The Thorne of Destiny
Chapter 123: Storm: The Silver Winged Tiger

Chapter 123: Storm: The Silver Winged Tiger

Julian’s face was now black, and his hands were clenched tightly. His anger had already reached a tipping point. However, there was nothing he could do. Attacking Wyatt in front of all these people would be the same thing a validating his claims.

He gritted his teeth and forced out a single sentence.

"You’ll regret this." With that, he turned on his heel and walked away, leaving everyone a bit stunned at his response. Wyatt and Clara were also not expecting that. They were expecting more of a comeback from him, but were somewhat disappointed.

Seeing his response, they also began to wonder if there was something else at play here.

"Hmph, bold words for a loser." Wyatt spat. Clara, who had been silent this whole time, simply turned and walked away.

Five days later, the morning sun cast a pale glow over the horizon as Adrian finally reached the outskirts of Stonehold City. The towering stone walls came into view, familiar yet distant, as if belonging to a world he hadn’t touched in years. It had only been a month, but so much had changed.

Because his strength had increased, and with how eager he was to see his siblings, he was able to cut back a seven-day trip down to five. He adjusted the hood of his robe and glanced down at the cub tucked inside his robe. Its head poked out slightly, yawning lazily. He chuckled quietly and gave it a light scratch behind the ears.

They’d made it. The gates were busy, with a steady stream of caravans and cultivators entering and exiting the city. Adrian blended in easily among them. His face was partially concealed, and no spiritual signatures lingered around him. To the eyes of any cultivator watching, he was just another traveler.

He refrained from using the Veil of a Hundred Shadows. Despite how useful and convenient it seemed, Adrian didn’t want to use it every time. Until he had enough Qi to sustain it for an extended period, he would only use it when necessary.

Still, he took no chances. He was still careful about protecting his identity.

Once past the gates, Adrian took a few winding alleys through the merchant caravan before vanishing into the tight-knit maze of outer-city passages.

A few hours later, Adrian was standing outside the small courtyard house nestled near the slums of the outer city. Without hesitation, he entered without drawing attention from those on the streets.

In the courtyard, two children could be seen practicing their swordsmanship.

Adrian smiled, watching both Jayson and Olivia practice with great concentration. Practicing their swordsmanship early in the morning had become routine for them, and they didn’t slack off in it. He was glad that they took their training seriously and weren’t just slacking off.

After watching them for a few minutes, he decided to make his presence known. He began walking towards them, deliberately making his steps louder to attract attention.

The two kids turned their heads simultaneously when they heard it. Their faces beamed with surprise and joy when they saw him. They tossed the wooden swords that they had been training with aside and ran towards him. Olivia wrapped her arms tightly around his waist, tears instantly springing to her eyes.

"Big brother, you were gone for so long!"

"I missed you, too," Adrian said, patting her head. Behind her stood Jayson, slightly younger, also with a complicated expression on his face.

"You’re late," he muttered, but his voice wavered slightly. "You promised you’d only be gone for a couple of weeks." Adrian walked in, pulling the two of them into a hug.

"I know. I’m sorry. I had to take care of something important. But I’m here now." However, the hug was interrupted by a certain someone.

The cub peeked out of his robes, curious about the commotion. Olivia’s eyes lit up immediately.

"Wha—! Is that a kitten?!"

Adrian chuckled slightly. "No. It’s a silver-winged tiger cub. It’s cute, isn’t it?"

The two children crowded around the cub, who sniffed them both curiously before letting out a soft growl and flopping onto its back.

"I’ve never seen a beast like this before," the boy whispered, rubbing its belly. "Is it really safe?"

Adrian smiled reassuringly. "Yes, it’s safe. I found it during my travels. It’s still young, but it’s already quite intelligent. Just be gentle with it."

Olivia giggled as the cub playfully batted at her fingers with its tiny paws. "It’s so soft! Can we keep it?"

Jayson, though initially hesitant, couldn’t resist the cub’s charm either. "What does it eat? Does it have a name?"

Adrian shook his head. He hadn’t really thought about it. With all he was going through, a name was the last thing on his mind.

"Not yet. I was thinking you two could help me name it.

The children’s eyes lit up with excitement as they brainstormed names for the silver-winged tiger cub. Olivia clapped her hands together.

"How about Storm? Because he’s fast like the wind and strong like thunder!"

Jayson tilted his head, considering. "Or Silvyr, since he’s silver and has wings!"

Adrian chuckled. "Both are great names. What do you think, little one?"

The cub perked up at the attention, its tail flicking playfully. It let out a small growl that sounded almost like approval.

Olivia gasped. "He likes them! But we can only pick one..."

"Alright, do you prefer Storm or Silvyr?" Olivia asked while picking up the cub. The cub let out a growl as if it actually understood her and was giving her an answer.

"Yay! He picked Storm." Olivia yelled happily, completely pretending as if it was the cub that made the decision. The two brothers were a bit surprised by her words. They didn’t speak for a few seconds, before completely bursting into laughter.

Adrian nodded in approval. "A name fit for a future beast king." The cub let out a happy chirp, fluttering its tiny silver wings as if in agreement. Adrian spent the rest of the day hanging out with his siblings.

This was a rare moment of relaxation that he had and he spent it with his family. Olivia questioned him relentlessly about his adventures in the Misty Mountains. He told them the abridged version of his experiences. He left out the major gory details and just told her about the various scenery and the different beasts that he encountered along the way.

Even though he had removed most of the details, the stories were still interesting enough to keep both kids enamored all day. Olivia kept pestering him with different questions, which he patiently answered.

The next day, Adrian woke up with Storm on his chest. The little cub was still asleep and was even purring from time to time. He gently picked it up and placed it on the bed, careful not to wake it up.

He went out to the backyard to take in the morning fresh air. It was still dawn, and the sun was coming out. He gazed into the sky with a complicated gaze. It had been about a year since that fateful day.

Adrian was already sixteen years old and was a completely different person than he was a year ago. Both in physique and mindset, he had completely transformed. His way of thinking was already different from what a member of a noble family would have.

Now, most of his thoughts were about growing stronger and keeping his family safe.

The breeze tugged gently at his robes as he exhaled slowly, letting the morning air blow around him. Behind him, he sensed movement.

"I figured I’d find you here."

Adrian turned slightly. Jayson stood in the doorway, rubbing sleep from his eyes and holding two wooden practice swords under one arm.

"You couldn’t sleep either?" Adrian asked.

Jayson shrugged. "I guess I’m just excited you’re back. Feels like things are finally... normal again."

Adrian smiled faintly. "Normal is good."

Jayson stepped forward and handed Adrian one of the wooden swords. "Want to spar? It’s been a while. I’ve been practicing every morning. Well, we both have, and I think I’ve improved."

Adrian took the sword, inspecting it briefly. "Alright then. Show me."

The two brothers took positions beneath the spreading branches of the courtyard’s lone tree. The wooden swords met with a crack, followed by another and another. Adrian held back just enough to match his brother’s pace without overwhelming him, offering advice and correcting his stances as they sparred.

"You’ve improved," Adrian said honestly after a few minutes.

"Really?" Jayson grinned, panting slightly. "You’re not just saying that?"

"I wouldn’t lie about something like this. Keep training like this, and you’ll surpass me in no time."

Jayson’s eyes sparkled with pride. "Then I’ll keep working at it. You’ll see."

Adrian nodded, silently pleased. He hadn’t just left them behind to fend for themselves; he’d left them with enough resources to increase their strength, and it seemed like they did just that. It made everything he went through feel more worthwhile.

Suddenly, a mewl echoed from inside the house.

Storm had woken up.