sword path

As **Xiao Ling** stood amidst the frozen wasteland she had created, her breath visible in the frigid air, she felt the weight of her existence pressing down on her soul. The sword **Frost** pulsed in her hand, a silent reminder of the power she now wielded, but also of the hollow emptiness that filled her heart.

**Commander Ryu**, **Elder Fei**, **Lian Hua**, **Anya**, and **Master Zhang** descended from the sky, their cultivator techniques allowing them to glide down with grace, their faces grave as they approached her. The destruction around them was overwhelming, the once vibrant land now an icy tomb, frozen in time. They looked at Xiao Ling with a mix of awe, fear, and sorrow.

Xiao Ling, however, didn't acknowledge them at first. Her gaze was fixed on the distant horizon, her voice quiet, almost a whisper, as she questioned the very nature of existence.

**Xiao Ling**: "Why... do we die? Why... do we live?" Her words hung in the air, heavy with the weight of her losses.

She remembered the oath she had taken so many years ago, as a recruit in the **Cloud Knights**. The voices of her fellow knights echoed in her mind, all of them shouting in unison, full of hope and purpose. They believed they could protect their world, fight for something greater than themselves.

But now... that world was gone.

She clenched her fists, her knuckles white as the frost that coated the ground beneath her. The memories of that oath, of those bright days filled with comradeship and duty, seemed so distant, so futile. Her heart ached with the absence of emotion, and yet she felt the weight of her sorrow even without the ability to truly grieve.

**Xiao Ling**: "But... Xianzhou... no longer exists..." Her voice trembled slightly, the reality of it sinking deeper into her soul. "I fought for a scorched world... A new shoot sprouted from the earth... it bloomed in the morning sun... and whispered to me."

She tilted her head upwards, staring at the cold, indifferent sky. Her lips trembled as she repeated the words that had once meant everything to her.

**Xiao Ling**: "Clouds that cover the heavens... will the knights... protect the Xianzhou..." She trailed off, her voice breaking as the full weight of her tragedy settled in.

There was no Xianzhou left to protect. Their world was gone, reduced to ashes and ice. The promise she had once made seemed like a cruel joke now, a relic of a time when she believed in something greater. She had fought so hard, lost so much, and for what? To protect a world that no longer existed?

She lowered her head, the crushing reality of her situation pressing down on her like an unbearable burden.

**Xiao Ling**: "Life begets death."

The silence that followed her words was deafening. **Commander Ryu**, **Elder Fei**, and the others stood frozen, unsure of what to say or do. They could see the toll the battles had taken on her, not just physically, but mentally and emotionally. The once vibrant knight they had known was now a shell of her former self, broken by the endless cycle of fighting, loss, and despair.

For a moment, no one spoke. The only sound was the soft howl of the wind, carrying with it the echoes of the fallen knights and the shattered hopes of a world long lost.

Finally, **Commander Ryu** stepped forward, his voice gentle but firm.

**Commander Ryu**: "Xiao Ling... I know you've lost much, more than most could ever bear. But there are still battles to fight. There are still people who need you."

Xiao Ling remained silent, her eyes distant, as if she no longer cared for the world around her. The ice sword **Frost** gleamed in her hand, a reminder of the deal she had made, the coldness now embedded in her soul.

**Lian Hua**, her old friend, spoke next, her voice filled with sorrow. "Xiao... we live because we must. We fight because we have to. Even if Xianzhou is gone, even if everything we've known is lost... we still have each other."

But Xiao Ling's gaze remained unfocused, her heart hardened by the relentless suffering she had endured. The weight of her oath, once a source of pride, now felt like a chain binding her to a destiny of endless conflict.

She took a deep breath, the cold air filling her lungs, and whispered once more, "As clouds that cover the heavens... will the knights... protect the Xianzhou..."

But deep down, Xiao Ling knew that the answer no longer mattered. Life had become a bitter cycle of death, and the world she had fought to protect was nothing more than a memory—a memory fading into the cold, endless night.

**Xiao Ling** stood there, her expression unchanging, the coldness in her eyes a reflection of the ice that had formed around her heart. The words of **Lian Hua** echoed in her mind, confusing her. "We are the seed... and you are the farmer." It made no sense. She had fought and bled, sacrificed everything—what was left to nurture? What life could possibly grow from the ashes of their fallen world?

