Power Revelation

Li Xue explained everything from start to finish, her voice steady and meticulous, not missing a single detail. Chen Yi's brows furrowed deeply as he listened, his mind racing, while Hua Rong continued to stare at Chen Yuxuan. Her gaze held no fear—just a quiet determination that hinted at unspoken thoughts.

"You must have a way to stop this," Chen Yi muttered, his voice low but firm. His piercing eyes locked onto Chen Yuxuan.

"Ah, I do," Chen Yuxuan replied with a faint, enigmatic smile, "but why would you want to stop it?"

"Because if we stay here, he's going to kill us. We don't have a choice," Chen Yi shot back, his tone sharpening as frustration crept in. "So, we'll find a way to end this."

"'We'?" Hua Rong raised an eyebrow, her skepticism apparent. "What do you mean by that?"

"He's also going to kill us if we try to stop him, genius," Li Xue interjected, crossing her arms. "It's a dead end. There's no way out of this mess."

"Best to stay as an salted fish." Hua Rong spoke, but was ignored

Chen Yi ignored the bickering girls, his focus unwavering as he picked up the black jade resting on a nearby pedestal. Without hesitation, he tossed it at Chen Yuxuan. The latter caught it instinctively, his fingers curling around the smooth, dark surface.

"If the jade broke," Chen Yi asked, his voice cold and deliberate, "shouldn't you perish along with it?"

Chen Yuxuan's eyes flickered with an unspoken emotion, but his expression remained calm. "Ah, that would make sense, wouldn't it?"

"Wait a minute!" Li Xue exclaimed, her eyes widening as realization dawned on her. "Chen Yuxuan, you reside in the jade, don't you? If that's true, you should've perished a long time ago!"

"Unless—" Hua Rong's voice sliced through the conversation, cutting Li Xue off mid-sentence.

"Unless the jade's power is still active," she finished, her tone filled with certainty.

Li Xue blinked at her, momentarily stunned. "How do you know it holds any power?"

Hua Rong rolled her eyes, her usual cool demeanor slipping just enough to show her irritation. "Seriously? I've read enough fiction to know this is common knowledge. Ancient artifacts like this always have some kind of power."

"That's not fiction; this is real life," Li Xue snapped, but her voice lacked conviction. The jade in Chen Yuxuan's hand seemed to radiate an otherworldly energy, its dark surface pulsing faintly like a beating heart.

"Real or not, the rules still apply," Hua Rong replied, her voice steady. She turned to Chen Yi. "If breaking the jade can destroy him, we might have a chance."

"And if it doesn't?" Li Xue's voice dropped, her usual confidence faltering. "What if it only makes him stronger?"

Chen Yuxuan chuckled softly, the sound sending chills down their spines. "Ah, now this is getting interesting," he said, his grip tightening on the jade. "Why don't you try it and find out?"

Li Xue's eyes were fixed on the jade, curiosity bubbling within her. Despite the tension in the room, she couldn't resist the urge to reach for it. Her fingers hovered over the smooth surface for a moment before she made up her mind. Grasping the jade firmly, she moved as if to break it.

Chen Yuxuan's expression shifted instantly, his usual composed demeanor cracking. Panic flashed across his face as he took a step forward, his voice rising sharply. "Don't! I was frickin' kidding! If it breaks for real, I die!"

Li Xue froze, her grip on the jade tightening as she processed his words. Before she could respond, Chen Yi stepped in, his tone dripping with sarcasm. "Well, don't make dumb jokes then. It's your fault, not hers."

Chen Yuxuan glared at him, muttering under his breath, "Yeah, right." His gaze flicked between the three of them, his annoyance tempered by something deeper—perhaps resignation. With a heavy sigh, he leaned back slightly, his shoulders sagging as he studied their faces. "You really want to stop this?" he asked, his voice quieter now, almost contemplative.

"No," Hua Rong replied immediately, her voice firm and unwavering.

"Yes," Chen Yi said at the same time, his tone resolute.

The stark contrast in their answers hung in the air, the tension between them palpable. Li Xue stood between them, her expression caught somewhere between amusement and exasperation. For once, she didn't have a strong opinion, and her neutrality made her stand out even more.

Chen Yuxuan raised an eyebrow, a faint smile creeping onto his lips as he tilted his head. "Well, I'll take that as a yes," he said, his voice tinged with amusement and resignation. He straightened, the earlier panic gone, replaced by his usual air of mystery.

"Wait, what does that even mean?" Li Xue asked, frowning slightly. Her curiosity had yet to be satisfied, and now she was more intrigued than ever.

"It means," Chen Yuxuan said with a smirk, "that you've all made your decision, even if you don't realize it yet." His fingers grazed the jade in his hand, the faint glow from its surface casting eerie shadows on the walls.

The three exchanged uneasy glances, the weight of his words settling heavily around them. Whatever lay ahead, it was clear that there was no turning back now.

Chen Yuxuan rose gracefully, his yellow eyes glowing with an intense, otherworldly light. His white robes billowed around him, though no wind could be felt in the room. The black jade in his hand began to shimmer, faint cracks appearing on its surface as he raised it higher. With a sudden, deliberate motion, the jade split into three fragments, each radiating its own subtle glow.

He extended his hands, the fragments floating effortlessly in the air before drifting toward the three of them.

"Each of you will receive a piece of this jade," he declared, his voice echoing with an almost divine authority. "These fragments contain unique powers—different for each of you. What those powers are, however, depends entirely on you."

The shards hovered before Hua Rong, Chen Yi, and Li Xue, their individual colors shifting faintly as if attuning themselves to their recipients. Chen Yuxuan's glowing eyes swept across the three of them, a faint smirk tugging at the corners of his lips.

"The jade reflects your essence and forms a color," he continued, his tone enigmatic. "Your choices, your strengths, your fears—it draws from all of it. The power will reveal itself in time, but only if you are willing to embrace it."

Li Xue reached out first, her fingers hesitating just a moment before closing around the fragment. It felt warm in her hand, pulsating faintly like a living thing.

"Depends on us?" Hua Rong asked skeptically, her piece floating just inches from her outstretched palm. "What if we don't want these powers?"

Chen Yuxuan's smile widened, his expression unreadable. "That is your choice," he said, his voice softening but losing none of its weight. "But remember—this power could be your salvation… or your undoing."

Chen Yi grabbed his fragment decisively, his jaw tightening as he held it up to the light. "Fine," he muttered. "But if this backfires, I'm blaming you."

"You're welcome to try," Chen Yuxuan replied smoothly, lowering his arms as the fragments found their new homes. The glow in his eyes dimmed slightly, but the air around him remained charged with an energy that none of them could quite describe.