Chapter Six: The Spark

Beads of sweat formed and trickled down Li Ao's forehead. His heart pounded in his chest, and adrenaline surged through his veins. His fingers dug into the ground as his entire body tensed. He was ready for the inevitable exposure. Though the chances of survival were slim, he refused to die in such a humiliating manner. At the very least, he aimed to kill two of them.

Li Ao's eyes were resolute as he waited silently. The black-armored guard reached the edge of the pile of corpses, raising his sword. Li Ao's focus sharpened; he was prepared to strike the moment the guard's sword was drawn back.

Suddenly, a weak groan reached Li Ao's ears, and naturally, it also reached the guard's ears. His tense mind began to work rapidly. Li Ao squinted slightly, carefully using his peripheral vision to glance toward the sound.

Not far outside the alley, a woman buried in the pile of bodies struggled to crawl out. She seemed to sense Li Ao watching and gave a faint, knowing smile in his direction.

"Aunt Four!!" Li Ao's eyes widened. Aunt Four was his mother's sister and had always been kind to him. Just a few days ago, when he returned from training, she had given him a large white pear to soothe his throat. The thought brought a sting to his nose.

The woman struggled to push aside the bodies covering her and slowly stood up, leaning against the wall. The aura of a Silver peak warrior emanated from her, drawing everyone's attention in the alley.

A bloody wound on her abdomen continually oozed blood, evidence of a fierce battle. She had not originally been in the alley, and perhaps staying hidden might have given her a chance to survive. But now, she chose to give that chance to the tribe's most promising talent. She was no longer young, and her potential was limited. She was determined to sacrifice herself to leave a spark for the Nine Li tribe—a spark of vengeance that could ignite a wildfire.

Two guards closest to her immediately turned and rushed towards her, shouting to alert Kuchaz. In no time, the gravely injured woman was dragged before Kuchaz. Li Ao watched her, his eyes brimming with tears, but he could not move or make a sound. If he did, her sacrifice would be in vain. All he could do was fixate on the chest of the black-armored soldier, etching the image of the pure white scepter crossed with swords firmly into his memory.

The two guards sneered as they gripped the woman's arms. One of them delivered a sweeping kick, breaking her knee and forcing her to kneel on the cold stone. Kuchaz looked down at the kneeling woman with indifference, slowly drawing his ornate sword from his waist.

The woman did not struggle. She lifted her head and glared at the distinguished middle-aged man before her, shouting defiantly, "Do you dare to tell me your name? So I can find you even as a ghost."

Kuchaz scoffed disdainfully at her words. "Hah, it doesn't matter if you know. I am Kuchaz, commander of the Third Legion's Vanguard Camp of the Judgement Army."

In this world, the existence of the undead was known, but the Church feared the undead the least. The Holy Church specialized in combating darkness, corruption, plague, and death. Wherever the holy light shone, all evil retreated.

Hearing his name, the woman smiled with satisfaction. She did not truly intend to seek vengeance as a ghost; she knew that the tribe's most talented individual would avenge her.

Under Li Ao's gaze, Kuchaz finally drew his sword and, with a precise thrust, pierced the woman's heart. Kuchaz didn't know that a young boy was hiding at the end of the alley. This boy had etched Kuchaz's name into his heart, and one day, the boy's hands would end Kuchaz's life.

"Kuchaz!" Li Ao silently screamed in rage as the sword entered the woman. Watching her die with such calm dignity made his heart bleed. He swore that this man named Kuchaz would die before his very eyes.

After killing the woman, Kuchaz arrogantly scanned the street filled with corpses. The four guards had already reached the end of the alley, confirming there were no survivors. He sneered at the bodies on the ground:

"Wretches, you should have offered the Dragon Rider's legacy to the Church long ago. Now, you've brought about your own annihilation. We've taken your legacy anyway, and you'll never see the light of dawn again."

He spat on the cobblestones, then casually stabbed a few more corpses before he and his guards left the secluded alley, their footsteps fading into the distance.

Li Ao looked at the woman's body, then at the direction Kuchaz had left. He silently repeated the names of the Church and Kuchaz over and over in his mind. After the footsteps faded, Li Ao continued to wait, ensuring the area was safe and giving his weak body time to recover.

From time to time, black-armored soldiers passed by, but none paid attention to the alley filled with corpses. Once he felt his limbs could respond to his brain's commands, Li Ao pulled himself out of the pile of bodies.

The scene in the alley—a boy amidst blood, corpses, and sunlight—was a haunting sight. This massacre was a ruthless slaughter, enough to chill anyone's heart.

Glancing once more at the woman's body, Li Ao knew he had no time to mourn. Dragging his exhausted body, he quickly left the alley. After circling around and avoiding another patrol, he vaulted into a courtyard.

The courtyard was simple: a tile-roofed house, an old tree, and a deep well. In the corner, Li Ao picked up a moss-covered stone and jumped into the well. Using the stone's weight, he sank ten meters deep until he saw a horizontal tunnel.

Releasing the stone, he grabbed the edge of the tunnel and swam quickly upward. After about ten breaths, he saw a faint light ahead. The sound of water echoed as he emerged into an underground cavern, collapsing on the edge, gasping for air.

Seeing the neat walls and the glowing night pearls, Li Ao knew he had reached his destination. His tense nerves finally relaxed, and he felt the relief of surviving a catastrophe. Dragging his wet body out of the water, he lay on the ground, completely exhausted.

He was utterly spent. He had used multiple Dragon Rider techniques and the Blood Burst technique, and endured the psychological pressure from Kuchaz and his men. Reaching this hidden chamber had been possible only through sheer willpower.

Finally able to rest, Li Ao allowed a faint smile to touch his lips before he fell into a deep sleep.