Preparations were complete.

Before leaving the riverbank, the treasure hunters rose as one, adjusting caskets, ready to move forward into unfamiliar land. The air was tense, but orderly—until a sharp voice cut through the motion.

"Stop."

Hylisi stepped forward, her expression cold and unyielding.

"What kind of criminals are you?" she demanded, sweeping her gaze across them. "Have you forgotten the most basic rule of survival? Evidence must be erased. Always."

She pointed toward the ground behind them, where remnants of slick, pale vines still clung to the soil.

"Destroy the remaining rooted vines," she ordered. "Tree Slippery Vines cannot be burned, but they are highly sensitive to toxins and corrosive elements. Leaving them behind is an invitation for pursuit."

A brief silence followed.

Then a voice rose casually from the group.

"That's easy."

Every head turned.

The speaker stood near the rear—thin, unimposing, wrapped in an old, worn outer cloth that hung loosely over his frame. His posture was relaxed, almost careless.

The reaction was immediate.

Pity.

Disdain.

Iron Clad, one of the senior hunters, laughed under his breath and stepped forward.

"Dusk Bite," he sneered. "Your petty tricks again? Don't embarrass yourself. Frankly, the only mystery here is your luck."

His gaze hardened.

"A waste like you survived while stronger men died. Immortal cultivation without bloodline or skills—what exactly do you think you can do here?"

A ripple of agreement moved through the experienced hunters.

Before Dusk Bite could respond, Mu Long's expression darkened.

"That's enough."

The words struck harder than any shout.

Mu Long turned toward Iron Clad, eyes sharp. "If we were in Hell Tavern, your spiritual core would already be shattered."

The threat was calm.

Real.

Then he turned to Dusk Bite.

"How long do you plan to stay hidden?" Mu Long asked quietly. "Your time has come."

Treasure Hunters stunned.

Mu Long was not a man who defended others lightly.

Whispers rippled through the group.

Dusk Bite stepped forward.

For the first time, his eyes carried confidence—clear, unrestrained. He reached up and grasped the worn cloth draped over his shoulders.

And tore it away.

The transformation was immediate.

Gone was the beggar-like figure.

In his place stood a young, handsome man with noble bearing—back straight, aura restrained but unmistakable. His presence alone pressed against the senses.

Several treasure hunters staggered back.

Faces drained of color.

Only the Chief, Mu Long, Hylisi, the Patron, and Shade remained composed.

Princess Lainsa stiffened.

"Marquis Gin Jin…" Ru murmured, voice barely audible. "The fallen noble who incinerated four imperial subordinates with a single incense. The four-elemental genius who terrified the court—and escaped unscathed."

Disbelief rippled through the group.

"To think he hid among us as a beggar…"

The Patron stood nearby, listening silently.

Tch.

Loose tongues, he thought. If they knew I wield five elements and multiple bloodlines, this place would already be chaos.

Gin Jin stepped forward calmly.

"Someone give me a canteen."

His tone was polite.

His gaze, however, locked onto Iron Clad—cold, deliberate, unforgetting.

Iron Clad hesitated.

Kun Ciol swallowed hard and tossed his canteen forward.

Gin Jin caught it, uncorked it, and spat into the water without hesitation. He shook the container once, then poured it over the vine-infested soil.

The effect was immediate.

Roots shriveled.

Soil dried.

The ground collapsed into fine powder as if life itself had been erased.

A sharp gasp broke the silence.

"Senior Wan Gu…" Princess Lainsa stepped forward, voice trembling. "You killed Senior Wan Gu!"

Gin Jin did not turn.

"So what?" he replied flatly.

No justification.

No regret.

The words landed heavier than any confession.

"Big sister," the Patron said calmly, stepping between her and Gin Jin. "This isn't the place for that. Debts can be settled later—when we return to Hell Tavern."

Princess Lainsa clenched her fists, then slowly stepped back.

"Enough," Hylisi said, cutting through the tension. "What's done is done. We move."

She turned and began walking, not waiting to see who followed.

