"Bai Yunfei, is that your last resort?" Xing Jue asked, his voice echoing across the silent arena. He could feel the immense power radiating from the terrifying purple ring of energy before him, but fear was a stranger to him. He too, had a few tricks up his sleeve.
As the crowd watched with bated breath, Xing Jue slowly spread his arms, his palms facing the sky, summoning his inner strength. Powerful Martial Qi surged through his veins, gathering in his hands like a raging storm.
"Pssst!" A sound like grinding stones split the air as two tiny flames sparked between Xing Jue's outstretched palms. With a guttural roar, he breathed life into the embers. The flames erupted into two towering pillars of fire, their heat scorching the air around them.
The flames then shrank, contorting into two fiery orbs, spinning with dizzying speed. As Xing Jue brought his hands together, the fiery spheres collided in a deafening roar, merging and compressing into a single, pulsating ball of concentrated fire, no larger than a handspan. Yet, despite its size, the fireball pulsed with an alarming power that sent shivers down everyone's spines.
Bai Yunfei let out a hearty laugh. "Xing Jue, you never disappoint! But tell me, can your little fireball withstand the might of my Halo?" He gestured towards the ring of purple energy, his eyes shining with excitement.
"Why don't you try me?" Xing Jue responded with a knowing smirk.
"Gladly!" Bai Yunfei roared. The purple halo morphed into a massive energy beam, hurtling toward Xing Jue with terrifying speed.
"Blazing Dragon Blast!" Xing Jue countered, thrusting his palms forward. The spinning fireball elongated, transforming into a fiery dragon, its jaws agape as it collided head-on with the oncoming beam.
The impact was deafening. The entire Outer Palace Plaza trembled, threatening to crumble under the clash of these colossal forces. The red dragon and purple beam locked in a deadly embrace, their energies intermingling in a blinding explosion of light and heat. The resulting shockwave rippled outward, engulfing both Xing Jue and Bai Yunfei in its chaotic embrace.
When the dust settled, a stunned silence fell over the crowd.
The arena was in ruins. Rubble littered the ground where the two figures once stood. Amidst the debris lay Bai Yunfei, battered and bruised, his clothes torn and singed. But Xing Jue… Xing Jue was unharmed. He stood tall, a calm oasis in the storm of destruction, flanked by an unassuming old man – The Outer Palace's Grand Elder.
The Grand Elder had intervened at the last moment, shielding Xing Jue from the brunt of the explosion.
A series of painful coughs shattered the silence. Bai Yunfei, battered but alive, struggled to his feet.
Before he could regain his bearings, two figures flashed onto the platform, flanking Bai Yunfei with an eerie silence. They bound his arms with chains forged from a thousand-year-old Black Iron, an unbreakable prison.
The crowd gasped. Xing Jue himself frowned, confused by the sudden turn of events. But Bai Yunfei… Bai Yunfei just laughed, a chilling, hollow sound that sent chills down everyone's spines.
With Bai Yunfei in custody, the Grand Elder turned towards the stunned crowd. His voice, amplified by his cultivation, boomed across the plaza.
He announced Xing Jue as the victor of the Inner Palace Trial, his voice filled with a hint of respect that had been absent before.
His next words sent a wave of envy through the assembled disciples. As a reward for his victory, Xing Jue would receive the "Soul Slayer Sword", an Earth-rank martial skill passed down for generations within the Yu Feng Clan, a legendary technique said to possess the power to cleave mountains and split the earth itself.
The crowd erupted, their cheers echoing across the plaza as the curtain fell on the two-day-long Inner Palace Trial.
Later that day, Xing Jue found himself standing respectfully before the Grand Elder in the solemn halls of the Outer Palace's main hall.
"Xing Jue", the Grand Elder began, his voice stern, "the Soul Slayer Sword is a sacred martial art of our Yu Feng Clan. You are forbidden from sharing it with anyone outside the clan. The consequence of disobedience… is death. Do you understand?"
Xing Jue nodded solemnly, his expression serious.
The Grand Elder nodded, satisfied. He waved his hand, and a transparent talisman materialized between them. The talisman, as clear as crystal, pulsed with an ethereal light. Intricate ancient runes were etched upon its surface, their meaning a mystery to Xing Jue.
"This… This is the Earth-rank martial skill, Soul Slayer Sword?", Xing Jue asked, his voice filled with awe.
He had expected a scroll, a tome… not this… this fragile-looking piece of crystal.
It seemed that the world of martial arts was full of surprises.
"Low-rank martial skills are incredibly precious," the Grand Elder explained. "Recording the cultivation method on a talisman like this prevents unauthorized dissemination." With a flick of his wrist, he sent the talisman flying toward Xing Jue's forehead.
