Soulbound: Dual Cultivation

Chapter 359: The Shadow Dragon again

Captain Varran managed to guide his group through the frozen corridor without a single loss, his steady voice and iron composure keeping the soldiers calm as they stepped through each spatial gate and emerged safely on the far side, and less than seven hours later, Commander Alexander followed with equal success, his disciplined formation moving with practiced precision as the ice lined passage held firm beneath the reinforced essence that pulsed quietly through the tunnel walls.

The army on the far side had barely finished reorganizing when it became time for the fourth group to move, and Henrietta took her place at the front with a calm expression that hid her vigilance, her hand resting lightly on the saddle as she gave her final instructions to the cultivators and soldiers behind her, reminding them to keep close and to trust the path that had been carved for them.

Just as the fourteenth spatial portal began to stabilize for their next transit, that the air itself seemed to convulse, and a roar tore through the abyss with such overwhelming malice and ancient authority that even the hardened cultivators felt their blood run cold, the sound rolling across the dark expanse like a living wave of death that carried hunger, rage, and dominion within it.

Several soldiers faltered instinctively, gripping their weapons tighter as their mounts cried out in panic, while Henrietta’s eyes narrowed sharply, her posture straightening as she immediately recognized that this was no ordinary beast but something far older and far more dangerous, something that ruled this abyss as its sovereign.

The ice belle, who had been hovering lazily beside the portal with an expression of mild boredom after escorting the first three groups without incident, suddenly stiffened in midair, her small form radiating a sharp surge of icy intent as her large crystalline eyes widened with recognition, and the playful chill around her intensified into something keen and predatory.

She let out a soft but excited hum, her frost laden aura rippling outward as she turned toward the source of the roar, her essence flaring brighter than it had at any point during the crossing, and in that instant it was clear that she knew exactly what creature had announced itself.

"That one," her voice chimed within the shared spiritual space, carrying a note of unmistakable familiarity and anticipation, as memories stirred of the shadow that had once challenged her dominion when she, the empress and others crossed this abyss months ago on their return to Valerion, a creature that had slunk back into the darkness after testing her strength and withdrawing rather than pressing the fight.

The boredom that had plagued her throughout the escort vanished completely, replaced by an eager and almost gleeful energy as frost spiraled playfully around her small body, her presence suddenly sharp and alive, and for the first time since entering the abyss she looked genuinely entertained.

Now, with that monstrous roar echoing again through the abyss and the familiar oppressive shadow stirring in the distance, the ice belle’s lips curved into a delighted smile, her wings fluttering with barely restrained excitement as she drifted forward protectively toward Henrietta’s group, finally sensing an opponent worthy of her attention and a chance to break the monotony of escort duty with something far more enjoyable.

The shadow dragon roared again, louder and closer this time, its massive form circling just beyond the narrow ice reinforced passage as dark scales scraped against the abyss walls, and the sound alone made several cultivators tighten their grips on their weapons while their breathing grew uneven, because the pressure rolling off the creature was not something ordinary soldiers were meant to withstand calmly.

The space around them was painfully tight, the ice tunnel formed by the ice belle’s essence allowing only a rigid formation, and none of them dared to break ranks or step out of line, since even a slight disruption could weaken the passage and send them tumbling into the endless darkness below.

One of the men whispered hoarsely that the dragon was testing them, his voice trembling as he asked whether they should halt and reinforce their defenses, and another answered just as quietly that stopping here would only invite death, since the beast was clearly waiting for hesitation.

Henrietta observed all of this in silence for a brief moment, her eyes sharp and calculating as she gauged the distance to the next portal, the stability of the tunnel, and the growing fear among the group, and in that instant she knew with absolute clarity that if they delayed even a little longer, the dragon would find a way to force a breach or collapse the passage entirely.

"We do not have the luxury of fear right now," Henrietta said firmly, her voice steady and powerful enough to cut through the rising panic, as she turned to face the group fully and met their gazes one after another, making sure her resolve was unmistakable.

A cultivator near her asked what their chances were if the dragon decided to attack head on, and Henrietta answered honestly that their chances would be slim if they remained clustered together without momentum, because the abyss favored predators that thrived on hesitation and chaos.

The ice belle floated slightly forward, her small form glowing with a calm icy brilliance that contrasted sharply with the oppressive darkness around them, and she spoke with a light tone that almost sounded amused, saying that the dragon remembered her and that it was angry because it could sense her presence but could not reach her properly within such a narrow space.

Henrietta nodded once, taking strength from that confidence, and then raised her voice so every member of the group could hear her clearly without misunderstanding.

"You will run for the next portal the moment I give the word," she said with unwavering authority, explaining that the passage had already been stabilized and that speed was their greatest weapon right now, and she added that survival depended on discipline rather than courage alone.

A woman near the front protested instinctively, saying that leaving Henrietta behind was too dangerous, and another cultivator echoed her concern, but Henrietta silenced them with a firm gesture and told them that their duty was to reach the other side and reinforce the formation, not to argue in the face of imminent danger.

"I will remain here with the ice belle," Henrietta continued calmly, though the weight of her decision was evident, as she explained that the two of them would slow the dragon down, draw its attention, and buy the group enough time to reach the next portal safely.

The ice belle nodded enthusiastically, frost swirling playfully around her as she added that she had been bored escorting the earlier groups and that this dragon would serve as excellent entertainment, her confidence strangely reassuring despite the terror of the situation.

Henrietta took a deep breath, then lifted her hand and gave the signal, her voice ringing out with finality as she ordered the group to move immediately and not look back, fully aware that if they failed to progress fast enough, every single one of them could be doomed, and she stepped forward beside the ice belle, positioning herself between the formation and the roaring shadow dragon as the group prepared to make their desperate run for the next portal.