Chapter 8 – The Rival Emerges
The forest was quiet again. Five corpses lay rotting at the base of the cliff, but Xu Lian no longer spared them a glance. His eyes were fixed on the horizon.
Each battle made his blood boil hotter, his qi denser. The jade pendant's inheritance seemed to resonate with his anger, feeding on it, sharpening him into something far beyond mortal flesh.
But even as he wiped the blood from his blade, a prickle ran down his spine. Someone was watching.
---
From between the ancient pines, a youth stepped forward. He wore a flowing robe of white and gold, embroidered with the insignia of a soaring dragon. His black hair was tied neatly, his bearing regal, his aura restrained but undeniably dangerous.
Xu Lian's eyes narrowed. He recognized it instantly—the crest of the Sky-Dragon Pavilion, one of the three greatest sects of the Seven Realms.
The youth smiled faintly. "Xu Lian, is it? The boy who survived the massacre. The one who dares shout about revenge against the heavens themselves."
His tone was not mocking—merely amused.
"And you are?" Xu Lian asked coldly.
"Feng Jue," the youth replied with a graceful bow, though arrogance lingered in his eyes. "First heir of the Sky-Dragon Pavilion. They call me the Dragon's Fang."
Xu Lian said nothing. His silence was more dangerous than words.
---
Feng Jue's smile widened. "I saw your little performance against those Heaven-Slaying dogs. Impressive… for someone with no backing, no sect, no resources. But raw rage will only carry you so far."
He stepped closer, his presence heavy, his qi swirling like coiled dragons beneath his skin.
"You are strong. Too strong to be left to grow unchecked. The elders whisper your name with caution already."
Xu Lian's hand tightened on his blade. His instincts screamed that this youth was no ordinary foe.
---
Without warning, Feng Jue moved.
A palm strike, fast as lightning, crashed toward Xu Lian's chest.
Boom!
The cliff cracked beneath the force, stone exploding outward. Xu Lian slid back, blood trickling from his lip, his arm numb from blocking. His eyes sharpened—this rival was already at the Core Formation Realm.
"You strike first?" Xu Lian asked, his voice flat.
Feng Jue shrugged casually. "I merely wished to test the boy who dares oppose the Seven Realms. You are… acceptable. Not enough yet, but dangerous."
Xu Lian's aura flared crimson, his blade humming. "If you came here to kill me, do it properly. Otherwise, leave before I sever that smile from your face."
---
For the first time, Feng Jue's expression hardened. His qi surged, the air around him thick with the oppressive might of a young dragon. But then, just as suddenly, he withdrew it, stepping back with a smirk.
"No, not today. Killing you now would be… boring." His gaze was sharp, predatory. "A rival should not die too early. Grow stronger, Xu Lian. Climb higher. One day, when you stand at the peak, I'll be there, waiting to shatter you."
He turned, his robes fluttering as he vanished into the forest.
---
Xu Lian stood alone once more, his chest still aching from the single strike.
A rival.
Not a petty assassin. Not a cowardly emissary. But someone who truly embodied the monstrous genius of the Seven Realms.
His lips curved into a cold smile.
"So be it. Feng Jue, Dragon's Fang… I'll carve that name into my blade. And when the time comes, I'll cut your dragon's head from its body."
The wind howled across the cliff, carrying his vow into the endless night.