CHAPTER 39: MOUNTAINS OF THE END

Kyrian woke up with a cold wind blowing against his face in the morning.

He rose with a furrowed brow. He had once again dreamed of his mother. Then of Lina and his other companions, who had sunk in the capital.

Lately, these dreams kept appearing. And whenever he looked at Wei Feng, he wondered if it was right to follow and be the disciple of the one who had killed them. But only seconds after thinking this, he shoved those feelings to the back of his mind.

That wasn’t important now. What mattered was using all the knowledge Wei Feng had to offer to grow stronger.

...

Time seemed to drag on.

Kyrian no longer counted the days during their journey. He simply walked a little behind the man who had become his path to strength.

They were getting closer and closer to the mountains. Already in the forests below. The icy wind struck his face, yet he didn’t feel even a trace of cold.

’What I understood from the barrier is the intent of ice, I suppose. I can’t use the power I learned from the barrier unless I’m using those snowflake eyes... but at least the cold no longer affects me as much.’

In recent days, after focusing more attention on his eyes, Kyrian had managed to enter a place of darkness, isolated from everything. His consciousness flowed there, finding a small crystal, a crystallized snowflake.

Not far from it, there was a drop of crimson blood, but unlike the snowflake crystal, it was connected to him. Kyrian felt an instinctive bond and knew that, if he wished, he could return to the eyes he had gained in the frozen territory.

But he decided not to test that yet.

Wei Feng, along the way, walked a few steps ahead. Straight shoulders, hands behind his back, red robe that never seemed to get dirty, no matter what happened.

Kyrian, too, was now dressed differently. Wei Feng had adjusted clothes, also conjured from nothing, to his size. Now, both were clad in red.

Every certain distance, Wei Feng stopped. He would observe the sky or the ground, sometimes frowning, and only then would he continue.

Kyrian could not know exactly what was going through that mind. He could only sense feelings of frustration in him at times.

Then, on one particular day, when they lifted their eyes, the scenery was different.

The mountains rose like black and white walls. Snow covered the dark ground below. From that point on, there were no trees, only mountains that reached into the heavens.

The wind there was constant and terrifying. Cold and cutting. But the most terrifying of all were the endless storm clouds heavy with thunder, stretching above the mountains. Spread in both directions as far as his sight could reach, they seemed to have no end.

Snow, wind, and thunder fell constantly. The sound echoed for miles.

Kyrian stopped walking. His feet stood atop the snow without sinking. He simply stared at it.

"So this is what blocks the passage?"

Wei Feng glanced at him, his cold gaze settling on Kyrian.

"These are the Mountains of the End. To those on the other side, it is considered a forbidden region that lies at the edge of the northern territory. Even the strongest cultivators cannot cross it. The risk of death is extremely high. At the summit, there have been endless storms since time immemorial."

"Besides that, no one feels the need to cross. After all, there is nothing special beyond where Qi is so scarce."

Kyrian lifted his chin, watching the thunder that crossed the skies, some flashes purple, others golden. The sound was deafening. But, for some reason, it didn’t make him step back. Nor did it frighten him.

He took a step forward.

’Just as one day, I will pass through the ice barrier and find that ice bird... one day I will have the strength to pass over these mountains as if they were my own courtyard!’

Kyrian then thought of something and asked.

"Was this created by someone?"

Wei Feng let out a short laugh. One of disdain.

"No, this is a natural formation. A manifestation of the heavens. There are many smaller ones in the Northern Territory. You must be careful not to die by approaching any of them."

The words etched themselves into Kyrian’s mind.

In the days that followed, they advanced slowly along the slopes. Wei Feng would choose places to stop and build an improvised shelter.

At each stop, he would hand something new to Kyrian. A book, a short explanation, a challenge, or some strange object.

The first time Kyrian asked about the book appearing out of complete nothingness, Wei Feng did not answer. So he never asked again. But it was truly something that intrigued him.

Today, Wei Feng handed him another book.

Kyrian took it with a bit of care. The title was simple, though the book was one of the thickest he had ever seen.

’Bestiary of the Northern Territory (Volume 1).’

He opened it quickly, interested. On the first pages, he realized what it was about. Unlike here, where there were only wild animals, on the other side practically all animals were called ferocious beasts. Capable of cultivating, just like humans.

Their strength was greater than cultivators of the same level, though their intelligence was limited until a certain realm.

Kyrian saw countless illustrations of creatures, some resembling wolves and other animals he had seen before. But with an imposing appearance, some with limbs that seemed like metal. Others were completely different from anything he had ever seen.

He read through the book quickly, not stopping for anything else. He hoped to one day encounter all of them. He read late into the night, the darkness not hindering him.

The full knowledge of the book was now in his mind. If he saw a ferocious beast, he would not be unprepared.

...

Living with Wei Feng was strange.

They didn’t like each other. There was no friendship, nor any sort of affection. And neither of them wanted that.

But despite this, there was no longer an empty silence all the time. Wei Feng began answering all of Kyrian’s questions, even if coldly and with disdain. He explained each term, each concept, and each doubt.

Wei Feng never showed patience, but he also never left anything unanswered that he considered important.

Kyrian knew Wei Feng had some purpose in training him. He wasn’t someone who would do this without something in mind. The blood in his brain was more than enough to understand that.

But despite this, in recent days Kyrian noticed something different. Little by little, he felt that Wei Feng was enjoying himself. Even while maintaining his expression of disdain.

At night, Kyrian was always focused on something new, while Wei Feng stood on the other side of the fire drinking wine. He really didn’t know how his supply hadn’t run out after so many days.

Kyrian saw in his peripheral vision that Wei Feng sometimes observed him. It was only for a few moments before he returned to drinking, but he seemed extremely satisfied.

And so, the days turned into weeks. The weeks turned into months. Kyrian had already turned six without realizing it.

Kyrian had once again managed to absorb Qi into his eyes after that time. He trained his absorption, still slow, but improving. The problem was the scarcity of Qi.

During this time, Kyrian read several books, memorizing every detail and practicing what he could. His body improved day by day. He hadn’t forgotten the technique he had gained from the royal order.

Now he no longer had the black liquid to help, but he realized that controlling his blood with Qi was even more effective for recovery.

Wei Feng said it was only a mortal technique, but it was a good technique. At the third stage of the technique, he would have the strength of a peak cultivator of the first realm. But it would only be strength.

He would not have enhanced senses nor the advantages that Qi brought by reshaping and strengthening the body.

His shoulders were firmer, and his posture was always straight. His black hair grew longer and longer. And his red eyes now carried a growing gleam of determination. While he felt his strength and his understanding of the world improve each day.

Sometimes he still remembered his mother, Lina, and the royal city, Rurik. But that had turned into a root for his determination.

The storm above them continued roaring at the mountain’s peak. Wei Feng would vanish for a few hours each day and always return after another failed attempt to find a path.

With each attempt, he came back more irritated. He didn’t show it, but Kyrian sensed he seemed slightly desperate.

Wei Feng abhorred the idea of truly being trapped. And dying without choice.

But now, Kyrian also looked toward the storm, eager to find an exit soon.

He didn’t know if he would survive the dangers on the other side didn’t know what awaited him. But he wanted to see that world. He wanted to stand above all. To be strong enough to face anything.

But the two of them were still trapped in something greater than themselves. Yet neither would give up on fighting against it.