But growth shines bright, and bright things draw shadows.
One night, scouts rushed back: a larger settlement nearby, Ironfang Tribe, notorious for raiding weaker groups, had noticed Leng Clan's rise. Rumors of a "fragile founder" and "weak frost clan" amused them.
They demanded tribute from Leng Clan—furs, grain, and "disciples of frost" to serve as retainers.
Tian gathered clan in the central square, firelight on his pale face. His body, though weak, radiated determination.
"My brothers and sisters," he spoke, voice strained but clear, "we fought Stonefang before. Ironfang is stronger, yes. But hear me—we are not cattle to be owned. We are Leng Clan. If we bow now, everything we've endured dies."
Unease filled the air—Ironfang was huge, far deadlier. Many feared destruction. But Tian smiled faintly:
"I do not promise victory. I promise frost—unyielding even before fire. Even if I fall, if we fight together, our clan lives on."
The words ignited hearts.
Disciples bowed deeply. Hunters nodded, ashamed of earlier doubts. Yuexin stood behind him, child in arms, eyes filled with blazing support.
They would resist.
Skirmish at the River
Ironfang struck a week later. Their men were brutal, clad in wolf hides, two soul masters among them. They attacked along frozen rivers, confident their might would crush Leng's weak frost.
But Tian had prepared. Children lined riverbanks, overlapping Frost Veils into a wide field. The ice cracked and glazed with deliberate fractures.
When Ironfang charged across, the ground betrayed them, collapsing under weight. Men plunged waist deep in freezing water, slowed, scattered in chaos. Hunters rained arrows. Frost disciples layered binds, suffocating momentum.
Though battle was brutal and lives lost, Ironfang retreated humiliated after hours. They had expected weaklings. Instead, they met unity.
After battle, villagers wept. Survivors buried kin, grieving—but none regretted resisting. Their new respect for Leng Tian deepened: not merely teacher, but strategist, protector, Patriarch.
🔥 End of Chapter 36