KRRRRSSHHHHH!!!
A deafening screech tore through the morning haze as the convoy ground to a halt, the air filled with the unsettling clack-clack of mandibles and the thud-thud of clawed limbs thumping across the rocky path. A horde of grotesque beasts—each the size of small oxen—emerged from the brush, their beady eyes glinting with an unnatural intelligence, their chitinous armor glistening under the half-shrouded sun.
"Blasted vermin again?" Li Wei muttered, not even glancing up as the convoy came to a halt behind him. His cloak stirred gently in the breeze, catching the low light of dawn. "Always eager for a lesson they'll never live to remember."
With a flick of his wrist, his qi surged.
[Ten Peaks Palm Art – Setting Sun]
The strike came without flourish—simple, elegant… and utterly devastating.
A wave of golden force erupted from his palm with a thunderous WHUUUMMMP, streaking forward like a falling sun. The creatures shrieked in disarray, some turning to flee, others bracing their spiked legs against the stone. It didn't matter. The light swept through them, smashing the larger beasts like brittle statues and hurling their broken bodies into the deep ravine beyond the cliffside.
"Aaahhhh!"
A wave of cheers and startled gasps rippled through the convoy. Several wide-eyed prospectors dropped their gear, their jaws slack.
"H-He sent them flying!" one of them muttered, voice trembling with disbelief. "Just like that... gone with the wind!"
"And to think we feared the road ahead," another whispered, falling to a knee.
Before the dust could settle, the foliage above shimmered—like moonlight striking water.
[Five Swords Twilight Seal – Budding Willow]
Zzzzzinngg! Zzzzing! ZRRRRRRRSHH!
A chorus of crystalline blades split the air, five arcs of gleaming swordlight weaving a net above the jungle canopy. The remaining creatures scuttled in blind panic, only to be sliced and shredded mid-flee. Limbs fell like autumn leaves; the forest floor painted red.
"Beautiful…" breathed one of the younger maidens clinging to the back of a caravan ox. Her voice trembled with awe.
"It's her, isn't it?" someone whispered behind her. "Madam Leng Yue…"
Indeed, standing atop a massive war elephant, her robes fluttering, Leng Yue lowered her hands, eyes calm as still water. The afterglow of her attack bathed her silhouette in flickering light.
"A blade dances prettiest when wielded without fear," murmured an elder near the rear of the convoy, pressing a fist to his chest.
"Keep moving forward," Li Wei ordered, voice cutting through the moment like a bell toll.
The war elephant rumbled forward, crushing the remnants of their foes beneath its massive feet with a deep THRUMMMM. The survivors of the convoy followed, their hearts lightened by the sight of such unmatched strength.
"Ha!" Li Wei smirked faintly. "And they dare compare this rabble to the monstrosities we faced in Crescent Moon City."
Leng Yue gave a rare smile. "Let them try. The dead of Crescent Moon still remember the taste of our steel vividly
Meanwhile, far from the chaos of the valley, the sun had begun to rise over the once-crumbling skyline of Crescent Moon City. But it was not the same city it had been. No—after the fall of the Shen and Zhou clans, it breathed a new kind of life.
Its buildings, though still scorched and scarred, now bore flags of unity. Children chased each other through the broken courtyards, and merchants once again called out their wares. The air still carried the smoke of the past, but it also tasted of hope.
Lin Tong stood atop the outer wall, arms crossed, watching the light stretch across the rooftops like spilled honey. "Aiyo… Yu Bao, look yonder. Sky's dressed herself pretty this morning, no?"
Behind him, Yu Bao rubbed his eyes and scowled. "Sky's just sky, Lin Teng. Pretty or not, it won't fill my belly."
Lin Tong snorted, turning toward him with a grin. "You always this grumpy at sunrise, or did the rats in your blanket whisper bad dreams again?"
"The rats are better company than you," Yu Bao shot back. "At least they don't speak in riddles."
"Riddles? Please. My grandmother always said: 'When the sky blushes, something good's about to bloom.' Maybe today, eh?"
Yu Bao waved a dismissive hand. "Only thing blooming is that cabbage stew Miss Ru makes every sunrise."
Lin Tong chuckled. "Ah, there's life in your voice again. See? The city's changing. You can feel it. Even the stones seem less burdened."
Yu Bao's eyes drifted toward the ruined Shen manor. "Stones remember. People forget."
"True," Lin Tong said, nodding slowly. "But maybe that's what makes rebuilding worth it. We remember enough not to repeat it, but not so much we become slaves to it."
Just then, CLANK, CLANK, CLANK—heavy boots rang up the stairs.
A new recruit appeared, bright-eyed and puffing, as if racing time itself. He snapped a salute, back ramrod straight. "Morning, Sir Lin, Sir Yu! Reporting for duty!"
"Whoa now!" Lin Tong grinned. "You strive to outrun the sun or just impress the girls at the barracks?"
Yu Bao grunted. "This one's too eager. Bet he polishes his boots three times a night."
The boy flushed, but managed a smile. "I'm just glad to be standing here, sir. If it weren't for Grandmaster Wei and Madam Yue, Crescent Moon would've eaten me whole."
Lin Tong nodded, his smile sobering. "Then don't forget that feeling. Gratitude's the shield of the living."
Just then, a firm voice echoed behind them. "Recruits standing around like hens in a coop?"
WHHHHFFSHH!
A gust of wind stirred as Captain Duan strode forward, his crimson cape fluttering like a banner in the morning air. The metal on his armor glinted like fire.
"Captain Duan!" the recruit stood tall again, eyes wide. "You're here early, sir!"
Yu Bao leaned toward Lin Tong, whispering with a smirk, "I'd say he's trying to plant roots in the captain's favor. Bet by next week he'll be offering foot massages."
"Better to plant roots than rot like a bitter yam," Lin Tong muttered.
Captain Duan raised an eyebrow, but said nothing. Instead, he studied the young man, then nodded once. "You'll do. Eyes sharp. Spine straight. Keep it that way."
The boy's face lit up like the morning sun. "Yes, sir! I won't disappoint!"
As the trio turned back to the city, the warm hum of life rising from the streets greeted them.
From the butcher's stall came a THWACK of cleaver against bone. A street dog yapped at a passing cart. Somewhere, a child's laughter echoed.
Crescent Moon City had bled, but now it breathed—and from the walls, its guardians watched, knowing full well that peace was often the quiet before another storm.