Wu Jian learned that the underground tunnels here had a name--The Lion’s Den Caverns. According to legend, a magical beast of incredible power made the tunnels its home. It lived within the deepest section of the caverns. Nobody knew what kind of magical beast it was, as all who had seen it had perished.

It sounded like an old wives tale to Wu Jian, something people told their friends when sharing scary stories. If everyone who came to The Lion’s Den Caverns had perished, then how did anyone know if the legendary magical beast was even real?

Regardless of whether the magical beast of legends existed, it was true that several powerful magical beasts made this interconnecting network of caverns and tunnels their home--and they were all of the feline variety.

The most numerous was called the frostclaw sabertooth. They were majestic and formidable creatures with sleek, muscular bodies covered in thick, pristine white fur with shimmering ice-blue stripes. Their most distinguishing feature was their enormous curved fangs. He had seen a lot of variation in their size. They were anywhere from one chih to several chih in length. Those fangs were razor-sharp and capable of slicing through ice and stone with ease.

He and his companions had run afoul these creatures several times during their journey. They always traveled as a pack, so where there was one, there was several. Fortunately, they didn’t attack Wu Jian and his party. He remembered how shocked everyone was when they ran into a group of these creatures and, instead of attacking them on sight, they bowed their heads in subservience. It wasn’t until this moment that Wu Jian realize the reason.

Byakko’s blood.

It was easy to forget since he hadn’t been relying on Byakko’s blood for a long time, but it came with numerous passive benefits. He had only really thought of the physical benefits it gave him like enhanced physical abilities, reflexes, and senses. However, it did come with another ability that Byakko had told him about. The subservience of all feline magical beast species.

Byakko was the king of cats. That might have sounded a little silly, but it was true, and since Wu Jian carried his blood, those felines could sense their king within him. They knew instinctively that he had been chosen by Byakko. It was like they had smelled the king of all felines on his body.

It was an unexpected boon for their party since it meant they didn’t have to fight these creatures. Unfortunately, that was where their luck ended.

Frostclaw Sabertooths were not the only creatures that made this area their habitat. The Lion’s Den Caverns had an entire ecosystem that was quite unlike anything they had ever seen. It was not just unique, however, but also perilous. This ecosystem had been left untouched by the outside world and thrived in the frigid, labyrinthine tunnels and caverns. There were crystalwing bats, frozen prowler foxes, and icefire salamanders. Not all of the magical beasts were violent. There were a few subterranean rodents that were the prey of larger magical beasts. They fed on the frozen lichen--a cold-resistant lichen that thrived on the cave walls and rocky outcroppings. It was an essential source of food for the herbivorous magical beasts.

Of course, just as with any ecosystem, this one had its fair share of dangers. The glacial wyrm was perhaps the most dangerous. They were massive serpentine creatures that stood at the apex of this cavernous passage. It was fortunate they were solitary creatures. Wu Jian and the others would have been in trouble if those monsters attacked in groups. Aside from the glacial wyrm, there were also crystalback tortoises, abyssal drakes, blizzard stalkers, and hoarfrost spiders. All of them were exceedingly dangerous.

The hoarfrost spiders were the worst in Wu Jian’s estimation. They varied in size. Some were no bigger than his foot, while others were large enough to swallow him whole. Their bodies were covered in fine, silvery-white fur that helped them blend into the icy surroundings. Their eight legs were long and delicate, ending in sharp, translucent claws. It wasn’t their size or their powers that made them so dangerous. It was the fact that they came at you in hordes. Imagine thousands of these things coming at you relentlessly. Every time you killed one, a dozen more arrived to take its place. More than the physical strain that came from being constantly attacked, it was the mental exhaustion you felt while under assault from these creepy crawlies that really got you. Their group ran into several hoarfrost spider nests and ended up being chased for what felt like several days. It had not been pleasant.

After ascending the caverns for what felt like a whole month, their group finally emerged from the underground and into the light. They found themselves standing on a mountain peak overlooking a nation surrounded on all sides by mountains. This was obviously the Sui Kingdom. The air was chilly, but it was nowhere near as bad as it had been in those caves. The mountain peaks were only lightly covered in a layer of snow.

“Finally!” Shuchang said with a big stretch. “We’re finally free from that hell hole. I am never going near another spider nest again.”

“I don’t blame you. I think spiders might be my least favorite magical beast of all time now,” Wu Jian agreed, though he soon turned his eyes onto the land below. “So that’s the Sui Kingdom.”

“Yes,” Mei Xilan said with a nod. Her eyes were distant, voice choked full of emotion. “That’s… my home. You see that large clump of buildings over there? That’s the Sui Kingdom’s capital. It’s called Shengshi City. That massive building you see in the center is--was--the imperial palace where my family lived.”

Thanks to his enhanced vision, Wu Jian had a clear view of Shengshi City. While he noticed some similarities to other nations, the architecture really was different. Of course, even with his enhanced vision, he could not see every detail clearly, but the ornate palace that Mei Xilan pointed out was quite clearly visible to him. It was situated within protective walls made of brick, with multiple layers of defense, including moats and gates. More vibrantly colored than he would have expected, the buildings of the palace were predominantly painted red and gold.

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“So that’s our destination,” Hou Jingshu murmured.

Mei Xilan nodded. “Yes.”

“Then what are we waiting for? Let’s get down this mountain quickly,” Wu Jian said.

