The sky turned heavy—grey clouds crashing in like waves, trying hard to bury the soft white sky. And in that moment, one of the strongest being finally made a move.
Ryuxian stood frozen, stunned by the answer. He almost raised his hand to strike, but Lynx turned his head just slightly—and Ryuxian stopped. Even though they were close now, the gap in experience was still wide. "That will never change. Lynx is still the guardian—even if he's reluctant to accept this world's rules. The respect remains."
Why? Just a bit smoother gramma
Lynx spoke calmly, "His name is Mo Yu Yang Lin. Whether you like it or not, that's not my problem."
Mo Yu smirked lightly.
Ryuxian, hands on his hips, let out a sigh, clearly annoyed.
"His green eyes softened as he spoke into the silence of the mountains and rivers." "You both won't grow stronger in my shadow anymore. It's time you found your own."
Lynx continued, "I already mentioned Ryuxian—both of you are going to Wuyuan Land."
Mo Yu didn't reply. He only tightened his grip. Deep down, he knew. The deity wanted him out in the world. To challenge others. To grow. That had always been his dream when he first started living under Lynx's guidance. But now? Things were different. He didn't care as much. Or maybe... he just didn't want to leave. Not this place. Not the one person who felt like a father.
He was about to raise his voice to speak—
But Lynx raised a hand, cutting him off. "No need. I can't leave this place. You know that. Someone needs to hold this seat. And now there's a rumor going around that I'm dead. That fallen dared to come here."
He looked between the two of them. "You both need to grow stronger. We need power—just enough to protect this mountain and this whole state."
Then he turned to Ryuxian.
"I don't have authority over you. I can't tell you what to do. But I gave you my last name. You should know yourself by now—you're weaker than Mo Yu. Even though you have potential. Right now, he's stronger. And even if you carry human form, you don't have the power to sustain it. It's still a mystery how you even got a human form in the first place.
"So think about it tonight. In the morning, both of you leave on your journey. Get yourself a space ring. Mo Yu—prepare. The road ahead is long."
The morning arrived, and with it, the change that would alter everything. A shift in Ryuxian's life, in his perspective. The chief of the temple, young monks, and the entire town were all busy preparing for their departure. But as the old monk asked everyone to get their supplies ready, the once hidden secrets were no longer secrets. At least, not when it came to their deity.
Mo Yu and Ryuxian stood at the entrance of the Holy Temple, where Lynx stayed behind. The portal opened before them.
Lynx spoke, his voice echoing through the air. "Serpent and the Raven."
Mo Yu didn't seem fazed by the sound of his voice, but Ryuxian? He stopped in his tracks. His footsteps faltered, and he let out a sigh. Mo Yu glanced at him, clearly annoyed by his reaction, before turning away and continuing to listen.
"Ryuxian caught Mom Yu's mocking glance, but he wasn't entirely sure of his place in this world—unsure of what was expected of him, since he'd never truly belonged here."
Lynx continued, "I'm about to open the teleport. You both have your personal space rings, right?"
They nodded in silence.
"Good. Listen carefully," Lynx's voice grew distant, as though it was coming from the sky itself. "The space you'll travel to is called the Sea of Lost Clouds—a place where time flows strangely. It's easy for cultivators to lose themselves here, to lose their names if they're not careful. With my protection, you'll both reach safely. But don't forget—hide your identities. Serpent and Raven. Not until you're strong enough to rival the strongest disciples of the sector. If anything happens, don't hold back. Focus on becoming strong. That's your goal now."
A veil of soft, light blue light formed in front of them. The atmosphere shifted—the cold wind suddenly swapped directions, everyone cheered when the portal opens,
"The children from the temple squealed in excitement when they saw Ryuxian. He raised his hand, waving at them. One child—with eyes like glowing stars—shouted, "When you come back, I'll be stronger than you!'" he raised his hands again, gave a wave and they both stepped through.
"Walk not as warriors—but as echoes seeking themselves. The mountain remembers who bleeds in silence."
Mo Yu glanced back one last time, but Ryuxian—his eyes narrowed, barely holding back his irritation—stole a glance at Lynx's back.
"Ryuxian and Mo Yu said nothing as time surged through strange magnetic fields between realms, neither of them looked at each other or spoke a word. When they finally emerged on the other side of the portal—into Wuyuan—their presence instantly drew the attention of an old, mysterious soul. A soul that had died centuries ago.
