The Hidden Dragons did not lead him to a training ground or a cavern.
They walked in silence up a winding path that clung to the sheer face of the central peak, a trail meant for feet that never slipped. The air grew thin and sharp, and the ever-present chill of Azure Snow took on a deeper, more ancient quality. It wasn't just cold, it was the cold of deep stone and forgotten places.
Lin Tian followed, with Xueya and Su Lan a step behind him. He felt their presence like twin anchors in his spirit, one a steady glacier, the other a contained hearth-fire.
They want to see if I'll stumble without them, he thought, sensing the evaluating gazes of the five figures ahead. They want to see if the Vanguard needs to be held up.
