The evening sun cast long shadows over the courtyard as Xuan's parents, deep in discussion about the patriachs sudden interest in Xuan, suddenly fell silent. A shiver ran down Lady Yun's spine, and she instinctively placed a trembling hand on her heart.
"Do you feel that?" she whispered, her voice laced with an unfamiliar fear.
Lin Tian, sensing the same ominous presence, nodded grimly. As cultivators of their strength, such premonitions were rare and never to be ignored. Without another word, he closed his eyes, spreading his senses out like a vast net, scanning every corner of the estate and beyond.
His breath caught as he locked onto something—he sensed Uncle Wu, not at the lake where he should have been, but standing near a wild flood dragon. Why isn't he with the children?
Quickly, his senses extended further, sweeping toward the lake where his children's presence lingered—but it was shadowed by something far more sinister.
"Mei," Lin Tian gasped, his heart lurching in panic.
Without hesitation, he blurred into motion, racing toward the lake, with Lady Yun swiftly following in his wake.
---
Uncle Wu stood at a distance, his hand resting lightly on the flood dragon that had roared earlier. The beast, now calm, shifted slightly as Uncle Wu gazed out toward the trees, his posture relaxed, seemingly unaware of the events at the lake. His focus remained on the flood dragon, ensuring it stayed docile, the perfect alibi should anyone question his distance from the children.
But then, something shifted in the air—an immense presence swept over the area, sharp and probing.
Lin Tian's spiritual sense.
A ripple of energy washed over Uncle Wu, and he felt his heart skip a beat, his body instinctively tensing. He hadn't anticipated Lin Tian would react so quickly, or with such force. Lin Tian's power surged like a tidal wave, its sheer weight brushing past Uncle Wu, as if demanding an answer.
What's happening?
Uncle Wu's gaze snapped to the lake, his senses flaring as he urgently reached out to assess the scene. Everything was supposed to go smoothly—the baby kun had been imprinted with Xuan's image, and Mei was never meant to be in any danger. In fact, he had deliberately avoided extending his spiritual senses over the lake, not wanting to be put in an awkward position where he would be forced to intervene or be held responsible for not acting in time.
But something had gone horribly wrong.
A wave of dread washed over him, his body stiffening in realization. The kun wasn't supposed to attack Mei. Then it hit him: the children's resemblance. Mei and Xuan shared the same hair, the same eyes, and in its frenzied state, the baby kun must have mistaken Mei for her brother. He had underestimated the risk of that and now it was spiraling into a life-threatening mistake. If Mei had been harmed instead of Xuan…
No time to dwell on it. He had to act.
Without a word, Uncle Wu stepped away from the flood dragon, his movements quick but controlled as he headed toward the lake. His senses latched onto the chaos—a surge of energy, a shift in the atmosphere—and then... a change.
---
At the lake, Xuan's body tensed as the kun's eyes shifted from their peaceful blue to a sinister, glowing red. He blinked, his mind struggling to process the sudden shift.
"Mei…" he called, his voice unsure, almost a whisper. Mei, blissfully unaware, continued to splash around, her laughter ringing out across the water.
But then the creature's mouth opened—wider, revealing sharp, gleaming teeth that caught the fading light. The red in its eyes deepened, turning predatory.
Xuan's heart pounded in his chest. His throat tightened as panic surged through him. No... No, this isn't right. Mei…
"Mei! Move!" he screamed, the desperation in his voice cracking through the air.
But Mei, still unaware of the growing danger, just splashed around, as Xuan's screams fell onto deaf ears. Her back was turned towards the creature as it coiled to strike. I'm too far. Desperation surged in Xuan's chest as he realized he wouldn't make it in time. His legs moved, but it felt impossible, like he was running through mud.
His thoughts raced trying to find anything that could help Mei. Any way to save her. And then, he remembered Uncle Wu's words—the ability you unlock reflects your deepest desire.
Xuan's breaths quickened, each one more frantic than the last. He desperately tried to calm his breathing to the same rhythm he had practiced just earlier. Three sharp breaths, one slow breath. He knew he shouldn't rush, that forcing the qi would be dangerous. His parents had warned him of this—but he couldn't care. Mei was in danger, and he had no time.
Please, give me something... an ability... anything!
His heart raced, the energy within him swirling wildly as his mind latched onto one desperate thought: Save Mei.
He felt the qi push against the resistance in his heart, but he didn't wait. Instead of easing the flow, he gathered every ounce of energy and slammed it against the barrier. It cracked, violently giving way under the pressure. He could feel the danger of what he was doing, but all that mattered was reaching Mei in time.
Then suddenly, his heart node, the one he had been so close to unlocking earlier, flared to life. The qi, which he had forcefully guided towards his body, surged through the newly opened node like a rushing river. But it wasn't just the qi that responded. Something deeper stirred—an ancient, raw force that was separate from the qi. This was his bloodline power.
His body burned with the force of it, and he could feel it course through his blood and veins, strengthening his muscles and giving him a power he had never felt before.
Suddenly the world blurred around Xuan, his body moving with impossible speed. His legs blurred beneath him as he closed the distance between himself and his sister.
He lunged forward, stretching his right arm out as far as he could in hope to push Mei out of the way before all his energy ran out.
*Splash*
Mei gasped as she fell into the water, her eyes wide with confusion and fear. She barely registered what had happened. One moment, she had been playing, and the next, her brother had appeared in front of her, his face twisted with fear and a fierce determination she had never seen before.
The cold water soaked into her clothes, her laughter frozen in her throat. Her mind struggled to catch up with the sudden change. "Xuan?" she whispered, her voice shaky, reaching out toward him, unsure of what was happening.
But her brother didn't answer. The next thing she knew, there was a horrible, wet sound. A crunch. Her heart stopped as she realized what had happened. The kun's jaws had snapped shut. She screamed, her cry echoing across the lake, but it was too late.
The world around her slowed to a crawl. She looked down, horrified as something wet and warm landed in her lap. Xuan's arm—his severed arm. Blood soaked her clothes, her brother's blood. Tears stung her eyes, disbelief clouding her thoughts. He was swallowed whole...
Mei trembled, her entire body shaking. "Xuan..."