"And yet, something about the two of them stirred his interest—a strange, ancient surge in such young bodies."
.
Silently, he altered their path, shifting the spatial current to lure them into an ancient, dark expanse—far from Wuyuan's outer gate. Instead of stepping into the bustling sect grounds, they found themselves approaching a small, distant village. One that looked like it had long been forgotten.
The village was broken. Shattered. Houses leaned like tired bones. No voices. No footsteps. Just the rain—thick, heavy drops falling from the sky, pounding into the cracked earth and rooftops with a dull rhythm. It wasn't evening yet, but the gloom made it feel like night had already begun.
They stumbled into a small, tavern-sized building. Or at least, that's what it looked like.
But somehow—without meaning to—their feet crossed the threshold into a temple.
For the first time, the ever-calm Mo Yu froze.
His eyes locked onto something. A statue. A worn, ancient sculpture of Lynx.
He didn't even blink.
Beside him, Ryuxian had no idea what was going on. "He just tried to dry his soaked sleeves, grumbling as he squeezed the water out, clearly annoyed by the rain—and possibly everything else."
Mo Yu's sudden reaction caught Ryuxian off guard.
"Yo..." Ryuxian called out quietly, shaking his shoulder.
Mo Yu blinked, snapping out of his trance. He found himself standing before a pilgrim statue—not of Lynx, as he first thought—but of someone else. A divine figure that looked far too kind... too majestic. Familiar, even.
It couldn't be Lynx. But then, why did it feel so much like him?
The entire village lay in ruins, untouched for what seemed like centuries. And yet... the pilgrim statue remained pristine. No cracks. No dust. As if time itself avoided it.
Mo Yu felt a cold chill run down his spine—but didn't say anything.
They waited there, in silence, until the rain stopped. Later, Ryuxian stepped outside to gather dry branches and leaves. Mo Yu didn't move. He just sat near the temple's entrance, lost in thought.
Maybe it was because Lynx was the only god he knew.
That had to be it.
Ryuxian returned and began lighting a fire. The faint crackle brought them back to the moment, grounding them.
The next day, they left the temple behind.
Their destination was still Wuyuan's entrance gate—but the longer they walked, the more the path twisted unnaturally. Ryuxian frowned. Something felt... off.
"We should've reached by now," he muttered.
They tried different directions, searching for signs, but the air grew heavier. Each step felt like it led nowhere.
Ryuxian tried to read the fate threads—his usual way of navigating—but nothing appeared.
No threads. No signs.
Like the place itself had been cut off from fate.
The sky began to dim unnaturally. No stars. No moons. Just darkness swallowing the horizon.
They stumbled upon the edge of ancient ruins. Ryuxian's eyes lit up—he was always fascinated by fossils, bones, even the bizarre structure of ancient human skulls.
As he moved through the overgrown debris, something suddenly crawled up his leg.
"Shit—scorpions! The one thing I hate about ruins!" he cursed, kicking it off.
He stomped hard, trying to crush it—but when he looked up, Mo Yu had already walked far ahead.
"I'll catch up! Wait for me, you damn bug!" Ryuxian yelled, annoyed.
The moment he stepped forward again, the surroundings changed.
The forest around him turned darker. Almost pitch black.
No birds. No wind. Just silence. "Not even the insects dared to hum. The world felt like it was holding its breath." He teleported ahead, catching up to Mo Yu—it looked more like a ghost's walk to any outside observer.
At the heart of the ruins, the landscape changed again. Twisted vines crept up shattered stone walls. Strange bioluminescent plants glowed faintly green, their soft light casting shadows on ancient carvings.
At least the plants made it easier to see.
Ryuxian absorbed every detail, eyes wide with curiosity. Then, he called out to Nyx—his companion spirit.
"Hey... what's up with those drawings? That guy playing with stardust... and that throne?"
Nyx stayed silent.
Ryuxian sighed, annoyed. "Serpent code's useless anyway. Even you don't wanna talk now, huh?"
Even Mo Yu—usually smug and self-assured—looked tense.
He finally broke the silence with a quiet scoff. "Tch. You think you're ready for this place?"
Ryuxian didn't answer. He just walked ahead, unbothered.
Mo Yu stared at him for a moment longer, then muttered under his breath, "You really are like him…"
Ryuxian's voice echoed in cave—Lynx's words from before they departed:
"Walk not as warriors—but as echoes seeking themselves. The mountain remembers who bleeds in silence."