Chapter 8: First fight with a "Soul Awakening Realm Expert"

The wolf mother and the young Kirin cub followed Ye Xiaotian as he guided them to a mountain some distance from the Chaos Pool. The air on the mountain was cool, and the winds carried the scent of ancient trees and wildflowers. Here, they would settle.

Ye Xiaotian stood at the edge of the mountain cliff, gazing at the vast spirit world before him. He turned to the mother wolf, her fur shimmering faintly with residual energy from the Chaos Pool. She looked at him with curious, intelligent eyes.

"What is your name?" Ye Xiaotian asked softly.

The mother wolf tilted her head, a confused glint in her gaze. Realizing she didn't understand, Ye Xiaotian smiled gently.

"My name is Ye Xiaotian," he said, pointing to himself. "Now that you're part of my family, I'll give you a name too."

The mother wolf's ears perked up, and she watched him intently.

"Your name will be Lanyu," Ye Xiaotian declared, his voice resonating with a quiet authority. "It means 'blue jade.' You're strong, resilient, and precious to me."

Lanyu lowered her head in gratitude, her eyes shining with emotion.

Ye Xiaotian then turned to the Kirin cub, who was playing nearby, chasing a butterfly through the tall grass.

"And you," he called out, kneeling down. The cub trotted over, her silver scales shimmering in the sunlight. "Your name will be Yin'er 'Silver Child.' You'll grow into a powerful protector one day."

The cub nudged his hand affectionately and let out a happy, high-pitched trill.

Ye Xiaotian chuckled, ruffling Yin'er's mane. "Now that you're my spirit beasts, I'll make sure you grow strong. I'll give you resources to awaken your hidden bloodlines."

Lanyu's eyes gleamed with hope, and she let out a soft, grateful mewl.

"But you're still weak," Ye Xiaotian said, noticing how Lanyu lay down to conserve her strength. "Wait here. I'll get something to help you recover."

He dashed back to the Chaos Pool, conjuring a spiritual energy container with a flick of his hand. Carefully, he filled it with the shimmering liquid and returned to the mountain.

"Drink this," he said, handing the container to Lanyu.

She bent her head, and he gently poured the Chaos Fluid into her mouth. The wolf drank it eagerly, her body trembling slightly from the potent energy. After finishing, she lay down and closed her eyes, starting to absorb the chaotic power.

"It'll take time," Ye Xiaotian murmured, observing her carefully. "You'll need more of this to fully activate your bloodline. But let's see how far this gets you."

Yin'er watched her mother with wide, curious eyes. Ye Xiaotian walked over and gently stroked the cub's head.

"Wait here," he told her. "Your mother is cultivating. You can play for now, but I need to get us some food."

Yin'er let out a happy trill, nudging his hand again before bounding off to explore the mountain.

Ye Xiaotian stood and opened a portal back to the mortal world. Stepping through, he found himself in the familiar cave where he had begun his journey. He walked out into the forest, his mind already planning.

"I need to establish a spirit beast farm in the spirit world," he thought. "That way, we won't run out of food."

As he wandered through the forest, searching for suitable spirit beasts to capture, a distant rumbling sound caught his attention. It was the unmistakable sound of battle.

"Someone's fighting," Ye Xiaotian murmured, frowning. He sprinted toward the noise.

In a clearing, Ye Xiaotian saw three figures locked in battle. Two men stood on one side, attacking viciously. On the other side was a woman, holding her ground with difficulty. Blood trickled from the corner of her mouth, and her robes were torn.

The men were Soul Awakening Realm cultivators powerful and dangerous. The woman was in the same realm, but clearly injured and struggling to defend herself.

One of the men, tall and broad-shouldered, laughed arrogantly. "Give up, Qin Lian! You won't return to the Vermillion Flame Sect today. We'll cripple your cultivation, enjoy your body, and then enslave your sect's female disciples."

The second man chuckled. "The Yuan brothers will rule your sect soon enough."

Qin Lian wiped blood from her lips and glared at them with defiant eyes. "You scum! I won't let you touch my sect. Even if I have to self-detonate, I'll take you both with me!"

Her aura began to surge as she gathered her remaining energy for a final, desperate attack.

