Chapter 31

Chapter 31: Shadows Beneath the Wind

The night air was still—eerily so. Not a single leaf stirred, as though even the wind had stopped to listen.

Xiao Lian stood at the edge of the Whispering Hollow, the moon casting silver light over his shoulder. Before him, a forest of twisted trees loomed, their branches gnarled like reaching fingers. According to Shen Zhi, deep within this hollow lay the entrance to the Tomb of the Skyborn General—one of the last resting places of the Aetherbound.

He reached down and ran his fingers across the hilt of the Windblade. Though shattered, the blade still hummed with dormant energy, its pieces bound together by the will of his qi. A reminder that nothing was truly lost if the spirit remained.

Behind him, Mei Lian approached. She had returned from scouting the perimeter, her expression tight. "No guards. No traps. But something feels... wrong," she whispered.

Xiao Lian nodded. "I know. The wind is silent here."

That silence was a warning.

They moved forward, each step muffled by a thick carpet of fallen leaves. The trees seemed to lean in, listening. Shadows danced in the corners of their vision. Occasionally, a whisper—too faint to understand—brushed against their ears, but when they turned, no one was there.

At the heart of the hollow stood a crumbling stone archway, half-consumed by vines. On it, an inscription in ancient script glowed faintly:

> "Only those who ride the wind without fear shall walk where the Skyborn sleep."

As Xiao Lian stepped closer, the air changed. It didn't grow colder, but heavier, pressing against his chest like unseen hands.

And then, without warning, the wind returned—howling through the hollow like a beast let loose. From the shadows, figures began to emerge.

Masked warriors—silent, cloaked in robes of midnight—appeared one by one, surrounding them. Each bore the same sigil: a crescent carved with a blade.

"Windshroud Assassins," Mei Lian said under her breath. "I thought they were only a legend."

"Apparently, so were we," Xiao Lian replied grimly.

One of the assassins stepped forward, taller than the rest. When he removed his mask, Xiao Lian felt his heart jolt.

It was Lei Feng.

Once his rival. Once his ally. Now, the man's eyes held no warmth.

"You shouldn't have come, Xiao Lian," Lei Feng said. "This place isn't meant for the living. And certainly not for you."

Xiao Lian narrowed his eyes. "You betrayed us. You turned against the path of the Aetherwind."

"I chose a path the Aetherwind was too blind to see. The power buried here belongs to no one sect—only to those with the strength to claim it."

He raised his blade, and the air trembled.

The Windblade at Xiao Lian's side pulsed in response.

Lightning flashed overhead, illuminating the ancient trees. The tomb gate groaned as though awakened by their tension.

With a deep breath, Xiao Lian stepped forward. "Then we settle this now, Lei Feng. No more shadows. No more masks. Only the wind and the truth."

The first clash came like thunder—steel against steel, wind against storm.

The battle for the tomb had begun.

....