A boy in black robes stood before an elderly man cloaked in quiet solemnity. The late-afternoon light slanted through the temple courtyard, casting long shadows between them. The Great Elder looked at the boy with eyes filled with a thousand unspoken emotions—regret, pride, sorrow, and above all, awe. Two years. Two years of silence, of distance, and yet here they were again, on the edge of something far greater than both of them.
The elder's voice was low, heavy like the mountains that had watched over them all these years. "It's time for you to leave."
His tone held no surprise. He had known this moment would come. A being like Li Yang was never meant to be caged in the backwater seclusion of the Li family. No matter how deep their ties, the world outside called for dragons—not birds in a valley.
"If the world ever becomes too heavy," the elder continued, "you'll always have a place here. Don't become a stranger to the Li family…"
He stopped himself. The words sounded weak, even to him. What could the Li family offer now? This boy… no, this force before him was no longer just a member of their clan. He had already stepped beyond their reach.
Li Yang said nothing. He offered only a small smile, one that carried both warmth and finality. Then, without another word, he turned and walked away, his back straight, his steps unhurried—as if fate itself bowed to let him pass.
The valley greeted him like an old friend. Wind rustled the trees softly, and the scent of mountain dew still clung to the earth. The hut where he had secluded himself for two long years was exactly as he left it—silent, simple, and still.
He entered without hesitation, his gaze scanning the shadows until he reached the farthest corner. There, untouched and waiting, was a black wooden box. With slow, steady fingers, he opened it.
A half-mask, dark and smooth, lay inside—its design sharp, carved with quiet menace. Beside it, a jade badge gleamed dully in the dim light, a wave and sword etched into its surface like a hidden threat. The badge looked simple, unremarkable… but those who truly understood would shudder at the sight of it. This insignia did not belong to any sect or nation. It belonged to something far more terrifying.
He stared at the badge in silence before pressing it to his chest.
Two years. I swore I wouldn't take this out again unless I was ready to walk the path of blood once more.
Just as he turned to leave, his eyes sharpened. The wind outside had stopped moving. A chill ran through the air, unnatural and sudden.
His voice, when it came, was quiet. Yet it dropped the temperature of the entire valley.
"Who's there? Come out… or I'll kill you."
For a heartbeat, silence. Then, from behind a tree, an elderly woman slowly emerged—her frame hunched, her eyes glistening with emotion. Her steps were slow, not from fear, but from years of searching and aching.
"Grandma Yu…" Li Yang's gaze softened at once.
The old woman smiled through her tears. "Young Master… I finally found you."
He moved toward her, his cold aura dissipating instantly. "Why did you come all this way? You shouldn't have."
She knelt in front of him, as she had countless times before, back when he was a child. "Because… for two years, I've done nothing but look for you. The Clan may have forgotten, but I never will."
Her voice trembled, but her eyes burned with conviction. "Take me with you. Let me protect you."
Li Yang's expression darkened faintly. "No. The gears have already started turning. This mission… it's the last one. The one he gave me."
At the mention of "he," Grandma Yu flinched. "Master regrets it. He said you could give up everything. Live in peace. I can come with you—we'll go somewhere far away and forget the world."
A cold smile crept onto Li Yang's lips. "He says that now? He knows I could never turn my back on what's coming. The world will drown in blood… and I'm the only one who might stop it."
He turned away, eyes sharp like swords. "If I have to become a god of slaughter to fulfill my mother's final wish… so be it."
Even without cultivation, his sheer will emanated pressure. Grandma Yu's body trembled, not from fear—but from awe.
"Young Master… your seals… they'll soon break. It will be dangerous. Let me stay, hidden. I won't interfere unless your life is in danger."
Li Yang remained silent for a long moment… then nodded slowly. "Fine. But never reveal yourself. If my identity is exposed before the time is right… everything will fall apart."
Her heart leapt with joy. "Yes, Young Master."
Elsewhere…
Yang Han's hands trembled as he crushed the letter in his grasp. His face was pale, his forehead slick with sweat.
"The Li family… won?"
The words haunted him. The very outcome he had gambled everything against had come to pass. His plan—to force the weakened Li family into submission—was in ruins.
He could already feel the breath of death on his neck. That person—the one above him—would come for answers. He had to act first.
I need a distraction. Something that keeps him too busy to deal with me.
His mind raced, and then it struck him.
The inheritance… Yes. If I spread news of the ancient inheritance to the capital, chaos will erupt. Everyone will fight for it. He won't have time for me.
He summoned a servant, whispered urgently into his ear, and sent him away. It was a desperate gamble… but he had no choice.
A few days later…
In a small inn within a border city, Lu Yan slammed a letter down on the table, eyes blazing with fury. She crushed it in her hand, the veins on her wrist taut with anger.
Across from her, Li Yang leaned lazily against the window, watching the streets below with a detached air.
He glanced at her sideways. "What made the mighty young lady so angry?"
She scowled at him. "Don't play dumb. You know what's in the letter."
"The inheritance news?"
She stood up suddenly, her anger boiling over. "Yang Han is insane. He's thrown a feast to the wolves! Now all the freaks and monsters of the cultivation world will flock here like flies to rot. That treasure was ours—and now he's handed it away!"
Her fingers dug into the wood of the table, splintering it slightly.
Li Yang looked away, his eyes distant, unfazed.
A storm is coming.
His voice was low. "Let them come. Fate doesn't bow to numbers. Not everyone is destined to inherit."
He looked up, and in that moment, his gaze was like a sword cutting through the clouds.
"Let the ants scurry. They'll only bleed."