One by one, the treasure hunters fell into formation behind her.

They walked for nearly thirty minutes in a straight line.

The land was barren, stripped of color and sound, its silence heavier than any forest. Under Hylisi's guidance, they gathered low shrubs and clinging moss along the way—plants that survived where others could not. None of them asked why. In lands like this, explanations usually came too late.

Then the ground ended.

A vast cliff split the land ahead of them, clean and deliberate. The chasm stretched wide, its depth swallowing light. From below, an oppressive sword intent rose—ancient, murderous, and unresolved.

It was still alive.

Hylisi slowed and stepped forward.

From her casket, she retrieved a worn association token—its edges chipped, its surface darkened by age. She held it carefully, reverently.

"Beyond this," she said, voice steady, "is the Borderland."

She gestured toward the split.

"This fracture was not made by nature. It was carved by the word of a Demon—not one born of this land." Her gaze remained fixed on the abyss. "Old folk rhymes speak of a Demon that fell from the sky like a meteor, followed by a war that scorched the heavens."

She shook her head.

"That is all I know."

Behind her, unnoticed, a treasure hunter crouched and picked up a loose stone.

He tossed it into the abyss.

The sound never returned.

A heartbeat passed.

Then—

"AAAH—!"

A scream tore through the group.

Everyone spun toward the sound.

Hylisi did not.

She already knew.

The Patron stepped forward instantly. The screaming hunter clutched his palm—where a deep hole had opened, blood pouring as if carved through by invisible spikes. Without hesitation, the Patron raised his hand.

Monochrome light pulsed.

Flesh knitted.

Bone reformed.

Within moments, the wound vanished completely.

The hunter collapsed, shaking.

Hylisi turned slowly and walked toward him.

"You're bold," she said coldly. "Or foolish."

Her eyes narrowed.

"In unknown lands—especially Borderlands—every breath is filled with death. Tell me."She leaned closer."Did you throw something into the cliff?"

"I—" the man began.

She cut him off.

"Annoying," she snapped. "Does your team lack imagination, or common sense?" Her voice rose slightly. "If this were an ordinary cliff, how could the forest and mainland remain peaceful for this long?"

She straightened.

"Whatever you offer to the abyss, it returns in kind. You threw something—so the hand you used was rewarded."

A chill ran through the group.

"If you try to fly across," she continued, "you will fly endlessly till you die dried from energy loss. You will never reach the other side. If you jump down, spikes will pierce you again and again—but you will not die."

Her voice dropped.

"A true hell lies beneath."

She exhaled slowly.

"The Association created these tokens specifically for crossing this place." She lifted the one in her hand. "A meteor bridge. Watch carefully. Learn. Once you cross, I will not accompany you further—even if you possess approval."

Silence followed.

Hylisi stepped forward.

She retrieved the same rope used for the hanging tents, looped it tightly around a massive stone, and secured it. The other end she fastened around her waist.

Then she pressed her thumb against the token.

A single drop of blood fell.

The token responded immediately—light spreading across its surface, forming a thin protective veil around her body.

Without hesitation, she jumped.

The rope went taut as she descended slowly into the chasm. At nine feet below the edge, an inscription emerged from the rock face—a shallow carving shaped like a human palm.

Hylisi placed her hand against it.

Five needle-like protrusions pierced her skin.

Blood flowed.

The cliff trembled.

From within the rock walls, massive meteor fragments slid outward—not collapsing, not crumbling—aligning themselves with precision into a solid bridge spanning the abyss.

Hylisi ascended swiftly.

"These meteors will return once I cross," she said calmly. "So all of you cross first."

Her gaze hardened.

"Do not extend your head, hand, or leg beyond the width of the bridge. The spikes will not rise unless you dare them."

The Chief stepped forward first.

One by one, the treasure hunters followed.

The air above the bridge was frigid, carrying the lingering chill of the abyss. Each step felt watched. Measured. Yet together, they crossed.

Hylisi followed last.

The moment her foot touched the far side, the meteors withdrew—sliding back into the cliff as if they had never existed.

