Chapter 12

Chapter 12: The Shadow in the Storm

The wind carried whispers of something unseen.

Xiao Lian stood at the threshold of the Hall of Forgotten Winds, the weight of his newfound understanding settling upon his shoulders. The Windblade pulsed faintly in his grip, as though it too had changed. He could feel it now—not just as a weapon, but as an extension of the unseen forces around him.

Tian Shu watched him with unreadable eyes. "You have passed the trial, but your true test begins now. The storm moves, and shadows stir within it."

Yun Mei glanced around warily. "You keep saying ominous things, but what exactly is coming?"

Tian Shu sighed. "The awakening of the Windblade did not go unnoticed. There are those who seek it—not for balance, but for dominion. And I fear they are already here."

The Warning on the Wind

A sudden gust rushed through the hall. It was sharp, unnatural. Xiao Lian turned his gaze toward the entrance—and felt the first stirrings of danger.

A presence was near.

Then, from the swirling mists beyond the temple, a voice cut through the silence.

"So… the boy has claimed the Windblade."

Xiao Lian's grip on his sword tightened. The voice was smooth, yet carried an edge of amusement—as if its owner had already decided the outcome of whatever was to follow.

From the mist emerged a tall figure clad in black robes lined with silver threads. His hair was dark as midnight, his eyes sharp as a falcon's. But it was the aura around him that set Xiao Lian's instincts ablaze—an oppressive force, like a storm waiting to break.

Tian Shu's expression darkened. "Wu Jian."

Yun Mei's breath hitched. "The Storm Raven…"

Xiao Lian had heard the name before—Wu Jian, the Blade of the Black Gale. A warrior who had once been a disciple of the great sects, but had forsaken them in his pursuit of absolute power. Rumors claimed he had mastered the forbidden techniques of the wind—ones that bent the very air into weapons of destruction.

Wu Jian smiled. "Master Tian Shu, it has been too long. Still playing guardian to relics of the past, I see."

Tian Shu stepped forward, his stance unyielding. "You were never meant to walk this path, Wu Jian. The wind was never meant to be caged."

Wu Jian's smile widened. "Caged? No, Master Tian Shu. The wind is meant to be controlled."

His hand moved.

The air shattered.

The Clash of the Winds

Xiao Lian barely had time to react before the ground around them exploded—shards of stone and dust launching into the air as a powerful gust swept through the hall.

Wu Jian had not even drawn his sword.

"Interesting," Wu Jian mused, eyes locking onto Xiao Lian. "The Windblade recognizes you. Let's see if you are worthy of it."

Then—he vanished.

Xiao Lian's instincts screamed.

He raised his blade just as Wu Jian reappeared before him, striking in a blur of motion.

The Windblade met the attack—and the air itself shuddered.

The force of Wu Jian's strike sent Xiao Lian skidding backward, his feet barely finding purchase on the stone floor. The impact resonated in his bones, but—he was still standing.

Wu Jian's eyes flickered with interest. "Good. But not good enough."

He moved again, faster than before.

But this time—Xiao Lian moved with him.

The wind whispered, guiding him. He sidestepped at the last moment, his blade flashing like lightning.

Wu Jian parried, their swords clashing in a flurry of strikes—each one splitting the air with deadly precision.

Yun Mei leapt into the fray, her twin daggers weaving between the currents, striking where the openings appeared. But Wu Jian countered with ease, his movements like a shadow in the storm.

Then, with a flick of his wrist—the wind turned against them.

A whirlwind erupted, hurling Xiao Lian and Yun Mei backward.

Tian Shu stepped forward, his palm radiating energy. With a single motion, he dispelled the storm, sending the winds crashing into the temple walls.

Wu Jian exhaled, as though slightly impressed. "Still holding back, Master Tian Shu?"

Tian Shu's voice was firm. "Leave this place, Wu Jian. You know you cannot take the Windblade by force."

Wu Jian chuckled. "Perhaps not today." His eyes gleamed as they met Xiao Lian's. "But soon, the storm will break. And when it does, we will see whose wind is strongest."

Then, without another word, he stepped back into the mist—vanishing as suddenly as he had come.

The silence that followed was heavy.

Yun Mei exhaled. "That… was terrifying."

Xiao Lian stared at the space where Wu Jian had stood, his heartbeat still pounding in his ears.

Tian Shu placed a hand on his shoulder. "The road ahead will not be easy. Wu Jian is not your only enemy. There are others who seek the Windblade's power."

Xiao Lian tightened his grip on his sword. He had trained his entire life to master the blade. But now, he understood—this was about more than skill.

The wind had chosen him.

And the storm was only beginning.

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