A strange silence fell over the battlefield.
Xiao Lan stood completely still, his breathing slow and controlled.
Something inside him had snapped—but not in a way that felt like breaking.
It felt like awakening.
The moment he had tapped into that hidden force within him, his entire body had reacted.
His veins burned, but it wasn't painful—it was powerful.
Xiao Bai, who had been laughing moments ago, now stared at him warily.
"What… is that?" he muttered.
Xiao Lan didn't answer.
He was focused.
Every fiber of his being was adjusting to this new energy, this force beyond Dao cultivation.
It was deeper, richer, and wilder than anything he had felt before.
Then—
His vision shifted.
For the first time, he could see the Dao energy around him—not just as invisible forces, but as flowing rivers of power, weaving through the air.
And his own energy?
It was different.
It didn't follow the same flow as Dao energy.
It was opposite.
It was devouring it.
Xiao Bai clenched his fists, his aura flaring up again.
"No matter what kind of trick you pulled," he spat, "it won't change anything!"
He launched forward, his crimson energy wrapping around his arm like a blade.
Xiao Lan's body moved on instinct.
He didn't dodge.
He simply raised his hand.
Boom!
The moment Xiao Bai's attack made contact, something unexpected happened.
The crimson energy shattered—as if it had hit an unbreakable force.
Xiao Bai's eyes widened in shock.
"What—?!"
Xiao Lan's hand remained completely still.
The attack had done nothing.
Xiao Bai stumbled backward, his confidence shaken for the first time.
Xiao Lan stepped forward, his voice calm.
"My turn."
He raised his palm—and without any flashy movement, released a single burst of energy.
BOOM!
A shockwave erupted, sending Xiao Bai flying across the battlefield, smashing him into a stone pillar.
The guards who had been watching the fight gasped in horror.
Xiao Bai, a peak Silver Rank genius, had been sent flying with a single move.
Xiao Qing, standing to the side, narrowed her eyes.
"This isn't just Dao energy," she murmured. "This is something else…"
Xiao Lan clenched his fists, staring at his own hands.
He could feel it now.
His power was growing, shifting into something unknown.
But before he could process it further—
More voices echoed from beyond the courtyard.
"The elders are coming!"
"We have to go!" Xiao Qing shouted.
Xiao Lan nodded.
Whatever was happening to him…
He would figure it out later.
Right now?
They needed to escape.
Xiao Lan and Xiao Qing sprinted through the moonlit corridors, their movements swift and precise.
But the entire Xiao Clan was on high alert now.
Guards appeared at every turn, blocking their path.
Xiao Qing cursed under her breath.
"We won't be able to sneak out anymore."
Xiao Lan smirked. "Then we fight our way out."
Xiao Qing shot him a glance. "Are you sure? You haven't even fully controlled whatever power that was."
Xiao Lan's gaze hardened. "Then this will be a good test."
Xiao Qing hesitated for a moment.
Then she grinned.
"I like the way you think."
They charged forward.
The guards rushed at them, weapons flashing under the moonlight.
Xiao Qing moved like a phantom, her blade dancing through the air as she weaved between enemies, striking them down with effortless precision.
Xiao Lan?
He simply walked forward.
Every time a guard attacked—
Their weapons shattered before they even touched him.
His new energy was rejecting Dao energy itself.
By the time they reached the final gate of the Xiao Clan, dozens of guards lay unconscious behind them.
The exit was in sight.
But then—
A new presence descended.
A powerful one.
"Leaving so soon?"
A deep, commanding voice boomed through the night.
Xiao Lan and Xiao Qing froze.
Standing at the final gate, blocking their path—
Was a man dressed in deep blue robes, his aura radiating immense power.
Xiao Lan's chest tightened.
This was not just any elder.
This was Xiao Ming.
His father.
The Patriarch of the Xiao Clan.
And he did not look pleased.
Xiao Ming's golden eyes locked onto Xiao Lan, his expression unreadable.
"You've grown bold," he said, his voice calm yet sharp. "Breaking into the Sealed Archives, awakening a power you do not understand…"
Xiao Lan met his gaze without flinching.
"I do what I must."
Xiao Ming studied him for a moment.
Then—
He sighed.
"So reckless."
His aura flared—and in an instant, the entire courtyard trembled.
This was the power of a Peak Gold Rank cultivator.
Xiao Lan felt the pressure weighing down on him, but this time…
He didn't kneel.
He didn't falter.
Instead—
His own energy flared back, clashing against the overwhelming force of his father's aura.
Xiao Ming's eyes narrowed slightly.
"…Interesting."
Then—
Without warning—
He vanished.
And reappeared in front of Xiao Lan in an instant.
Xiao Lan's instincts screamed at him.
Too fast!
But before he could react—
Xiao Ming's palm struck his chest.
BOOM!
The impact sent Xiao Lan flying through the air, crashing through several walls before landing hard on the ground.
Pain shot through his body.
But—
He was still conscious.
Xiao Ming stood where he was, his gaze calm yet firm.
"You are not ready to leave yet," he said. "Come back, and I will guide you properly."
Xiao Lan gritted his teeth.
He was not going back.
Not after coming this far.
His body burned with power, his mysterious energy raging inside him.
Slowly, he stood up again.
And for the first time—
Xiao Ming's expression changed.
It was only for a split second, but Xiao Lan saw it.
A flicker of shock.
Of recognition.
Xiao Ming whispered under his breath.
"…That power…"
Xiao Lan's fists clenched.
He didn't know what his father recognized.
But he would find out soon enough.
And no matter what—
He was not stopping here.
Not now.
Not ever.