As the day drew to a close and faded into night at the training grounds, Zhenhai too drew closer to Kaolin with wary steps, who intently watched over the Immortal guards with his arms crossed over his chest. Blood had soaked through the linen and was trickling down, yet Kaolin did not for a second take his eyes off the warriors nor give in to the pain.
His men had grown tired from the relentless training that had lasted several hours at this point, not to mention the bloodied linen that needed to be changed, but it seemed to Zhenhai that Kaolin had no intention to call it quits. He stood nearby instead, scratching his neck as he searched for the right words, but each attempt to speak his mind faltered. Kaolin caught on, though his eyes remained on the Immortal guards.
"Out with it already," he said, the tone of his voice betraying that his patience was wearing thin. "Or do you wish to keep silent?"
"No. I was just thinking that maybe—"
But before he could finish his sentence, the gate burst open and a young guard stumbled in, chest heaving and panting, as if he had been chased by a pack of wolves. "Your Highness," the guard began, clutching the edge of the doorway to steady himself and catch his breath. "The Yinlin Rebels request—no insist on an immediate audience!"
Zhenhai's brow arched low, more out of surprise than anything, and he pressed his fingers to his lips, thinking for a moment. "Very well… admit them. But keep the guards close; I want no surprises."
The guard went back out in the same rushed manner, gasping for air and heaving without being able to catch his breath before being ordered to return.
Zhenhai sought Kaolin's eyes as soon as the guard disappeared beyond the gate, his brows arching lower as he realised the other knew the reason behind Wei Lan's sudden arrival. "You… spoke to him? When?" Then, at once, more urgent as a sudden thought crossed his mind. "Don't tell me you forced him to—"
"No, nothing like that," Kaolin cut in, finally tearing his gaze from the warriors and facing the Immortal. "If we survive the war, perhaps I'll tell you. But right now, what matters is that we have the Yinlin Rebels on our side."
"If we survive?" Zhenhai repeated, about to ask the meaning behind these mysterious words, when the gate swung open once more. Wei Lan and Guo Lan entered, and without a word, both dropped to one knee before Immortal Lord Zhenhai, pledging their allegiance to the Jinlian Sect – if only this once.
"The Yinlin Revels stand ready to fight for the safety of Shenzhou," they declared, "and swear loyalty to the Immortals of Huan-Yue."
Silence fell over the training grounds as these grave words settled like a weight over them all. The rebels of Yinlin were the orphaned sons and daughters of countless clans wiped out under the command of the Jinlian Sect. And now, those very children had returned, not to seek vengeance, but to pledge their allegiance to the same people who had taken everything from them – all for the safety of Shenzhou against the Demon Army.
Seeing this, some Immortal guards stared in disbelief, while others felt a heavy pang of guilt, remembering the families lost and the blood spilt in the name of duty. Yet as they watched Wei Lan and Guo Lan kneel before Zhenhai, awe and respect washed over them too, a living testament to the strength of the cause they all served. In that moment, past grievances were set aside and replaced by a shared resolution. If even those who had every reason to turn against them choose unity over bloodbath, then surely no force in Shenzhou could break them?
"Rise," Zhenhai said. "Huan-Yue honours your blade and the oath it carries. From this day forth, your loyalty is ours, and our cause is yours. Together, we shall carve our path through the trials ahead and stand as one against the Demon Army and emerge victorious over all who oppose us!"
The moment felt sacred as the rebels of Yinlin soon took their place beside the Immortal guards, and the air around the training grounds shifted vastly with a single, united flow of qi and blossoming camaraderie. Old wounds did not heal instantly, indeed, nor were they expected to, but they bled less when fought together against a common foe.
As Wei Lan lifted his head from the ground and sought Kaolin's firm gaze, a silent confirmation passed between them, and he turned to address the Immortal guards, not as the founder and leader of the Yinlin Rebels, but as someone willing to cast aside every trace of pride to save Shenzhou from an ill fate written in the stars.
"I know there was a time when we stood on opposite sides, and thus you may doubt my intentions. But my men, who now stand among you, have cast aside not only their pride, but also the grudges that once bound them to the past, grudges that were the only things keeping them from leaving this world behind. We have come here not to fight you, nor to condemn you, but to stand as brothers and sisters – to fight united against the Demon Army and protect what remains of Shenzhou." He paused, letting his gaze sweep over the crowd of warriors listening intently. "I do not ask you to trust my words blindly. I only ask that you keep an open mind, to see our intentions for yourselves, rather than relying solely on the commands of your superiors."
For a long moment, no one moved or said a word, as if the air itself held its breath. Then, slowly, the Jinlian Guards shifted their stances, fists pressing to chests in solemn acknowledgement and eyes meeting Wei Lan's with respect, all aware that the words spoken were genuine in nature and sincere.
At last, one of the commanders of the Jinlian Guards stepped forwards and addressed him, speaking on behalf of the others who shared his sentiment.
"Your intentions are clear, and your words bear the mark of truth! If you and your men have truly set aside all pride and grudge, then we will train beside you and treat you as one of our own! Let our swords and qi be united, not divided, for the fate of Shenzhou!"
A ripple of affirmation passed through the ranks, and one by one, the Immortals lowered their barriers, opening themselves to join forces with the rebels. And before long, both sides began to train not as two separate armies once on opposite sides but as one through the night and the weeks that followed, which passed in a blur – perhaps too fast, even.
Wei Lan demonstrated the techniques used frequently by the demons, spiralling his qi into intricate formations, showing not only how to detect the kind of abysmal formation deployed, but also ways to counter each attack. The Immortals watched and learnt, awestruck by the power of the Demonic Arts and the intricate nature of each spell and formation that not only required immense power but also the will of its wielder.
With Kaolin's guidance, Wei Lan's watchful eye, and the Zhenhai's immense words of wisdom, the Jinlian Guards not only exceeded tremendously in their cultivation in such a short span of time, but also formed friendships, a sense of unity, and brotherhood that would indeed last longer than either of them were aware of at the time, ending an era of darkness that had lasted for far too long and brought nothing but bloodshed – only it came at a time of great unrest, where the path ahead was uncertain and each of their fates at the mercy of the heavens.
And just like that, war drums echoed through the floating city, a deep and pounding rhythm like the heartbeat of an impending doom from which there was no escape. With the rolls arrived not only the Demon Army and its dark banners that rose on the horizon like a bad omen, but also the final collapse of the protective array that once shielded the skies of Huan-Yue.