The bridge vanished.

The land behind them was sealed.

Hylisi turned slowly, eyes scanning the unfamiliar terrain ahead.

Her expression tightened.

Something was wrong.

"Hylisi," the Chief asked quietly, "are you alright? Something wrong?"

She did not answer immediately.

Her eyes swept the empty horizon where stone foundations should have stood. Her throat tightened, and she swallowed before speaking.

"The watchtower," she said slowly. "It's gone."A pause."The guards as well."

The Chief frowned but kept his voice steady. "You're returning here after many years. Time changes things. That much is natural."

"Perhaps," Hylisi replied. Then her gaze hardened."But that watchtower bore Association inscriptions. It was reinforced to be indestructible. Its absence is not erosion. It is removal."

That silenced the group.

"Everyone," the Chief said firmly, "move with caution. Something is off."

"And keep reckless actions in check," Hylisi added without looking back. "If you value your life—and the lives of those beside you."

At that, the Patron raised a hand, halting the group.

"Lady Hylisi," he said politely, "please explain this terrain. Its features. What should we expect?"

Hylisi nodded once.

"The land ahead is neither forest, nor desert, nor grassland," she said. "It is a blend of all three. Rich in vegetation, abundant in herbs—but none that are useful. Every plant here is saturated with Yin."

Her gaze swept across the field.

"For those born with Yin-aligned bodies, this would be an ideal cultivation ground. For everyone else, it is deceptive. Nourishment without benefit. Growth without gain."

Kiaria stepped forward. "Does anything here resemble the forest we passed earlier? Any consistent pattern in the landscape?"

Hylisi shook her head. "No. This terrain cannot be trusted. When it changes its face, interpretation becomes meaningless."She paused."That is why I said it is neither forest, nor desert, nor grassland."

Kiaria's brows furrowed. His plan had collapsed before it could form.

Diala leaned closer and murmured, "You were planning to rely on your vision."

"Yes," Kiaria replied softly. "But this place rejects stable observation. Vision won't hold."His eyes narrowed."What we can rely on instead is intent—sword intent, murderous intent, spirit intent. Whatever each of you has forged. Expand it. Anchor yourself with it."

They moved forward again, every step measured.

The terrain shifted.

Grassland stretched before them.

Hylisi turned to face the treasure hunters, her expression severe.

"We are about to enter the borderland," she said. "Listen carefully. Whatever happens—keep walking forward."Her gaze cut through them."No talking. No reacting to sounds. No drawing weapons. The fog you will see, the voices you will hear—everything is illusion."

She raised the Association token slightly.

"This token has no authority here. You are about to face the deadliest rule of the border."Her eyes hardened."I don't know why it is acting now. But one thing is certain—someone among you carries malice. This is an Association formation responding to that."

Her voice dropped.

"I have nothing more to say. Face it."

The Chief let out a harsh, almost mad laugh.

"You're right," he said. "If we were trustworthy people, would we hide our names? Wear disguises? Masks? Robes?"He looked at his team."We're greedy bastards who gamble our own lives for profit. Isn't that right?"

No one answered.

He snorted. "Fine. Doesn't matter."

Hylisi stepped forward again. "Hold hands. All of you. Do not let go."Her voice turned sharp."You will hear familiar voices. Tempting ones. Fearsome ones. You will see things meant to stop you. You will feel something touch you."

She pointed down the path.

"Ignore all of it. Feel only the hands you're holding. Step forward. Nothing else matters."

They obeyed.

The Patron clasped Diala's hand and Princess Lainsa's. Diala's other hand gripped his arm tightly. The Princess held the Chief's hand. The Chief held Hylisi's. Hylisi held Ru's. Ru held Yi's. Yi held Mu Long's—until the entire group stood bound as a single chain.

The Patron moved first.

His Eyes of Insight opened fully, gaze fixed ahead.

"Do not release your grip," he ordered calmly. "Do not expand intent. Do not withdraw it. Hold steady."

Then, without hesitation—

He stepped into the grassland.

And the border accepted them.

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