Yan Tie’s Rage

Yan Tie's Rage...

"Oh gods, he's dead! He's dead!" Yan Kong's horrified gaze remained fixed on his fallen companion, Hades.

Panic gripped Yan Kong's heart, causing it to race madly. To outsiders, Hades was just one of Yan Tie's disciples, but Yan Kong held a hidden truth. Hades was, in fact, Yan Tie's own blood, his secret son.

Yan Tie, his twisted uncle, was a master of secrecy, unwilling to share his complete techniques and insights even with close kin. Yan Kong, being Yan Tie's nephew, was treated marginally better than others. However, Hades was the result of an illicit affair, born of a woman burdened with immense hatred for Yan Tie. She was forced into giving birth, then took her own life soon after.

The situation fueled Yan Tie's perversions. He dared not acknowledge Hades as his own child, despite lavishing him with extravagance and grooming him into a third-ranked Divine Inscriptionist. The truth was unveiled to Yan Kong by his own father, who warned him to protect the secret. The consequences of Yan Tie discovering his only son's death would be catastrophic, Yan Kong understood well.

And now, his life was under the control of Qin Wentian.

With Hades dead, his controlling Puppet stood inert, an empty shell. As Chu Mang mercilessly dispatched the remaining foes, Yan Kong could only quake in terror as he witnessed Qin Wentian's deliberate, measured advance.

"How would you prefer to die?" Qin Wentian's murderous aura billowed, consuming Yan Kong. Trembling, Yan Kong lost his balance and fell onto the ground. "You can't kill me. If you do, the Yan Clan will unleash their wrath in vengeance. Your friends and you will all face death alongside me."

A furrow formed on Qin Wentian's brow; he recognized the gravity of Yan Kong's warning. This wasn't Chu, but the Moon Continent. The Yan Clan was a formidable force in the Eastern City, likely harboring several Heavenly Dipper Sovereigns. Provoking their retribution could lead to a perilous conflict, potentially forcing him to flee the Moon Continent.

Regrettably, some tasks still eluded him – one of which was taming the White Deer Institute. If he possessed full authority over the Institute's might, he would hesitate no further; Yan Kong's fate would be sealed without hesitation.

Qin Wentian's mind was set; even if he didn't end Yan Kong's life now, retribution would be exacted.

A chilling resolve sparked in his eyes as an ancient halberd manifested in his grip. His gaze pierced Yan Kong, who was cowering on the ground. The halberd surged forth, aimed at Yan Kong's lower body.

"NOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!" Yan Kong's scream reverberated, his eyes clenched shut. Tremors wracked his entire body, and in his terror, he found himself drenched. When he dared to look again, he found the halberd embedded inches away from him.

"I hope there won't be a next time. If you ever provoke me again, don't expect mercy," Qin Wentian stated icily as he retracted the halberd and strode away. The intense confrontation had been witnessed by numerous bystanders. If he killed Yan Kong here, news would reach the Yan Clan swiftly. If death was to be Yan Kong's fate, it had to be orchestrated in a different setting.

Still trembling, Yan Kong contemplated his close brush with death. His realization that he had wet himself only deepened his humiliation. Though fear of Qin Wentian gripped him, the indignity of the situation festered. This was the second time he'd been humiliated, and this time, it was by an ordinary individual with no illustrious lineage. The notion of someone of such low status belittling him was intolerable.

Soon after Qin Wentian's departure, the previously inert Puppet stirred. Slowly, it approached Yan Kong, its gaze chilling. Goosebumps prickled all over Yan Kong as he perspired profusely.

"Uncle…" Yan Kong's voice wavered, betraying his fear. There was only one explanation for why this Puppet was still operational after its controller's demise. His uncle must have infused it with additional instructions, likely to watch over Hades.

If this was true, then his uncle must already know that Hades was dead.

Yan Clan, Eastern City, Moon Continent.

Above the towering structures of the Yan Clan, an ugly-looking old man soared through the air, his face contorted with rage. A malevolent aura, sinister and dark, emanated from him, punctuated by low growls that rumbled in his throat.

"Son, that wretch who ended your life… I shall rip apart every fiber of his being, shatter his bones, and reduce him to a mere Puppet in vengeance for you."

"All because of my incompetence, my child… I failed to safeguard you adequately."

Yan Tie's anguished screams echoed with madness, causing those below to shiver in response to the nightmarish cries. The news of his son's death had driven him to the brink of insanity.

The people beneath him knew Yan Tie's nature all too well. Within the Yan Clan, he showed deference to no elder or peer. His heart held space only for his son, and he had poured vast efforts into nurturing and elevating him. And now… his son was dead. Any sympathy would be a luxury for the object of his wrath. This time, Yan Tie's fury was genuine and boundless.

After a few moments, Yan Tie appeared beside Yan Kong. In the presence of Yan Tie, Yan Kong immediately fell to his knees. "Uncle, I have failed you, I couldn't prevent this."

Confronting the madness in his uncle's eyes, Yan Kong's terror surpassed even the fear he'd experienced when Qin Wentian nearly killed him. If this monstrous man truly lost his grip on sanity, not even Yan Kong's father could shield him.

"Who did this?" Yan Tie's voice was a gravelly rasp. It sent a shiver through everyone who heard it, as though the chill could penetrate to their very core.

