The gentle thrum of sky barges mystical engines echoed softly through the crisp morning air as they boarded. It had been four months since Jiang Tao had arrived at the sect and they were now embarking on their first expedition. The details were vague but they had been instructed to bring essential supplies and prepare for an extended journey.

Jiang Tao took a deep breath, feeling a mix of anticipation and anxiety. As they ascended into the sky, he glanced around at his companions. Zhou Yixing and Zhang Yuhan stood nearby.

By this point, he and Zhou Yixing were firmly part of Yuhan's burgeoning faction, though he hadn't initially wanted to be involved in the upcoming succession struggle. However, Zhang Yuhan was impossibly hard to get rid of and he’d grown to like the bastard.

Elder Chen Zhiyuan of the Twilight Flame sect stood at the prow of the barge, his hands clasped behind his back as he surveyed the horizon. He was the elder in charge of the expedition, most of the attendants seemed to be of the twilight flame sect as well judging by their robes.

He wasn't sure how it worked but it looked like even the elders were vying for influence amongst the royal disciples. The favoritism Zhang Yue received from more than half of the sect elders confirmed it.

Yuhan appeared to be in a less than favorable position than his siblings who were also vying to be their father's successor. Zhang Yue commanded an enviable following of disciples, Zhang Mingzhu's group was almost as formidable, Zhang Shen had the support of Li Hua, and Zhang Xiaohui had the backing of his cousins, the Yu siblings, among others.

Zhang Yuhan? Well, it was just him and Zhou Yixing at the moment. Although Zhang Xinyu seemed close to Yuhan, she was Xiaohuis's twin, so he wasn't sure how that would work out.

There were a few undecided stragglers whom Yuhan eyed hopefully, but for the moment, it seemed they were a steadfast trio—Jiang Tao, Zhou Yixing, and Zhang Yuhan—against the coming tide.

The ground below them blurred as the sky barge took off heaving eastward, the scenery below blending into an endless sea of green.

Where are we going? The question weighed heavily on his mind, surprises were something he wasn't fond of.

Instead of finding a seat, he made his way towards the railings, he always found looking at the scenery soothing whenever he traveled. He missed modern music, it made the perfect travel companion.

The sound of footsteps approaching pulled him from his reverie. He turned to see Li Hua standing beside him, a contemplative look on her face.

"Beautiful, isn't it?" She said, gazing out at the endless green below.

They'd never spoken before and he always took her for the silent and broody type, so her approach was surprising.

"Yeah," Jiang Tao replied, leaning against the railing. “Flying will always be amazing,”

Li Hua, a faint smile playing on her lips. “it'll be even more amazing when we reach the Anchor refining realm and start flying with our own power,”

The two stood in silence for a moment, the wind whipping past them as the sky barge continued its journey.

"I look forward to that day," he said breaking the silence, his voice carrying a hint of longing. "Being able to fly on my own...it sounds like true freedom."

Li Hua nodded, her gaze distant. "It does. To break free from constraints and soar."

He looked at her searchingly, there was something familiar about her that made him feel a sense of kinship.

His musings were interrupted by the sudden lurch of the sky barge as it stopped mid-air. The sudden halt caught everyone off guard, All eyes turned to Elder Chen Zhiyuan, who watched them like a hawk.

Elder Chen Zhiyuan's voice carried over the murmurs of confusion among the disciples. "We have arrived at our destination."

Arrived? Is he serious we are in the clouds right now. He looked around puzzled by the unexpected announcement.

If you encounter this story on Amazon, note that it's taken without permission from the author. Report it.

"This is the Howling Valley Territory," Elder Chen Zhiyuan clarified his tone grave. "Prepare yourselves. Return to the sect once you reach late foundation stage."

The proclamation left him even more confused. Li Hua however seemed to have a clue cause she bolted toward Zhang Shen with an urgency he had never seen in her before.

Then a bright flash filled the the space and he was suddenly falling, the interior of the barge gone in a snap.

Jiang Tao's heart raced as he plummeted through the sky, the rush of wind drowning out all other sounds, panic threatened to overwhelm him, but he forced himself to focus.

Around him, he could make out the distant forms of other disciples tumbling through the air their shouts barely audible amidst the roaring wind.