Her confusion was interrupted as **Lian Hua**, **Commander Ryu**, **Elder Fei**, **Anya**, and **Master Zhang** suddenly dropped to one knee before her, their swords laid flat in front of them in a show of loyalty and respect. Their voices, unified and strong, rang out in the frozen air.

**All**: "WE PAY RESPECT TO THE GENERAL. WE OFFER YOU OUR SWORD IN LIFE AND DEATH. WE SWEAR TO FIGHT BY YOUR SIDE AND DIE FOR YOU. THIS I SWEAR!"

The sound of their pledge resonated in the silence, cutting through the stillness of the frozen landscape. Xiao Ling's icy gaze flickered as she looked down at them, unsure of how to process this display of allegiance. These were her comrades—some of the strongest warriors she had ever fought alongside—and now, they were bowing to her. Offering their lives. Their unwavering loyalty.

**Xiao Ling**: "General?" she repeated, her voice cold and distant. "I am no general. I have no world to protect, no people to lead."

But the sincerity in their eyes, the fire in their voices, did not falter.

**Lian Hua**, still on one knee, spoke up again, her voice soft but filled with resolve. "You may think the Xianzhou is gone, Xiao Ling, but we—those of us still standing—are its last remnants. As long as we live, so too does the hope of our people. And you..." she raised her head slightly, meeting Xiao Ling's frozen stare, "...you are the one we choose to follow."

The others nodded, their eyes shining with conviction. In that moment, despite the coldness that gripped her heart, Xiao Ling saw in their faces the same hope and determination she had once carried. They were not asking for her power, nor her pity. They were asking for her leadership. Her strength.

**Elder Fei**: "The title of General is not just given by rank, Xiao Ling. It is earned through battle, through sacrifice. And you... have earned it a hundredfold."

The ice in Xiao Ling's veins pulsed, as though the sword **Frost** was reacting to the moment. She felt the weight of their words pressing against the cold emptiness inside her. She had lost so much—too much. And yet, here they were, offering her something she thought was long gone: purpose.

She looked at them, her expression still unreadable. But inside, something was stirring. Something faint but undeniable.

**Xiao Ling**: "And what of you?" she asked, her voice as sharp as the frost in the air. "If I lead, if I accept this... what are you prepared to sacrifice?"

Without hesitation, **Commander Ryu** spoke, his voice resolute. "Everything."

The others echoed his words, their swords gleaming in the frost-bitten air. "Everything."

Xiao Ling stood there for a long moment, her heart pounding in her chest. The cold, the death, the endless cycle of fighting... it had numbed her, hardened her. But now, in the faces of her comrades, she saw the flicker of something she had thought lost forever—hope.

Slowly, she lowered her hand to the ice sword, **Frost**, feeling its cold power surge through her. Her grip tightened as she took a deep breath, and for the first time in a long while, she felt a sense of clarity.

**Xiao Ling**: "Then rise," she commanded, her voice strong, though still laced with the coldness that had become a part of her. "If you swear to follow me, know this: the path ahead will be filled with blood, death, and darkness. We may never reclaim what was lost, but together, we will fight."

They rose, their eyes filled with determination, their swords lifted high.

**Xiao Ling**: "As clouds that cover the heavens, will the knights protect the Xianzhou. In life and in death, we fight together."

And with those words, Xiao Ling accepted the mantle of leadership she had never sought but could no longer deny. She was the General now, the last hope of a shattered world. And though the path ahead was uncertain, one thing was clear: they would fight, and they would fight together.

For a scorched world, for a future that was yet unwritten.

As **Xiao Ling** stood among her comrades, the air shifted in a way that made her heart falter. The sounds of the world—the wind, the distant hum of the battlefield—faded into an eerie silence. Time itself seemed to halt. The swirling frost that surrounded her stilled, and the figures of her companions froze in place, mid-motion.

She blinked, her breath misting in the frozen air.

**Xiao Ling**: "What… is this?" she whispered, her voice echoing in the strange stillness.

And then she saw him.