As the talisman made contact, Xing Jue felt a rush of heat. Countless strange characters flooded his mind, and he realized with astonishment the sheer volume of information contained within the seemingly small talisman. Such intricate craftsmanship was truly remarkable!
After nearly half an hour, the transfer of the Earth-rank martial skill was complete. Xing Jue rubbed his slightly numb forehead, a wide grin spreading across his face. He could feel the cultivation method for the Soul Slayer Sword clearly imprinted in his mind.
Retrieving the talisman, the Grand Elder settled into his grand seat and gestured for Xing Jue to take a seat nearby.
"Xing Jue," he began, taking a sip of tea, "there's someone you must be wary of in the Inner Palace. Someone you must never offend."
"Who are you referring to, Grand Elder?" Xing Jue asked, puzzled.
"The Second Elder of the Inner Palace," the Grand Elder replied, placing his teacup down with a soft clink.
"The Second Elder?" The name sparked a memory. The Outer Palace Elder who had tried to take him as a disciple. Xing Jue had dismissed it at the time, but the Grand Elder's tone suggested there was more to the story.
"Ambition drives the Second Elder," the Grand Elder continued. "He desires complete control over the Inner Palace. To strengthen his influence, he planted a disciple in the Outer Palace, tasked with seeking out promising newcomers to recruit."
"You rejected his offer, Xing Jue. The Second Elder doesn't tolerate rejection lightly. Be cautious and tread carefully. Conflict with him could make your life in the Inner Palace very difficult."
"Thank you for the warning, Grand Elder," Xing Jue replied, grateful for the insight. So, the Second Elder was a man to be wary of.
"You possess great potential, Xing Jue," said the Grand Elder, his tone softening. "With dedication and hard work, you have the potential to make a name for yourself even within the vast Yu Feng Clan."
A genuine smile spread across Xing Jue's face. He already had immense respect for this wise old man.
"Alright, go and rest. You enter the Inner Palace tomorrow," the Grand Elder said with a dismissive wave of his hand.
"Um… Grand Elder," Xing Jue hesitated, "if you don't mind my asking…"
"Speak freely, Xing Jue," the Grand Elder chuckled. "You're curious about Bai Yunfei's sudden arrest."
"I would be grateful for an explanation, Grand Elder."
The Grand Elder rose to his feet and walked towards the window, a faraway look in his eyes.
"This tale is decades old." He paused, then continued, his voice filled with a distant sorrow. "Over a hundred years ago, a powerful seductress appeared deep within the 魔兽 Mountains, north of our clan. She was no ordinary woman, Xing Jue. She was a demon, a cultivator of dark arts, who had reached the High-rank Wu Zun realm. She feasted on the souls of men, leaving a trail of terror in her wake."
"The people living near the 魔兽 Mountains were powerless against her. In desperation, they sent a plea for help to the Yu Feng Clan." The Grand Elder sighed, his face etched with the weight of memory. "As protectors of the Yu Feng Empire, we couldn't ignore their plight."
"Two of our strongest, both High-rank Wu Zun elders, were dispatched to subdue the demoness. They confronted her in the heart of the 魔兽 Mountains..." He paused again, the silence speaking volumes.
"But they were no match for her. They managed to send out a distress signal... hoping against hope that someone would hear."
"One did." Xing Jue leaned forward, captivated.
"The Yu Feng Clan sent its very best," the Grand Elder continued, his voice a low murmur. "A young prodigy, a rising star of the Inner Palace, answered the call. He rode into the 魔兽 Mountains, determined to vanquish the demoness and bring honor to the clan."
He fell silent again.
"And then... silence. He vanished without a trace. No sign of him, no word of his fate." The Grand Elder's voice was heavy with grief. "We sent a small army of cultivators to investigate. They found the bodies of the two elders, their sacrifices evident in the devastated battleground they left behind. It was a scene of unimaginable carnage."
"It was then they uncovered the truth. In their final moments, the two elders poured their remaining strength into a desperate gambit. A forbidden sealing technique, meant to contain the demoness and prevent her from wreaking havoc again."
"But the young disciple… he was never found," Xing Jue finished, a cold feeling settling in his gut.
"We searched for months," the Grand Elder sighed. "Years, even. But it was as if he had vanished from the face of the earth."
"Then, twenty years after the demoness's disappearance… a shadow fell upon the Yu Feng Empire. A new evil, whispering promises of power in exchange for… souls."
"A cult calling themselves the Soul Eater Cult."
A shiver ran down Xing Jue's spine. "The Soul Eater Cult?"