Chapter 40: The First Core of the Shadow State
Descending from the towering and rugged peaks of the "Worldspine Mountains" was a grueling task in itself. The terrain was treacherous, the rocks unstable, and the cold air bit at their faces. Faelar, the elven warrior, was clearly suffering from his injury, which slightly slowed the group's progress. Ilara was helping him with silent patience. Lyra moved ahead with agility and grace, her sharp eyes scanning the path for the best routes and any signs of danger, while Faela moved like a shadow at the rear or flanks, barely making a sound. Her cold violet eyes never left her surroundings—or Tian Heng's back. Lilith, as always, remained very close to Tian Heng, his living, loyal shield.
As for Tian Heng, he walked with steady calm, quickly adapting to the harsh surface environment. His enhanced strength as a "Peak Aether Collector" and his transformed body made the difficult terrain less taxing for him than for the others. He used the travel time to continue processing the data he had acquired, to practice precise control of cold aether for the Frozen Star technique, and to sense the dark draconic power beneath the tattoo on his arm, trying to understand and tame it slowly.
On the second day of their descent, they faced their first real test as a team in the outside world. While crossing a narrow mountain pass, a huge creature resembling a mountain panther suddenly leapt at them from above. Its rocky-gray fur blended almost perfectly with the environment, and its claws and fangs looked capable of tearing through stone. It was clearly defending its territory.
The elves reacted swiftly—Lyra and Faelar immediately raised their weapons, Ilara began chanting in the ancient elven tongue, and green light started to form around her hands. Faela retreated into the shadows, her daggers at the ready. Lilith hissed in anger and stepped forward to shield Tian Heng.
But Tian Heng was faster and more decisive.He gave no orders—this time, he acted himself.
In the blink of an eye, the black sword with the dragon-shaped hilt appeared in his right hand. With one sudden, unnatural step, he surged forward—faster than even Lilith could react. There was no flashy technique, only deadly efficiency. His black blade sliced through the air and severed the mountain cat's neck with one clean, powerful strike—before the creature could even complete its leap.
The massive beast's body fell heavily to the ground, its head nearly detached. There was no resistance, no fight—only a swift, cold execution.
The elves stared wide-eyed at the scene, their spells and arrows frozen mid-action. Even Faela looked slightly surprised by the speed and lethal precision. Lilith gazed at her master with pure adoration.
Tian Heng ignored their reactions. He returned the sword to its tattoo form and pointed at the beast's body."Lyra, Faelar—take what can be used. Skin, claws, any edible meat. We'll rest here for a short while."It was their first source of fresh meat in a very long time.
After two more cautious days of descent, the terrain began to change. The mountains became less sharp, thicker trees appeared in the valleys, and they began to hear the flowing waters of small glacial rivers. On the fifth morning of their surface journey, Lyra, scouting from a high point as usual, signaled.
"I see smoke! And a visible trail in the valley below!"
They carefully reached a vantage point overlooking the valley. They saw a winding dirt road that appeared regularly used, and a bit further on, smoke rising from the chimney of a simple wooden cottage surrounded by a dilapidated fence. On the trail, a cart pulled by an ox moved slowly, followed by a man who appeared to be a farmer or small merchant.
This was their first visual contact with present-day civilization.
"Faela," Tian Heng said calmly, "Approach using the shadows. Listen and observe. I want information—who lives there, any nearby town or village, and who rules this region."
Faela nodded and disappeared into the shadows among the rocks, moving with silent, untraceable steps. She returned after about an hour.
"The cottage is home to an old woodcutter and his family," she said coldly. "They complain about high taxes and bandits. They spoke of a town called 'Oakhaven', about a day's journey downstream. It appears to be a small trade hub for the area, under a local baron named 'Vargas', who answers to a higher duke—part of the Kingdom of Astoria, if your old maps still matter." She added with a hint of sarcasm, "The region looks poor. The baron is either weak or corrupt, and security is lax outside the town."
Oakhaven. Kingdom of Astoria. Baron Vargas.Valuable information. Verhaven, the city Tian Heng came from, was also part of the Kingdom of Astoria—though in a different and more important province. That meant he wasn't too far from his old sphere of influence, but this was clearly a remote and less significant area.
"We can't enter Oakhaven as a group like this," Tian Heng said after analyzing Faela's report. "We need a temporary, hidden operations base nearby."
"Lyra, search for an isolated cave, ruined structure, or any suitable place in the hills around that valley—something we can use as a base without drawing attention." Lyra set off again.
While Lyra scouted, Tian Heng gathered the others. He stood before them, his new appearance—once unsettling—now starting to grant him a cold aura of authority.
"The situation has changed. We are no longer isolated in the Vault. We're now on the edge of a world with its own rules, people, and dangers. From this point on, absolute discipline and obedience are essential for the group's survival."
He began to assign clear roles and rules:
"I make the plans and final decisions.Lilith—you remain my personal guard and escort.Faela—your stealth and information-gathering skills are critical. You'll be my eyes and ears where I cannot reach directly." (Faela looked at him cautiously, but didn't object.)
"Ilara—your knowledge and experience will be useful in analyzing resources or intel, managing the camp, rationing scarce supplies, and continuing to care for Faelar." (Ilara nodded seriously.)
"Lyra—you will be our main scout. You'll explore routes, locate food and water sources, and monitor for incoming threats." (Lyra hesitated slightly, but nodded.)
"Faelar," he looked at the injured warrior. "Your job now is to recover and regain your strength. You'll need to defend the base when the others are away." (Faelar felt slightly insulted at not being given a combat task, but his injury clearly limited him.)
"Field rules are simple," Tian Heng continued sternly."Keep camouflage and cloaking devices active when near any populated area. Avoid unnecessary contact with locals. Do not reveal anything about our origin or real capabilities to anyone. Any piece of information, no matter how small, report it immediately. Most importantly: my orders are to be followed without hesitation or debate. Failure to follow these rules will not be tolerated."
His tone was calm, but the implied threat was clear—reinforced by the memory of the dismembered beasts and the dark presence of Lilith and Faela at his side.
Lyra returned after a while, having found a dry, well-hidden cave on a hill overlooking the valley, but far from the main road—an ideal temporary base. The group relocated and began setting up their simple camp.
In the new cave, Tian Heng began planning their first mission in the outside world: the infiltration of Oakhaven.
"Our goals in Oakhaven are multiple," he explained to the group."First: gather detailed information about the area, Baron Vargas, the Kingdom of Astoria, and any signs of unrest or active powers.Second: acquire essential supplies—especially a variety of reliable food, and possibly some tools or simple clothing.Third: investigate the market or local merchants for any hints of 'smoky quartz crystals' or high-aether-conductivity alloys that we need.Fourth: assess the town's defenses and real strength."
"Who will go?" Ilara asked with concern.
"I will," Tian Heng said. "I have some prior knowledge of this kingdom, and under a hood, I can pass as a pale and eccentric human.Faela, you'll accompany me. Use your abilities to move through the shadows, gather intel separately, and provide hidden support if necessary."Faela looked at him coolly, but a flicker of interest lit her eyes—a mission worthy of her true talents.
"Lyra, you will enter the town separately as well. Your task is to purchase basic supplies, move through the market, and collect rumors. Avoid drawing attention." Lyra nodded."The rest of you will stay here to secure and protect the base."