"The one who orchestrated the death of my Senior Brother was none other than the young man closely linked with Leng Ning, the same person I spoke to you about earlier. And that hulking brute beside him, I never anticipated his level of strength…" Yan Kong stammered, his words steeped in apprehension.

"Where are they now?" Yan Tie's words came out like ice. They were so cold that they seemed to freeze the air, sending involuntary shivers down everyone's spine.

"I don't know. But even if they escape, Leng Ning won't get away." A mixture of despair and malice clouded Yan Kong's eyes. Hearing this, Yan Tie broke into a maniacal laugh. "Let's pay the Leng Clan a visit."

"Yes, uncle." Yan Kong nodded, leading Yan Tie in the direction of the Leng Clan.

Qin Wentian and Leng Ning were headed for their doom.

......

Qin Wentian could never have foreseen that Hades was Yan Tie's son. He spared Yan Kong to avoid inciting the Yan Clan's wrath, allowing himself some time to carry out his plans. Alas, reality often unfolded contrary to one's intentions.

Qin Wentian and Chu Mang stepped into the Hell Arena. While Qin Wentian had been engrossed in studying Divine Inscriptions alongside Bailu Yi, Chu Mang had already made a name for himself in the arena. His alias, 'Boorish Fellow,' was etched into the arena's history with a record of 63 victories and just 1 loss.

This piqued Qin Wentian's curiosity. "The one who defeated you must be quite powerful, huh?"

"Absolutely. He's incredibly strong. He's already mastered three Mandates at the Advanced Boundary. Not only that, his Astral Souls and innate techniques are exceptionally formidable. I couldn't beat him." Chu Mang paused, then continued, "This guy appeared after my 50th win in a row. What's even more intriguing is that he's a newcomer with no prior matches. I suspect that he might have been planted there by the Hell Arena itself."

"Really?" Qin Wentian's interest was piqued. He hadn't expected Chu Mang to be so suspicious.

"Why do you think that?" he inquired.

"After he defeated me, he didn't accept any more challenges. Not only that, there were quite a few boos when he left the stage. I realized those boos came from the people who had bet against me. While the Hell Arena is an arena on the surface, it's first and foremost a gambling establishment. I believe they wanted to recover the Yuan Meteor Stones they paid out to me after my 50th victory. So, I'm guessing they arranged for this guy to target the gamblers who had profited from my winning streak. It would've been a win-win situation for them – they'd recoup their payout to me and make even more profit," Chu Mang elaborated, before adding, "Of course, this is just my theory. I can't say for sure if it's true."

"That's an interesting insight, Chu Mang," Qin Wentian remarked. He then grinned and said, "The Hell Arena seems quite crafty. I think your suspicion holds water. They most likely arranged that challenger just for you."

Chu Mang burst into laughter as he saw Qin Wentian agreeing with his theory.

"The Hell Arena is a real piece of work. Don't worry, my friend, I'll take revenge on their behalf," Qin Wentian declared, a mischievous grin on his face. Chu Mang joined in the amusement. "Alright, I'll be watching."

"Consider it done," Qin Wentian affirmed, nodding before heading back into the registration tunnel. After a while, it was finally his turn to step into the arena.

As Qin Wentian entered the arena, the crowd erupted into frenzied excitement. Though he had only appeared once before, his impressive record of 30 consecutive wins had made a lasting impression. With 'Kirin' back in action, the audience knew they were in for a treat.

True to expectations, Kirin effortlessly defeated every challenger he faced. Regardless of their skills, he overwhelmed them with sheer power, ending each fight within a matter of moments. Before long, his winning streak had soared to 47 victories, without a single loss.

Among the seasoned spectators, a sly gleam sparkled in their eyes as they shifted their attention to the left arena where Kirin was performing. They were well aware that the Hell Arena was on the brink of making their move. Most of them placed their bets on Kirin losing, anticipating the arena's calculated intervention to make a hefty profit.

However, Kirin kept winning, pushing his consecutive victories to 50.

"What? Is the Hell Arena playing tricks on us?" The disgruntled spectators muttered under their breaths. Annoyed by the unexpected turn of events, many formidable experts from the audience attempted to challenge Kirin. But in the blink of an eye, his winning streak climbed to an astounding 56 victories.

The crowd was left astounded. The skeptics questioned whether the Hell Arena was orchestrating this series of events to manipulate the results. Yet, Kirin's dominance remained unshaken, even in the face of these suspicions.

"Is there truly no one who can best him?" A sense of restlessness spread among the crowd as the odds for betting against Kirin's victory climbed to a staggering 1:80.

In the midst of the commotion, a challenger with the moniker 'Fat Boy' stepped forth to face Qin Wentian. His record stood at 15 wins and 6 losses—decent, but not particularly remarkable. Observing Kirin as his opponent, most spectators leaned toward betting on Qin Wentian. However, a handful of daring gamblers chose to defy the odds, placing their wagers heavily on Fat Boy instead.

"Heh, after this, your winning streak will be shattered by me," Fat Boy declared with a cheeky grin. Qin Wentian was momentarily taken aback by his audacity. How could someone with 15 wins and 6 losses make such a bold statement? It seemed that beneath his average record, lay the confidence of a true master.

Nonetheless, a wide smile crept onto Qin Wentian's face. It was becoming increasingly evident that the Hell Arena was about to play its hand.