***

They did not run into any trouble on their way down the mountain, nor did they run into an ambush after reaching the bottom. Wu Jian had been expecting one. After the initial attack by those three dark sect disciples, he had been expecting to be attacked at any point during their journey to Shengshi City, and the fact that it did not happen set him on edge. Surely the man in charge knew they were coming? The fact that their journey remained unimpeded felt like a sign that they were walking into a trap.

In either event, they reached Shengshi City after only a few days' travel. They wore traveling cloaks as they entered the city. He was worried they might look suspicious, but there were quite a few people wearing similar cloaks and straw hats. They didn’t look out of place.

The city was not walled off. He supposed there was no need for walls since there were no enemies to attack this nation. Even magical beasts did not roam the lands, though he had heard of farms that raised magical beasts… even if the idea of domesticated magical beasts sounded absurd to him.

Many of the houses rested on wooden stilts. It vaguely reminded him of the Southern Tang Dynasty’s architecture. According to Mei Xilan, it rained quite often in the Sui Kingdom despite being geographically isolated from just about everything. This nation had two seasons: dry and rainy. They were in the dry season right now, so there was no rain, but during the rainy season, it would rain every single day without end. This architecture helped protect homes during flooding and kept it cool during the rainy season when humidity levels rose.

Most of the wooden stilt houses were located on the outer edge of Shengshi City. The architecture shifted as they entered the city proper, where they were met with narrow, multi-story structures that were packed closely together. They were commonly referred to as tube houses. The front entrance was quite plain. Unlike most homes in other nations that had guardian statues to protect the home, these had nothing. It was just a doorway.

Many different scents assailed them as they walked. Youmei began sniffing as a mouth-watering smell filled the air, and her eyes were drawn to a food stand currently making some kind of bread dish. Bread was a rarity in other nations. The staple food for most other countries was rice and noodles, and while bread existed, it was rarely ever eaten.

“Master… Youmei is hungry,” the little panther girl looked at him imploringly.

Wu Jian sighed and turned to Mei Xilan. “What is that food?”

“That? It’s called Banh Mi. It’s made from bread with a thin, crisp crust and a soft, airy texture. They split the bread lengthwise and fill it with savory ingredients like meat and various vegetables and sauces. It’s the traditional street food of my people. You should try one.”

She sounded like a salesman, but Wu Jian couldn’t deny he was curious. After eating nothing but stale foods for the past month, he also wouldn’t deny that eating something that actually tasted good was appealing, and this food did look delicious.

On a unanimous vote, they all decided to get some banh mi. From the moment he first bit into the food, Wu Jian felt like something had awakened inside of him. Just as Mei Xilan had said, the bread was light, airy, and slightly crisp on the outside. It didn’t have much flavor itself, but it served as a perfect vessel for the other ingredients. The filling was made from a savory grilled pork. The pork was complimented by a type of sauce he’d never had before. It added a sweet and slightly tangy quality that was enhanced by fresh herbs, which created a fresh and aromatic quality.

It was quite delicious.

“Thish ish shooo good! Masher! Masher! Thish ish dewishoush!”

“Don’t speak when your mouth is full,” Wu Jian said with a sigh as he wiped sauce from Youmei’s face. This child was one of the messiest eaters he knew.

“It is quite tasty,” Hou Jingshu added as she polished off her banh mi.

“You know, I think I’ve heard about this food before,” Shuchang added.

“I don’t know how you could. Banh mi is a food unique to the Sui Kingdom. It never caught on beyond the borders,” Mei Xilan said.

“That’s not quite true,” Shuchang countered. “During my travels, I wound up in Qin Country, and they have a food that’s very similar. It’s called a sandwich. It’s two slices of bread slapped together with a variety of meats, cheese, and sauce in between.” Shuchang paused to take another bite, swallowed, then added, “That said, it’s not nearly as good as this.”

“I should think not. What you ate before sounds like a cheap imitation of my people’s food,” Mei Xilan muttered.

“Let’s find an inn to stay at,” Wu Jian suggested to smoothly change the topic. “We really need to sit down and discuss what we’re going to do now that we’re here.”

“You’re right,” Mei Xilan agreed.

They selected a place called Lam Village Inn, which was a charming retreat nestled amid lush greenery. It was a single-story structure with a sloping tiled roof that featured upturned eaves adorned with intricate wooden carvings. Dark wooden beams and columns contrasted beautifully with the light-colored walls, creating a visually appealing facade.

Wu Jian and his companions entered through a beautifully crafted wooden gate, which led to an open courtyard. This central space was decorated with fragrant frangipani trees, small koi ponds, and stone pathways. It exuded an aura of tranquility. Lanterns currently unlit hung from the eaves and sat scattered throughout the courtyard.

After speaking with a proprietress, they were shown to their rooms. They had been given a private terrace room. The low-rise beds were adorned with soft silk and white linens. Large retractable windows offered a picturesque view of the surrounding courtyard. It was the ideal spot to sit and drink tea and relax.

“Dinner shall be served in several hours. Feel free to wander our inn and partake of our amenities in the meantime,” the proprietress said before leaving them.

No one said anything for several minutes as they listened to the sound of receding footsteps. When the footsteps disappeared, Mei Xilan turned to everyone.

“Okay. I believe now is the best time to come up with a plan to retake the Sui Kingdom.”