The night in the housing junction was more chaotic than ever; screams and flames spread in all directions as night wolves ran wild, attacking everything in sight.
The confusion began in the southern corner and quickly spread throughout the area. The unrestrained slaughter seemed driven by a bloodlust that no one could understand.
The Night Wolves were imposing, nearly one and a half meters tall, with dark fur that blended into the night.
Their fangs were sharp enough to cut through steel with ease, and their large, heavy paws left deep prints wherever they passed.
However, a much larger wolf stood out at the rear, over two meters tall, its fur as dark as the night itself. It seemed to be the leader, and with each howl, the wolves shifted direction, as if they were hunting something specific.
In the northern corner, a new commotion was stirring. Many people were running, as if a great opportunity had just presented itself.
Among them, two types of figures stood out: those in cloaks, with no traits of residents, and others with rough demeanors, muscular bodies, and weapons in hand, such as clubs and swords.
"Letâs go, quickly! Todayâs the day to fill our pockets and finally enter the city!" someone shouted.
"Move! Before the supervisors show up and steal all our fortune!" another added.
"Haha! No oneâs getting in the way of the Axe Maiden today! With this money, Iâll enter the city without trouble! Iâll kill anyone who stands in my way!"
The northern corner, known as the Pseudo-Spiritual District, was where cultivators who had no means to live inside the city gathered.
Besides being close to the city walls, its proximity provided a denser spiritual energy.
Of course, since they were already cultivators, entering the city from time to time wasnât hard for them. Many stored up spirit stones outside, hoping to live withinânot just for safety, but also for the incredible abundance of spiritual energy.
Safety was a constant desire, as monster attacks happened occasionally.
The weaker creatures were manageable, but what if misfortune brought something stronger? In such cases, the cityâs help was crucialâalthough not guaranteed for the less fortunate.
Meanwhile, Zhang Chen, who was preparing to leave, suddenly stopped upon hearing a knock on the door. He found it strangeâwho, amid all that chaos, would come to him in such a polite manner? Before he could ponder further, a familiar voice called out from the other side.
"Little Chen, itâs Mister Ma Jing. Things are a mess out here, and I came to see if youâre alrightâ¦" Ma Jingâs voice was sincere, filled with concern, but sensing it wasnât enough, he added, "I wanted to check on little Jieâs house too, but since I was closer, I thought Iâd come to you first. Are you okay?"
Upon hearing that, Zhang Chen froze as memories from the past flooded his mind.
He remembered a night when someone had approached him, looked straight into his eyes, and, without hesitation, pulled the trigger. Reliving those moments, the fear of death flooded him once more.
Where was pride in the face of death? What was fortune worth when it couldn't save him from a bitter fate? And now it was all happening again.
However, Ma Jing then mentioned Shen Jie's name. That name snapped him back to reality like a bucket of cold water, and at the sound of another knock, determination returned to his eyes.
"I appreciate the concern, Mister Jing, but thanks to the heavens, Iâm alrightâ¦" Zhang Chen replied, watching closely to see how far they were willing to go.
"Hoho, thatâs good. Iâll go check on little Jie thenâ¦" said Ma Jing, casting glances at the houses nearby. Most were dark, trying not to draw attention, but the howls and screams only intensified the sense of danger.
"What are you doing? Letâs break this door down before a supervisor shows up and ruins everything!" barked a harsh voice behind Ma Jing.
Xu Zhi stood farther back, the sword at his waist stained with blood, red marks trailing into a nearby alley. It was clear he had fought one of the night wolves.
Seeing Ma Jing glancing around at the houses, he grew irritated with the hesitation and added, "Stop worrying about these losers! They donât even have the guts to light a candle, let alone mess with us!"
"Calm down. I know what Iâm doing. The supervisors wonât show up that fast, and Iâd rather avoid unnecessary rumorsâunless you want to draw a supervisorâs attention," Ma Jing said, casting a cunning look at the door.
Just as he finished speaking, a response came from inside.
"Mister Jing, I appreciate your concern, but perhaps it would be better if you left before the monsters end up attacking youâ¦" Zhang Chen made one last attempt to mislead them.
Ma Jing frowned. He already knew that Zhang Chen had seen through his real intentions.
Heâd noticed changes in the boyâs behavior over the past few days: Zhang Chen had not only stopped talking to him but also displayed a pride and confidence he hadnât shown before.
Even so, there was still something uncertain in his stance.
However, before Ma Jing could act, he was shoved aside. He only heard Xu Zhi say, âEnough!â as the muscular man stepped forward, determined to break down the door.
Zhang Chen, waiting for a reply, noticed the silence outside had lasted too long.
His mind began to prepare for the worst, and just as he took a step toward the door, he heard a soft shout of "Wait!"
