Morning mist shrouded Fallen Maple Territory. The guards carefully cleaned the scorch marks and black blood from the square, but the lingering evil aura and burnt smell still served as reminders of yesterday's brutal battle. Loran stood on the stone steps of the lord's manor, watching the guards support the wounded as they headed toward the infirmary. Lei Lin nestled beside his feet, occasionally beating his crimson flame wings to disperse the drifting chill. After a night's rest, Lei Lin had recovered most of his strength, and the warmth within his flames was quietly nourishing the surrounding vegetation.
"Eldest young master, we finished the count last night," Old Byrne said, leaning on a hastily whittled wooden staff. Though the wound on his left leg had been treated with Dual-Power Purification, he still needed rest. "The nine guards killed in battle have been buried according to the lineage's customs. The eight severely wounded will need at least half a month before they can get out of bed. The remaining thirteen can move, but they're all injured too."
Loran nodded, his fingertips unconsciously rubbing the bone staff at his waist. The staff left behind by the black-robed leader had given three faint tremors beside his pillow last night. Though the evil aura within it was faint, it was like a thorn, constantly unsettling him. "Uncle Byrne, Fallen Maple Territory's defenses can't lapse. Arrange for the lightly wounded guards to patrol in three shifts, paying particular attention to the Blackthorn Mountains. I'm worried the Bone-Eroding Cult might leave spies behind."
"Don't worry. I've already given the orders." Old Byrne paused, his gaze falling on the bone staff in Loran's hand. "There's something sinister about that staff. Why not seal it away for now, so it doesn't bring more trouble?"
Loran shook his head and held the bone staff before Lei Lin. Lei Lin sniffed it, and his golden slit pupils abruptly contracted. Crimson flames condensed into a spark in his palm, which he gently touched to the cloudy eyeball atop the staff. With a sizzle, fine cracks appeared across the eyeball's surface. A wisp of gray-black mist was forced out, only to be burned to ashes by Lei Lin's flames the moment it touched the air.
"Loran, there's a tracking curse mark hidden in this bone staff," Lei Lin's voice rang out in Loran's mind. "It trembled last night because a similar curse mark was moving in the direction of the Blackthorn Mountains, less than a hundred li from us."
A tracking curse mark? Loran's heart tightened. The black-robed leader really had not given up. He had even left a contingency in the bone staff, clearly intending to track Lei Lin's location through the curse mark. Loran immediately tightened his grip on the staff and circulated his third-tier Dou Qi and fire magic. Two-colored light flowed along the shaft, crushing the remaining curse mark completely. Without the evil aura sustaining it, the bone staff instantly became dry and brittle, snapping in two with a light bend.
"We have to find the Snow Spirit Qilin as soon as possible." Loran tossed the broken staff aside, his gaze turning resolute. "The Bone-Eroding Cult is already active in the Blackthorn Mountains. If they find the Frostfire Secret Realm first, the consequences will be unthinkable. Uncle Byrne, where are the lineage's ancient texts kept?"
Old Byrne led Loran to the study on the third floor of the lord's manor. At the back of the study stood a wooden door fitted with a brass lock, its keyhole engraved with the Kane Lineage's crest. "The ancient texts are kept in a hidden chamber. The key is the jade pendant the lineage head always carries, but..." He pressed his hand against the wooden door, channeling pale golden Dou Qi into the lock. "Before leaving, the lineage head granted me permission to open it temporarily using the power of the bloodline."
With a click, the brass lock sprang open. The wooden door slowly swung inward, and a gust of cold air carrying the scent of ink washed over them. The hidden chamber was small, with dozens of leather-bound ancient books neatly arranged on a central bookshelf. A few faintly glowing relics rested in a glass case on the top shelf. Among them, a palm-sized ice crystal fragment began emitting pale blue light as Lei Lin approached.
Lei Lin walked up to the glass case and lightly touched its wall with his flame wings. The glass instantly melted into liquid. He carefully lifted the ice crystal fragment with his forepaws. The moment it touched the flames, rather than melting, it blossomed with a gentle blue glow, intertwining with Lei Lin's crimson flames into ribbons of two-colored light that slowly flowed through the chamber.
"This is the first lineage head's Frostfire Ice Crystal." Old Byrne's voice held reverence. "The ancient texts record that the Snow Spirit Qilin gave it to the first lineage head as a token. It can point the way to the Frostfire Secret Realm, but it hasn't shown any response in a thousand years. I never imagined Lei Lin would activate it today."
Loran took the ice crystal fragment. It felt cold in his hand, yet held a trace of warmth, as though he were holding fire and ice at the same time. He opened the thickest ancient book. Its pages were yellowed and brittle, bearing words written in the ancient common tongue: "The Snow Spirit Qilin dwells deep within the Blackthorn Mountains, concealed in the Frostfire Secret Realm. The realm's entrance shifts with the cycle of sun and moon; only the ice crystal token can guide the way... Within the realm, ice and fire coexist. None but those who cultivate both powers may enter."
"Those who cultivate both powers?" Loran looked down at his hands. He cultivated as both a warrior and a mage, making him exactly the kind of dual-power cultivator described in the ancient text. Lei Lin was a fire-attribute Qilin, while the Snow Spirit Qilin was an ice-attribute Qilin. Perhaps their powers were the key to opening the secret realm.
The ancient text also recorded the dangers of the Frostfire Secret Realm. Its perimeter was guarded by a fourth-tier magical beast, the Ice and Fire Two-Headed Python, while the "spacetime turbulence" within would devour creatures below the fourth tier. Only the power of the ice crystal token could withstand it. "With my current third-tier cultivation, I'm afraid getting through the spacetime turbulence will be difficult." Loran frowned. Though he could fuse Dou Qi and magic, he had yet to reach the threshold of the fourth tier.
