Wu awoke to the faint sound of whispers, distorted and echoing across the barren landscape. The Fallen Boundary was alive with memory—traces of battles, remnants of saints, and pre-Dao energies long abandoned.
He traced the source through broken stone corridors, finding markings etched into rocks, glowing faintly with residual energy. Patterns formed within the chaos, and Wu studied them, recognizing long-lost techniques of manipulation.
A low rumble interrupted his examination. A creature—more intelligent and formidable than any he had seen—emerged from the shadows. Wu tensed, drawing on all lessons learned.
He moved with calculated precision, using fissures to redirect the creature's momentum, forcing it toward a natural trap. It shrieked and fell, consumed by its own chaotic energy. Wu exhaled slowly, savoring the lesson. Knowledge and survival were inseparable here; understanding the Boundary meant understanding life itself.