The disciples stood before the gathered masters in solemn silence, the mists of One Thousand Lakes still lingering like the breath of ancient ghosts. Tian stood at the front, arms behind his back, white robe billowing gently. The tiger cub nuzzled against his foot, then sat upright like a small guardian. Wuheng's voice cut through the tension like a blade drawn from silence. "The time has come," he said. "You will march north, not as mere disciples, but as the spark that will reignite the flame of Murim." He looked each one in the eye, lingering slightly on Tian, then Ok Seryeon, then Yu Gwanjeong. "Your path begins at the Ice Palace."
Dan Chohwa spoke next, her voice like wind brushing ice. "They are cold-hearted and proud, but not without honor. If we offer strength, they may offer allegiance." Gyo Seorin added, "But tread carefully. The moment you show weakness, they will not hesitate to strike you down."
"The masters will not accompany you," said Jang Baekho, hands folded behind his back. "This is your trial. We head to Longyan City, to establish our headquarters. Once called 'The Last Gate,' it is the city that guards the pass to the Central Plains. It shall be our stronghold." Wuheng turned, his eyes deeper than shadow. "And we will search for the ancient prison… the one whispered of only in nightmares. Where the remnants of the four ancient sects—the ones who vanished after the Betrayal—are kept."
Silence. Then Tian stepped forward. "And when we find them?" Wuheng answered, "We bring them home. Those who remain will join us, or their memory will be honored through battle." Yeom Guhwan grunted. "And the Heavenly Demon?" The room grew colder. Wuheng's voice dropped. "He is the last. The last disciple of the Six Betrayers who fled and hid in the mountains. He is the blade meant to strike the final blow against the Murim Alliance. But he is unaware of who he truly is. His father never told him. He only knows that his grandfather was betrayed and killed. When the time comes, we will face him."
The disciples were dismissed shortly after. The masters remained seated. Wuheng lingered as the others rose. Baekho turned to him. "You've told him?" Wuheng nodded once. "Everything. At the right time. His eyes… have already begun to awaken." The other masters exchanged looks. "And his lineage?" Wuheng looked toward the fading mist. "He knows. But I forbade him from speaking it. For now.
The disciples made camp beneath the twin peaks north of the lake. They gathered by the fire, weapons resting nearby, steam rising from hot soup. The mood was lighter than before. Yu Gwanjeong grinned at Tian. "Alright, mysterious boy, answer this—what's with the black sword? That thing doesn't look like it belongs to this world." Tian smiled faintly. "It doesn't. It belonged to Wuheng's master. It's called Voidhowl. It carries silence inside it." Seryeon raised a brow. "And the white one?" "Starfang. Forged by Wuheng himself." Soheon's eyes flickered. "And the sealed one?" Tian didn't answer. Instead, he asked, "What about yours?" They each told their stories, some proud, others simple. It felt like the first thread of camaraderie had been sewn.
The tiger cub climbed into Seryeon's lap, purring. She gasped and stroked its head, all coldness gone. "He's so soft!" Gwanjeong muttered, "I'm gonna fight a tiger too and get one." Soheon laughed. "You'll be dinner before you finish your sentence
That night, as Tian meditated under the moon, his memories returned. The night his mother arrived, bloodied and silent, handing him to Master Wuheng. The red jewel ring on her finger flashed once before she pressed it into Wuheng's palm. "This will glow when he's near me again," she whispered. "Don't tell him. Just protect him." Later, he would remember the dream—his mother standing in a meadow of fire, crying. Her voice: "One day, you will return to me, but not as my son. As the dragon reborn."
In the dream, a mighty voice cracked the heavens. The Azure Dragon, ancient and coiled around the stars, opened one eye and whispered, "Tian Xuanzi… remember who you are." He awoke gasping—and his blue eye had awakened, glowing with divine light
Back by the lake, Wuheng sat alone. The stars shimmered above. A tiger, massive and silent, approached from the woods. She bowed her head. "He grows stronger." Wuheng nodded. "When the time comes, he will remember you." She blinked slowly. "My son is with him now. As promised."
At sunrise, the disciples stood at the edge of the mountain path, the road to the Ice Palace before them. Wuheng stood with the masters behind them. "From here, you walk without us," he said. "Each victory is your burden. Each defeat, your teacher." Tian stepped forward. "What if we find enemies stronger than us?" Wuheng looked at him. "Then become stronger."
The march began. The disciples of Murim's lost honor, walking north to reclaim fire from frost.
The revenge had not begun yet.
But its shadow stretched across the mountains