"Perhaps we can explore the outskirts of the Blackthorn Mountains first." Lei Lin rubbed against Loran's arm. "The ice crystal fragment has been activated. As long as we approach the secret realm, its light will grow stronger. Besides, the magical beasts on the outskirts are lower-tier. We can take the opportunity to cultivate and strive to break through to the fourth tier."
Loran nodded. This was indeed the safest approach for now. He put away the ancient text and the Frostfire Ice Crystal, then turned to Old Byrne. "Uncle Byrne, I plan to explore the Blackthorn Mountains with Lei Lin. I'll leave Fallen Maple Territory in your hands. If the reinforcements from the royal capital arrive, have them garrison here for now. We'll decide what to do once I return."
Worry appeared on Old Byrne's face, but he knew this was the only way. "Rest assured, eldest young master. I'll protect Fallen Maple Territory. You must both be careful. Though most magical beasts on the outskirts of the Blackthorn Mountains are second- or third-tier, a few fourth-tier beasts roam there too. Remember to bring the lineage's emergency potions and magic scrolls."
Over the next two days, Loran and Lei Lin began preparing supplies. Old Byrne handed Loran three high-grade healing potions and two fourth-tier Flame Shield scrolls from the lineage's treasured reserves. The guards forged him a lightweight suit of dark iron armor that could defend against magical beasts' attacks without hindering the circulation of Dou Qi and magic.
The night before their departure, Loran sat atop the watchtower, gazing at the lights of Fallen Maple Territory, his heart full of concern. Lei Lin walked to his side and gently draped a flame wing over his shoulder. "Loran, we'll definitely find the Snow Spirit Qilin and protect Fallen Maple Territory."
Loran clasped Lei Lin's paw, a glint of resolve flashing through his eyes. "Yes. Together." He could feel the Dou Qi and magic within him slowly growing. After yesterday's battle, his understanding of dual-power fusion had deepened another level. Perhaps cultivating in the Blackthorn Mountains really would allow him to break through to the fourth tier.
At dawn the following morning, just as the sky began to lighten, Loran and Lei Lin set out for the Blackthorn Mountains. Old Byrne and the guards saw them off at the manor's entrance, only slowly returning after the man and Qilin had vanished into the morning mist.
Thorny black shrubs covered the edges of the Blackthorn Mountains, and the damp smell of rotting leaves filled the air. Lei Lin walked ahead, sweeping his flame wings over the bushes and burning the thorns blocking their path to ashes. Loran followed closely behind, knight's sword in hand, watching their surroundings warily. The magical elements here were denser than in Fallen Maple Territory, but they also carried a trace of strange evil aura, clearly left by the Bone-Eroding Cult's activities.
"Loran, watch out!" Lei Lin suddenly stopped, his golden slit pupils fixed on the bushes ahead. A rustling sounded, and three enormous Blackthorn Wild Boars charged out. Their coats were black, sharp thorns grew from their backs, and their tusks gleamed with a bluish poisonous light. They were clearly third-tier magical beasts.
Rather than retreating, Loran advanced, pouring third-tier Dou Qi into his knight's sword. Pale golden light intertwined with Lei Lin's crimson flames. "Just the chance to test a new dual-power fusion move!" He leaped into the air, his blade tracing a two-colored arc. "Ice and Fire Slash!"
The arc swept across the Blackthorn Wild Boars' necks. Flames scorched their coats, and Dou Qi severed their bones. All three collapsed without even a scream. Black blood flowed from their wounds, quickly absorbed by the shrubs on the ground.
"This move is stronger than the two-colored sword light from before!" Loran said in delighted surprise. Dual-power fusion could not only purify toxins but also increase the power of his attacks, giving him greater confidence in breaking through to the fourth tier.
Lei Lin nodded and sniffed the air. "There's a stronger evil aura up ahead. It should have been left by members of the Bone-Eroding Cult. Let's be careful and avoid being spotted."
Loran and Lei Lin slowed their steps and headed toward the evil aura. The trees of the Blackthorn Mountains grew ever denser, sunlight spilling through gaps in the leaves to form dappled patches of light. Suddenly, the Frostfire Ice Crystal inside Loran's clothing began emitting pale blue light, stronger than before. Clearly, they were drawing closer to the Frostfire Secret Realm.
Just then, a low growl came from ahead, accompanied by the laughter of black-robed figures. Loran and Lei Lin exchanged a glance, quietly slipped behind a large tree, and looked toward the sound. Five black-robed figures were surrounding an injured Icefield Wolf. A black bone needle protruded from its leg, and black poison was spreading from the wound.
"This Icefield Wolf carries the Snow Spirit Qilin's aura. The Frostfire Secret Realm must be nearby!" one of the black-robed figures said excitedly. "Once we catch it, we can force it to reveal the secret realm's location!"
Loran's gaze instantly turned cold. He tightened his grip on his knight's sword and said to Lei Lin, "We can't let them hurt the Icefield Wolf. It might be the Snow Spirit Qilin's companion!"
Lei Lin nodded, crimson flames gathering around him, ready to attack at any moment. Behind the tree, the man and Qilin quietly gathered their strength. A new battle was about to unfold deep within the Blackthorn Mountains. At that moment, the Frostfire Ice Crystal's light grew ever more dazzling, as though heralding that the Frostfire Secret Realm was already close at hand.