Chapter 5 – Caged Potential
Han Qian stood within the heart of the cage, his arms loosely at his side, eyes half-lidded. Two years had passed, but to him, time moved differently. Nature's qi, invisible to those who relied solely on soul power, had poured endlessly into his body like a river meeting an endless sea. Each second, he grew stronger—not through effort, but existence.
The cage itself was forged from Blacksteel Roots laced with celestial element seals. It was meant to restrain monstrous beasts, soul-possessing demons, and even rogue cultivators at Rank 8. Yet Han Qian, the boy without known soul power, remained still. Not because he couldn't break free—but because of one memory.
Bai Yan.
Her scent lingered in his mind. The last warmth he'd known.
She had whispered words as she held him in her arms that day before the dragon took him away. He had not cried. Not because he lacked tears—but because she had told him not to.
"If you survive… live well."
He obeyed.
He didn't know she had given up not just her body, but her soul to stop the pursuing cultivators. He didn't know she had stood in the path of destruction willingly, and burned everything she had left to ensure he lived. He only knew one thing—he had to survive. He had to wait.
Ao Shan had been cunning. The so-called Elder had lured the mother dragon—Xuanlong—under the pretense of protection. Instead, he betrayed her, shackling her with an ancient array while pretending to show kindness.
The boy, Han Qian, had been presented to the ancient soul of the Evil Dragon Emperor as an offering.
In return, Ao Shan received an Emerald Bone Pill, capable of refining his bones to nearly divine levels—something most body cultivators would kill to possess. With a satisfied smirk, Ao Shan had bowed and vanished into the mists of the Dragon Realm.
The Evil Emperor, whose soul had wandered for centuries, had waited for a new vessel. He had fought and been defeated by the previous Dragon Emperor, and now, he needed a body strong enough to contain his essence.
But no matter how many soul rituals he attempted, Han Qian's body rejected him.
It wasn't just a resistance—it was violent.
Every attempt to possess Han Qian caused a backlash that shook the Emperor's soul itself, cracking his ghostly form and forcing him to retreat. After numerous failures, he had no choice but to abandon the rituals and imprison the boy in a forbidden cage laced with divine restrictions.
Still, he had no idea that Han Qian's power was growing every passing moment.
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Inside the cage, Han Qian's eyes opened slowly.
Boom—
A crack formed.
The guards outside looked up in confusion. Then another BOOM.
A surge of invisible energy burst through the air like thunder, and a massive explosion shook the black prison walls. The sacred runes glowed violently in resistance… then shattered like glass.
One final surge erupted.
BOOM!!!
The entire left wing of the cave fortress collapsed. Flames and force shot outward like a vortex.
Han Qian stepped out of the rubble—his body glowing faintly with strands of green qi, his skin unburned, unscathed, and stronger than before. His arms, once slender, now rippled with unnatural strength. But his face remained emotionless.
He had not escaped to destroy.
He had awakened… to keep surviving.
The time had come.
And the entire realm would feel the weight of what had been locked away