"She's going to explode her cultivation!" one of the Yuan brothers shouted. "Retreat!"

Both men jumped back, their faces pale. The self-destruction of a Soul Awakening Realm cultivator could annihilate everything within miles.

Ye Xiaotian's eyes widened. Without thinking, he dashed forward and grabbed Qin Lian's hands. He quickly channeled his spiritual energy into her meridians, stopping her explosive power.

Qin Lian's eyes snapped open in shock. She could feel a strange energy blocking her from self-detonating. Her gaze locked on Ye Xiaotian, who stood before her, his hands still holding hers.

"Who… are you?" she whispered.

Ye Xiaotian met her gaze calmly. "Why are you trying to destroy yourself?"

"If I don't, they'll destroy my sect," Qin Lian murmured. "They're monsters. Their sect is full of scum. I won't let them win."

Ye Xiaotian released her hands and turned to the Yuan brothers, who were cautiously approaching again. One of them sneered.

"Looks like someone stopped her from exploding. Good. That makes it easier for us."

The man, Yuan Zhao, laughed and said, "Boy, you've done us a favor. I'm Yuan Zhao, one of the sect masters of the Black Serpent Sect. If you leave now, I'll even reward you. After we're done with her, you can join our sect."

Ye Xiaotian ignored him.

Qin Lian pulled out a round seal from her robes. It was engraved with the image of a Vermillion Bird. She held it out to Ye Xiaotian.

"Take this," she said urgently. "Go to the Vermillion Flame Sect. Show it to the Grand Elder, and she'll protect you. I'll cover your escape."

Ye Xiaotian gently pushed the seal back into her hand.

"Who said I'm running?" he asked quietly. "I didn't save you just to run away."

Ye Xiaotian stood in front of Qin Lian, his gaze fixed on the two men before him. His expression was calm, but his eyes burned with a cold fire.

"If you don't leave," Qin Lian said urgently, "they will kill you too."

Ye Xiaotian glanced at her, his lips curling into a faint smile. "Only if they're capable."

Qin Lian's eyes widened in shock. How could this boy, barely in the Foundation Realm, be so calm in the face of two Soul Awakening experts?

The taller of the two men, Yuan Zhao, sneered, his voice dripping with disdain. "Boy, I allowed you to walk away. But since you refuse to take my mercy, you'll die here alongside her. You must have some kind of treasure to block her explosion, and I'll find it after I kill you."

Yuan Zhao's smirk widened. "After that, I'll find your family and kill them all one by one."

Hearing this, Ye Xiaotian's expression darkened. His usual calm demeanor cracked, replaced by cold fury.

"You dare threaten my family?" His voice was low, but the chill in his tone made Qin Lian shiver. "Since you've spoken those words, you're already dead."

Yuan Zhao's grin faltered for a moment. There was something unsettling about this boy a confidence that didn't belong to someone in the Foundation Realm.

The clearing fell into a tense silence. Even the wind seemed to hold its breath.

Qin Lian stared at Ye Xiaotian, her mind spinning. How could someone in the Foundation Realm speak like that to Soul Awakening experts? Was he insane? Or… was he hiding something?

"You!" Yuan Zhao's face twisted in rage. "Bastard! You think you can talk to me like that? I'll rip you apart!"

His brother, Yuan Ming, chuckled darkly. "Brother, kill him first. Then we'll deal with the girl."

Yuan Zhao nodded and began to walk toward Ye Xiaotian, his steps slow and deliberate. His spiritual energy surged, causing the ground beneath him to crack. The power of a Soul Awakening Realm cultivator radiated from him, making the air heavy.

Qin Lian quickly pulled out her sword, her grip tightening. "You're mad," she whispered to Ye Xiaotian. "You can't defeat him. He's in the Soul Awakening Realm!"

Ye Xiaotian didn't look at her. His eyes remained on Yuan Zhao. "Can you handle the other one?" he asked calmly.

Qin Lian blinked. "What?"

Ye Xiaotian pointed at Yuan Ming. "Can you keep him occupied until I kill this bastard?"

Qin Lian was stunned. Was he serious? He was in the Foundation Realm, and he was talking about killing a Soul Awakening expert?

