Luring Them Out

Whispers rippled through the crowd, awe and reverence coloring their tones:

"Beauty Jade Niao is outstanding... a mere 4th stage cultivator, yet far more terrifying than most 5th stage geniuses!"

Miao Ying felt a flicker of surprise at this revelation. So there were indeed other prodigies capable of fighting above their base cultivation, much like himself. While none could match his own combat prowess, it was a fact worth noting for future encounters. 

As Miao Ying watched, the two geniuses sized each other up with the wary respect of apex predators. The tension between them was a living thing, crackling and snarling like a beast straining at its leash.

"You overstep your bounds, Mei," Jade Niao said, her voice as smooth and cold as the ice for which her sect was famed. "The girl is under my protection. You will not lay a finger on her."

Mei's answering smile was a slash of white in the gathering gloom, as sharp and merciless as the lightning that danced around his fingers. "Bold words, Niao. But we both know that in the end, might makes right. And I have the might of the Heavenly Lightning Temple behind me."

A gleaming arc of lightning glistened across his form, condensing into a sword radiating extreme power. The fusion of energies released a force that caused the very ground to splinter beneath their feet. 

The earth cracked and heaved, the shockwaves rippling outward in a testament to Mei's might.

Even the barriers hastily erected by 5th stage Qi Establishment experts trembled under the onslaught, their bones creaking from the strain. This was the might of a true genius, capable of near-instantly generating profound Qi essence without any apparent effort. 

The air hummed with the resonance of his power, the vibrations setting teeth on edge and hearts racing.

But just as it seemed Mei would overwhelm all present, a dazzling display of ice lights froze the world in its tracks. 

Jade Niao was not one to be cowed so easily. She met Mei's gaze with a cold smile of her own, her slender fingers drifting to the hilt of the sword sheathed at her waist. Smooth stone whispered against harder stone as she loosened the blade in its scabbard.

"You are a fool, Mei," she said, her voice as soft as a whisper of silk against skin. "Do you truly believe that your petty tricks will avail you against a disciple of the Frozen Heart Sect?"

The crackling arcs of lightning, the surging aura rippling from Mei, all of it was instantly encased in a layer of shimmering frost. The cold was so intense that it seemed to steal the very breath from the lungs of those present, leaving them gasping and shivering.

"You-" Mei's words died in his throat as a deadly blade slashed through the air, exuding a wave of cold that caused frost to bloom across his arm. The sword moved with a speed that defied comprehension, a silver blur that left afterimages in its wake.

'Chi!' 

A stream of blood splashed out, accompanied by Mei's horrified shriek of agony.

"Ahh!!"

The crowd collectively sucked in a breath, their eyes widening in disbelief at the scene before them. The mighty lightning genius now knelt crumpled on the ground, clutching his ravaged arm. A terrifying gash, deep enough to reveal stark white bone, marred his flesh from elbow to wrist. 

The wound was a testament to Jade Niao's skill, a brutal reminder of the price of arrogance.

Horrified gazes trailed from the fallen Mei to Jade Niao, the beauty with the suffocating presence. None had seen her move, not even the 5th stage Qi Establishment experts.  

Jade Niao's own sword was barely even drawn from its sheath. A thin layer of frost crackled along its blade, the only sign that it had ever moved at all.

The crowd around them erupted into chaos, shouts of disbelief and horror mingling with cries of awe and reverence. 

To see a 4th stage cultivator dispatch a 5th stage genius with such casual ease was a sight that few would ever forget.

Her speed and power were simply too terrifying. Despite being at the 4th stage, she had treated a 5th stage genius as little more than a junior to be disciplined. The ease with which she had dispatched Mei sent a chill down the spines of all who witnessed it, a stark reminder of the heights that true geniuses could reach.

Jade Niao's elegant movements captivated the onlookers as she gracefully recalled her sword, her piercing gaze flickering with disdain toward the lightning genius. 

