The Central Battlefield stretched ahead like a nightmare fossilized into reality.
The next morning arrived in a shade of gray, where the sun barely dared peek over the jagged ridges.
Tian Shen awoke first, brushing the thin layer of mist off his robes. The tent's interior was still warm from the spiritual fire orb, but beyond the barrier, the air was as sharp as glass.
Lan Yueru opened her eyes soon after, already sitting cross-legged.
She offered no greeting, only a glance, before rising to her feet and checking her sword.
"You sleep like a mortal," she said.
"And yet I'm the one up first," Tian Shen replied with a grin.
They broke camp quickly, extinguishing their barrier and moving with quiet coordination.
Word had spread that areas north of the base camp had yielded not just resources—but relics.
More importantly, faint trails of ancient bloodlines had been detected. Naturally, this drew interest.
And danger.
