Chapter 26: A Fiery Chase
In a desolate mountain range, tension crackled through the fiery valley as a thunderous roar shattered the silence.
"You damned evil bastard, stop right there!"
"How dare you steal from the Chen family!"
The voice boomed from a middle-aged man whose powerful aura dominated the rocky terrain. His injured state did little to diminish the oppressive might radiating from his Transcendence Realm cultivation. Yet, to his growing frustration, he couldn't catch the young man darting ahead of him—a youth whose cultivation barely reached the Spirit Ascension Realm.
The young man, his face twisted into a mocking sneer, gripped a blazing treasure in his hand: the Scarlet Flame Lotus, a rare and invaluable item for fire cultivators. Its fiery brilliance illuminated his determined expression. This youth was none other than Ye Chan, the protagonist of this tale, and though his cultivation had only recently broken through to the Spirit Ascension Realm, his agility and wits made him a difficult prey.
Behind him, the Chen family head pursued relentlessly. The reason for this heated chase was simple: the Scarlet Flame Lotus, a legendary herb known for its ability to significantly boost fire elemental energy, was a treasure sought by many cultivators. Ye Chan had stumbled upon it by chance in the valley, but fate—or perhaps his golden luck—led him to arrive at the most opportune moment.
The powerful spirit beast that guarded the lotus had already been defeated by the Chen family head, who had sustained significant injuries during the battle. Seizing the opportunity, Ye Chan made his move, snatching the Scarlet Flame Lotus from under the man's nose.
"How can you call this stealing?" Ye Chan shouted back, his voice dripping with mockery. "I saw it first! You just saved me the trouble of dealing with that beast. Consider it teamwork."
"Teamwork? Damn brat, stop spouting nonsense!" the Chen family head roared, his eyes blazing with fury. "Give me back the Scarlet Flame Lotus, and I'll consider sparing your life!"
The man's tone feigned magnanimity, but his eyes gleamed with malice. He only needed Ye Chan to make a single mistake, to step into his range. A single strike was all it would take to obliterate this arrogant Spirit Ascension cultivator.
Ye Chan, however, wasn't so easily fooled. His smirk widened as he taunted, "Spare me? Like you spared your own partner to claim this lotus? Do you take me for an idiot?"
The Chen family head's expression twisted with rage, his patience snapping. With a furious roar, he unleashed a slash with his sword, sending a wave of devastating sword energy hurtling toward Ye Chan at blinding speed.
Yet, far from panicking, Ye Chan remained calm. The sly smile on his face deepened as he crushed a spirit jade talisman in his hand.
In an instant, his figure vanished.
The sword energy struck the valley with a deafening boom, carving a deep trench into the rocky terrain, but Ye Chan was nowhere to be seen.
"Damn it!" the Chen family head bellowed, his voice echoing through the desolate mountains. The frustration of losing both the Scarlet Flame Lotus and his prey gnawed at him.
Hundreds of kilometers away, Ye Chan reappeared inside a secluded cave. Panting slightly, he leaned against the stone wall and examined the Scarlet Flame Lotus in his hand. Its radiant glow reflected in his eyes, filling him with satisfaction.
"With this, I'll definitely break through from Spirit Ascension to Void Essence Realm," Ye Chan muttered, a triumphant smile spreading across his face.
However, as his excitement faded, his expression turned dark. Memories of Xiao Ming and the humiliation he suffered in the Xiao family came rushing back. The sneers, the ridicule, and the disdainful looks from Xiao Rui and Xiao Mei burned in his mind.
"Damn that Xiao Ming," Ye Chan growled, clenching his fists. "One day, I'll make him kneel before me. And as for those siblings, I'll show them who's stronger and better suited for them!"
With that, he wasted no time and began refining the Scarlet Flame Lotus. The cave filled with fiery energy, the intense heat causing the air to shimmer.
After hours of cultivation, a thunderous boom echoed within the cave. Ye Chan's aura surged, breaking through the ninth level of Spirit Ascension and reaching the Void Essence Realm. His power continued to climb until he stabilized at the fifth stage of the Void Essence Realm.
Feeling the newfound strength coursing through his veins, Ye Chan clenched his fists and sneered. "The Secret Realm of the Frozen Grace Sect is opening soon. If my guess is correct, Xiao Ming will be there. That'll be my chance to crush him and show the world who I truly am."
He left the cave and headed toward the nearest city, intending to use a teleportation gate to reach the Frozen Grace Sect.
Meanwhile, within the Frozen Grace Sect, Han Xueyi, the sect master, paced anxiously outside a serene chamber. Her elegant features were marred with worry, a rare sight for the usually composed leader.
"Master, how is Senior Sister Bai Xue's condition?" Bai Ruyue, a young disciple with an oval face and sweet demeanor, asked softly.
Han Xueyi sighed heavily. "Her condition remains unstable. While I've temporarily suppressed the imbalance in her energy, it's only a matter of time before it spirals out of control. The Bewitching Shadow Physique is wreaking havoc on her yin energy. Without an external yang force to stabilize it…"
"She won't survive," Bai Ruyue whispered, her voice trembling.
Han Xueyi nodded grimly. "The only solution is for her to absorb yang energy from a man and fully awaken her physique. But we both know her temperament—she despises men. That's why I've arranged the marriage announcement. Whoever retrieves the Holy Scripture of Frozen Grace will earn the right to marry her and save her life."
After a moment of silence, Han Xueyi turned and left. Inside the chamber, Bai Ruyue approached her senior sister
Inside the chamber, Bai Xue sat by the window, bathed in the soft glow of moonlight. Her porcelain skin shimmered like frost kissed by dawn, its ethereal luster giving her an otherworldly beauty. Long, jet-black hair cascaded down her back in silky waves, catching the faint light and gleaming like liquid night.
Her violet eyes, deep and mesmerizing, held a quiet sorrow that seemed to pierce the soul of anyone who met her gaze. They carried an unspoken weight, as if the world itself rested on her slender shoulders. Yet, within that melancholy was an undeniable allure, a charm so profound it seemed both a blessing and a curse.
Draped in a flowing silk robe, the fabric clung lightly to her figure, accentuating her graceful curves without losing its air of modesty. A single strand of hair fell loose over her shoulder, framing her face like a painter's final, perfect stroke. Her every movement, no matter how subtle, carried an innate elegance, as if the very air bent to her presence.
"Sister Xue, there's an auction in Frostcloud City hosted by the Thousand Treasures Pavilion. Let's go and take your mind off things," Bai Ruyue suggested, her voice cheerful yet pleading.
Bai Xue turned her gaze toward Bai Ruyue, her violet eyes shimmering with faint hesitation. The moonlight accentuated the delicate lines of her face, making her look even more like an immortal beauty who had descended into the mortal realm. Finally, after a moment's pause, she nodded.
"Alright," she said, her voice as soft and melodious as a gentle stream flowing through a tranquil forest. "If it'll ease your worries."
At the same time, Ye Chan arrived in Frostcloud City, marveling at the bustling streets and the powerful auras that filled the air.
"What's going on?" he asked a passerby.
"The Thousand Treasures Pavilion auction! It's held only once every forty years, and they say this year's treasures are extraordinary," the man replied.
Hearing this, Ye Chan's eyes lit up. "An auction of this scale? There might be something here to help me surpass Xiao Ming once and for all!"
As he approached the auction hall, he remained unaware of the figure watching him from a nearby rooftop. The man's lips curled into a calculating smile.
"Ye Chan… you've finally arrived," Xiao Ming murmured, his eyes gleaming with calculated brilliance.