He had reached the Heavenly Edge Stage of the Heavenly Realm, and unlike me, his cultivation was on the cusp of breaking into the Divine Realm. Just standing there, he radiated an aura of menace, a force to be reckoned with. His eyes met mine, and he nodded with that regal, self-assured air, acknowledging me as the youngest Heavenly Edge Stage cultivator in the Xianlun World.
I smirked in return, and that smirk seemed to trip him up a bit; it was the kind of look that said, You've got no idea what's coming.
Just as Chu Fengxian prepared to step forward—undoubtedly with intentions of "gracing" Yue Liqin with his oh-so-important presence—a sharp, invisible aura stronger than his own burst forth and planted itself firmly between him and Yue Liqin. My claim. My boundary. And it was about as movable as a mountain.
"Keep your hands where they belong, or go home armless!" My voice cut through the air like thunder, stopping everyone in their tracks.
Every eye turned toward me. You could feel the collective breath being held as they waited to see how the first prince would respond. Even Splitting Sword, who had seemed above the fray, looked momentarily surprised, though he quickly settled into an entertained grin. I could practically hear him thinking, "This should be interesting."
"How dare you!" Chu Fengxian's voice echoed, his pride visibly bruised. His aura erupted, sharp and destructive, splitting through the air like a blade through water. He was trying to smother me with his presence alone, his sword aura pressing down with the weight of all his arrogance.
I flicked my gaze his way, and the space around him thickened, compressing his aura in an instant. His sword qi rippled and crashed against the invisible force I had set in place, but it got no closer to me—or Yue Liqin. Not on my watch.
I took a step forward, positioning myself squarely between him and Yue Liqin, blocking his gaze and leaving no doubt who was in control here. "You waltz into my home, and the first thing you do is dare to touch what's mine!"
"Yours?" Chu Fengxian's voice oozed with contempt. His eyes shifted dismissively, skimming past me to land on Yue Liqin, as though I were a mere obstacle to his grand plans. "Since when does a mere cultivator at your level think they can claim someone—"
"Oh, is that your hand still moving, Prince?" I cut him off with a casual wave, and his sword qi vanished in an instant as if it had never existed. "I suggest you put it to better use. Perhaps write a letter of apology? Though, I'm not sure anyone would believe you had enough humility for that."
A ripple of murmurs moved through the crowd, everyone catching the sharp edge to my words. The thinly veiled threat didn't go unnoticed, and neither did the prince's wounded pride. His eyes narrowed, and I could see his temper flare.
His aura surged anew, fierce and unyielding, as his hand inched toward the sword hanging at his side, the legendary weapon of the Chu royal family.
The whole moment had that unmistakable feel of, I'm-about-to-lose-my-temper-and-you're-going-to-regret-it.
"Enough talking!" he spat, his aura swelling to a crescendo. The ground beneath him cracked, and the very air seemed to vibrate with his intent.
I let out another smirk, letting just a touch of my own aura leak into the atmosphere. The space around us wavered, as though reality itself wasn't sure it wanted any part of this face-off. Time slowed, bending under the weight of the Yue and Bao clans' mastery of Space and Time.
Out of the corner of my eye, I noticed Splitting Sword watching me intently, his amused expression giving way to something more serious. Even he had to admit, the kid had a few tricks.
For a moment, the first prince's hand tightened on the hilt of his sword, ready to make his move. He wasn't backing down now. After all, he was the first prince, the next in line for the throne, and here I was—some "younger, more talented" cultivator—boldly stepping on his pride.
Just as his sword began to inch forward, I felt Yue Liqin shift behind me. Her voice, soft but firm, reached my ear. "Phaelo," she murmured. "Don't. Not here, not now."
I felt her fingers lightly touch my arm, a subtle reminder to hold back. For a moment, I considered relenting, but as Chu Fengxian's eyes darkened and his sword moved again, I knew that window had already closed.
"Don't worry I won't over do it!" I reassured her as she nodded. "Too slow," I muttered, letting my fingers twitch ever so slightly.
In an instant, the space around us compressed, locking down his aura as if it were a child's tantrum I'd decided to ignore. Chu Fengxian's eyes widened as he found himself trapped, struggling against the invisible force. It was like the universe itself had decided he needed a time-out.
His jaw clenched, refusing to admit defeat, but his pride couldn't stop what had already happened.
"You made a mistake today, Prince," I said, my voice cold. "And the next time you try to lay a hand on what's mine, I won't just stop your sword—I'll take your arm."
I stepped back, easing the pressure just enough for him to catch his breath, though the color hadn't yet returned to his face. He tried to keep his composure, but his dignity had taken a noticeable blow. The crowd was silent, each person waiting to see how this would play out.
From somewhere behind me, I heard Splitting Sword's low chuckle, clearly enjoying the show.
But Chu Fengxian wasn't going to let this go. His pride wouldn't allow it. I could see it written in every line of his posture—this wasn't over, not by a long shot.
I allowed myself a smile, a quiet satisfaction settling in. "Now, Prince Chu," I said, voice calm and casual, "since you're here anyway, why not stay a while? Witness firsthand what happens when someone overestimates their own arrogance."
A low murmur ran through the crowd as the spectators caught onto the tension thickening in the air. The sect elders had arrived, along with all the core disciples and several inner disciples, hovering just behind my parents and grandmother, a sea of curious faces. I stood at the front, facing down the prince, feeling their silent encouragement.
The weight of their expectations only made the thrill of the impending clash sharper.
"You dare!" His voice rang out, and his aura surged toward me like a torrent, fierce and overwhelming. But who was I to back down? If anything, it just added a nice touch to the drama.
I'd grown accustomed to the antics of impulsive cultivators—one little stroke to their pride, and they'd throw themselves headlong into a battle they weren't prepared for. Today, I'd match that energy. There was a thrill in it, knowing that for once I could actually back up my own reckless words. Ah, the perks of being powerful.
A fleeting thought crossed my mind, almost like a reminder. "Yes, acting impulsive is always fun—especially when you're strong enough to do it. Otherwise, you're just a fool waiting to be humbled."
My gaze flickered briefly to my family. They stood there with faint, amused smiles, clearly entertained by my antics and confident I had things under control. It almost felt like they were daring me to keep it up.
This was to speak how much they would let me handle my actions, should I fail, that would be a lesson for me to learn.
"Remember," I thought to myself, "acting impulsive is only smart and act of bravery when you can back it up." Maybe I'd pass that little nugget of wisdom on to the prince—if he survived the lesson