Jin Wei laughed.
"You're right."
"That's exactly why our family keeps coming back."
"The profits may not be the greatest..."
"...but the caravans usually return."
He smiled proudly.
"Our elders always say..."
"'A safe coin is worth more than ten risky ones.'"
His eyes suddenly sparkled.
"But!"
"Things are about to become interesting."
Lin Xia already recognized that expression.
Whenever Jin Wei smiled like that...
Someone was about to hear a business idea.
"If Lord Shen officially supports our merchant house..."
"We would finally have the backing to pursue a monopoly—or become the kingdom's primary distributors."
He rubbed his hands together excitedly.
"Now that's a dream."
Lin Xia giggled.
"You've been thinking about that again?"
"I always think about that."
He pointed dramatically toward the academy.
"First..."
"Yun Che needs to win."
She blinked.
"...Why?"
"Marketing!"
He declared it as though explaining the most obvious thing in the world.
"If he wins..."
"His reputation explodes."
"If his reputation explodes..."
"Everything he invents becomes valuable."
"If everything becomes valuable..."
"I become rich!"
Lin Xia covered her face.
"You really said that out loud..."
"I'm honest."
He puffed out his chest proudly.
"I've invested years into that blacksmith."
"I deserve returns."
She laughed despite herself.
"You call him your friend."
"He is my friend!"
Jin Wei protested dramatically.
"What kind of person do you think I am?"
"I'll help him become famous."
"I'll help him earn money."
"I'll make sure every kingdom knows his name."
He paused.
"...and I'll earn a small commission."
"A small commission?"
"Very small."
"How small?"
"...Negotiable."
Lin Xia burst into laughter.
Jin Wei suddenly snapped his fingers.
"I've already got another idea."
She sighed.
"Should I even ask?"
"Toy figures."
"...What?"
"Think about it!"
He spread his hands excitedly.
"Young Master Tianyu."
"Yun Che."
"Little wooden models."
"Movable arms."
"Different weapons."
"Children can recreate their duels."
He looked positively inspired.
"And if they fight again during the World Tournament in a few years..."
"We release the second edition!"
Lin Xia stared at him for several long seconds.
"...You planned all this already?"
"I planned it months ago."
She shook her head helplessly.
"I don't know whether you're a genius..."
"...or impossible."
Jin Wei grinned.
"I've always believed those two are closely related."
The academy bell rang in the distance.
The crowd immediately began moving.
Thousands of footsteps echoed together.
The time had finally come.
Mistforge held its breath.
Its two greatest young talents...
Were about to step into the arena one final time.