He didnât need to think twice to understand what that meantâsomeone else was out there.
Taking a deep breath, Zhang Chen stepped back until he was three meters from the door, gripping his machete tightly.
CRACK!! BAMM!!
The sound of splintering wood and a loud crash echoed as the already fragile door was broken down in a cloud of sawdust flying in all directions.
The door was slammed against the table, which shattered from the impact.
Zhang Chen waited like a predator, holding his breath and keeping his eyes fixed on the entrance.
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The little spiritual energy in his body surged through his arm and into the machete, which immediately showed a crack on its blade. One strike, at best, he thought as he waited.
Pan! Pan!
Muffled footsteps approached, with no attempt to conceal them.
Soon, a figure appeared at the door, and Zhang Chen, already poised for the moment, leapt forward and brought the machete down from above.
âBastard!â Xu Zhi shouted, raising his sword to block the attack. He hadnât expected the âcowardâ to dare strike him by surprise.
CLANG!!!
The blades clashed, and Xu Zhi felt the impact of the spiritual energy in his opponentâs weapon. His arm went numb, and a crack formed on his sword.
With a furious roar, Xu Zhi pushed upward, breaking Zhang Chenâs advantage, and without giving him a chance to react, landed a solid kick that sent him flying.
The moment Zhang Chen struck, his entire arm went numb, and he no longer had the strength to hold the blade. A shout, a shove, and then a kick to the stomach.
Zhang Chen was thrown into the stove, knocking pots to the floor. He could barely stay on his feet.
Cough!! Cough!!
After coughing twice, struggling to catch his breath, he looked to the side and saw his machete in pieces.
While still trying to stand, he heard the sound of clapping from outside.
Clap!! Clap!! Clap!!
âVery good, very good indeed. Look what youâve done to my swordâ¦â Xu Zhi said, stepping into the house. He held up the damaged blade as if afraid Zhang Chen wouldnât notice it, all while wearing a cruel smile. âYou cultivators are amazing. Even after years as a warrior, here you are, newly promoted, already with this kind of strength. That only makes me want this power even more.â
As he walked, he licked his lips, eyeing Zhang Chen with malice. At that moment, Ma Jing entered, a helpless expression on his face. He sighed and shook his head.
He passed by Xu Zhi and approached Zhang Chen. His eyes showed a hint of pity as he said, âIâm sorry about this, kid, but you canât blame us. Blame the laws of this world.â
Zhang Chen, however, looked at the two with cold eyes, realizing his suspicions were right.
He tried to find a way out of that situation, but hearing the chaos outside, he knew no one would notice what was happening inside.
A horrible thought crossed his mindâcould these two be behind the chaos?
Seeing his silence, Ma Jing continued, âYou probably already know why weâre here. A child in possession of a jewelânow thatâs a crime. Why donât you save us the trouble and tell us where itâs hidden?â
âYouâre taking too long, old man. Get out of my way!â Xu Zhi shouted. Watching Ma Jing speak calmly infuriated him. He quickly stepped forward and punched Zhang Chen in the stomach.
Splurt!!
Zhang Chen felt it was the most painful blow of his life. He dropped to his knees and coughed up blood immediately.
But at that moment, a hand pushed against his chest, shoving him backward. Ma Jing, the one who pushed him, said, âYou young ones are always so impatient. After what you just did, rushing wonât help anything.â
As he was shoved, Xu Zhiâs face twisted in anger. The two exchanged glares until Xu Zhi snorted and looked away.
Turning back to Zhang Chen, Ma Jing resumed, âThe truth is, I didnât want to do any of this. But the heavens are cruel. My time is running out, and Iâm still stuck at the third level of Qi Training. What you possess could help me a lot... Stop being stubborn. I donât want to use violence against you.â
âHeh⦠violence?â Zhang Chen replied mockingly as he stood up and looked around at his destroyed home. A bitter smile formed on his lips as he muttered, âPower⦠a world where the strong devour the weakâ¦â
His voice was barely a whisper, and he remembered Shen Jieâs words.
Ma Jing frowned at the change in Zhang Chen. He knew words alone wouldnât convince him.
With one last sigh, he stepped back and waited.
When Xu Zhi saw this, a cruel, satisfied smile appeared on his face. He slowly stepped closer and began to speak: âIâve always liked tough kids like you. Itâs so satisfying to break them bit by bit⦠Ah! That reminds me⦠what was her name again? I think it was Shen Jie. Donât worryâIâll take real good care of her.â
Zhang Chen watched him speak as he approached. His eyes still burned with hatred, but upon hearing Shen Jieâs name, that hatred deepened.
It wasnât just anger anymore; a killing intent awakened in his heart.