With a swift turn on her heel, she strode away from the scene, her cold words hanging in the air like a heavy mist, "Be thankful I took care of this issue. If it were anyone else, your blood would be painting these streets a vivid crimson."

A stunned silence settled over the crowd in her wake, the atmosphere thick with tension. 

Mei's handsome features contorted into an expression of pure loathing, his eyes burning with a fierce intensity. Yet, even he had the sense not to pursue a losing battle. With his pride thoroughly wounded, he quickly retreated to the Heavenly Lightning Temple, his steps heavy with the weight of defeat.

Miao Ying furrowed his brows as whispers of amazement about Jade Niao's prowess spread through the gathered onlookers, their voices a soft buzz in the air. 

Fighting so blatantly in the middle of the city seemed brazen, even for a genius of a powerful sect. He had expected the city lord to take measures to prevent such disturbances, to maintain the delicate balance of power that held Moon Sky City together.

Yet, the fight hadn't escalated to a truly destructive scale, the damage contained to a small area. 

The Frozen Heart Sect stood at the pinnacle of Moon Sky City's hierarchy, their influence reaching far and wide. Allowing their genius disciples a certain degree of latitude was not uncommon, even in Miao Ying's native Red Maple City, where the powerful sects held sway over the city's affairs.

Nevertheless, Miao Ying filed the incident away for future reference, his mind sharp and analytical. The disparity between himself and the top geniuses of the city was laid bare, a stark reminder of the heights he had yet to reach. 

But Miao Ying was not one to dwell on his shortcomings, his spirit unbreakable and his determination unwavering. No, he would use this as fuel for his ambitions, a driving force to propel him to even greater heights. He refused to remain weak for a moment longer than necessary, his very essence crying out for strength and power.

A fiery determination bloomed within Miao Ying as he hastily made his way back to the city's entrance, his steps purposeful and driven. 

His soul sense surged, reaching out to the world around him, and the gnawing sense of danger persisted, a constant companion in his journey. His stalkers hadn't forgotten about him, even after the incident, their presence a looming shadow in the periphery of his consciousness.

It didn't take long for Miao Ying to reach the Azure Cloud Forest, the dense foliage and winding paths a familiar sight to his eyes. The mysteriously enticing yet deadly atmosphere was ever-present, the very air heavy with a sense of danger and potential. 

Though he hadn't been here for a few days, the intoxicating scent of refreshing nature, potent worldly essence energy, and faint stenches of death called out to him, beckoning him deeper into the forest's embrace. 

This represented what he was striving for in life—the unpredictability of shaping his future with his own two hands, the thrill of facing challenges head-on and emerging victorious.

With a deep inhale to soothe his nerves, Miao Ying continued into the woods, his senses alert and his mind focused. He had a detailed map of where to locate both the Crystal Ice Snake and the Ice Demonic Beast, their locations etched into his memory. 

He followed the trail for a few moments, his footsteps light and sure, before subtly altering his path, making it appear as if he was merely adjusting his route to reach his destination more quickly.

At that moment, the sense of danger intensified, the very air around him growing thick and heavy. A searing sensation of heat swirled through the atmosphere, accompanied by a suffocating pressure that would have been overwhelming for even other 5th stage Qi Establishment experts. 

But Miao Ying never once flinched, his spirit unshakable and his resolve firm. Instead, he took the initiative, whipping his head around to stare at his stalkers, his eyes blazing with a fierce determination.

The people who entered his gaze were two goons he couldn't identify but they looked vaguely familiar, their faces twisted with a cruel arrogance. 

And behind them stood the powerful Wei Fang, the talented disciple nearing the peak of the 5th stage, his presence a looming threat in the background.

One of the weaker disciples coldly snorted when staring into Miao Ying's impassive face, his voice dripping with disdain, "That's some nice false bravado you have there, kid. In the back of your mind, you're probably starting to realize the consequences of not letting go of that tiny pride, right?"