**Li Wei**, her younger brother, stood just a few paces in front of her, his presence filling the frozen world with a thunderous energy. Lightning cracked and surged in his eyes, the ground beneath his feet faintly sizzling from the raw power that coursed through him. His expression was cold, as cold as the frost she wielded, yet it carried the weight of something darker, something destructive.

They stood there for a long moment, staring at one another, the weight of their shared past pressing down on them.

**Xiao Ling**: "Li Wei..." she breathed, her voice trembling ever so slightly.

He did not respond, his eyes never leaving hers. Thunder cracked in the air around them, tiny arcs of lightning flickering between his fingers. The storm that brewed within him was unlike anything she had ever seen. The boy she once knew was gone—this was someone else, someone forged by hatred and power.

Finally, he spoke, his voice low and icy, matching the storm in his eyes.

**Li Wei**: "So, you survived. The little knight who swore to protect a dead world."

His words cut through the silence, sharp and mocking. Xiao Ling's chest tightened, but she stood firm, her grip on the frost sword tightening.

**Xiao Ling**: "I swore an oath, Li Wei. To protect the Xianzhou... our people. And what about you? What have you become?"

He took a step forward, the ground crackling with energy beneath him.

**Li Wei**: "I became strong. Strong enough to destroy anyone who stands in my way. That includes you... sister."

There was venom in the word, "sister," and it stung more than Xiao Ling had anticipated. She had searched for him, hoped to find a trace of the brother she once loved, but now, standing before her, all she saw was a stranger—an unstoppable force of destruction, bound by a twisted purpose.

**Xiao Ling**: "What have you done, Li Wei? The Mrum world... the innocents you slaughtered. Was it worth it? All that death... for what?"

His eyes narrowed, and the air around them pulsed with the power of his rage.

**Li Wei**: "They were weak. They were nothing. I did what was necessary—what no one else had the strength to do. You call it slaughter, I call it survival."

Xiao Ling's heart sank. She could feel the weight of the cold sword in her hand, but the chill in her chest was far worse. The boy she once knew, the brother she once protected, was gone. All that remained was this force of destruction.

**Xiao Ling**: "Survival?" Her voice broke, barely containing her grief. "You've become a monster, Li Wei. This power… it's consumed you."

He let out a low, humorless laugh, shaking his head.

**Li Wei**: "A monster? Perhaps. But monsters are what this world needs. The strong survive, Xiao Ling. The weak perish. And you... you're still clinging to those foolish ideals, fighting for a world that no longer exists."

She clenched her fist around her sword, her breath steadying as she locked eyes with him.

**Xiao Ling**: "You're wrong. The Xianzhou lives in us, in those who still fight for it. Strength is not in destruction, but in protecting those who cannot protect themselves."

The lightning in his eyes flared, and the ground beneath them shook as he took another step closer.

**Li Wei**: "Then you're a fool, just like Father. And you know what happened to him."

The mention of their father sent a jolt of pain through Xiao Ling's heart. She had heard rumors, but to hear it from Li Wei…

**Xiao Ling**: "What did you do to him?" she asked, her voice low, trembling with barely restrained fury.

He smirked, his eyes gleaming with malice.

**Li Wei**: "I gave him the death he deserved."

The words were a dagger to her heart. She gripped the sword in her hand tighter, the frost around her reacting to her mounting rage.

**Xiao Ling**: "You're not my brother," she said coldly, echoing the words their father had once spoken. "Li Wei is dead. And if I have to stop you... I will."

The air between them crackled with tension, the storm of lightning and frost clashing as the siblings stood on the brink of a battle that would determine the fate of whatever remained of their shattered world.

**Li Wei**: "Then fight me," he said, his voice a low growl. "Show me your strength... or be destroyed."

**Xiao Ling**'s hand trembled as she held her sword just inches from **Li Wei**'s throat, the blade glinting in the frozen stillness between them. Her eyes, filled with a storm of emotions—rage, sorrow, disbelief—locked with his, but she couldn't bring herself to strike. His calm, mocking smile made her grip falter.

**Li Wei**: "You've got the killer's eyes, sister… but can you really do it?" His voice was taunting, cold. "I don't think so. You hesitate. You always have."

