Chapter 10: Escape Under the Moonlit Sky
The air inside the underground auction hall crackled with tension as Feng Rui locked eyes with the Bai Clan elder. The oppressive Spirit King-level aura pressed against him like an invisible force, attempting to crush his will before the battle even began.
But Feng Rui had faced pressure before. He wasn't some weak-willed child who would crumble at the mere presence of a stronger opponent.
He exhaled, steadying himself. Beside him, Lan Ruo shifted into a battle stance, her sharp claws gleaming under the flickering torchlight. The divine beast cub in Feng Rui's arms whimpered, its golden fur standing on end as it sensed the impending fight.
The Bai Clan elder took a step forward. "Do you fools even understand what you've done? That cub is worth millions! And now, you'll pay for your arrogance."
A sharp laugh escaped Lan Ruo. "Oh, please. All I hear is a coward hiding behind gold. Why don't you show us how strong you actually are?"
The elder's face twisted with rage. "You'll regret that."
With a wave of his hand, five spirit rings materialized around him—two yellow, two purple, and one black. His martial soul erupted into existence, taking the form of a giant iron whip, its body radiating a metallic sheen as it extended like a serpent.
"Die!" The elder's whip lashed out, its razor-sharp edges cutting through the air like a blade.
Feng Rui's golden eyes flickered. He shifted his weight, dodging the attack with minimal movement, his body flowing like water. But the elder wasn't a novice—his whip suddenly curved, reversing its trajectory mid-air to catch Feng Rui off guard.
A flash of silver—Lan Ruo intercepted the attack, her spirit energy-cloaked claws clashing against the whip in a burst of sparks. The impact sent her skidding backward, but she landed gracefully, eyes burning with excitement.
Feng Rui took advantage of the moment.
His first spirit ring glowed as he activated his ability—Phantom Mirage.
Instantly, two identical copies of him flickered into existence, each carrying the divine beast cub. The elder's eyes widened slightly, momentarily unsure which was real.
That hesitation was all Feng Rui needed.
He surged forward, his golden dagger flashing in his grip as he aimed directly for the elder's chest. But the old man wasn't slow—his whip coiled into a shield, absorbing the strike with a resounding clang!
Feng Rui twisted mid-air, redirecting his momentum as he kicked off the elder's weapon, flipping backward to land beside Lan Ruo.
She grinned. "You're enjoying this, aren't you?"
Feng Rui smirked. "A little."
The elder let out a furious growl. "Enough games! I'll kill you both and take back what's mine!"
The atmosphere darkened as his fifth spirit ring lit up. The floor beneath them trembled, cracks spreading as metallic tendrils erupted from the ground, aiming to ensnare and crush them.
Feng Rui's expression hardened. If they stayed here any longer, reinforcements would arrive, and their escape would become impossible.
It was time to end this.
"Lan Ruo," he said quietly.
She nodded.
In perfect sync, they moved as one.
Feng Rui activated his second spirit ability—Lightning Step, his figure blurring into a streak of golden light. At the same time, Lan Ruo leaped forward, her spirit energy-enhanced claws tearing through the air with incredible speed.
The elder barely had time to react before Feng Rui vanished from his sight—only to reappear behind him, his golden dagger aimed at the elder's spine.
A sharp pain shot through the elder's body as Feng Rui landed a precise strike, disrupting his control over his martial soul.
Lan Ruo took the opening.
With a feral grin, she smashed her knee into his gut, sending the old man flying straight into a support pillar. The stone cracked upon impact, and the elder let out a strangled gasp as blood trickled from his lips.
"Now," Feng Rui muttered.
They bolted toward the exit, the divine beast cub still cradled in his arms.
Shouts erupted behind them. More guards were rushing into the auction hall, their spirit rings flashing as they prepared to intercept.
But Feng Rui had already planned their escape route.
"Follow me!" he called, leading Lan Ruo toward a side passage that he had scouted earlier. They raced through the dimly lit tunnel, their footsteps echoing against the cold stone walls.
Just as they reached the exit—
Boom!
A powerful shockwave from behind nearly knocked them off their feet. They turned just in time to see the Bai Clan elder staggering out of the rubble, his body covered in cracks of golden energy. His face was twisted in fury, and his aura flared violently.
"You won't leave here alive!" he roared.
Feng Rui clenched his jaw. He's still standing?
Lan Ruo tensed. "We need to finish this."
Feng Rui hesitated for only a second. Then—he made his decision.
"No," he said. "We escape now."
He grabbed Lan Ruo's hand and activated Lightning Step again, his body bursting forward with blinding speed. The tunnel exit loomed ahead—freedom was within reach.
The elder launched one final attack, sending metallic spikes hurtling toward them.
But it was too late.
Feng Rui and Lan Ruo vanished into the night, leaving the Bai Clan elder screaming in frustration behind them.
---
A Moment of Respite
An hour later, deep in the mountains beyond the city, Feng Rui and Lan Ruo finally stopped to catch their breath. The forest was dark and quiet, the only sounds being the rustling leaves and their heavy breathing.
Feng Rui set the divine beast cub down gently. The small creature looked up at him with its golden eyes, its once-weak body already recovering.
Lan Ruo stretched, rolling her shoulders. "That was exhilarating."
Feng Rui gave a tired smirk. "You have a strange idea of fun."
She chuckled. "You like it too."
He didn't deny it.
His gaze turned to the divine beast cub. It stared at him, its eyes filled with something strange—trust.
For the first time in its life, it had been saved rather than treated as a commodity.
Feng Rui crouched beside it, brushing a hand over its soft fur. "You're free now."
The cub let out a soft cry and nudged against his hand.
Lan Ruo raised an eyebrow. "Looks like it likes you."
Feng Rui sighed. "Of course it does."
Then, suddenly—
Ding!
A familiar mechanical voice echoed in his mind.
[System Notification: You have successfully saved a Divine Beast Cub!]
[Congratulations! You have earned a special reward—?????]
Feng Rui blinked. "Wait… what?"
Lan Ruo tilted her head. "What's wrong?"
Feng Rui exhaled. This wasn't over yet. Not by a long shot.
And somehow, he had the feeling that this was just the beginning.