Chapter 22: Shadows in the Misty Forest
Night fell over the inn, the courtyard cloaked in shadow, the silver-blue flame casting a faint glow from Lin Xuan's room. He knocked on Liu Yue's door, his crimson eyes serious. "Junior Sister, Zhi Clan hunters plan an ambush during my absence," he warned, sensing their curse qi tied to the Hei Clan. "Keep Mistress and Liu Yang within the ring's protection array." She nodded, her moonlight eyes resolute, and he headed to the Misty Forest, its misty depths a labyrinth of ancient trees and eerie silence, to train the Scarlet Flow Phase of the Crimson Blood Crystallization Art.
Deep in the forest, six Zhi Clan elders—each at the 5th Layer Qi Transformation—emerged, their dark robes blending with the mist, their curse-infused qi a suffocating presence. Lin Xuan smirked, his crimson eyes glinting. "So you've shown yourselves, courting death!" he taunted, his voice echoing. He activated Abyssal Lotus Step, his body gliding with mixed martial arts footwork, dodging a qi blade that sliced a tree trunk. Celestial Wrath Elbow, blended with Muay Boran power, struck an elder's chest, the impact a thunderous crack as blood sprayed. Starlit Void Fist, with Kyokushin precision, shattered another's defense, the punch's celestial light blinding. Tooth Dagger flashed, tearing flesh, and Energy Devour siphoned qi, felling four elders in a whirlwind of combat.
He captured two survivors, his crimson eyes cold as he tortured them with qi pressure, their screams piercing the mist. "Who backs you?" he demanded. "The Hei Clan," they gasped, knowing little of the Scriptures' value. He killed them, claiming their space rings, their bodies dissolving into the fog. Simultaneously, two Zhi elders attacked the inn, but the protection array activated, a golden dome shielding Liu Yue, Luo Shuang, and Liu Yang. Lin Xuan returned, unleashing Crimson Lance Burst—crystallized blood spikes piercing the attackers, killing them instantly. He claimed their rings, his breath heavy.
Liu Yang approached, his young face resolute, his eyes burning with determination. "Senior Brother, I wish to be your disciple—to protect my family," he requested, bowing deeply. Lin Xuan's gaze hardened, his initial refusal cold. "You're too weak," he said. But Liu Yang's persistence swayed him, a faint smile breaking through. "Very well," he agreed, the boy's loyalty warming his chest.