Instinct took over. He concentrated on stabilizing his fall and righting himself, reaching for the simple air manipulation techniques he had gleaned from the Stormsong manuscript to try and weave a cushion of air beneath him. He barely slowed down, he was falling too fast.

Suddenly, a shadow loomed ahead—a massive cliff face emerged from the mist, its jagged edges disappearing into the clouds above and below. Jiang Tao's heart sank as he realized he was hurtling towards it. Instinctively, he twisted his body, attempting to steer away from the impending collision.

With a brief pulse of air, he managed to change his trajectory slightly, but the impact was still brutal. He slammed into the cliffside, pain shooting through his body as he skidded downward. Rocks and debris cascaded around him, the sheer force threatening to knock him unconscious.

Struggling to regain his bearings, Jiang Tao clung to the cliff, his fingers gripping tightly onto any available crevice. Blood trickled from a gash on his forehead, mixing with sweat as he fought against dizziness.

His heart pounded as he clung to the cliffside, his mind racing to assess his injuries. The impact had been brutal, but he couldn't afford to dwell on the pain now. He focused on his breathing, calming himself amidst the chaos around him.

"Focus," Jiang Tao muttered to himself, his voice strained

Below, the mist swirled ominously, concealing the ground far below. He couldn't see where his companions had landed or how they were faring. Thoughts of Zhou Yixing and Zhang Yuhan flashed through his mind, hoping they had managed their descent better than he had.

Gritting his teeth against the pain, Jiang Tao carefully began to ascend. Each movement sent jolts of agony through his body, but he pushed through, driven by the urgency to find stable ground. The cliffside was treacherous, with loose rocks threatening to give way under his weight.

Finally, after what felt like an eternity of struggle, Jiang Tao pulled himself over the edge of the cliff. He collapsed onto solid ground, his body trembling with fatigue and relief. Bloodied and bruised, he lay there for a moment, catching his breath and allowing the reality of his survival to sink in.

As he regained his composure, Jiang Tao took stock of his surroundings. The Howling Valley Territory stretched out before him, a rugged landscape shrouded in mist and mystery. The air carried an eerie stillness, broken only by the distant cries of unfamiliar creatures.

He gingerly touched his forehead, wincing at the tender gash where blood still trickled down his face.

What the hell! He thought grimacing. Was Elder Zhiyuan trying to kill us or what?! Who the hell drops people hundreds of li in the air?!

Pushing aside his immediate anger, he focused on the present danger. He was stuck in an unknown area with no way of getting back to the sect and separated from his friends.

"Peachy," he muttered sarcastically under his breath.

The qi in the valley felt different less refined but more potent, he could see why they were instructed to cultivate here. He could feel it already invigorating him even though he had just started cycling.

He stopped after a few cycles, feeling well enough to find shelter and assess the situation.

Scrambling to his feet, Jiang Tao began to move cautiously through the rocky terrain. Every step was a challenge, with loose gravel and unpredictable slopes making progress slow and precarious.

He kept his senses sharp, attuned to any movement or sound that might indicate the presence of danger or potential allies.

"Zhou Yixing! Zhang Yuhan! Anyone!" Jiang Tao called out, his voice echoing faintly through the valley. There was no immediate response, only the eerie silence of the mist-shrouded landscape.

After what felt like hours of cautious exploration, he spotted a grotto nearby, partially concealed by vines and rocky outcroppings. It seemed like a reasonable place to take refuge, at least temporarily.

With a cautious step forward, he moved towards it, mindful of any potential dangers that might lurk in the mist-shrouded valley.

Entering the grotto, Jiang Tao found himself in a dimly lit chamber, the walls damp with condensation. It was a stark contrast to the open sky and the chaos of the cliffside. He sat down heavily on a dry patch of ground.

Pulling out a small vial of healing salve from his storage ring, He applied it to his forehead wound, wincing at the sting as it began to work its magic.

He sealed the entrance to the grotto with a low-grade talisman that would keep any wandering creatures away.

With a sigh, Jiang Tao focused on his breathing, centering himself as began to cycle his qi. He had cleared ten of the twelve ordinary meridians, so only two more remained in normal circumstances but Elder Yan Ming had cautioned against building on such a weak foundation, so it 10 more meridians left if you factored in the 8 extraordinary meridians.

With each breath, He felt his strength returning as he circulated his qi freely through his unblocked meridians.