Li trudged along the well-trodden path, his training sword slung over his shoulder, and his thoughts clouded by the haunting images of fire and destruction. This is all he could think about these days. His usually calm look was shadowed by the worry that was eating him up on the inside.
"Well, well well, what do we have here?" a sneering voice called out, snapping Li out of his thoughts, 'the little challenger of Bai Chen'.
Li turned to see a tall, wiry figure standing in his path. It was Ren Qiao, one of Bai Chen's lackeys, his smug grin as irritating as the perpetual tilt of his head. Ren's reputation for stirring trouble preceded him, and it was no secret that he relished tormenting anyone associated with Bai Chen's ire.
Ren was from a poor home. In fact, rumours have it that his mother was the concubine of a merchant who was thrown out for having an amoral alliance with a butler of the merchant. The butler was equally thrown out, and this didn't sit well with him so he refused to have anything to do with Ren's mother and Ren who was supposed to be his son.
Ren's mother dumped him in a run down orphanage after he was born and never looked back. The caretakers did their best to take care of him but the bitterness of being dumped had eaten deep inside him. Even being fortunate to enter a sect like this did not end his bitterness which he took out on those he perceived to be like him but with better talents.
He latched on to Bai Chen because he saw Bai Chen as a ladder to climb up into success. He despised Li for two reasons; one, because Bai Chen despised him and because he thought he was more deserving of being the sect master's direct disciple.
"I guess you are training hard for your challenge against Bai Chen in about a year's time," Ren mocked, stepping closer. "Must be nice being the Sect's little pet project. Though, I have to wonder, how long before the sect master realizes you're not worth it?"
Li's fists tightened around the hilt of his training sword. Normally, he would brush off such provocations with silence, but today, his mind was too restless, and something seemed to be crawling from the inside of him, eager to get free.
"Move," Li said sharply, his voice colder than usual. His tone quite aggressive
'If I don't? Ren's eyebrows shot up in mock surprise. "Oh, the little genius speaks! And with such attitude! What's the matter, Li? Did I touch a nerve?"
"Don't test me, Ren," Li replied, his voice trembling slightly, not with fear but with dark anger.
Ren chuckled, circling around him like a predator toying with prey. "What are you going to do? Swing that dull sword at me? Or maybe you'll just stare me down with those freaky eyes of yours. You know, people are talking about you, Li. They're saying you're… different. Dangerous, even. All this just because you beat up that thrash Zhu Yan"
Li's heart pounded in his chest, the words striking a chord he couldn't ignore. His dreams, the visions, the unease. It all felt like a storm brewing inside him, threatening to spill over.
"You don't know anything about me," Li snapped, his voice louder now.
Ren grinned, sensing an opportunity to dig deeper. "Oh, but I do. You're nothing but a lost little orphan, plucked out of the dirt and given a chance you don't deserve. And you know what? When you finally snap—and you will—you'll prove to everyone that you don't belong here."
Li's vision blurred, his breath quickening as a surge of heat rushed through his body. His grip on the sword tightened until his knuckles turned white. For a brief moment, he felt it—the fire, the rage clawing its way to the surface.
"Enough!" Li roared, his voice echoing across the path.
A sudden flash of fiery red light flickered in his eyes, so brief it could have been a trick of the light. But it wasn't.
Zhang Wei, who had been approaching from the training ground, froze mid-step. His sharp eyes caught the flash, and a chill ran down his spine.
"That's enough!" Zhang Wei's voice cut through the tension as he hurried forward, positioning himself between Li and Ren. "Break it up, both of you!"
Ren smirked but took a step back, clearly unbothered by Zhang Wei's presence. "I was just having a friendly chat with Li. Didn't know he was so sensitive."
Zhang Wei glared at him. "Move along, Ren. Now."
Ren shrugged, his grin unwavering. "Whatever you say, Senior Brother Zhang." He gave Li one last mocking glance before strolling off.
