Chapter Twenty-Seven: Embers of Decision
Li Yan's breaths came shallow and uneven, each one a reminder of the toll this battle was taking on him. Pain lanced through his body, but it was the weight pressing on his mind that gnawed at him most. Across from him, Lin Yue stood resolute, her light Qi illuminating the scorched clearing. Her amber eyes, sharp with judgment and certainty, locked onto him with a steadiness that left little room for doubt. Behind her, Zhao Rong and Liu Min hovered, their stances taut, waiting like shadows ready to strike.
Should I use Feiyan's flame? The thought simmered, a dangerous temptation at the edge of his mind. He hadn't called on her full power before, only a fragment during his clash with Shen Cai. Even that sliver of flame had exacted a price, leaving his body taxed and weary. But the real fear lay deeper, hidden beneath the surface.
If I use it and fail… His chest tightened, the thought coiling within him like a poison. If he couldn't finish them all, if even one of them escaped, Kunlun would know. The power of Feiyan's flame was no ordinary fire—it bore a weight and history that would draw attention he wasn't ready to face. The risk was like standing on the edge of a cliff, the ground unstable beneath him, one misstep enough to plunge him into an abyss he couldn't climb out of.
He clenched his fists, his flame flickering faintly around him, a reflection of his inner turmoil. Part of him wanted to let go, to unleash the full force of Feiyan's flame and burn through the relentless wall of power facing him. But another part, the one that clung to caution, warned him that this wasn't a choice to be made lightly. The consequences would reach far beyond this moment, casting ripples he might not be able to control.
But if I don't… His gaze drifted to the steady, unyielding light surrounding Lin Yue. She was stronger than he had anticipated, her power a constant reminder of the gap between their cultivation levels. Zhao Rong and Liu Min only heightened the threat, their attacks coordinated, calculated, each one testing his endurance. Together, they pressed him from all sides, relentless and unbreakable, like a tide threatening to swallow him whole.
Frustration simmered within him, a slow burn that matched the faint heat of his flame. He was cornered, trapped between risking everything or holding back and facing certain defeat. If I fall here, Kunlun's enmity will only grow. They'll never stop until I'm broken. But if he won, if he could turn the tide and silence them, he might be able to protect the fragile path he'd fought so hard to carve.
A faint ember of determination flared in his heart, igniting his resolve. This wasn't just a battle—it was his choice, his stand, the moment he would either break free or be bound by Kunlun's pursuit forever. He took a steadying breath, his gaze sweeping over his opponents as he readied himself. Every muscle tensed, his mind sharpened, as he prepared to make the decision that could alter the course of his fate.
Lin Yue took a slow, measured step forward, her amber eyes narrowing as she studied him. Her gaze swept over him, noting the unconventional precision in his movements, the way he held himself in a stance that spoke more of survival and adaptation than of the rigid forms and techniques of righteous sects. To her, it was unmistakable—a shadow that clung to him, a hint of something outside the bounds of Kunlun's order and Emei's discipline.
"You fight… differently," she said, her voice calm yet laced with suspicion. "Your stance, your movements—they're not the kind I've seen among those who follow a righteous path."
He met her gaze without flinching, though his expression remained guarded. He could feel the weight of her scrutiny, the unspoken accusations threading through her tone.
Her fingers tightened slightly on her bow, her eyes never leaving him. "Who taught you? Which force do you belong to?" she demanded, her voice growing colder. "Is it the Pavilion Master of Murmurs?" A faint bitterness crept into her expression, a flash of something almost personal. "Your style reeks of his ways—unorthodox, evasive. Only a rogue cultivator would employ such tactics."
His jaw clenched, but he remained silent, letting her words fall between them, his face impassive.
Her eyes narrowed further, her distaste evident. "The Pavilion Master's mark is unmistakable to those who know it. He's a shadow, a coward who hides and strikes from the dark. His methods are no different from a thief's." A flicker of anger crossed her face. "I should know. My senior sister faced him once, and he left her with injuries that took months to heal."
He held his ground, though her words stirred something within him—a faint reminder of the Pavilion Master's teachings, the lessons in silence, patience, and adaptation. But he kept his expression unreadable, his gaze unwavering as he met her disdainful stare.
Lin Yue's voice grew colder, her tone challenging. "So, tell me, stranger—are you a rogue in service to the Pavilion Master? Or have you chosen this path alone, rejecting the order of the righteous?"
The question hung in the air, thick with accusation and judgment, her amber eyes probing him, waiting for his answer.
Li Yan's gaze remained steady, his expression calm as Lin Yue's accusations hung in the air. He let a quiet moment pass, feeling the weight of her judgment, the disdain laced within her words. But he refused to let it shake him.
"Whether I follow the Pavilion Master or not…" he began, his voice level, "I choose my own path." His words were simple, yet carried a subtle defiance, a statement that he was not bound by her assumptions or the orders of any sect.
Lin Yue's amber eyes narrowed, clearly unsatisfied with his answer. "Choosing your own path?" she repeated, her tone edged with skepticism. "Is that what you call hiding in shadows, refusing the discipline that cultivators of true standing follow?"
Li Yan met her gaze, unflinching. "Not all of us seek order through submission. Some of us learn that the world isn't as simple as light and dark." His words were calm but resolute, a quiet resistance that refused to bend under her scrutiny.
She studied him, her expression unreadable, though a flicker of something—curiosity, perhaps—passed through her gaze. He could see that his answer didn't satisfy her, that she expected more from him, an explanation that aligned with her understanding of the world.
But he offered nothing further, standing as he was, steady and unmoved, making it clear that her judgments didn't control him.