She gritted her teeth, fighting the tremor in her hand. Every word he spoke cut deeper, twisting the knife of doubt within her. She could feel the weight of the oath she had taken, the sacrifices she had made, but none of that could silence the voice in her mind screaming, *he's your brother.*

**Xiao Ling**: "Li Wei… don't make me do this…" she whispered, her voice barely audible as it cracked under the strain of the moment.

He leaned in closer, his expression darkening with cruel amusement.

**Li Wei**: "You can't. You won't. I see it in your eyes—you don't have it in you." He glanced down at the blade hovering near his throat, his confidence unwavering. "You're too weak."

She tightened her grip on the sword, her knuckles turning white. But her body betrayed her. She couldn't move. She couldn't bring herself to strike the final blow.

**Li Wei**: "I knew it," he said with a smirk, stepping back slightly. "You couldn't do it. I knew my sister was still in there somewhere, too soft-hearted to kill her own blood."

Her sword shook in her hand, and she hated herself for it. Hated how much control he had over her, how he still knew her better than anyone else, even after all these years. Tears welled up in her eyes, but she blinked them back, unwilling to show that kind of weakness in front of him.

**Li Wei**: "But as much as I'd enjoy seeing you struggle with this choice, I'm afraid I have other matters to attend to." His voice dropped, colder than before. "You're not strong enough yet. When you are, maybe then you'll be worth my time."

The electricity in his eyes flared briefly, as if to punctuate his words. Then, with one final glance at her, he turned and began to walk away, leaving her standing in the frozen silence, sword still in hand, shaking with emotion.

**Xiao Ling**: "Li Wei!" she shouted, her voice breaking. But he didn't stop, didn't even turn back to look at her.

**Xiao Ling** stood there, her sword still raised, her heart torn apart by the weight of what she couldn't do. Her breath came in ragged gasps, and her legs felt weak beneath her. She had failed—not just as a warrior, but as a sister. The world around her was still frozen, and yet everything felt as though it were crashing down.

As **Li Wei** disappeared into the distance, she finally lowered her sword, her shoulders sagging under the weight of what had just happened. The silence that followed was deafening.

As time resumed, the weight of reality hit **Xiao Ling** like a crashing wave. The cold air rushed back around her, and she could hear the faint echoes of her comrades as they chanted their vows.

Her sword lowered, trembling at her side. The expressions on the faces of **Commander Ryu**, **Elder Fei**, **Lian Hua**, **Anya**, and **Master Zhang** showed nothing but loyalty as they remained bowed, unaware of the moment that had just passed between her and **Li Wei**. The ground beneath her feet remained frozen, the frost spreading outward from her.

But she couldn't shake the haunting image of her brother walking away. His words echoed in her mind, taunting her weakness. She had been ready—ready to end it, to fulfill her duty as a knight. And yet, she had hesitated.

Suddenly, **Commander Ryu** raised his head, noticing her hesitation. He stood and approached cautiously, his eyes scanning her face.

**Commander Ryu**: "General… Are you alright? You look... shaken."

**Xiao Ling** swallowed hard, trying to push down the lump forming in her throat. She straightened her posture, her voice steadier than she felt inside.

**Xiao Ling**: "I'm fine, Commander," she replied coldly. "Just… thinking."

The others rose slowly, sensing something had changed but not daring to ask. **Lian Hua**, always more attuned to emotions, looked at her with quiet concern, but said nothing.

The sky above them darkened further, heavy clouds rolling in. Xiao Ling's eyes flicked toward the horizon, where her brother had vanished. Whatever had just happened, it wasn't over. Far from it.

**Xiao Ling**: "We need to move," she ordered, her voice hardening. "There's no time to waste. We have a mission to complete."

They nodded in unison, trusting her judgment, and fell into formation behind her. As they prepared to depart, Xiao Ling took one last glance at the now distant frozen landscape, her thoughts haunted by the encounter with her brother.

Her grip on the ice sword tightened. She knew now more than ever—her path would be paved with blood and loss. But she swore to herself, in that moment, that when the time came, she wouldn't hesitate again.

Not next time.