Zhang turned to Li, whose shoulders were still heaving with restrained anger. "What was that about?"
"Nothing," Li muttered, looking away.
"That didn't look like nothing," Zhang pressed, his tone firm but not unkind. He hesitated, recalling the red light he'd seen. "Li, are you… feeling okay?"
Li's jaw tightened. "I'm fine." Without another word, he brushed past Zhang and continued down the path, leaving the senior disciple standing there, confused.
'I think I need to report this to elder Han' Zhang Wei mused silently to himself.
Later that evening, Zhang Wei stood before Elder Han, his expression a mixture of doubt and unease.
"You're sure about this?" Elder Han asked, his brow furrowed.
Zhang hesitated. "I think so, Elder Han. It was brief, but I'm certain I saw a red light in his eyes. It was… unnatural and scary. If I had not intervened, I am sure something terrible would have happened to Ren."
Elder Han leaned back in his chair, stroking his beard thoughtfully. "The boy has always been unusual, but this… this is troubling. If what you saw is true, it could be connected to his bloodline."
"But what does it mean?" Zhang asked, his voice tinged with worry.
Elder Han sighed. "I don't know. But I'll inform the Sect Master. He needs to hear about this."
The Sect Master listened intently as Elder Han recounted Zhang Wei's report. His expression remained stoic, but his eyes betrayed a glimmer of concern.
"A red light in his eyes," the Sect Master murmured. "This could mean anything. It could be nothing or everything we fear."
"What should we do, Sect Master?" Elder Han asked.
The Sect Master rose from his seat, pacing slowly. "We need answers. I have already contacted the sect master of the Pheonix sect. he doesn't have answers for me but promised to look into their secret vaults. As a top tier sect, they have ancient scrolls that can contain information we are looking for. Just that we may not have much time. If there's more to what you just reported about Li, then there's no time to waste, we need to act fast and we can only act when we know what we are dealing with. If Li's bloodline truly is the Supreme Bloodline, then its awakening could mean both incredible power and devastating consequences. There's only one place where we might find the knowledge we seek."
"The Emperor's Library?" Elder Han guessed.
The Sect Master nodded. "Yes. Its archives hold records of ancient bloodlines and their histories. If there's any information about the Supreme Bloodline—or the curse— or anything at all we might not have envisaged, it will be there."
"But the journey to the Emperor's Library is long and fraught with danger," Elder Han pointed out.
"I am aware," the Sect Master replied. "But this matter cannot wait and I have some Talismans that will make the journey faster. I will make the necessary preparations and leave as soon as possible. In the meantime, continue to observe Li. Report any further developments immediately. Collect as many sound talismans as may be needed from Elder Choi of the Talisman Pavillion."
'Yes, Sect master' Elder Han replied
'We may also be getting some reports from the Phoenix and Supreme Dao sects.' The sect master continued 'I also contacted them and the Librarian of the Supreme Dao sect promised to send some documents over. Though he wasn't too optimistic about us finding anything useful in it'.
Elder Han bowed. "Understood, Sect Master."
'Elder Han, please pay special attention to the boy. I believe that he needs our understanding and support at this stage. He is just seven, still a kid. No matter his bloodline, how we tread with him now may determine whether we survive or witness the calamity as foretold by elder Yen. Even if he is the bearer of the bloodline and the curse, our actions now could make a difference in our fate.' the sect master cautioned.
'Understood, sect master' replied elder Han as he bowed and left the sect master's quarters.
As the Sect Master prepared for his journey, Li sat alone in his small room, staring at his reflection in a polished bronze mirror. His mind replayed the confrontation with Ren, the anger that had surged within him, and the fleeting sensation of something trying to escape from inside of him.
He leaned closer to the mirror, searching his own eyes for any sign of the red light. But they were just as they had always been—dark and unremarkable.
"What's happening to me?" he whispered, his voice barely audible.
Only silence answered him.