Chapter 11 – Confrontation with the Chaos Sect

Hei Tian stood atop a hill, disdainfully observing Zhen's modest residence. He had waited patiently, calculating the perfect moment to strike and reclaim the Chaos Medallion.

"This place... it's not as ordinary as it seems," he murmured, watching intently.

Inside the house, Zhen was flipping through an ancient scroll, trying to make sense of the doubts swirling in his mind.

"Why do my disciples think I'm so powerful? I'm just a mortal trying to survive in this crazy world... well, I'm not a mortal anymore, am I? But still, it's strange."

[HOST, DRINK SOME TEA AND RELAX, EVERYTHING IS UNDER CONTROL.] The system's soul floated around him, showing no concern whatsoever.

Zhen sighed, taking a sip of tea.

"How can I relax when I feel like I'm always in danger? The world is so unpredictable..."

"Speaking of which, system, I think it's time to give you a name, right?" The system's soul reacted enthusiastically, bouncing around.

[YES, THAT'S GREAT, HOST. NAME ME!]

"Hmm, what name would be ideal? I know... how about... Orion?" Zhen said, raising his finger, excited with the choice.

[NAME ORION REGISTERED SUCCESSFULLY.] The system began to glow, shrinking into a cocoon-like shape. After a few moments, the small Orion transformed into a woman with golden hair and deep eyes, her figure one that any beauty would envy.

"W-What happened? Why did you transform all of a sudden?" Zhen was so confused that he fell backward, not understanding what had just happened.

[MASTER, REMAIN CALM. MY FORM CHANGED BECAUSE YOU NAMED ME.] The new Orion spoke with a soft and soothing voice.

"Wait, you transformed just because I gave you a name? What do you mean?" He was even more confused, thinking: "Is this the same Orion from before? Where's that usual arrogant and mocking attitude?"

[YES, MASTER. THIS TRANSFORMATION OCCURRED WHEN YOU NAMED ME. BUT THE SYSTEM CANNOT INTERFERE WITH THE HOST'S CHOICES, SO I COULDN'T SAY ANYTHING.] She seemed content and excited with the name she had received.

Outside, Hei Tian unleashed his most powerful technique, a dark energy blast aimed directly at Zhen's house. However, as the attack was about to hit, an invisible barrier shimmered faintly, dissipating the energy as if it were nothing.

Hei Tian was stunned.

"What? How is this possible?" He tried again, launching an even more powerful technique, but the result was the same. The barrier absorbed everything, leaving the house untouched.

Inside the house, Zhen was still trying to recover from the shock of seeing the system's transformation.

"I see... is there anything else you can't tell me that could cause changes?" He asked Orion, with a serious expression, still trying to understand everything.

[THERE IS, BUT I CANNOT TELL THE MASTER THE REQUIREMENTS FOR THE CHANGES. EVENTUALLY, THE HOST WILL DISCOVER THEM.]

Zhen stepped out into the courtyard where his disciples were training and sensed that something was off. A feeling of unease was bothering him.

"Mei, Yue, don't you think something is... strange today?"

Mei Lianxue paused for a moment, looking around.

"Master, everything is as calm as always."

Yue Ling nodded, not noticing anything unusual.

"Yes, Master. Maybe it's just your imagination."

Zhen scratched his head, still suspicious.

"Maybe I really am imagining things... But I have this strange feeling that something should have happened but didn't."

Outside, Hei Tian was starting to lose his composure.

"This doesn't make sense! This house must have some kind of ancient protection... But how did it end up here?"

Unaware of anything, Zhen decided to rest and organize his thoughts before starting to cultivate.

"Well, I think I'll take a quick nap. You two keep training, and call me if something really strange happens, okay?"

The disciples nodded respectfully but couldn't hide their smiles upon seeing their master so relaxed in a moment that, for anyone else, would be concerning.

Hei Tian, now desperate, decided to use his final trump card, channeling all his power into a single attack. But as soon as he began to concentrate the energy, an inexplicable wave of exhaustion hit him. His eyes began to feel heavy, and before he could react, he collapsed to the ground, snoring loudly.

Inside the house, Zhen settled into his blanket, feeling a sudden peace.

"Ah, nothing like a nap to recharge..."

After resting briefly, Zhen decided it was time to visit the nearest city. He was curious to see if there were any news and, besides, he wanted to give his disciples a chance to relax and explore the place. Mei Lianxue and Yue Ling, always ready to accompany their master, quickly prepared for the journey.

"Let's go to the city, girls. Maybe some fresh air and new sights will help us clear things up," Zhen said, trying to ignore the feeling that something was off.

Orion, in her new form, just smiled, silently following the group.

The journey to Cheng City was peaceful, but the feeling of unease didn't leave Zhen. When they arrived, the city was bustling, with merchants selling their goods and children running through the streets. But there was something in the air, a subtle tension that made Yue Ling furrow her brow.

"Master, I think we should be cautious. Something feels wrong here," Yue warned, staying close to Zhen.

