Chapter 6: Awakening of the Asura
"Uncle!"
Mu Feng shook his head and turned to Yun Hai. "Uncle Yun, you're right. Right now, I'm no different from a cripple, my cultivation shattered. But life is full of ups and downs, and I refuse to believe I will stay defeated. The men of the Mu family live by action, not empty words. Today, I may be in the dust, but I have blood and dreams, and I will rise again."
His gaze was steady, resolute, carrying the unyielding determination of a soldier. This was the same boy who had slept among corpses as a child while his peers enjoyed comfort and safety. He had wielded a blade and taken lives before others his age knew hardship. Mu Feng's life had forged him into a figure unshaken by adversity.
His father's words echoed in his mind: A true warrior faces the bloodiest battles and the bleakest moments without faltering.
Yun Hai looked at the boy, both admiring and lamenting him. Among the younger generation in the capital, Mu Feng had always stood out. Despite being born into a noble family, he carried no hint of arrogance or decadence. He embodied the virtues of the Mu family—discipline, honor, and fortitude.
But admiration couldn't change reality. Mu Feng's Yuan meridians were shattered. His martial path was lost.
"You want to annul the engagement. I agree," Mu Feng said unexpectedly, startling both Mu Chen and Yun Hai. His words were calm, yet the pain in his heart was like a blade cutting deep. "But I have one condition."
Yun Hai, taken aback, nodded. "Speak. If it's within my power, I'll agree."
"I will annul the engagement, but you must promise me that Yun Qingwan will not marry Shangguan Qianzhi. You know his reputation—how many women has he ruined? If she marries him, can you imagine what kind of life she will lead? If she suffers because of this, I swear I will kill Shangguan Qianzhi and bring war to your Yun family."
His final words were spoken slowly, with chilling conviction. Even as a crippled youth, his declaration filled the room with tension.
The elders present felt a shiver run down their spines. This wasn't just a vow; it was a declaration of war, one spoken with the weight of unyielding determination.
Yun Hai narrowed his eyes, staring deeply into Mu Feng's gaze. Finally, he nodded. "I promise. But I can only delay the Shangguan family for two years. During that time, you must not contact Qingwan. Let her sever her feelings for you."
Though Yun Hai cited pressure from the Shangguan family as a reason, the truth was more complicated. The Mu family was embroiled in turmoil, and he didn't want his daughter entangled in their struggles.
Mu Feng understood, though it tore at his heart. He agreed to annul the engagement—not because he wanted to, but because he loved Yun Qingwan. He loved her so deeply that he couldn't bear the thought of her suffering because of him.
He remembered asking his father once, What is responsibility?
His father had patted his shoulder and said, Responsibility is carrying what you must, and what you can.
"Two years..." Mu Feng clenched his fists tightly. "I agree."
Yun Hai stood, cupped his hands respectfully, and said, "Brother Mu, I'll take my leave."
"Hmph! Don't let me see you out," Mu Chen responded coldly, waving his hand dismissively.
Unfazed, Yun Hai stopped briefly in front of Mu Feng. "A man must rise from adversity."
Mu Feng bowed and replied, "I've never feared falling."
Yun Hai nodded and left without another word.
As Yun Hai's figure disappeared from view, Mu Feng clenched his fists so hard his nails pierced his palms, drawing blood. His lips trembled as he whispered, "Qingwan... I'm sorry."
Returning to his courtyard, Mu Feng stared at the towering purple-gold tree at its center. On its trunk were carved words: Where the wind goes, the leaf follows.
Thud!
He slammed his fist into the tree's trunk, blood dripping from his knuckles. His face twisted in anguish as he murmured, "Qingwan..."
The pain of parting from his beloved was unbearable. For someone like Mu Feng, who treasured his relationships deeply, this was the cruelest punishment.
"Ahhh!" he roared, his cry echoing into the evening sky. His eyes turned bloodshot as he sat cross-legged beneath the tree, forcing himself into a meditative state.
"Two years. I refuse to believe I, Mu Feng, am destined to remain a cripple!"
With that, he began cultivating the Iron-Blooded Heart Technique, a yellow-tier high-grade family technique passed down through generations.
Martial techniques were divided into five tiers: Heaven, Earth, Mystic, Yellow, and Mortal. Each tier was further divided into upper, middle, and lower grades. The Iron-Blooded Heart Technique, while not extraordinary, was invaluable to the Mu family.
As wisps of spiritual energy entered his body, they flowed into his shattered Yuan meridians. A searing pain, like knives cutting through his flesh, erupted within him.
Mu Feng's face turned pale, drenched in sweat, but he gritted his teeth and pressed on. The spiritual energy dissipated before it could form Yuan energy, leaking out through his broken meridians like water through a sieve.
Thud!
The technique backfired, and he spat out a mouthful of blood.
"I won't give up!" he roared internally. Again and again, he tried, only to vomit more blood each time. His already weakened body eventually collapsed, leaving him unconscious.
As he lay motionless, the heart-shaped pendant embedded in his chest began to glow. A surge of crimson energy flowed into his broken meridians. The first of his twelve Yuan meridians began to heal, not in its original form but as a blood-red conduit, far stronger and more resilient than before.
The powerful energy coursing through his body triggered a vision in his mind. A booming voice echoed within his consciousness:
"Break and rebuild. Forge your destiny with blood. The Ancient Asura Sutra!"