Lin Yue's gaze hardened as she took in Li Yan's calm, resolute stance, his refusal to answer her challenge with anything beyond a quiet defiance. His words lingered in her mind—choosing his own path, rejecting the light and dark she upheld. The ambiguity of his response, the way he dismissed her authority without a second thought, only stoked her irritation. For her, discipline and order were the bedrock of cultivation, the pillars upon which all power rested. Yet here he was, standing alone and challenging that very foundation with an attitude that dismissed righteousness as a mere perspective.
She raised her bow, the light Qi gathering along its length with renewed intensity, casting a serene glow over her figure. She narrowed her eyes at him, her tone steely. "If you truly believe your path is separate from light and dark, then prove it," she said, each word sharp as steel. "Let's see if this 'independence' of yours can withstand the strength that true purpose grants."
She notched an arrow, her mind racing as her Qi flowed smoothly into the weapon. Her frustration with him wasn't just rooted in his defiance, but in the way his stance reminded her of her own challenges—the years spent cultivating under Emei's strict discipline, adhering to the standards of righteousness without wavering. She had worked tirelessly to uphold her sect's values, to follow the light her seniors had instilled within her. Yet here he was, a solitary figure, challenging her beliefs with nothing but his silence and an unyielding gaze.
How could he stand there, wounded, clearly outmatched, yet unfazed by the order we've all devoted ourselves to? she wondered, the thought echoing through her mind as her grip tightened on the bowstring. This rogue was not only opposing Kunlun but was standing against everything she held dear. And, in her eyes, he had to be reminded of his place.
Zhao Rong watched from a few steps behind, his expression one of cautious interest. He respected Lin Yue's strength—her abilities far exceeded his own—but he could see the intensity in her gaze, the hint of frustration as she scrutinized Li Yan. The rogue had pushed each of them to the edge of their patience, a testament to his skill. Yet, Zhao Rong couldn't shake the feeling that Lin Yue's challenge was more than just a show of power; it was a personal question, a need to affirm her beliefs against someone who refused to yield.
Liu Min, his spear at the ready, observed the tension between them with an unreadable expression. He knew Lin Yue held a high regard for the orthodox teachings of their sects, and Li Yan's unconventional stance must have struck a nerve. But for him, this was still a mission. The rogue standing before them was, ultimately, an enemy of Kunlun, a threat that needed to be extinguished. He remained silent, his gaze steady as he waited, letting Lin Yue take the lead.
Li Yan's jaw tightened as he sensed Lin Yue's Qi surging. Her amber eyes bore into him, filled with an intensity that left no room for doubt—she would not relent until he proved himself or fell by her hand. But he felt no fear. If anything, her challenge only strengthened his resolve, fueling the flame within him. He had walked his own path for too long, had learned that power wasn't a matter of righteousness or darkness—it was a matter of choice, of survival. He would not submit to the ideals she held as absolute.
With a calm that defied his injuries, he lifted his hand, his flame flickering to life, steady and controlled. "If you think righteousness alone makes you stronger," he replied, his tone quiet but firm, "then test that strength against someone who's learned to fight without it."
A flicker of anger crossed Lin Yue's face, and she released the arrow, sending a burst of light Qi hurtling toward him. The glow cut through the dimness of the forest, its intensity bright and unforgiving. Li Yan's flame surged in response, and he sidestepped, his movement fluid as he deflected the attack with a controlled arc of fire. The light dissipated against his flames, scattering in sparks and embers.
Without a moment's hesitation, Lin Yue drew another arrow, her movements swift and unrelenting. Each arrow was a silent demand, a question that asked whether his path, his defiance, could truly withstand her light. If he wishes to claim his independence, let him do so against the strength I wield on behalf of Emei.
She launched a barrage of arrows, each one infused with her Qi, her precision unmatched as they flew toward him. Li Yan weaved between them, his flame dancing along his hands as he deflected her strikes, refusing to give her the satisfaction of seeing him falter. His focus was absolute, his flame steady, meeting her light with a calm that challenged the very foundation of her beliefs.
Zhao Rong clenched his staff as he watched the exchange, a faint frown creasing his forehead. Li Yan's resilience had surprised them all, but now, witnessing his ability to hold his ground against Lin Yue's formidable strength, a part of him felt a grudging respect. He hadn't expected a rogue to stand against their combined might, especially not with such composure.
But Liu Min's gaze remained unyielding, his grip on his spear tight. For him, this was still a matter of Kunlun's order, a duty to eliminate a threat. He observed Li Yan's movements with an analytical eye, studying his every maneuver, waiting for an opening to strike.
Lin Yue's attacks grew fiercer, her frustration evident as she poured her Qi into each strike. She couldn't understand how he continued to evade, to counter her arrows with nothing but that stubborn flame. How does he stand against me, a mere Foundation Establishment cultivator, against my light, my purpose?
Her heart beat faster, the intensity of the battle forcing her emotions to the surface. She raised her bow once more, this time gathering a concentrated pulse of light at the tip of the arrow, the energy crackling with a brilliance that lit the entire clearing. She focused, her gaze unwavering as she prepared to end this.
"If you refuse to yield to light, then I will make you bow before it," she declared, her voice steady but edged with a fierceness she hadn't intended to reveal. This rogue had challenged her resolve, forced her to confront the very principles she lived by. She couldn't let him leave this forest unscathed, not without proving the strength of the order she upheld.
Li Yan met her gaze, his expression calm, yet his eyes held a quiet fire, an unspoken answer to her challenge. He braced himself, his flame pulsing around him in anticipation, his resolve unshakable. If this was her strength, if this was what she believed set her above him, then he would meet it with everything he had.
Lin Yue released the arrow, the light surging forward like a radiant star, cutting through the shadows as it raced toward him.