Soulbound: Dual Cultivation

Chapter 358: I cannot fathom it

There was a brief pause before one of the elders stepped aside, revealing a tall cultivator whose presence alone caused nearby soldiers to straighten unconsciously. His cultivation was deep and oppressive, honed through countless battles, and his eyes held the calm of someone who had long accepted death as a companion rather than a fear. It was Elder Gideon, the father of Xavier. He’s present amongst the soldiers too though he’s high ranked and respected. Lucas hadn’t seen him since the march begun.

"The fifth group will be led by my friend ," the king continued, gesturing toward the Elder Gideon. "His task will be to ensure that the rear is protected and that no one is left behind."

Elder Gideon bowed once, slowly and with dignity. "I will see it done," he said.

At that moment, the ice belle drifted forward, her small form hovering near the portal’s edge, pale light spilling softly from her body.

The king raised his hand, and the first group responded instantly, falling into order behind him with practiced efficiency. He drew a deep breath, his gaze fixed forward, and spoke one final time.

"For Valerion," he said quietly.

"For Valerion," the front ranks echoed back, their voices steady rather than loud.

King Highmoor then urged his horse forward, and together with the first group, he crossed into the shimmering portal, the ice belle gliding after them as the passage swallowed them whole and sealed briefly behind their wake.

The moment the king felt the first pull of space wrap around his body, he instinctively tightened his grip on the reins, yet the sensation was nothing like violent displacement or chaotic tearing as many spatial techniques were known for. Instead, it was smooth, controlled, and almost gentle, as though unseen hands were guiding him forward with deliberate care. When his vision cleared, he found himself standing within a tunnel of pale blue light, the ice belle’s essence forming crystalline walls that shimmered softly and pushed back the suffocating darkness of the abyss beyond.

The king looked around slowly, his breath steady, his eyes filled with astonishment rather than fear. "So this is the passage," he murmured, his voice low but carrying clearly to those nearest him. "To think we are walking through the Boundary Abyss itself, yet it feels as though we tread a protected road."

A cultivator, riding just behind him, nodded as he surveyed the tunnel with a soldier’s eye. "It is stable," he said after a moment. "Too stable for something formed under such conditions. If I did not know better, I would say this path was carved over years, not minutes."

The ice belle drifted ahead of them, occasionally pressing her small palm against the tunnel walls, reinforcing the frozen essence that pulsed faintly in response. She glanced back at the king, her eyes bright, clearly pleased with the attention the passage was receiving. "Walk properly," she said with a small huff. "If you bump into the walls too much, they will feel insulted."

Several soldiers exchanged confused looks, unsure whether to laugh or remain solemn, while the king surprised them all by letting out a soft chuckle. "Even the spirit scold us now," he said calmly. "Then we must behave."

The first transition came without warning, yet without shock. Space folded once more, and the tunnel dissolved briefly before reforming around them again. One portal became two, two became three, and with each passage the king felt the same precise control guiding them forward. Time seemed to stretch within the abyss, not in a disorienting way, but in a manner that made every step feel measured and intentional.

As they approached the tenth portal, one of the senior officers riding near the king leaned closer. "Your Majesty," he said carefully, "A group of powerful cultivators have tried to crossed the abyss months. They all lost their lives. This," he gestured at the tunnel with a slow sweep of his hand, "is beyond comprehension."

The king’s gaze hardened slightly, though awe still lingered beneath it. "That is why this war will be different," he replied. "And why we must ensure that the mind behind this plan remains protected. Such brilliance draws enemies like blood draws beasts."

By the time they reached the fifteenth portal, fatigue began to show on the faces of the less seasoned soldiers, not from physical exertion, but from the mental strain of remaining alert for so many hours in such an unnatural place. Each time they emerged into a new segment of the tunnel, the ice cultivator stationed there would bow briefly and guide them onward, their presence anchoring the passage and reassuring the troops.

"We are halfway through," one of the cultivators announced calmly as they passed the fourteenth marker. "Maintain your pace. The path remains stable."

Six hours passed in this manner, marked by quiet commands, steady breathing, and the soft hum of ice essence and spatial Qi intertwining. When the final transition came, the darkness of the abyss peeled away completely, replaced by open air and solid ground beneath their feet. The oppressive aura reduced greatly, and the soldiers found themselves standing at the far edge of the Boundary Abyss, alive, intact, and whole.

The king dismounted slowly, placing his boot firmly on the ground as if to reassure himself that it was real. He straightened and looked back at the shimmering portal that still pulsed behind them, his expression one of deep contemplation and restrained amazement.

"Six hours," he said quietly. "Six hours to cross what would have taken weeks and countless.

"If this is what our forces can do now," he said, "then the enemy truly has no idea what is coming for them."

The ice belle floated closer, folding her arms proudly. "You are welcome," she said, as though she had personally carried every soldier across on her back.

The king glanced at her and inclined his head with genuine respect. "You have my gratitude, little one," he replied. "And so does Valerion."

The king’s gaze then swept across the barren landscape that stretched endlessly before them, blackened ground and a suffocating haze hanging heavy in the air. He shook his head slightly, disbelief clear in his eyes. "I cannot fathom it," he murmured, his voice low and tense, as if speaking the thought aloud made it more real. "To think that Xavier, the Empress, Nyx and Captain Varran traversed this Boundary Abyss on foot for days, navigating through death itself and the endless void... It is... terrifying beyond words."

The king shook his head again, almost as if trying to dispel the lingering horror from his mind. "It is not merely courage... it is almost unholy in its audacity. I... I cannot imagine facing such a trial myself, let alone leading an army through it. Their endurance, their mastery... it is terrifying."

He paused, taking a long breath, the weight of their accomplishment settling over him like a tangible presence. "The enemy has no idea what we now command," he murmured, his voice barely audible. "If they knew what had been endured and mastered to get here, they would despair before we attack them.