The footfall beneath their feet marked each step northward as Kai and his unusual caravan pressed through the changing landscape. Two moons had waxed and waned since they'd left the Wuyuan City, and with each passing league, the world around them transformed in subtle but profound ways. The once-lush foliage had given way to hardy larger looking trees.

  Kai paused to rest his hand against one such giant, feeling the deep, slow pulse of life beneath layers of thick bark. The tree's qi was different here - not the exuberant fountain of energy found in southern vegetation, but something deeper, more reserved, like embers banked for the long winter night.

  The procession moved like a living tapestry of myth, each spirit beast a brushstroke of vibrant energy against the muted canvas of the northern wilds.

  Closest to Kai, the shadow fox, Yinying slunk with liquid grace, its three tails weaving intricate patterns in the air as if stitching darkness itself into the fabric of the world. Occasionally, one tail would curl possessively around Kai’s wrist—not to guide, but to reassure itself of his presence. Her eyes, twin pools of abyssal violet, flickered with restrained power, ever-watchful for threats unseen by mortal senses.

  On Kai’s opposite side, Igni, the flame-striped tiger, prowled with low, rolling steps, his massive shoulders rippling like molten rock beneath fur that shimmered between ember-orange and coal-black. Every exhale carried a wisp of smoke, and when he yawned, the air around his fangs distorted with heat. He didn’t walk beside Kai so much as he orbited him, a living barrier between his charge and the unknown.

  Between them, Lu Bu—still small, still trembling—clutched the hem of Kai’s cloak in white-knuckled fists. Months of travel had done little to ease the child’s wariness of the spirit beasts. He flinched when the shadow fox’s tails brushed too close, and he outright cowered when Igni’s growl reverberated deep enough to shake pebbles loose from the path, even though the tiger was actually trying to be playful.

  At their flank, Snow, the ice claw wolf, moved like a ghost through the frosted underbrush. His fur, pale as a winter moon, bristled with lingering frost that sparkled in the weak sunlight. Where his paws touched the earth, a fleeting crust of ice formed before melting away—a silent testament to his nature reverberating with the naturally cooler climate, even in this qi-starved land. Yet his vigilance never wavered; his glacial blue eyes scanned the tree line with lethal precision.

  As Kai had continued his journey north, the group made several stops at walled communities along the way. He had meticulously planned a route that would allow them to stop and gather information and perhaps find a suitable place for Lu Bu to settle. However, each attempt to gain entry into these communities was met with disappointment.

  The first stop was a town called Kikokotan, which, like Wuyuan, had a tent city forming outside its walls. The sight of the makeshift encampment was disheartening; it was a stark reminder of the turmoil that had driven so many to seek refuge. When Kai approached the gates, he was met with a firm refusal. The guards, their expressions hardened by the weight of their responsibilities, turned him away without explanation.

  Frustrated but undeterred, Kai sought out the refugees outside the walls, hoping to glean some information about the situation in the area. However, the people he spoke to were just as lost as he was. They were fleeing from the south, their faces etched with fear and uncertainty, and they had little knowledge of the lands of Zan beyond their immediate plight. With no new insights to be gained, Kai pressed on, continuing his trek northward.

  The next two communities he encountered were similarly unwelcoming. Though they lacked the visible signs of a refugee crisis, the gates remained firmly shut against him. When he inquired about the reasons for their refusal, the guards offered no explanation, their silence speaking volumes. Kai felt a simmering frustration within him; he was a cultivator, after all, and he had the power to demand entry. Yet, he didn’t. He recalled the young, hot-headed cultivators from his former sect, who would have stormed the gates without a second thought, their arrogance blinding them to the consequences of their actions.

  As he walked away from the gates, a part of him wrestled with the urge to reveal his identity and assert his authority. But he held back, unwilling to stoop to the same demanding behavior he had witnessed in others. He had seen the damage that arrogance could inflict, and he refused to become like those who had come before him.

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  Shaking his head, Kai mused to himself about the arrogance of cultivators. The arrogance of cultivators knows no bounds, he thought, recalling the stories of destruction and chaos that often followed in the wake of their unchecked pride.

