Chapter 37: A spirited departure

The decision had been made—Tianming and Jiang Chen were set to leave the Storm Horizon Sect, their next destination clear: the Nether Abyss Sect.

However, just when everything seemed settled, Lei Xueyan made an announcement that shook everyone.

"I'm going with them," she declared, her voice unwavering as she stood before her father, Sect Master Lei Tianxing.

The sect leader's brow furrowed. "Xueyan, your place is here. The outside world—"

"—is exactly where I need to be," she interrupted, her blue eyes burning with determination. "I've spent my whole life inside these walls, training, competing, proving myself. But if I never leave, what's the point? I want to see the world with my own eyes, not hear about it from scrolls."

Lei Tianxing, however, remained silent.

Then, finally, he let out a sigh.

"Your spirit was never meant to be confined here," he admitted, his voice heavy but understanding. "I knew this day would come sooner or later." His gaze softened as he looked at his daughter. "Very well. You may go."

Lei Xueyan grinned triumphantly. "Took you long enough."

Then she suddenly looked at Tainming and Jiang Chen, who were standing quietly at the side and hesitated before speaking up.

"Are you sure it's okay for me to travel with you guys?" she asked, a rare trace of uncertainty in her voice.

Tianming and Jiang Chen exchanged glances.

Jiang Chen chuckled. "Didn't expect any less from you."

Tianming crossed his arms, watching her with an amused smirk. "And here I thought you'd be happy staying and beating up new recruits."

Lei Xueyan huffed, crossing her arms. "Please. If I stayed, I'd just get bored. Besides," she turned to Tianming, "someone has to make sure you don't get too full of yourself."

"You'll fit right in," Tianming said with a smirk.

Jiang Chen nodded. "Just don't slow us down."

Lei Xueyan raised a brow. "Please. I'll be carrying both of you before long."

And just like that, their journey began.

The road between the Storm Horizon Sect and the Nether Abyss Sect stretched far and wide. Forests lined their path, rivers glistened under the afternoon sun, and distant villages peeked from the valleys below.

For Lei Xueyan, who had spent most of her life inside the Storm Horizon Sect, this was her first true taste of freedom.

She was practically bursting with excitement. Every few minutes, she would stop to admire something—a particularly large tree, a new bird she had never seen before, or even just the crisp morning air.

She walked ahead of the group, arms stretched wide, taking in the sights like an excited traveler.

"You two have done this before, haven't you?" she asked, glancing back at Tianming and Jiang Chen.

Tianming shrugged. "More or less. You get used to it."

Jiang Chen smirked. "You sound like an old wanderer already."

Lei Xueyan spun on her heel to face them, her blue hair catching the wind. "Well, I guess it's different for me. I've never traveled outside without a sect mission or elder supervision."

"Regretting your decision yet?" Tianming teased.

Lei Xueyan scoffed. "Not a chance. This is exhilarating."

She turned back toward the open road, her boots crunching against the dirt path. "I always thought the world outside would feel… overwhelming. But it doesn't. It feels right."

Jiang Chen chuckled. "Careful. If you get too comfortable, you might not want to go back."

Lei Xueyan smirked. "Maybe I don't."

As the sun began to set, they made camp for the night. A fire crackled softly, casting warm light over their faces.

Lei Xueyan glanced at Tianming. "So... what was life like for you before all this?"

Tianming exhaled, staring into the flames. "Not something I talk about much."

She nudged him. "Come on, you know mine. I was the 'pride of the Storm Horizon Sect,' a future elder candidate. But you… you just came out of nowhere, like a storm of your own."

Jiang Chen leaned back. "That's true. You never actually told us what your life was like before all this."

Tianming chuckled dryly. "Not much to tell. I had everything, then lost everything. Now I'm here, trying to reclaim what was taken from me."

Lei Xueyan watched him for a moment but didn't press further. "Sounds like a classic hero's tale."

Tianming smirked. "Except I'm no hero."

Jiang Chen crossed his arms. "No, but you sure like playing the part."

They all laughed, the tension easing.

The next morning, as they continued their journey, Lei Xueyan turned her attention to Jiang Chen.

"What about you? What was you life like?"

Jiang Chen snorted. "A constant power struggle where you have to watch your back at every turn, but sure it was great. Everyone admired me."

Lei Xueyan raised an eyebrow. "Sounds… exhausting."

Jiang Chen smirked. "That's one way to put it. But hey, at least I got to grow up in luxury."

Lei Xueyan grinned. "I bet you still miss the silk sheets and royal feasts."

Jiang Chen sighed dramatically. "Don't remind me. You think I enjoy eating roasted rabbits on the roadside when I used to have personal chefs?"

Tianming rolled his eyes. "You're not fooling anyone. You like this freedom more than you admit."

Jiang Chen only smiled. He didn't deny it.

Their banter continued as they pressed forward, unaware that something was waiting for them ahead—something tied deeply to the Nether Abyss Sect's forbidden arts.

A storm was brewing in the shadows.

And they were walking straight into it.