CHAPTER 428: JOURNEY CONTINUE

Her blood arts roared to life once more. This time, she poured more of herself into it, her crimson energy flooding outward, forming a pair of massive wings from her blood. They flared behind her, pulsing with raw power. She shot into the air, descending upon Lilith with a speed that split the clouds of mist apart.

She came down with a roar, slamming her blood-forged blade at Lilith with all her might. The mountain trembled from the sheer force. The stone beneath their feet shattered into fragments.

But Lilith didn’t budge.

She raised one hand. With a flick of her wrist, she parried Amber’s blood blade as if swatting away a child’s toy. The backlash of the clash shattered Amber’s wings, the fragments of blood dispersing into mist.

Before Amber could recover, Lilith seized her wrist and twisted, flipping her bodily into the ground. The younger vampire crashed with enough force to carve a crater into the stone, dust and debris exploding outward.

Amber screamed in frustration, clawing her way out of the crater, her crimson eyes blazing with both fury and desperation. She lunged again, blood weapons forming in a storm around her—daggers, whips, spikes, a flurry of weapons flying toward Lilith in a deadly rain.

The sky turned red with the glow of Amber’s attacks, her blood arts painting the battlefield with carnage.

But Lilith... moved like water.

She slipped through the storm, her body gliding, every motion flawless. A twist here, a step there, and Amber’s barrage missed entirely. Not a single crimson blade touched her. To Amber’s eyes, it was maddening—like trying to catch smoke with bare hands.

And then, in one swift movement, Lilith vanished.

Amber blinked—only to feel a pale hand on her shoulder from behind.

Too fast!

Before she could react, Lilith spun her around and struck her square in the chest with her palm. The impact echoed like thunder. Amber’s body was sent flying across the cliff, slamming into another rock wall so hard it shattered in half.

Amber collapsed onto her knees, coughing up blood. Every muscle screamed in agony. Her vision blurred, her pride cracking under the sheer futility of it all.

Lilith approached, her footsteps calm, deliberate. She crouched in front of Amber, lifting her chin with one finger. Her eyes glowed like molten rubies.

"Strength without wisdom is nothing but arrogance. You think yourself strong because you survived rats and a lone hunter. But in this world, there are beings far beyond what you can imagine. If you act recklessly, if you fight without thought... you will die. And worse—you’ll drag others with you."

Amber trembled, her pride shattering under the weight of her master’s words. Her breath came in ragged gasps, but her crimson eyes still burned with defiance.

"I... won’t..." she coughed, blood spilling from her lips, "...give up."

For the first time, Lilith’s expression softened ever so slightly. She released Amber’s chin and stood, offering her a hand.

"Then don’t. But remember—strength is not measured only by the power you wield. It is measured by how, and when, you choose to wield it."

Amber stared at that hand for a long moment, her pride warring with her exhaustion. Finally, she took it. Lilith pulled her up effortlessly.

The morning sun broke through the mist then, golden rays washing over the shattered battlefield—the cracked stones, the crimson stains, the craters carved into the mountainside.

Amber’s body was broken, but her spirit burned brighter than ever. She knew this pain was a lesson, a reminder that the path she had chosen was not one of glory, but of endless struggle.

Lilith’s gaze lingered on her student, pride hidden deep in those crimson depths. She said nothing more, but Amber understood.

The training was not punishment. It was survival.

And if she wanted to walk beside her master into the dangers ahead, she would need to shed her arrogance, her recklessness, and embrace the truth of strength.

Amber clenched her fists, blood dripping down her knuckles as the mountain wind howled around them.

"I’ll become stronger," she whispered, voice hoarse but resolute. "No matter how many times I’m beaten down—I’ll rise again."

Lilith nodded once. "Good. Then let’s begin again."

And as the sun rose higher over the mountain peaks, the sound of battle echoed once more—teacher and student clashing in a storm of crimson and steel, forging Amber’s path one brutal strike at a time.

The road back to the academy stretched endlessly, winding through mountains, forests, and valleys where danger lurked at every corner. For Amber and Lilith, however, this wasn’t just a journey of return—it was a crucible. Every step forward was marked by blood, by battles, and by lessons that carved themselves deep into Amber’s heart.

Amber’s crimson eyes burned with determination. She had one goal above all: to become stronger, strong enough to be of true use to her master. Every enemy she faced, every drop of blood she spilled, every scar she earned—it was all fuel to sharpen her resolve.

On the third day of travel, they entered a dense forest where mist hung heavy in the air. Shadows seemed alive, whispering secrets among the towering trees. Amber’s instincts tingled, the faint scent of human blood mixed with steel filling her senses.

"They’re waiting for us," she whispered.

Lilith gave a faint nod, her calm demeanor unshaken. "Then let them wait no longer."

From the trees leapt mercenaries clad in dark armor, blades gleaming as they surrounded the duo. Their leader, a scarred man with a jagged sword, sneered.

"Two women wandering alone? Easy prey."

Amber didn’t wait for Lilith’s command. The hunger inside her stirred, her blood arts thrumming through her veins. With a burst of speed, she dashed forward, her dagger gleaming red under the mist. She moved like a shadow, weaving between enemies, her strikes precise.

She slit one throat, spun, and slashed through another’s chest before their comrades even realized what had happened.

But these mercenaries were no mere thugs. Their formation tightened, their aura revealed they were at least Origin Level 5 and 6. Amber, once cautious, now relished the challenge. She called upon her blood, her weapon glowing crimson, each strike resonating with raw energy.

The mercenaries fought fiercely, but Amber’s movements were unpredictable—an elegant dance of death. She parried, dodged, struck, her blood-red dagger singing with every motion. When one warrior tried to strike her from behind, she let her blood seep out, forming a spear that impaled him before he even touched her.

By the time the mist cleared, bodies lay scattered across the forest floor. Amber stood tall, chest heaving, her blade dripping crimson light.