  With each rejection, Kai began to sense a deeper undercurrent of tension between the people of Zan and those from the south. It was clear that the locals harbored a distrust, if not outright disdain, for anyone associated with people beyond the lands of Zan. He couldn’t quite grasp the reasons behind this animosity, but it was evident that it ran deep.

  It wasn’t as if they could sense his cultivation; if they had known, they would have likely feared retribution for denying him entry, expecting him to unleash his power upon them.

  No, he was certain that the issue lay in their perception of him and Lu Bu as southerners. There was a conflict brewing between the mortals of Zan and the people from the south, one that he was still unaware of. The tension was palpable, and it left him feeling like an outsider in a land that was supposed to be his new home.

  The current caravan had veered off the main route, a deliberate choice made by Kai to shield his family of spirit beasts accompanying him from prying eyes. He was acutely aware of the curiosity and fear that such extraordinary creatures could evoke in the hearts of ordinary folk. As a result, they seldom ventured onto the well-trodden paths, only joining the main thoroughfares when he and Lu Bu would separate from the others to gain entry into human settlements.

  Instead, they navigated the dense forests and rugged mountains, where the natural terrain provided both cover and comfort. The spirit beasts, each possessing their own remarkable abilities, made traversing these challenging landscapes a seamless endeavor. The agile deer-like creature, with its shimmering fur, could easily leap over obstacles, while the sturdy bear-like guardian cleared paths through underbrush with ease. An ethereal bird, with its iridescent wings, soared above, scouting for any signs of danger or human presence.

  The deeper they traveled, the more the land seemed to breathe with them. They discovered hidden glades where flowers bloomed with bright colors, their petals glowing faintly under the stars. They rested beside mirrored lakes so still that the spirit beasts’ reflections shimmered with an otherworldly light, as if another version of their family existed just beneath the surface.

  One evening, as they made camp atop a windswept bluff, Kai watched the sunset paint the horizon in molten hues.

  For a moment, Kai allowed himself to forget the world beyond—the war, the walls, the wary eyes of those who feared what they did not understand. Here, there was no "south" or "north," no cultivators or refugees. There was only this.

  As Kai lost himself in reminiscence about the natural beauty of Zan, the vibrant hues of the landscape swirling in his mind, he suddenly noticed a plume of smoke rising in the distance. It curled lazily into the sky, a stark contrast against the azure backdrop. Frowning, he consulted the map, his brow furrowing in confusion. Based on their current location, he was certain there were no settlements nearby. The smoke suggested human activity, perhaps a fire for warmth or cooking, but it also raised a more troubling possibility.

  It could be bandits, he thought, a knot of unease tightening in his stomach.

  Banditry could be on the rise in Zan, a consequence of the growing unrest in the south. This surge in lawlessness could explain why they had been denied entry into several towns recently, the locals wary of outsiders and the potential threats they might bring.

  Determined to uncover the source of the smoke, Kai made a decision. He would investigate further. If it turned out to be bandits, he felt confident in his ability to handle the situation. His cultivation, bolstered by the spirit beasts, could easily handle a brigade of mortals with no trouble.

  On the other hand, if the smoke belonged to a local community or a settlement not marked on his map, it could present an opportunity. Perhaps he could gather valuable information about the region, learn more about the terrain ahead, and even find a suitable place for Lu Bu to live—a place where this human child could grow up, happy, healthy, and safe.

  With a sense of purpose igniting within him, Kai signaled to the beasts, who had been quietly observing the surroundings.The loyal spirit beasts seemed to sense Kai’s determination. Together, they moved cautiously forward, weaving through the underbrush and keeping their presence concealed.

  They moved through the forest toward the smoke, the air thick with the earthy scent of damp soil and the sweet fragrance of wildflowers. Sunlight filtered through the canopy above, casting dappled shadows on the forest floor, where leaves crunched softly beneath their feet. Each step brought them closer to the source of the smoke, and with it, the promise of discovery.