"I agree, Master. The atmosphere is different," Mei added, carefully observing the surroundings.

Zhen, trying to dismiss his worries, shrugged.

"You're being paranoid. Let's enjoy the city a bit before we head back."

However, as they explored a street market, the ambush finally happened. Suddenly, the once-bustling streets became eerily empty. Zhen stopped, feeling a shiver run down his spine.

"Why did everything get so quiet all of a sudden...?" he murmured.

Before he could react, a group of hooded cultivators emerged from the shadows, surrounding Zhen and his disciples. Hei Tian appeared shortly after, his dark presence making the air around them feel heavier.

"Finally, Yue Ling, we meet outside your bubble of protection," Hei Tian said with a cruel smile. "Today, you won't escape."

Zhen blinked, confused, but maintained a calm appearance.

"Ah... Yue, who is this guy? The one who hurt you that time?" Zhen asked his disciple.

"Y-Yes, Master, it's him," Yue confirmed, already in a battle stance alongside her sister disciple, thinking: "Master doesn't like to get involved in cultivation world matters, we should handle this ourselves."

Hei Tian laughed, but there was a hint of irritation in his voice.

"You have no idea what's coming. Hand over the Chaos Medallion, and maybe I'll grant you a quick death."

At that moment, Yue and Mei simultaneously attacked the cultivators. Even with their cultivations suppressed by the system, they possessed great strength and, under Zhen's guidance, had developed powerful techniques. Quickly, several of Hei Tian's disciples fell before their skills.

Hei Tian, furious, charged at the two. Despite their talent, Yue and Mei couldn't withstand his overwhelming force, and both were severely injured, falling to their knees, blood pouring from their wounds.

Zhen, seeing his disciples in danger, felt a rage boiling inside him. It was a pure, visceral anger, something he had never experienced before. His body began to tremble, not from fear, but from an unknown energy that was beginning to manifest. The air around him distorted, creating ripples as if reality itself was being bent by his fury.

Orion, who had been watching the situation closely, sensed the imminent danger and prepared to intervene. But the energy emanating from Zhen was beyond anything she had ever seen before. Waves of power began to radiate from Zhen's body, forming a golden vortex that swirled around him, growing in intensity with each passing second.

The sky, which had been clear moments ago, began to darken, as if the light was being sucked into the epicenter of Zhen's fury. Bolts of energy started to crackle in the air, striking the ground with thunderous crashes that made the earth tremble. The trees around them began to wither, as if all life was being drained from them, while Zhen's energy continued to grow uncontrollably.

Hei Tian, who had been confident before, felt fear settle into his heart. His eyes widened in terror as he realized he was facing a force he couldn't comprehend, let alone fight. He tried to retreat, but it was too late. Zhen's energy enveloped him like a suffocating shroud, crushing any attempt at resistance.

"W-What? What's happening to me?" Hei Tian screamed as his body began to disintegrate. Every particle of his existence was being erased by the sheer will of destruction emanating from Zhen.

Orion, using all her strength, launched herself at Zhen, trying to contain the fury. She placed herself in front of him, arms outstretched, and began absorbing the devastating energy. But even for Orion, this task was nearly impossible. The energy was so intense that it made her glowing form start to dissolve.

As she struggled to suppress Zhen's fury, Orion thought, "Master, this is more than I can handle..." but she didn't retreat. She continued absorbing as much as she could until, finally, the energy began to dissipate, the vortex shrank, and light returned to the environment. Hei Tian had completely vanished, and

silence reigned once more.

A bright screen appeared before Zhen, who slowly opened his eyes, still confused about what had just happened.

[THE SYSTEM HAS USED A LOT OF ENERGY TO CONTAIN THE DAO OF RAGE AND WILL BE RECOVERING FOR THE NEXT FEW DAYS.]

"W-What happened? Is it over?" he asked, bewildered, looking at the system's screen and then at his disciples.

Yue Ling and Mei Lianxue were stunned. They could hardly believe what they had just witnessed. "Did that... come from the master?!" Yue thought, while Mei was still trying to process the magnitude of the power that almost destroyed them.

Zhen, still shocked at seeing his disciples bleeding, rushed to help them.

"Are you okay? We should go back to heal your wounds," Zhen said, his voice filled with concern as he examined their faces.

Yue, still in shock, struggled to find the right words.

"M-Master, what was that? I've never... never felt anything like that before," she said, looking at Zhen with a mix of fear and admiration.

Mei, still processing, nodded slowly.

"We're fine, Master. We are cultivators, this is nothing... but, Master, you..." Mei hesitated, trying to understand the situation.

Zhen, unaware of the extent of what had just happened, simply shook his head.

"I really don't know... but the important thing now is that you're okay. Let's head back."

The disciples nodded, but their minds were full of questions. The return home was silent, each of them reflecting on the power that Zhen had unconsciously manifested. The trip that was supposed to be a simple visit to the city had turned into an event they would never forget.