Soulbound: Dual Cultivation

Chapter 353: Finding the crippled grandmaster

Lucas continued speaking before any of them could interrupt.

"When a group is transported," he said, looking from the king to Henrietta and then to Commander Alexander, "they will not be left to wander blindly through the Abyss. Each group will arrive at a fixed location that I have personally marked. From that point, they will only need to walk a few miles before reaching the next teleportation portal."

Captain Varran narrowed his eyes slightly. "Only a few miles," he repeated. "In this place, that is still dangerous."

"It would be," Lucas agreed without offense. "Which is why those miles will not be exposed."

The king leaned forward in his saddle. "Explain."

Lucas lifted his hand and gestured toward the ice belle. She responded instinctively, drifting higher, her small body releasing a faint shimmer of frost that hung in the air without falling.

"The marked spots will be connected by her energy," Lucas said. "A continuous flow of pure ice essence, shaped into a tunnel. The Abyss will not be able to corrode it easily, not with her purity as the foundation."

Henrietta’s eyes widened slightly. "A tunnel," she said softly. "Within the Abyss itself."

"Yes," Lucas replied. "It will not be a physical structure that enemies can tear down. It will be a corridor of stabilized space and cold, reinforced by cultivators who are capable of magnifying and amplifying her power."

Commander Alexander turned sharply. "You already identified those cultivators."

"I have," Lucas answered. "Ice affinity users, and formation specialists. They will be positioned at each anchor point after the first crossings. Their only task will be to maintain the tunnel and reinforce it if the Abyss pushes back."

Captain Varran let out a slow breath. "So each group moves through short controlled stretches, never fully exposed, never lost, always guided to the next gate."

Lucas nodded. "Exactly. No wandering. No delays. No exhaustion from fighting the Abyss itself."

The king was silent for a long moment, his gaze drifting toward the dark expanse ahead of them. Then he looked back at Lucas, something like disbelief and pride mixing in his expression.

"To walk through the boundary without a plan like this," the king said slowly, "would cost lives every single day."

Commander Alexander agreed at once. "Even with our strongest cultivators, crossing the Abyss the conventional way would take more than a week. Morale would crumble. Supplies would thin. And casualties would be unavoidable."

Henrietta turned fully toward Lucas now, her voice quiet but filled with conviction. "With this method, the army remains intact. Organized. Protected."

Lucas lowered his hand. "That is the intention."

The king finally let out a short breath, then shook his head with a faint laugh that carried more awe than humor. "Meticulous," he said. "Careful. Ruthlessly efficient."

He looked at Lucas as if seeing him anew. "There truly could not be a better plan than this."

Henrietta studied him intently. "And the danger to you."

Lucas met her gaze evenly. "It exists. But it is far less than the danger of sending thousands blindly into this place."

Silence settled for a moment as the weight of his words sank in.

The king finally spoke again, his tone firm yet heavy with trust. "You are certain you can do this."

Lucas inclined his head. "I am."

Commander Alexander exhaled slowly. "Then once you give the signal, we begin grouping the army."

Lucas nodded. "Do not move until I return. If anything feels wrong, you wait. No matter how long it takes."

The king straightened in his saddle, resolve hardening in his eyes. "Very well. We place the crossing in your hands."

Lucas bowed once more, deeper this time. "I will not fail."

He turned toward the Abyss, the ice belle drifting closer to him, her glow sharpening as if she sensed what was coming next.

"I will go first," Lucas said quietly, more to himself than anyone else. "I will mark the path."

As he turned away from the king and the commanders, his mind already moving to the next matter that needed attention. The weight of responsibility did not leave his shoulders even for a breath. As he walked back toward where Tom stood beside the wagon, the sounds of the army filled the air around them, low conversations, shifting armor, restless mounts, and the distant hum of cultivation auras being kept in check.

Tom straightened immediately when he saw Lucas approach. "My lord," he said respectfully, placing a hand to his chest.

Lucas stopped in front of him and lowered his voice, though his expression remained calm. "Tom, I need you to help me find someone."

Tom nodded at once. "Who should I look for, young master."

"The grandmaster," Lucas replied. "The one who was crippled before. I asked him to recover his cultivation and told him I would see him again before the march."

Tom blinked in surprise. "I have not seen him since we left the palace," he admitted. "The army is enormous now. Finding one person among all these cultivators will not be easy."

"That is why I am asking you to pass the word instead of searching blindly," Lucas said. "Tell the messengers and the unit coordinators to spread a quiet message. Anyone who knows his whereabouts should send him to me."

Tom frowned slightly, thinking it through. "Should I describe him clearly so there is no confusion."

"Yes," Lucas answered. "Tell them he was once crippled but is not anymore. His aura should be unstable but strong. He will know it is me calling for him."

Tom hesitated for a moment, then spoke honestly. "Young master, even passing the word might take time. The army is still organizing, and many cultivators are moving between divisions."

Lucas gave a small nod. "I know. That is why it must be done now. Once we start crossing the Abyss, it will be far more difficult to pull him out of the flow."

"I understand," Tom said firmly. "I will take care of it."

Lucas placed a hand briefly on Tom’s shoulder, a rare gesture that made the young squire straighten with renewed resolve. "Do not rush blindly. Just make sure the message spreads. He will come if he hears it."

Tom bowed deeply. "I will not fail you, young master."

With that, he turned and moved quickly toward the nearest group of messengers, already calling for attention as he went.

Lucas watched him for a moment, then shifted his gaze back toward the vast army assembled behind them. Thousands of lives were preparing to move forward, each step bringing them closer to war, blood, and decisions that could not be taken back. Somewhere among them was a man whose loyalty had been bought not by fear, but by a second chance.

Lucas exhaled slowly and turned his attention back to the coming march, knowing there would be no pause once it truly began.