Yu Chen's gaze lingered on Hua Rong, his heart heavy with worry. The anxious tremor in her eyes told him everything he needed to know. "You must hide in my residence. I'll make sure you're safe," he urged, his voice steady despite the turmoil around them.
Hua Rong hesitated but nodded in agreement, her face pale with fear. Yu Chen shot her one last reassuring look before grabbing his sword. Liang Jian, the name of his blade, was as sharp as it was deadly—perfectly suited for what lay ahead.
With a swift flick of his robes, Yu Chen turned and strode toward the door, his figure cutting through the haze of chaos. "Shixiong, be careful!" Hua Rong whispered, but her voice was lost in the winds of battle as Yu Chen vanished into the night.
****
Wei Yu ran through the corridors of the sect, his breath ragged and his heart pounding. He had set out to find Yu Chen, but the sight before him was far worse than he could have imagined. The demons had attacked, and now the sect was in chaos—screams of pain and the clash of steel filled the air.
Panic surged through his veins as he turned a corner, only to find himself face-to-face with a demon. The creature's skin was like blackened stone, and its eyes burned with malice.
"You can run, but you can't hide," the demon's voice was cold, almost bored, as if it had hunted countless prey before.
Wei Yu's pulse quickened, but he didn't have time to think. He reached for his sword, but before he could draw it, the demon's claws shot out with terrifying speed. Wei Yu barely managed to dodge, the wind from the demon's attack grazing his face.
"Oh! Forgive me for not introducing myself." The demon laughed. "I am Xian Mo, a member of the blood runners demonic clan" Saying that he slashed forward, aiming for Wei Yu's heart.
It was a fight for his life now. The demon, who introduced himself as Xian Mo, a mid-ranking member of the Blood Runners clan, laughed darkly. "You're a feisty one, but it's no use. You don't stand a chance."
Wei Yu gritted his teeth, desperate to hold his ground. He swung his sword, but Xian Mo was faster, his strikes too brutal and his movements too unpredictable. Wei Yu's strength was no match for the demon's, and soon, the demon had him cornered. His sword arm was bloodied, and the air was thick with the scent of iron.
As Xian Mo raised his clawed hand for the final blow, he paused, noticing something unusual in Wei Yu's blood. He sniffed the air, confusion flickering across his face. "What's this?" he murmured. "Your blood… it's different. Half-blood?"
Wei Yu's heart skipped a beat. Half-blood? The words echoed in his mind. He had no idea what the demon meant, but it didn't matter. He could feel his life slipping away with every passing second. His legs gave out, and he collapsed to his knees, exhausted and on the verge of death.
Just as the demon prepared to end him, a cold wind swept through the air, and in an instant, a figure appeared. The figure moved with the precision of a master, and with a single slash, the demon's arm fell to the ground with a sickening thud.
"Stay back," the voice was commanding, cold, and full of authority.
Wei Yu looked up in confusion, his vision blurry. The man who had appeared was tall, with long dark hair and a presence that made the air itself seem heavier. His robes were the deep blue of a sect leader, and his gaze was icy, as if he had no care for anyone or anything around him.
"You filthy disciples of Blood Runner sect dare to lay hands on our sects disciple?." the man spoke, his voice cutting through the air like the blade he held. "You've made your last mistake."
Xian Mo snarled, his fury rising. "Who are you?!" he hissed. "You may not know but this person is quite special." He laughed.
The man didn't respond immediately. With a flick of his wrist, he drove his sword through the demon's heart, silencing it forever. The blood of the demon stained the earth, and the body crumpled to the ground.
Wei Yu lay still, his mind spinning. The man didn't even glance at him as he wiped his blade clean. He only turned his gaze towards the bloodied battlefield, his cold eyes scanning for any other threats.
Wei Yu could barely hold his eyes open. He wanted to ask who the man was, to thank him, but his voice failed him. The world around him blurred, and his body felt numb, as if he was floating.
The man finally turned, his eyes briefly meeting Wei Yu's. He walked toward him, his face unreadable. "Don't get yourself killed again," he said flatly before turning and disappearing into the chaos, leaving Wei Yu to wonder if the mysterious savior would ever return.
Wei Yu's mind swirled with questions—who was that man? Why had he saved him? But no answers came. His body grew weaker, and the last thing he remembered before falling unconscious was the cold aura of the sect leader, the man who had cut down the demon with terrifying ease.
****
As the sect fought off the remaining demons, the leader of the righteous sect—Chen Jiu—watched from a distance, his expression unchanging. The boy Wei Yu, who had been left for dead, would no longer be a mystery. There was a reason he had been drawn to this particular battle.
But that reason, for now, would remain unspoken.