The night deepened as Yan Qing returned to the outer sect residence, battered and humiliated. Disciples along the way avoided his gaze, too afraid to speak. He had thought he could easily suppress Wang Quan, but instead, he had been forced to retreat in disgrace, even sustaining injuries. The wound on his chest still throbbed with pain, but the bitterness in his heart hurt more.
"Damn Wang Quan! How could he be so strong?" Yan Qing muttered through clenched teeth, his expression dark.
Yan Qing realized that he could not handle Wang Quan on his own. Though he seethed with resentment, he knew that Wang Quan's sudden rise in power was no coincidence. There had to be some sort of powerful artifact behind it. Otherwise, there was no way someone at the second stage of Qi Refining could stand against him, a fourth-stage cultivator.
"This matter cannot end like this," Yan Qing thought, his mind racing. "Li Daoguang has already been defeated. If I don't come up with a solution before Li Cang returns, my position will be even worse."
Determined, Yan Qing pushed through his injuries and hurried to a hidden cave—a secret meeting spot where he and Li Cang's other trusted subordinates often gathered. Tonight, Yan Qing needed to devise a plan quickly with his allies to stop Wang Quan's rise before it was too late.
Inside the dimly lit cave, a few grim-faced outer disciples were already waiting for Yan Qing. When they saw his wounded state, some of them frowned, especially a tall man whose eyes gleamed with disdain.
"Yan Qing, so this is the result of you going to teach Wang Quan a lesson?" The tall man spoke coldly, his voice dripping with sarcasm.
Yan Qing suppressed his anger, replying through gritted teeth, "That brat's strength caught me off guard. He must have gotten his hands on some powerful artifact, or else there's no way he could have overpowered me."
The tall man's eyes flickered at this, and the other disciples began whispering among themselves. Wang Quan's sudden rise did seem suspicious. From a worthless disciple to one of the strongest in the outer sect—it was hard to believe such a transformation happened without some hidden advantage.
"You're right," the tall man mused. "A second-stage cultivator like Wang Quan shouldn't have the power to fight you unless he has some sort of powerful treasure."
Seeing the group's interest, Yan Qing felt a slight sense of relief. "Exactly. Li Cang is still away on a mission, and he won't be back for a while. We can't let Wang Quan continue to grow unchecked. I suggest we strike now, while Li Cang is still away. If we band together and force Wang Quan to hand over whatever treasure he has, we can present it to Li Cang as an offering. That way, we can redeem ourselves."
The disciples exchanged glances, clearly intrigued by the idea. Li Cang wielded significant power within the outer sect, and they all relied on his influence to maintain their positions. With Li Daoguang's defeat, they needed to find a way to recover their standing before Li Cang returned, or they would face dire consequences.
The tall man smirked, patting Yan Qing's shoulder. "Yan Qing, even though you failed this time, your suggestion isn't bad. Consider it making up for your mistake. If you're certain Wang Quan has an artifact, then let's strike tonight. We'll catch him off guard and force him to hand it over!"
The others nodded in agreement, their eyes gleaming with greed. Rumors had circulated for years that the Wang family once possessed a mysterious treasure. Perhaps Wang Quan had inherited it, using it to fuel his sudden rise.
Yan Qing's eyes flashed with malice as he nodded. "Good. Tonight, we move."
Without further hesitation, the group quickly formulated a plan for a surprise attack, deciding to strike at Wang Quan's residence under the cover of night.
Meanwhile, Wang Quan had returned to his secluded straw hut.
The hut was tucked away in a quiet, hidden spot near a mountain stream. Though humble, it was peaceful, with few people disturbing him. Wang Quan entered the hut and sat cross-legged inside, reflecting on the earlier battle with Yan Qing, his expression calm and composed.
"My cultivation may have advanced, but battling a fourth-stage Qi Refining cultivator head-on is still quite challenging."
Wang Quan knew that, despite driving Yan Qing away, it had only been possible because of the power of his Defiant Bloodline. Without it, he would have struggled. With Li Cang still away from the sect, he had a brief window of time to strengthen himself further.
He reached into his robe and touched the Wang family token. Ever since it had awakened the power of the Defiant Bloodline, the token had been a wellspring of his strength. During his battle with Yan Qing, Wang Quan had sensed that the token harbored an even deeper, more mysterious power.
"The Defiant Bloodline is powerful, but this token holds more secrets…"
Closing his eyes, Wang Quan focused on the bloodline's energy flowing through his body. As his mind delved deeper, a strange and ancient aura began to stir within his veins—an energy that felt both mystical and profound.
"This energy…" Wang Quan's mind raced as realization struck. He remembered hearing legends that the Wang family had not only wielded the Defiant Bloodline but had also once mastered a secret technique—the Five Elements Art.
The Five Elements Art allowed its practitioner to control the forces of the five elements—metal, wood, water, fire, and earth—creating a cycle of energy that was both powerful and unending. It was this technique that had granted the Wang family their dominance in the Eastern Continent. However, as the family declined, the art had gradually been lost.
"Could it be… that the Five Elements Art is hidden within my bloodline?" Wang Quan was astonished by the possibility. Not only had he awakened the Defiant Bloodline, but he might also hold the key to his family's ancient and long-lost technique.
Determined to test this theory, Wang Quan immediately began guiding his spiritual energy according to the fragmented memories of the Five Elements Art that lingered in his mind. He attempted to merge the energy of his bloodline with the flow of his spiritual power.
As time passed, Wang Quan's consciousness sank deeper within his body, feeling the spiritual energy follow the path of the five elements. It seemed to harmonize with the natural forces around him, creating a continuous cycle of energy that replenished itself.
"The Five Elements Art… It's real!"
Wang Quan's heart surged with excitement as he delved deeper into the art. His spiritual energy circulated faster, the power of the elements merging with his cultivation. Each rotation of his spiritual energy became more potent, nourishing his meridians and dantian with fresh, vibrant energy.
"Endless cycles… the five elements feed each other…"
Wang Quan's eyes closed as he entered a deeper state of cultivation, his body and the surrounding spiritual energy blending seamlessly together. With each rotation of the Five Elements Art, he could feel his cultivation stabilize and grow stronger. While it wasn't enough to push him to the next stage yet, his foundation was becoming more solid, and his spiritual energy more refined.
Unbeknownst to Wang Quan, however, a sinister plot was unfolding in the shadows.
As the night deepened, dark clouds gathered, and the winds began to stir with impending danger.