Chapter 5: Beneath the Abyss — The Cave of Shadows and the Lost Art
A chilling wind whistled through the ravine, carrying with it faint, mournful cries—like the laments of lost souls adrift in the land of the dead.Amidst the dense mist that veiled the world like a phantom shroud, Yao Ninghe, clad in black, carefully tread across the jagged rocks, her slender hand gripping her sword tightly, her dark eyes glinting with sharp vigilance.
Ever since she and her sister had leapt from the cliffs to save the wounded young man, they had struggled to survive within this deep, forsaken abyss.Though waterfalls and scattered forests offered enough sustenance to cling to life, no path upward had yet revealed itself.
Her palm brushed against a rough stone wall—and there, hidden beneath a tangle of creeping vines, she discovered a narrow gap.
Drawing her sword, she deftly slashed through the vines, revealing the mouth of a dark, ominous cave.For a moment, she hesitated, her breath catching in her throat—then, steeling herself, she stepped inside.
Moments later, Li Feitian and Yao Ningjian, who had been gathering herbs nearby, joined her and followed in.
Inside, the cave was eerily silent, filled with a strange, oppressive aura.Their footsteps echoed across the damp stone floor.Water dripped intermittently from the ceiling, each droplet falling like a whisper in the darkness.
Deeper within, they found a wide stone chamber.In its center stood a decayed wooden table and an extinguished oil lamp long forgotten by time.At the far wall, ancient calligraphy was etched into the stone—bold, sweeping strokes written in an archaic script.
Yao Ninghe drew out a fire starter, lighting a small flame to illuminate the wall.As the light touched the characters, they shimmered faintly, weaving together a technique none of them had ever seen before.
"The Cloud-Stepping Technique,"
Yao Ningjian read aloud in a hushed voice, stepping up beside her sister.The very name made their hearts pound with excitement.
"In the ancient legends of the martial world, such lightness techniques were said to exist only in myths. They claimed that one who mastered it could walk through the air as if treading on clouds, soaring unhindered across the sky. If we can learn it... we may yet escape this abyss, Sister!"
Yao Ninghe exclaimed joyfully, clutching her sister's arm before motioning urgently for Li Feitian to come closer.
Beneath the inscription, they found a figure seated cross-legged atop a bamboo mat.The long white robes draping its skeletal frame had faded and worn with age, yet the figure remained serene, as if having departed this world without regret.
Both sisters knelt in unison, hands clasped in respectful salute.
"You must be the legendary master, Jiang Liuyang,"
the younger sister whispered, her eyes alight with reverence.
If this was indeed the final resting place of a betrayed master of the martial world, and if he had left behind such a profound legacy—perhaps fate had brought them here to inherit it.
Taking a deep breath, Yao Ninghe rose and reached out, fingertips brushing the ancient characters.Her heart pounded in her chest.
If she could master this art, it might be the only way for them to escape this graveyard of lost souls.
"You intend to learn it?"
Li Feitian asked quietly.
"Yes, my lord. It may be our only chance,"
she replied with unwavering determination.
Upon the ancient stone walls, the secret art known as the Cloud-Stepping Technique had been inscribed—an unparalleled lightness skill said to allow its master to walk upon air itself, ascending without need of footholds.
"It is said that without destiny, even the strongest warrior cannot grasp this technique. Beware—it may bring danger if pursued blindly,"
Yao Ningjian warned, her voice grave.
Indeed, this was not a skill for the unworthy.No matter how powerful one's martial arts, without the destined affinity, mastery would forever remain out of reach—like chasing mist through an endless maze.
Yao Ninghe stood before the inscription, her sharp, determined eyes studying the strokes intently.It was as if the wall itself was calling to her.
From the moment she entered the cave, she had felt it—a strange resonance stirring deep within her soul, as though the flow of internal energy was weaving itself to her very spirit.
Following the initial instructions—"lighten the breath, as a feather on the breeze"—she began to practice.Meanwhile, Li Feitian and Yao Ningjian also attempted to follow the teachings, but both found themselves struggling.
Li Feitian, though a seasoned warrior, realized his brute strength was useless here.No matter how hard he tried to merge his internal energy with his body, his steps remained heavy as stone.
Yao Ningjian, despite her refined inner power, felt as though she walked down a path forever shrouded in mist.It was as if the technique itself rejected those not destined for it.
But Yao Ninghe—the more she practiced, the more naturally the technique seemed to resonate within her.
Her body grew lighter with every step.She could balance atop floating stones without sinking, stand upon a dry leaf without stirring it.
"Cloud-Stepping is not merely an art of the body… it is an art of the spirit."
What allowed Yao Ninghe to grasp it so swiftly was not just martial talent—it was her heart.
Her will was unyielding, yet light as the wind.
Her spirit was resolute, yet free from the burdens of the worldly realm.
She could let go of all attachments and become one with the air around her.
At a certain point, she was able to leap into the air—stepping lightly upon the slender treetops as though floating on clouds, moving unhindered through the open sky.
"This art... was meant for her alone."
Others might have sought to master it through sheer force.
But for her—She was already chosen.
To be continued...