In the darkness of the night, Yan Li's eyes, now an intense blood-red, glowed with an unnatural light. His transformation into a bloodtrall had left him more beast than man, his sharp nails and fangs a direct result of the dark power he now wielded. As he stood over the body of the fallen driver, a voice pierced the silence, sending a shiver down his spine.
"I know you were scum, but you are worse than that," the voice said, emerging from the shadows.
Yan Li's head snapped around, his blood-red eyes narrowing in alarm. "Who is it?" he demanded, his voice laced with a mixture of fear and anger. "Come out! Now!"
A figure stepped into the moonlight, and the sight that greeted Yan Li was both regal and chilling. Yan Jin emerged from the darkness, his presence commanding and aloof. Draped in a long, black robe that fluttered like a shadow in the moonlight, his black hair cascaded around him, framing his face with an air of noble detachment. Despite his blindness, there was an unmistakable authority in his posture, and his bow, held with calm precision, spoke of lethal skill.
"Tsk tsk," Yan Jin's voice was a cold whisper, filled with disdain. "You are in no position to give orders, Yan Li. After all your scheming, you are still worth less than the heroes from back then."
Yan Li's face contorted with rage as he recognized his foe. "Oh! It's the cripple of yesterday. Everything is your fault. Had you stayed dead like the rat you were, things would not have spiraled out of control!" he spat, his anger palpable. He was relieved to see that no one else was approaching, his dark secret still hidden from the world.
"You have done so much evil," Yan Jin said, his voice calm yet filled with a steely resolve. "I am here to collect my debt."
Yan Li's expression twisted into a sneer. "With just you? I think you overestimate yourself if you believe your petty tricks could take me down." As he spoke, he released his aura, a surge of malevolent power that twisted the very air around him.
From behind Yan Li, the manifestation of the Winter Dragon of the Yan Family appeared. It was an imposing and fearsome sight, though corrupted by witchcraft. Its eyes were a deep, blood-red, and blood worms crawled across its spectral form. The dragon's six halos spun in succession, a corrupted display of its once-pure power, now tainted by dark forces. Yan Li's aura pulsed with a dreadful energy, a manifestation of his newfound power as a Purified King.
Yan Jin remained unfazed, his senses attuned to the dark, oppressive aura emanating from Yan Li. The blood witchcraft that had transformed him was palpable, and Yan Jin could feel the weight of the malevolence in the air.
"You may have cheated you way to power" Yan Jin said, his voice steady despite the looming threat. "But it will not save you from the reckoning you have brought upon yourself."
Yan Li's laughter echoed through the night, a cruel, mocking sound. "Reckoning? You think you can stand against me, crippled as you are?"
"Who told you I was alone?" Yan Jin's voice was icy, and as he spoke, three figures emerged from the shadows, stepping into the moonlight with an aura of determined vengeance.
Wei Xi, just twelve years old but bearing the weight of his quest for justice, stepped forward first. He was clad in warrior attire, his young face a mix of innocence and fierce determination. The storm wyvern that roared behind him was an indication of his bloodline and his commitment to avenging the wrongs of the past. Its fierce eyes and rumbling growl seemed to echo his own righteous anger, making him a formidable presence despite his youth. His spear was held with the confidence of someone who had trained for years, and his stance radiated a sense of purpose and resolve.
Meng Xiao was next, her presence striking and commanding. Dressed in elegant purple attire that flowed around her as she moved, her attire bore the crest of the Meng family, a symbol of her lineage and strength. Her fingers ended in sharp, eagle-like claws, a sign of her mastery over her unique abilities. Above her, the shadow of a three-legged eagle loomed, its fierce eyes and outstretched wings a representation of her powerful connection to the beast. Meng Xiao's demeanor was one of controlled fury, her eyes fixed on Yan Li with an intensity that spoke of her desire for retribution.
Lastly, Yan Bai appeared, clad in stark white attire that contrasted sharply with his internal turmoil. His face was etched with disgust and rage, emotions that had been building over years of witnessing the clan's corruption and cruelty. He wielded a long silver spear with precision, and the ice dragon that roared and hovered above him seemed to embody his icy resolve and burning desire for vengeance. The dragon's presence was both majestic and terrifying, a reflection of the power and wrath that Yan Bai was prepared to unleash.
The three of them had each lost a parent, or both, during the tragedy fourteen years ago, and their shared grief had brought them together in a quest for justice. Now, their combined strength and sorrow were directed toward Yan Li, who stood amidst them, his dark aura a stark contrast to the resolve of his adversaries.
"Yan Li, revenge is here," Yan Jin proclaimed, his voice resonating with a deep, chilling finality. He released his aura, and a loud, piercing shriek erupted from within him, reverberating through the night air. The sound was a harbinger of the storm to come, shaking everyone present as a cold, killing intent began to permeate the space around them.
Yan Jin raised his bow, the tension in the air palpable as the wind seemed to hold its breath in anticipation. His eyes, though blind, were keenly attuned to the energy of the confrontation, and the presence of his allies only served to heighten the stakes. The three young avengers, each carrying their own burdens and aspirations for justice, stood united behind him, ready to confront the villain who had brought so much suffering into their lives.
The scene was set, the atmosphere charged with an impending clash that would determine the fate of those involved. Yan Li, surrounded by the forces of vengeance, faced a reckoning he had long sought to avoid, and the resolution of this confrontation would echo far beyond the night.