"We need to find some way to get stronger," Kellan said, his voice steady and serious.
"Why?" Big Bone replied, looking puzzled.
"Aren't we already progressing fast enough? Cultivation's a long, tough path—slow and steady wins the race!"
"Yeah, Kellan," Shi Yan agreed.
"From what I can tell, you're already plenty strong. Aren't you at the third level of the Blood Solidification Realm by now?"
"What? Seriously? You're at the third level already, Kellan?" Big Bone gaped, looking incredulous.
Kellan scratched his head, a little sheepish. "Yeah... a lot happened while you were recovering.
I went back to the Mystfall Forest to hunt those boars, but along the way, I got attacked again—
This time by members of the Nightshade Clan." His hands clenched into fists at the memory.
Big Bone jumped up, shocked and outraged.
"The Nightshade Clan again? Those bastards!" His face twisted in anger.
"Don't worry, Big Bone. I'm fine," Kellan said, his voice calm and almost detached.
"They ended up a lot worse than I did."
Shi Yan looked closely at Kellan, noticing the change in him—the maturity, the hardness that hadn't been there before.
"What do you mean?" he asked cautiously.
"Those Nightshade idiots... are they really looking to start a war with the Shi Clan?"
Kellan sighed, his voice heavy. "Big Bone, I killed them. They're gone."
Big Bone, who had been looking ready to fight, suddenly froze. "What? You... killed them?"
"I did," Kellan said, a hint of resignation in his tone.
"They tried to kill me. I had no choice. If I'd let them go, they would've come back for revenge, probably with someone stronger next time. It had to be done."
Big Bone stared at him, his initial anger giving way to concern.
"Yeah, I get it… it's just—this is your first time killing someone, right? Are you… are you okay, Kellan?"
Shi Yan's expression mirrored Big Bone's worry as he studied his friend.
Kellan took a deep breath, his eyes distant.
"I'm managing. We'll have to get used to things like this eventually. If we don't, it'll be us lying dead someday."
Big Bone sank back down, his face somber. "You're right… it's just hard to think about."
They sat in silence for a moment, the weight of Kellan's words settling over them.
Then Kellan broke the silence, his voice determined.
"Anyway, back to the main topic. We need to get stronger. When I was fighting those Nightshade Clan members, I overheard something important.
They mentioned that the Frey Clan is helping the Nightshade Clan's patriarch break through to the Heart Awakening Realm."
"What?" Shi Yan's face turned pale.
"Are you serious? If the Nightshade patriarch breaks through, the first thing he'll do is try to annex the Shi Clan!"
Big Bone clenched his fists, concern written across his face.
"Shouldn't we tell the clan elders about this? They'll know what to do."
Kellan shook his head.
"No, the elders know about the Nightshade Clan's ambitions. The only thing keeping them from acting now is their agreement with the Frey Clan.
According to their pact, the Nightshade Clan has to get the majority share of the Mystfall Springs this year. If we lose… they'll get what they want."
Shi Yan looked stricken.
"But the Shi Clan hasn't won the majority share of the Mystfall Springs from the trial in years… how are we supposed to win now?"
"That's exactly why we need to get stronger, and fast," Kellan said, his tone urgent.
Shi Yan looked down, uncertain. He opened his mouth as if to say something but then hesitated, his shoulders slumping.
Kellan noticed and patted him on the back.
"Hey, don't worry, Shi Yan. You're our friend, and you can help us in other ways. You don't have to fight if you're not ready."
Shi Yan glanced up, a spark of hope in his eyes. "In other ways? What do you mean?"
"We need you to help us figure out who the strongest fighters in the Shi Clan are.
The clan tournament's coming up, and we'll need every advantage we can get.
Also…" Kellan's expression grew serious
"If there's any way to speed up our cultivation, we need to know.
Even if it's risky, Big Bone and I are ready to do whatever it takes."
Shi Yan swallowed, nodding slowly as he took in Kellan's request.
"Alright, I'll do my best. I can talk to some of the clan members, see who's making the fastest progress.
And I'll look into anything that might help speed up your cultivation."
Kellan nodded, grateful. "Thanks, Shi Yan. We can't do this alone."
The three of them sat in a comfortable silence for a moment.
They knew they were taking on a challenge bigger than anything they'd faced before, but for the first time, they felt they had a real chance to protect their clan.
Just then, Shi Peng stepped outside, carrying a steaming tray of food.
"Alright, you three, enough of those serious faces. Come on, eat up! This red-tipped boar isn't going to eat itself."
Kellan's tension eased a little as he laughed.
"Let's not think about this for now—this is my first time trying Red-Tipped Boar, so it better live up to the hype."
Big Bone chuckled, picking up a piece.
"I'm starving! Just thinking about a Heart Awakening cultivator makes my head hurt.
We're barely at the Blood Solidification Realm; this is way over our heads."
"Yeah," Shi Yan agreed, exhaling. "Feels like this is way above our pay grade."
At that moment, Shi Dao, Big Bone's father, approached, carrying a large steaming tray. He set it down with a smile, looking from one boy to the next.
"Alright, enough of those serious faces. Let's dig in! This boar won't eat itself, and I made sure it's seasoned to perfection."
The boys exchanged glances, and a grin spread across Kellan's face. For a moment, all their worries melted away.
They eagerly reached for the food, and the earthy, rich aroma of the boar meat filled the air as they began to eat.
Kellan took his first bite, savoring the meat's tender texture and smoky flavor. He closed his eyes, letting the taste sink in.
"Wow… this is incredible! The rumors weren't lying, and I feel a strange warmth in my body"
Big Bone laughed. "I told you, didn't I? My dad's cooking can make anything taste amazing. Even demonic beast meat!"
Shi Yan grinned, digging in as well. "I needed this," he said between bites. "Just feels good to take a break from worrying."
For a while, they simply enjoyed the meal, talking and laughing as they ate.
The heavy discussions and daunting challenges seemed distant, replaced by the warmth of shared food and friendship.
As they finished up, they leaned back, satisfied and relaxed.
"Alright," he said, his voice low but resolute.
"Tomorrow, we start training in earnest. We'll need every bit of strength we can get."
Big Bone nodded, his usual humor replaced with a rare seriousness.
"We're in this together. No backing down now."
Shi Yan gave a small, confident smile. "I'm with you. Let's do this."