A Song for The Ages

Feiyin tightened his grip on his blade as he followed the faint traces of human oscillations through the winding cavern paths. Each step was cautious, measured, his senses spread out as far as he could extend them. It had been weeks since he had last seen another person. A part of him, a foolish, hopeful part, ached at the idea that perhaps he had finally found his group again. But another part of him, the part that had survived alone in the dark, knew better than to expect that kind of luck.

Still, he pressed forward.

The vibrations grew stronger as he approached a dimly lit area where the stone walls widened into a jagged cavern, a temporary shelter of sorts. Crude, makeshift piles of bones, stripped of flesh, were scattered in one corner, and in another, an extinguished fire pit sat, long gone cold. The air was heavy with the stench of unwashed bodies, sweat, and the lingering metallic tang of dried blood.

Then, he saw them.

A group of six ragged figures crouched near a central figure, a bulky, broad-shouldered boy who looked around twelve years old. His muscles were thick, his posture that of someone used to being obeyed. Even in the dim light, Feiyin could tell, this was no ordinary child. He was strong, his oscillations thrumming at the peak of Body Tempering.

The others? Frightened, weary, barely holding on. Their clothes were in tatters, their faces sunken, their movements sluggish from exhaustion or malnutrition. And yet, despite their pitiful state, their eyes never left their leader, flickering between fear and obedience.

Feiyin's heart clenched.

This was what desperation did to people.

The bulky boy's head turned toward Feiyin, his dark eyes narrowing. A slow, amused smirk spread across his lips as he sized him up. "Haven't seen you before." His voice was rough, hoarse, as if he wasn't used to speaking much.

Feiyin took another step forward, careful to keep his expression neutral. "I was looking for a group."

The bulky boy's smirk widened, his chest puffing out as he leaned forward, resting his hands on his knees. The others remained silent, watching, waiting.

"Well," the boy drawled, tone dripping with condescension, "then you've found one."

Feiyin's eyes flicked to the other six. The way their shoulders hunched, the way they avoided his gaze, fear was branded into their very bones. They weren't here because they wanted to be. They were trapped.

"I don't plan on staying," Feiyin said simply. "I only wanted to ask if you've seen a girl with lynx-like features and a quiet boy with dark horns."

The boy scoffed. "You think we keep track of every little brat that runs through here? Everyone who's weak dies or joins a stronger group." He leaned back, stretching his shoulders, feigning disinterest before fixing Feiyin with a sharp, predatory grin. "That's how we survive."

Feiyin felt something cold settle in his stomach.

This… was what he had been looking for?

Feiyin's steps faltered as the question dug into his mind.

For weeks, he had searched, wandered, fought through exhaustion, all to find others. All to rebuild something. But… what?

Why had he clung so desperately to the idea of finding a group?

His mind drifted back to the lessons his mother used to tell him before bed, the stories of great cultivators and heroes from the past.

"Feiyin, even the strongest heroes never walked alone."

The thought came unbidden, wrapped in the warmth of Mei Liao's voice, a memory from long ago.

She had always told him about the legendary figures of history, how they built sects, how they led armies, how they formed bonds that lasted a lifetime.

"No one walks the path of cultivation in solitude. Even the lone wanderers of legend had companions they met along the way, allies they could trust in their greatest struggles."

Feiyin had taken that lesson to heart, engraved it deep within himself. If he wanted to grow, if he wanted to be strong, he needed people at his side.

But… was that really why he had been searching so hard?

The realization hit him like a blade through the chest. It wasn't just because of the stories. It was because he missed what he had lost.

The village. The militia. Jiang Hu's rough laugh. Sun Ke sneaking him sweets when his parents weren't looking. His mother's gentle teasing. His father's steady presence.

He had been trying to rebuild it. That was why he had clung so tightly to the idea of finding a group. It wasn't just about survival. It was about trying to fill the emptiness left behind when everything was taken from him.

And this?

This wasn't what he wanted. He didn't want to survive under a tyrant's rule. He didn't want fear and obedience in place of friendship. He didn't want a group that clung together out of desperation, not choice.

His fingers curled into fists. He had been searching for something, but this wasn't it.

Then, he remembered.

He remembered Yue's bright grin despite the darkness. Ren's dry humor and unshakable will. Shen Mu's careful, calculating approach. The way they fought, the way they chose to live, even in this wretched place.

And just like that, the doubt, the longing, the need for belonging vanished. Feiyin smirked. He shook his head slowly, almost laughing at himself.

He had already found what he was looking for. He just needed to get back to them.

"Thank you," Feiyin said, voice low, calm. "You reminded me of something I nearly forgot."

The bulky boy's smirk faltered. "Huh?"

"I already have my people."

Feiyin turned on his heel and started walking away.

The cavern fell into stunned silence.

A moment later, a growl.

"You think you're better than me?" The bulky boy's voice was low and dangerous, his pride bristling at being dismissed. Feiyin heard the scrape of movement, the shift in weight.

He sighed. Then, before the bulky boy could even move forward, Feiyin exploded into action. His body blurred, a single motion, fluid and precise.

His foot pivoted as his fist met the boy's gut with crushing force. The impact sent a deep shockwave through the cavern, air rushing out of the boy's lungs with a choked gasp.

The bulky boy collapsed in an instant, crumpling to his knees, coughing violently.

One move. Feiyin exhaled slowly. The others stared in wide-eyed terror as the tyrant fell. Silence reigned.

Feiyin looked at the remaining six, expression unreadable. "You don't have to stay here," he said, voice quiet but firm. "If you want to leave, you can come with me."

The six figures flinched. They didn't look at him nor did they didn't speak. They just stood there, frozen, their gazes darting between Feiyin and the collapsed boy. Then, one of them took a shaky step backward, while another shrunk in on themselves. And one by one, they turned away.

They weren't ready. Even with their so-called 'leader' defeated, fear held them prisoner. Feiyin clenched his jaw but said nothing. You can't save those who don't want to be saved. He turned away.

His steps were slow, deliberate, but he didn't look back. There was nothing left for him here. As he left the cavern, a soft, cool weight pressed against his wrist. He looked down at Bai Yu, curled around his arm, its tongue flicking out, sensing his mood. Feiyin exhaled, his fingers gently stroking the smooth scales.

"At least I have you with me."

And with that, he stepped forward, disappearing into the darkness once more.