Chapter 30: The Rise
The day had settled into a calm hush, marking the beginning of a grand celebration—one held in honor of the fallen child of the Lin family. It was a tradition orchestrated by his father, a gathering of elders and esteemed guests. But more than a remembrance, this night was also the swearing-in ceremony of the Lin family's next heir.
Yet, Lin Feng was nowhere to be seen.
While the hall buzzed with conversation and impatience, he lay in his bed, his mind a storm of thoughts. Then, without warning, an unseen force pulled him into his bloodline space.
A familiar darkness surrounded him. Before him loomed the enormous mantis, its razor-sharp scythes gleaming like black steel.
"Why have you summoned me again?" Lin Feng's voice was raw with frustration. "Is it just to torment me?"
Silence answered him. The mantis regarded him with unreadable eyes before slowly raising its massive, curved blades.
Lin Feng's breath hitched as the cold edge pressed against his forehead. A sharp sting followed, and a single drop of blood trickled down his face.
Then, the mantis spoke.
"I have accepted you."
Before he could react, the creature vanished.
Lin Feng did not wake. Instead, his body—still lying in his bed—began to change.
Unfamiliar whispers slipped from his lips, words foreign to the world he belonged to. Strange runes flickered across his skin, glowing faintly before engraving themselves onto his decapitated hand and feet. His body levitated above the bed as if an unseen force was lifting him.
A sharp pain wracked his mind. His face twisted as afterimages blurred behind him, his form shifting erratically before snapping back into place. Then, in an instant, his eyes snapped open—glowing an eerie emerald green.
The moment passed, and he descended gently back onto his bed.
Panting, Lin Feng sat up, running a trembling hand through his hair. A slow, dangerous smile crept onto his lips.
"Ha… ha… this is marvelous." His voice was barely above a whisper. "Is this truly a curse?"
A new confidence surged through him. No—this was something else. Something greater.
He stood, throwing on his robes, his steps lighter yet more powerful. He felt… different.
More complete.
---
The Celebration Hall – The Lin Family Gathering
The great hall of the Lin family was packed with honored guests, buzzing with conversation and anticipation. The air was thick with incense and the rich aroma of aged liquor. Lanterns cast flickering golden light upon the polished floors, and the finest silks draped across the walls in a regal display of wealth.
At the head of the hall, Lin Zhan, the head of the Lin family, sat with an unmistakable air of pride. His sharp eyes scanned the room, watching as the elders muttered among themselves.
One of them, an elderly woman, Lin Xuanyuan, finally lost her patience.
"Where is he? Where is that brat?" Her voice carried, sharp and commanding. She was no ordinary elder—she was the Sect Master of the True Bloodline Sect, a woman powerful enough to rule the family if she had chosen to.
Another elder chuckled, pouring her a drink. "Hahaha, Madam Xuanyuan, today is a day of celebration. Relax. He will arrive shortly."
Just as the words left his lips, the grand doors of the hall swung open.
The chatter died instantly.
Lin Feng stepped in.
He was met with dozens of eyes, each one filled with curiosity, doubt, and scrutiny. The sheer number of people in attendance surprised him, but he didn't let it show. Instead, his gaze traveled to the head of the hall—where his father sat, waiting.
Lin Feng took a step forward—and his vision blurred.
Not now…
A cold shudder ran through him as something deep within stirred. His sanity wavered for a moment. His head tilted slightly, his eyes flickering.
His body moved forward—but to the onlookers, it was something else entirely.
His movements left behind afterimages. Each step carried a presence so intense, so unnatural, that it sent waves of unease through the crowd.
"Can you feel that?" A voice whispered.
A shiver spread among the guests.
"His bloodlust…" someone murmured.
"It's ancient… primal… My very bloodline is reacting to it."
Lin Feng barely noticed. To him, he was simply walking forward. But to the others? It was a display of dominance so overwhelming that even those with the strongest lineages felt their blood shudder in submission.
At the head of the hall, Lin Zhan smirked. He straightened in his seat, his chest swelling with unmasked pride. This is my son.
But his movement did not go unnoticed.
Lin Xuanyuan's eyes sharpened.
She was no ordinary woman—she carried the mantis bloodline as well. And she saw it. The truth.
Lin Feng was different.
Standing abruptly, she released her aura—a black mantis spirit materializing behind her, its blades gleaming under the lantern light.
In response, Lin Feng's body moved on instinct.
With a whisper of energy, his own mantis manifested—larger, fiercer, and crimson-red, its exoskeleton glinting like polished steel, its blades broader and deadlier than hers.
A beat of silence.
Then—
"Hahaha!" Lin Xuanyuan's sharp laughter rang through the hall. She turned to Lin Zhan, eyes flashing. "Where has such a genius been hiding?" Her gaze darkened. "Why was I not informed of this?"
Lin Zhan merely chuckled, stepping beside his son. He placed a firm hand on Lin Feng's shoulder.
"Sister, stand down," he said calmly. "I ordered it to be kept a secret."
For a long moment, Lin Xuanyuan studied Lin Feng. Then, finally, she sighed, withdrawing her aura.
"As your aunt," she said, her voice softer now, "I welcome you to the family."
The whispers in the hall erupted into a frenzy.
"That's the same disgraced child of the Lin family?"
"You didn't hear? Lin Mai and Lin Bai were both severely injured! Lin Mai almost died!"
Gasps followed. Lin Mai—one of the strongest—was beaten by Lin Feng?
A loud voice cut through the noise.
"Silence, everyone."
Lin Zhan's voice was firm, commanding instant obedience.
"Tonight, I have gathered you all here for two reasons. One, to celebrate the rebirth of my son. And two—" he paused, letting the weight of his words settle,
"To swear him in as the next heir of the Lin family."
An uproar. Some were stunned, others angry.
Lin Zhan's smirk widened. "Do you think he is unworthy?"
A sudden cry interrupted.
Lin Mai, missing an arm, staggered into the hall.
"Why—WHY is that monster here?" She clutched her hair, her single remaining hand trembling. "You—you did this to me!"
Lin Feng stared at her, emotionless.
Lin Zhan merely waved a hand. "Escort her out."
As she was gently led away, silence fell.
"Now," Lin Zhan's voice was calm but absolute. "Does anyone still doubt my decision?"
No one spoke.
Slowly, one by one, they bowed—some reluctantly, some in sheer fear.
Especially those of the mantis bloodline.
They could feel it.
Lin Feng was not just superior.
He was an emperor among them.
And as Lin Feng watched them bow, for the first time in his life… he felt like he was exactly where he belonged.
All that was left… was revenge.