The first light of dawn filtered through the mist, painting the camp in gray and gold. The soldiers mounted quietly, every eye alert, every hand clutching weapons as if the shadows themselves could strike. Jeng Minh felt the pulse of the land beneath him—soft, steady, yet carrying a latent tension, like the world itself was holding its breath.
Bai Ye led the column, his white mask reflecting the rising sun. Behind him, Jeng Minh's small retinue rode in tight formation. Xie Yaling remained near him, eyes scanning the surrounding forest for any hint of danger. Feng rode just behind Jeng Minh, his grip on his sword tight, muscles coiled to react.
The forest was silent, too silent. Even the wind seemed to hesitate.
Jeng Minh could feel it—the chain. It pulsed faintly in his chest, like a heartbeat of ice. He had felt it before, during the encounter with the Chainbearer, but now it was different. Stronger. More insistent.
Bai Ye glanced back, as if sensing his thoughts. "The chain is not merely a threat," he said softly, his voice cutting through the quiet. "It is a guide, a judge, and a mirror. You are not yet ready to wield it fully… but you are the vessel. Its awakening begins with control."
Jeng Minh swallowed. "Control… over what exactly?"
"The part of you that is Zhou Chen, and the part that is you—Jeng Minh," Bai Ye said. "Both souls share the same body, yet both are incomplete without the other. The chain tests which will dominate when the choice is forced."
Jeng Minh's grip on the spear tightened. So, it isn't just the Chainbearer or the Emperor. My own body—my own soul—is a battlefield.
Xie Yaling rode closer. "You hear him?" she asked, her voice low but firm. "If this chain is part of you, then every move you make, every choice, could hurt us as well as yourself."
Jeng Minh nodded. "I know. I won't fail—not now."
Bai Ye finally spoke, almost like a whisper carried by the wind. "You must focus on the chain's pulse. Feel it, do not fight it. Let it guide your instincts, and the vessel will awaken."
The moment he touched Bai Ye's words, something stirred deep inside Jeng Minh. A warmth, a thread of energy weaving through his body. His vision sharpened; the air seemed heavier, almost alive. He could sense every leaf in the forest, every movement of the horses, and—faintly—the faint pulse of distant soldiers miles ahead.
The chain… it's not just a threat. It's showing me things.
Suddenly, a branch snapped somewhere in the mist. Jeng Minh froze. His heart pounded, but instinctively, he reacted before the mind could catch up.
A figure darted from the tree line—small, nimble, cloaked in black.
Without thinking, Jeng Minh swung his spear. The attack struck true, and the figure tumbled back into the mist with a hiss.
Bai Ye nodded approvingly. "Good. Your instincts are beginning to align. But this is only the beginning. The chain will demand more than reflex—it will demand sacrifice."
Jeng Minh clenched his jaw. "Sacrifice? For what?"
"For survival. For awakening. For mastery over the fate that hunts you," Bai Ye said. His masked eyes glinted in the morning light. "The vessel is stronger than you know—but strength alone will not be enough. Wisdom, patience, and daring are the true keys."
Xie Yaling's voice cut through the tension. "We're being followed. Multiple shadows moving beyond the mist. They are silent, fast… too fast for ordinary men."
Jeng Minh felt the pulse of the chain surge, sharp and urgent. It guided his gaze toward the faint outlines in the distance. The shadows weren't human. Not entirely. Their movements were unnatural, jagged, and precise—like living weapons.
Bai Ye's voice, calm yet forceful, penetrated his thoughts. "The Chainbearer sent scouts. They test the vessel's reactions. Every encounter will push you closer to awakening—or destruction."
Jeng Minh's grip on the spear tightened, his mind syncing with the subtle pulse of the chain. A calm certainty spread through him. "Then let them come."
The shadows advanced silently, merging with the mist like dark smoke. Jeng Minh felt his body hum with power he didn't fully understand yet. He adjusted his stance, readying himself for the first true test of his awakening.
Bai Ye stepped beside him, hands folded, calm as ever. "Remember this, Vessel: do not fight the chain. Flow with it. Let it guide your strikes, let it sharpen your senses, let it awaken the power that is your birthright."
Jeng Minh inhaled deeply, feeling Zhou Chen's body, his own soul, and the mysterious pulse of the chain merge into one.
As the first shadow leapt from the mist, Jeng Minh struck—not with hesitation, but with precision, speed, and an instinctive clarity that surprised even him.
The vessel had begun to awaken.
The forest echoed with the clash of steel and the faint, metallic chime of chains in the distance.
And in that moment, Jeng Minh understood: this was only the beginning.