Chapter 32: Echoes of a Distant Path
The night air in Hollow Echo Forest was eerily silent. The usual rustling of leaves and chirping of insects had faded, replaced by a profound stillness that seemed unnatural. Yu Xue stood at the edge of a clearing, her sharp eyes fixed on the figure in the center.
Bai Shen.
Dressed in his usual flowing robes, his white hair glowed faintly under the moonlight. He was standing motionless, one foot slightly raised, as if caught between movement and stillness. Yu Xue had seen many martial artists train before, but what Bai Shen was doing now… it was something else entirely.
His presence felt absent, as though he had ceased to exist in this world.
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The Training of Bai Shen – Mastering the Soundless Path
Bai Shen had come here for one reason—to refine his Soundless Path, a technique that allowed him to completely erase his presence. It was an evolution of his Phantom Echo technique, one that did not rely on misleading his enemies, but rather on becoming something imperceptible.
His training focused on two key aspects:
1. Harmonizing with the Environment – Bai Shen was not simply controlling his breathing; he was syncing himself with the vibrations of the world around him. The rhythm of the wind, the subtle shifts in air pressure, even the distant footsteps of nocturnal beasts—he attuned himself to all of it.
2. Erasing All Traces of Self – Movement was not enough. True soundlessness required complete control over internal energy, blood flow, heartbeat, and even thoughts. Bai Shen had to suppress every instinct that made him "human"—even the fear of disappearing completely.
This was why Hollow Echo Forest was the perfect training ground. The dense energy fluctuations in this place made it impossible for normal warriors to sense their surroundings properly. If he could master his silence here, then even the greatest assassins of Murim would be unable to detect him.
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Yu Xue's Perspective – The Fear of Losing Him
As Yu Xue observed, a chill ran down her spine. She had expected to see Bai Shen refining his technique, but instead, she witnessed something far more terrifying.
For a brief moment, he vanished.
Not in the physical sense—he was still there. But his presence, his essence, had simply ceased to exist. It was as if the world had forgotten him.
What… is this?
Yu Xue clenched her fists. She had faced countless formidable warriors, but she had never seen a technique like this before. Even her own finely honed senses could not pick up Bai Shen's presence when he activated this skill.
And that realization unsettled her.
Bai Shen was getting stronger—but also further away.
She had always known he was different, but watching him now, she couldn't help but feel like he was walking a path that no one else could follow. And if he kept going like this…
Would he leave everyone behind?
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A Brief Conversation – A Moment of Closeness
When Bai Shen finally ended his training session, the air seemed to shift. His presence returned—though still faint, like a whisper at the edge of perception.
Yu Xue stepped forward, her usual calm demeanor masking the turmoil in her heart.
"You were watching." Bai Shen spoke first, his voice carrying the same quiet resonance as before.
Yu Xue nodded. "You're becoming something else, Bai Shen. Something even I can't understand."
He tilted his head slightly, as if considering her words. "Do you fear what I am becoming?"
She hesitated. "No." Then, softer, "I fear that you will become someone that no one can reach."
Bai Shen did not respond immediately. Instead, he turned his gaze toward the moon.
"A path walked alone is not always a choice." His voice was barely above a whisper, but in the silence of the forest, it echoed like a distant truth.
Yu Xue's grip on her sword tightened. She wasn't sure if she was trying to understand him, or if she was simply trying to keep up.
Either way, she refused to let him disappear from her world.
And deep inside, a part of her had already decided—she would walk this path, even if it meant stepping into the darkness beside him.