âIf youâre trying to threaten me, you shouldâve thought of something more convincingâ¦â he said, turning his gaze to Ma Jing. âWith your brains, I doubt either of you would dare touch her.â
âHaha! Is that what youâre counting on? Tell meâamid all this chaos, who would notice if some ordinary girl disappeared? How long do you think the city leaderâs kindness will last?â
When Zhang Chen finished speaking, Xu Zhi laughed as if heâd just heard the funniest joke in the world. His eyes, full of lust and cruelty, revealed his true intentions.
Zhang Chen realized how naïve he had been and now stared at him with even deeper hatred.
âYes, thatâs the expression I love seeing on the faces of little sheep like youâ¦â
Power⦠all of this because I lack power. Damn it!! I WANT MORE POWER!!!
Zhang Chen could no longer hear Xu Zhi's words, lost in thoughts that cried out for strength.
Suddenly, his vision changed drastically. He found himself surrounded by darkness, until a golden light began to illuminate everything around himâlike the sun rising upon the world.
Then, he saw his own body projected within that space.
The golden light took the shape of a star, constantly shiftingâsometimes with sharp edges, sometimes smoothâspinning and transforming without pause.
This very star then sank into his body, passing through his dantian, where energy was stored before flowing through his meridians.
The star didnât settle into his meridians, but instead lodged itself directly into the spiritual energy that coursed through them.
Back in reality, Zhang Chen saw Xu Zhi looking at him with a cruel smile. Ma Jing, on the other hand, looked suspicious. In that moment, Zhang Chen felt a radical shift in his energy.
The spiritual energy in his body began to evolve and entered a state of pure fury.
Any cultivator with higher cultivation experience would immediately notice that the energy flowing through Zhang Chen didnât match his current level.
âWatch out!!â
With a shout, Ma Jingâbeing a cultivator at the third level of Qiâwas the first to sense the change. But Zhang Chen wouldnât let the opportunity slip away.
He was close enough to Xu Zhi to simply raise his hand and place it on the manâs chest.
Xu Zhi also sensed the danger, but it was already too late. The moment Zhang Chenâs hand touched his chest, he felt an overwhelming sensation of impending deathâfar greater than anything he had ever felt, even from Ma Jing.
"No need to worry. Iâll take care of her myself."
Without using any sophisticated technique or spell, Zhang Chen relied solely on brute force. He imagined the energy within him forming a hand that extended toward Xu Zhi.
That simple touch made Xu Zhi feel as though his body was being destroyed from the inside out.
âArgh!â
BAMM! Hack!
With an explosion that only Zhang Chen seemed to hear, Xu Zhi was thrown against the wall, crashing through it effortlessly as he coughed up blood.
Ma Jing, who had watched everything unfold, stood paralyzed in terror. The energy radiating from Zhang Chen made even him feel afraid.
However, seeing Zhang Chen collapse to the ground, trembling and bleeding even from his nose, a relieved smile crept onto his face.
For the first time, Zhang Chen saw the full shape of that star. It seemed to emerge from his spiritual energy, which was now beginning to return to its normal state.
He, on the other hand, felt utterly drained. His meridians were overburdened, as if he had cultivated non-stop for days.
The searing pain made him want to scream, but his pride kept him silent as his body trembled.
âI thought that pouch you carried was your biggest secret. Who wouldâve guessed you were hiding so much better than that... What is it, a blood-burning spell? No... I doubt a spell you could control would let you unleash that much power... Your energy feels like someone in the mid-stage of Qi Training. What other secrets are you hiding, my little friend? Haha...â
Ma Jing felt back in control. His partnerâs death meant little to him; with Zhang Chenâs secret and that pouch, he could already see himself climbing to the top.
He walked closer, drunk on his own ambition.
Zhang Chen raised his head in despair, understanding the purpose of that starâyet realizing that he would die anyway...
Splurt! Squish!
âAhh! Whoâs there!?â
Just as Zhang Chen was slipping into darkness, he heard a sound followed by a scream of agony.
When he looked up, he saw Ma Jing with an ice spike piercing through his chest. The blood hadnât even had time to spillâit was frozen instantly.
He collapsed to the ground, his final breath leaving him before he could even see who had struck him.
Even Zhang Chen couldnât see who it was at first. Only when Ma Jing fell was he able to spot a slender figure standing behind him.
That day, he witnessed a sight he would never forget.
Shen Jie was standing thereâher silver hair and even her eyes seemed to glow with the same cold hue. The air around her exuded a freezing chill, and her skin shimmered with an otherworldly beauty.
Somehow, the moon above shone brighter at that moment, and her calm eyes seemed to gaze straight into the depths of Zhang Chenâs soul.
Chapter 12: Settled