Still, there was something about him something in his voice that made her believe he wasn't joking. After a moment of hesitation, she nodded.

"I can handle him," she said. "He's on the same level as me. The only reason I struggled before was because they attacked together."

"Good," Ye Xiaotian said, his tone unwavering. "Then keep him busy while I kill Yuan Zhao."

Qin Lian took a deep breath and stepped forward, facing Yuan Ming. Her sword gleamed in the sunlight, and her aura flared to life. "Yuan Ming," she said coldly, "your fight is with me."

Yuan Ming sneered. "Do you really think you stand a chance now? You were bleeding all over the ground just a moment ago."

"Try me," Qin Lian replied, her voice steady.

As the two prepared to clash, Yuan Zhao's laughter echoed across the clearing. "Brother, this boy is delusional! He actually thinks he can kill me!"

Yuan Ming chuckled. "This might be the funniest thing I've ever heard. Go ahead, brother. Kill him. I'll take care of the women."

Yuan Zhao's spiritual energy flared again, forming a dark aura around him. He lifted his hand, conjuring a massive energy blade. "Let's see how long you last, boy."

Ye Xiaotian remained still, his hands at his sides.

Yuan Zhao lunged, his energy blade slicing through the air with terrifying force. The ground beneath him cracked as his power surged toward Ye Xiaotian.

But Ye Xiaotian didn't move.

At the last moment, when the energy blade was mere inches from his face, Ye Xiaotian raised his hand. A golden barrier of spiritual energy appeared, blocking the attack effortlessly.

BOOM!

The impact shook the ground, sending shockwaves through the clearing. Dust and debris flew into the air.

When the dust settled, Yuan Zhao's eyes widened in shock. His energy blade had shattered against Ye Xiaotian's barrier.

"What…?" Yuan Zhao muttered. "How…?"

Ye Xiaotian opened his eyes, which now glowed faintly with golden light. His spiritual energy surged, far more powerful than any Foundation Realm cultivator should possess.

"You talk too much," Ye Xiaotian said calmly. "Let's end this."

Yuan Zhao roared in anger, unleashing a barrage of attacks. Energy blades and shockwaves tore through the air, each one powerful enough to destroy a small mountain.

But Ye Xiaotian dodged them all with ease, his movements graceful and precise. He moved like a phantom, slipping through Yuan Zhao's attacks without a scratch.

"You're fast," Yuan Zhao growled. "But let's see if you can handle this!"

He slammed his hands together, and a dark mist spread out from him, filling the clearing with poisonous energy.

Ye Xiaotian frowned. "Poison mist? How dirty."

The mist thickened, obscuring everything. Yuan Zhao's laughter echoed through the fog. "Let's see how long you last in this!"

But Ye Xiaotian didn't panic. He closed his eyes, focusing his spiritual energy. A golden light radiated from his body, dispersing the mist instantly.

"You're full of tricks," Ye Xiaotian said. "But they won't save you."

Before Yuan Zhao could react, Ye Xiaotian appeared in front of him, his hand glowing with golden energy.

"Die," Ye Xiaotian whispered.

BAM!

Ye Xiaotian's palm struck Yuan Zhao's chest, sending him flying backward. He crashed into the ground, coughing up blood.

Yuan Zhao struggled to his feet, his eyes wide with fear. "What… what kind of power is this…?"

Ye Xiaotian stepped forward, his expression cold.

Yuan Zhao's fear turned to rage. "No! I won't lose to a Foundation Realm boy!"

He charged again, but Ye Xiaotian was faster. With a flick of his wrist, a golden chain of energy wrapped around Yuan Zhao, binding him.

"You lost the moment you threatened my family," Ye Xiaotian said softly. "Now… suffer."

He tightened the chain, and Yuan Zhao screamed in pain.

Meanwhile… on the other side.

Qin Lian clashed with Yuan Ming, their swords colliding in bursts of energy. But she couldn't help glancing at Ye Xiaotian.

Who is he? she wondered. How can a foundation realm boy be this powerful?

As she blocked another attack, a small smile formed on her lips.

"Maybe… just maybe… we have a chance."

End of Chapter 8