The sun had barely sunk beneath the horizon when the Whispering Plains changed.
What was once wind and grass became shadows and pursuit.
A lone fire flickered in a hollow between two stones. Lin Dong sat beside it, sharpening his blade in silence. The sound — metal rasping against stone — echoed faintly through the field.
Li Yan was dozing nearby, his head resting on his pack. The plains around them were still. Too still.
Lin Dong looked at the spirit core he had taken from the wyrm. It pulsed faintly, like a dying ember, its rhythm syncing with the mark beneath his skin. He turned it in his hand, feeling its warmth.
He could sense the energy inside — ancient, potent, and restless. But when he tried to touch it with his mind, it resisted, as if aware of him.
"You'll burn yourself if you stare too long."
The voice came from the darkness beyond the firelight. Calm. Deep. Confident.
Lin Dong froze, hand reaching for his sword.
"Who's there?"
A shadow stepped into view. The flames reflected off silver armor and a crimson cloak — the rider's leader from before.
"So it's true," the man said softly. "A boy wielding the power of the Heavenly Seal."
Behind him, five more riders emerged from the dark — their armor glinting faintly in the moonlight. Their mounts, black-scaled spirit horses, exhaled smoke that coiled like mist.
Li Yan woke with a start, eyes widening as he scrambled for his dagger.
"Lin Dong—"
"Stay behind me."
The crimson-cloaked man dismounted with graceful precision, his movements slow, deliberate. His eyes were cold amber, and the sigil on his breastplate glowed faintly red.
"You've caused quite the stir, boy," he said. "Half the sects in the northern plains are whispering your name. The Lei Clan wants you alive — though they didn't say in how many pieces."
Lin Dong's grip tightened on his sword. "You're with Lei Tian?"
The man smiled faintly. "Commander Mu Qian, enforcer of the Lei Clan. My orders are simple — retrieve the Seal, remove the host if necessary."
"You'll have to go through me," Lin Dong said, his voice steady despite the tremor in his veins.
Mu Qian tilted his head, studying him like a curious animal. "Bravery. I admire that. But let's not pretend this is a fair match."
He gestured lazily. Two riders stepped forward. Their spears glowed blue as they slammed them into the ground. Instantly, a ring of energy erupted, forming a shimmering cage around the camp — trapping Lin Dong and Li Yan inside.
"Spirit Trapping Formation," Mu Qian said, his tone almost amused. "I'd rather not dirty my hands unless I must."
The first of the riders lunged. Lin Dong blocked, sparks flying as steel met steel. The impact sent him skidding back, boots digging furrows in the soil.
The second rider came from behind — silent, fast — but Lin Dong twisted, driving his elbow into the man's throat before slashing upward. The blade cut through armor, the rider collapsing with a choked gasp.
"Li Yan, move!"
Li Yan rolled clear as the first rider struck again, missing by inches. Lin Dong parried, the force shattering the ground beneath them.
Mu Qian watched from outside the formation, arms folded. His expression was unreadable, almost bored — until the mark on Lin Dong's chest flared.
The world bent.
Golden light burst from Lin Dong's palm, striking the rider square in the chest and sending him flying into the barrier. The cage cracked — lightning arcing across its surface.
Mu Qian's eyes widened slightly. "So the Seal reacts to danger… interesting."
He drew his sword. The air around him shifted, heavy with killing intent.
"Enough play."
In a blur, he stepped through the barrier — the crack widening with a hiss of raw energy. The ground trembled as his boots touched the soil.
Lin Dong barely saw him move. One moment, Mu Qian was ten paces away; the next, their blades met in a flash of silver and gold.
The impact sent shockwaves rippling through the grass. Sparks flew. Lin Dong gritted his teeth, his knees buckling under the force.
Mu Qian pressed forward, his strikes precise, almost elegant.
"You've got potential," he said, their blades locked. "But power without mastery is just a pretty way to die."
Lin Dong's mark flared again — brighter, fiercer. Golden energy rippled down his sword, forcing Mu Qian back a step.
"Then I'll learn fast."
He surged forward, blade singing through the air. Each swing carried raw force, unrefined but driven by something unbreakable. Mu Qian blocked easily — but the glow of the Seal made him narrow his eyes.
"This energy…" he murmured. "It's not talismanic. It's ancient. Forbidden."
He parried a final blow, then vanished — reappearing behind Lin Dong. His blade came down in a clean arc.
Lin Dong turned just in time, but the strike caught his shoulder, slicing through his tunic and searing flesh. Pain exploded through him — yet he didn't fall.
Instead, he slammed his palm into the ground.
A burst of gold energy erupted outward, cracking the earth and throwing Mu Qian off balance. The barrier shattered completely, lightning scattering into the air.
"Li Yan — run!"
"I'm not leaving you!"
But Lin Dong didn't answer. His eyes glowed now — not human gold, but dragonfire. The energy inside him surged, wild and uncontrollable.
Mu Qian steadied himself, expression sharp.
"So this is the true Seal's power…"
He raised his blade, runes along the edge igniting crimson.
"Let's see how long you can hold it before it consumes you."
The plains exploded in light. Gold and red clashed, the shockwave ripping through the grass for miles.
For a moment, all sound vanished — only the echo of thunder and the whispers of the plains remained.
When the dust cleared, the fire was gone.
The riders were scattered, the ground scorched black. Li Yan crawled from the wreckage, coughing, searching frantically.
"Lin Dong! Lin Dong!"
He found him lying amid the ruins, chest rising faintly. His shoulder was bleeding, the mark on his chest flickering weakly.
Mu Qian stood a few paces away, his armor scorched, cloak torn — but he was still standing. His eyes burned with both anger and fascination.
"You're lucky, boy," he said quietly. "Next time, the Seal won't save you."
He turned, whistling sharply. His remaining riders mounted up and vanished into the dark.
Li Yan dragged Lin Dong up, panic flooding his voice. "Hey! Stay with me!"
Lin Dong's eyelids fluttered. "He… he's coming for it…"
"Who?"
"The one behind them all… Lei Tian."
Then his head fell back. The wind rose again, carrying whispers through the plains — the sound of ancient things awakening, of fates aligning.
Far away, beneath a sky streaked with red lightning, Lei Tian himself opened his eyes.
In his palm burned a sigil — identical to Lin Dong's mark, but darker. Hungrier.
"At last," he murmured. "The Seal has chosen."
And somewhere on the horizon, the first thunder rolled.