The North Plains had never been forgiving, and today was no different. The pale light of the sun struggled to break through the thick, overcast sky, casting a dim, colorless glow over the endless expanse of snow and ice. Hui Jian moved silently through the biting cold, his senses sharp, his breath shallow, as he navigated the frozen wasteland. Every step was measured, calculated.
Tao Xun followed closely behind, his eyes scanning the horizon with nervous energy. Though they had worked together for the past few days, Tao Xun's fear was starting to show. The beastmen had been tracking them relentlessly since their last raid, and the North Plains had an uncanny way of exposing weakness. Hui Jian's mind was elsewhere, however. The map Tao Xun had carried, burned into his flesh, led them toward an old rumor—a hidden cavern said to contain relics from the Remote Antiquity Era.
Hui Jian's eyes flicked toward Tao Xun. The man didn't know the full value of the map, didn't understand the potential power hidden within the cavern they sought. But Hui Jian did. Power that could shift the balance between survival and domination in these merciless lands.
But for that, Tao Xun had served his purpose. The thought gnawed at the back of Hui Jian's mind. He had made decisions like this before—necessary, cold decisions. It was the nature of the North Plains, a land that taught its inhabitants one brutal truth: you had to look out for yourself.
Suddenly, Hui Jian raised a hand, signaling Tao Xun to stop. His eyes narrowed, scanning the area around them. Something was wrong. The snow beneath their feet seemed too smooth, too undisturbed. It was quiet—too quiet. Even the wind had stilled, as if the very air was waiting for something.
"We're being watched," Hui Jian whispered, his voice low but firm.
Tao Xun tensed, his hand instinctively moving to the hilt of his sword. "Where?"
"Everywhere," Hui Jian replied, his eyes scanning the treeline. His instincts screamed that they were walking into a trap.
In that moment, his thoughts returned to the Legends of Ren Zu once more. There was a tale he had remembered—one of Ren Zu's children, Strength Gu, who had been lured into a false sense of security by enemies disguised as friends. Strength Gu had thought he could trust those around him, but in his moment of vulnerability, they had turned on him, leaving him broken and defeated. Ren Zu had tried to warn his child, but Strength Gu had been too proud, too confident in his own power to listen.
Hui Jian's grip on his knife tightened as he thought of the lesson. Confidence and trust were dangerous in this world. If you weren't careful, even those you thought of as allies would betray you. And Tao Xun…well, Tao Xun's usefulness was rapidly coming to an end.
The memory of Strength Gu's downfall brought clarity to Hui Jian's decision. This would be the last time Tao Xun would walk alongside him.
"We need to keep moving," Hui Jian said coldly, his voice betraying nothing of his thoughts. "The cavern is close."
Tao Xun nodded, still unaware of the storm brewing just behind him. They continued through the snow, their footsteps soft and deliberate, as the land grew steeper. Jagged rocks jutted from the frozen earth like broken teeth, and the distant howl of the wind echoed off the cliffs. The entrance to the cavern was near, hidden among the shadows of the mountains, just as the map had foretold.
They reached the base of the ridge, where a narrow crack in the rocks marked the entrance to the cavern. It was barely wide enough for a man to slip through, but it promised shelter from the elements—and, more importantly, the treasure hidden within. Hui Jian paused for a moment, his eyes flicking to Tao Xun.
"You go first," Hui Jian said, his voice low.
Tao Xun hesitated, but then nodded, stepping toward the narrow entrance. His breath fogged the air as he slipped inside, disappearing into the darkness of the cavern.
Hui Jian waited for a beat, his hand resting lightly on the hilt of his knife. He watched the entrance carefully, listening to Tao Xun's footsteps as they echoed faintly from within the cave. His heart beat steadily, his mind calculating the next move.
The map, the relics, the power—all of it was within reach. But only one of them would leave this cavern alive.
Taking a deep breath, Hui Jian stepped forward into the cave, his footsteps silent on the stone floor. The air inside was damp and cold, the walls covered in a thin layer of frost. Faint light from the entrance illuminated the narrow passage, casting long shadows on the jagged walls.
As Hui Jian moved deeper into the cavern, the sound of Tao Xun's breathing grew louder. He was just ahead, standing in a wide chamber at the heart of the cave. The walls were lined with ancient carvings—symbols of a forgotten age, etched into the stone like the whispers of the past. But Hui Jian's eyes were drawn to the center of the room, where a stone pedestal stood, its surface covered in dust and snow.
On the pedestal lay the object of their search—a small, weathered chest, its surface worn smooth by time. Tao Xun approached it cautiously, his hands trembling with anticipation as he reached for the chest.
"Tao Xun," Hui Jian's voice cut through the silence like a blade. Tao Xun froze, his hand hovering above the chest. "Stop."
Tao Xun turned slowly, confusion and fear flashing in his eyes. "What…what's wrong?"
Hui Jian stepped forward, his expression cold and unyielding. "This is where we part ways."
For a moment, Tao Xun didn't understand. Then realization dawned in his eyes, and his face twisted in shock. "You can't be serious. We've come this far together—"
"We've come as far as we need to," Hui Jian interrupted, his voice a low growl. "But only one of us leaves here."
Tao Xun's hand moved to his sword, but Hui Jian was faster. In a flash, his knife was out, the blade gleaming in the dim light of the cavern. Tao Xun hesitated, his fear holding him back for a crucial second.
It was all the time Hui Jian needed.
With a swift, calculated motion, Hui Jian struck. His knife found its mark, slicing through Tao Xun's defenses and plunging into his side. Tao Xun gasped, his eyes wide with shock and pain as he stumbled back, clutching his wound.
"You…you bastard," Tao Xun choked out, his voice weak. He fell to his knees, blood seeping through his fingers as he looked up at Hui Jian.
Hui Jian stood over him, his expression unreadable, as Tao Xun's life slipped away.
"You were never going to make it, Tao Xun," Hui Jian said softly, his voice almost a whisper. "You just didn't realize it."
Tao Xun's eyes flickered with pain, but there was something else in them too—betrayal, but also a hint of understanding. In his final moments, he saw the truth. He had been outmatched from the beginning.
As Tao Xun's body slumped to the cold stone floor, Hui Jian wiped his blade clean, his movements slow and methodical. The chest still sat on the pedestal, untouched, but now it was his.
He approached the chest cautiously, his heart steady as he lifted the lid. Inside, the faint glow of ancient Gu worms greeted him. There, nestled among the relics, was the prize—the Frozen Mind Gu, a relic of the past, said to enhance the mental fortitude of its user to unimaginable levels. Its frosty petals shimmered in the dim light, each one holding a trace of power from the Remote Antiquity Era.
Hui Jian's hand hovered over the Gu for a moment, his mind racing. With this, he could refine the Mind Flower Gu that had eluded him for so long. He could ascend beyond the limitations of the North Plains, rise above the petty struggles of Gu Masters and beastmen.
But Ren Zu's tale still lingered in his thoughts. Strength Gu, in his pride and power, had been betrayed because he trusted too easily. Hui Jian wouldn't make that mistake. Power was meant to be taken, not shared.
As he closed the chest and turned to leave, the weight of his choices settled on him like the cold of the North Plains. He was alone now, truly alone. But that was how he preferred it. Survival was a solitary endeavor in this world, and Hui Jian intended to survive—no matter the cost.
The wind howled through the cave as he stepped outside, the cold biting at his skin. But Hui Jian didn't feel it. The fire within him, the fire of ambition, burned far too hot.