The slopes of Mount Lam were devastated, submerged in a terrifying, deathly stillness. The golden dragon formed from the Soul of the Dragon Vein had vanished, and the golden pillar of light had retracted into the cave, returning the mountain peak to its inherent tranquility. Yet, the destruction it left behind remained, like a permanent scar etched into the history of this land.
Not a single figure from the Black Dragon Stronghold or the other demonic factions remained. The fortunate survivors of the dragon's terrifying tail flick, including the Sixth Elder of the Azure Cloud Sect, had fled in panic, not daring to look back even once. They carried with them extreme terror, a fantastical tale of the sacred land's wrath, a lingering nightmare that would likely follow them all the way to the Nine Springs.
On the mountain peak, six people stood, quietly looking down at the battlefield that had been "cleansed" in the most absolute manner.
"It's over," Ly Tin let out a long sigh. However, his voice held none of the joy of a victor, but rather a profound reverence. The power of the Dragon Vein was truly too terrifying; it had far surpassed the cognitive boundaries of a mortal general like himself.
"Not yet," Tran Kien shook his head, his voice tinged with exhaustion after expending too much mental energy. "This is only the beginning."
He looked toward the distant imperial capital in the south, his gaze turning profound. "We have only severed a few tentacles of the octopus. Its head, the Marquis of Vinh An, still sits comfortably in the capital. Only when we uproot that foundation will this Dai Viet truly achieve peace."
He turned to look at everyone. In his eyes, there was no longer any youthful naivety, but rather the vision of one who shouldered the destiny of a nation.
"General Ly, I must trouble you to immediately return to Kinh Province and reorganize the forces of Duke Dingguo's Estate, preparing for a great war to come. Investigate the mole; we cannot allow that venomous snake to remain hidden any longer."
"Understood!" Ly Tin did not hesitate in the slightest, solemnly accepting the command. He knew that after today's events, the confrontation between Duke Dingguo's Estate and the Marquis of Vinh An's Estate would no longer be a battle of schemes in the shadows, but an open, life-and-death war.
"Elder Trinh, I must trouble you to escort Lam Vy... no, the Young Lady, along a safe route back to the capital first. Report everything that has transpired here to Duke Dingguo."
"And what about you, Young Hero Tran?" Trinh Cong asked with concern. "Are you not coming with us?"
Tran Kien looked toward Mount Lam, then down at the matte black saber in his hand. After being tempered by the Primordial Chaos Qi and the draconic aura, this saber seemed to have gained a trace of spirituality.
"I will not go with you all," he said. "The targets of the Marquis of Vinh An and the Black Dragon Stronghold are the Young Lady and myself. If we travel together, it will only increase the danger. I will take a different path."
"My own path."
Hearing this, a sense of loss swelled within Lam Vy's heart. She stepped forward, her large, round eyes looking straight at Tran Kien. "Big Brother... are you not coming with us?"
Tran Kien looked at the young girl, his gaze softening. "I have my own matters to attend to. As do you. Return to the capital, return to your family. Become stronger. One day, when you can grasp your own destiny, we will definitely meet again."
He knew he had acquired strength and inherited the legacy. But he still possessed too many flaws. He needed time, he needed tempering, he needed true life-and-death battles to completely master this power, to perfect the Saber Intent of the Hundred-Forged Heavenly Hammer, and to truly be capable of laying down the Lac Viet Heavenly Cycle Array.
He would not hide. He would turn the entirety of Dai Viet into his personal forging furnace. He would travel to the most chaotic places, confronting the most wicked of villains. He would use blood and fire to forge his own path to becoming a supreme expert. He must know when to advance, when to retreat, and when to conceal himself and bide his time.
So that one day, when he returned to the imperial capital, he would no longer need to rely on schemes. He would use the very saber in his hand to openly and honorably stand before the Marquis of Vinh An and collect this blood debt.
Uncle Sword looked at him, seemingly understanding it all. He offered no words of dissuasion. He merely stepped forward and placed a hand on his shoulder.
"Remember," he said. "You are not alone. Duke Dingguo's Estate, and I myself, will always be your most steadfast backing. Take this."
He handed Tran Kien an emerald-green jade slip. "This is a 'Thousand-Mile Sound Transmission Talisman'. Even if separated by a thousand miles, we can still communicate. If you encounter a life-threatening danger, crush it."
Tran Kien accepted the jade slip, nodding solemnly. "Many thanks, Uncle Sword."
The parting took place in silence. Ly Tin and Trinh Cong led Lam Vy away in one direction. Uncle Sword departed in another; he still had his own missions to complete.
Only Tran Kien remained, standing alone atop Mount Lam. He looked toward the rolling mountain ranges in the distance. In his heart, there was no loneliness, only an endless, heroic aspiration.
Imperial capital, Marquis of Vinh An, I will definitely return. He thought to himself. But before that, I need to go to a certain place. A place that can help me better understand this world, and the enemies I must face.
He took out a map of Dai Viet. His gaze did not linger on the grand cities, but rather stopped at a region situated between the territories of the Righteous and Demonic paths. A chaotic land belonging to no faction, where the only law was strength.
That place was called "City of Chaos".
Tran Kien put away the map and tightened his grip on the saber strapped to his back. His figure flickered, and he vanished from the mountain peak, leaving not a single trace behind.
The chessboard at Lam Kinh had concluded. But an even grander game of chess, with the entire realm of Dai Viet as its board, had only truly just begun. The youth from Fallen Leaf Town of yesteryear had now truly stepped onto the path of a legend, a path forged from blood, fire, and the grand legacy of his ancestors.