Chapter 14: A Dance with Death

As Tianming stepped out of the grand auction hall, the cool night air brushed against his masked face. The bustling streets outside had thinned, but the weight of many gazes still lingered upon him. The mysterious black-robed alchemist—the title would surely spread after tonight's events.

Qin Xuan stood at the entrance, watching him leave with an unreadable expression. The elegant red silk of her dress fluttered slightly in the wind as she took a step forward.

"You are quite the enigmatic man," she said softly, her voice carrying a trace of amusement.

Tianming turned slightly but did not stop walking. "And you are quite the intriguing host."

She chuckled. "If you ever wish to sell more pills… the doors of the Hundred Treasures Pavilion will always remain open to you."

Tianming simply nodded and continued walking.

As soon as his figure disappeared into the distance, Qin Xuan's playful expression vanished. Her eyes darkened as a man clad in pristine white robes with golden dragon patterns on the edges silently appeared beside her.

The presence of a White Scaled Guard—the elite force of the Pavilion—was enough to make anyone tense. His voice was low and precise.

"Young Master Tang Zijie plans to ambush him."

A cold glint flashed through her eyes.

"How foolish," she muttered. Then, in a sharp and commanding tone, she ordered, "Dispatch the White Scaled Guards. Follow him. Do not let anything happen to him."

The guard hesitated for a brief moment. "Are we… to intervene directly?"

Qin Xuan's gaze turned icy. "Only if necessary. Let's not make an enemy of the Tang Family yet. But we cannot allow a man like that to die here."

With a respectful bow, the White Scaled Guard vanished into the shadows, leading a small team to follow Tianming discreetly.

---

Tianming walked at a steady pace, his spiritual sense subtly extended. He was used to the feeling of being watched, but tonight, something felt different—there was a dangerous air hanging over him.

Moments later, a voice rang out from behind.

"Hold it right there!"

Tianming halted, glancing over his shoulder.

Tang Zijie.

The young master stood under the dim glow of a street lantern, his expression dark with rage. His usual arrogance was twisted with malice, and beside him stood two figures clad in black assassin robes with eerie crow masks.

"You really don't know when to stop, do you?" Tianming said, his voice calm but mocking.

Tang Zijie clenched his fists. "You humiliated me in the auction hall. You took what was mine. And now… you think you can walk away unscathed?"

Tianming chuckled. "I didn't take anything that belonged to you. You simply weren't capable of keeping it."

Tang Zijie's face twisted in fury. "Kill him!"

The two masked assassins vanished in a blur of shadows.

Tianming's spiritual sense flared, and before the assassins could even reach him, he stepped aside effortlessly, dodging a dagger strike that would have pierced his throat.

The assassins were fast—almost invisible in the night—but to Tianming, it was as if they were moving through water.

A sharp blade aimed for his ribs—he tilted slightly, letting it pass harmlessly through the air.

A second assassin struck at his legs—Tianming stepped onto the attacker's arm, lightly vaulting over him before landing gracefully like a feather.

To the onlookers, it wasn't even a fight.

The White Scaled Guards watching from the shadows were stunned.

"He's… playing with them?" one of them whispered.

"This level of movement… this precision… is he really a mere alchemist?"

Tang Zijie gritted his teeth. "Useless! He's just one man!"

One of the assassins suddenly paused. Then, without warning, he tilted his head back and spat out a tiny, nearly imperceptible black dagger—aimed directly for Tianming's heart.

The speed was terrifying.

For the first time, Tianming was caught off guard.

His instincts screamed at him. Dodge!

But instead of dodging, he did something that stunned everyone present.

His body shifted like flowing water, arms moving with an unnatural grace. His fingers brushed against the blade, guiding it, twisting its path—redirecting it with an elegance that seemed almost divine.

The tiny dagger shot back with even greater speed—straight at Tang Zijie!

The young master's eyes widened in horror.

He barely had time to react before a dark figure suddenly appeared in front of him.

A hand, wrapped in serpent-like veins, caught the blade effortlessly.

The moment Tang Zijie saw who it was, his face drained of all color.

"E-Elder…!"

The figure wore deep purple and black robes, his frame thin yet exuding an aura of unfathomable danger. His eyes were slitted like a snake's, glimmering with a venomous gold hue. His mere presence sent chills through everyone present.

Tang Zijie swallowed hard and bowed immediately. "T-Thank you, Elder."

The Second Elder of the Tang Family branch narrowed his venomous gaze at Tianming.

"You have some skill," he murmured, his voice slithering like a serpent's hiss. "But skill alone is meaningless in the face of true power."

The air suddenly grew heavy.

A monstrous pressure spread out from the elder, crushing the very air.

The White Scaled Guards, still hidden in the shadows, felt their knees nearly buckle. Some even gasped for breath.

"Dammit… his aura is terrifying!"

It was like they were being stared down by a predator—a snake coiling around its prey, tightening ever so slowly.

Tianming clenched his fists.

His breathing grew heavier as the oppressive force bore down on him, yet… somehow, he remained standing. Barely.

A thin trail of blood seeped from the corner of his lips, hidden beneath his mask.

The elder smirked. "Still standing? Impressive. But tell me, boy, do you really think you can stand against me?"

At that moment—

A golden light erupted from within Tianming.

Deep in his Heaven Boundary Monument, something ancient awoke.

Golden scriptures shimmered.

An old, familiar power surged through him—the essence of the Aurora Silk Serpent's General.

A strange energy coiled around his body, and for a fleeting moment—

His arms turned white-scaled, hidden beneath his robes. His eyes transformed, gleaming with the unmistakable gaze of a dragon.

The oppressive aura that had suffocated the entire area—

Vanished.

And in its place…

An overwhelming, majestic, and terrifying pressure replaced it.

The Second Elder froze, his slitted pupils contracting sharply.

Tang Zijie?

He collapsed, foaming at the mouth.

The two assassins?

Their bodies seized up, eyes rolling back as they convulsed uncontrollably.

For the first time, the elder felt fear.

Qin Xuan, watching from the shadows, stared in utter shock.

"What… what kind of aura is this?" she whispered.

The White Scaled Guards, trembling, whispered amongst themselves.

"He's… he's an old monster!"

The elder tried to act calm, but even his voice wavered slightly.

"I see… You are no ordinary man," he said carefully. "Perhaps… we can come to an understanding."

He reached into his robes and tossed a large spirit stone pouch forward. "Seven thousand spirit stones. Consider this a token of goodwill."

Tianming remained silent, his dragon-like gaze piercing through the elder's soul.

And then—

He smirked.

"Scram."

The moment the word "Scram" left Tianming's lips, the oppressive silence in the street deepened.

The Second Elder of the Tang Family, a figure of immense power, found himself hesitating, his mind racing.

This aura… this terrifyingly ancient and supremely dominant aura—how was this possible? Even among the Tang Family elders, only the most formidable figures exuded such pressure. And yet, before him stood a mere alchemist, clad in black robes, releasing an aura that made him feel like he was being hunted instead of the hunter.

Even now, Tianming's aura had not fully faded.

The elder took a slow breath, his pride warring with his survival instincts.

But in the end, he chose to submit.

"Fine." His voice was calm yet restrained, a forced neutrality masking his shaken state. He waved his hand, and from within his sleeve, a small spatial ring shot toward Tianming.

"This is additional compensation. I trust you are satisfied?"

Tianming caught the ring between his fingers and scanned it briefly with his spiritual sense.

Inside lay a collection of rare spiritual herbs and alchemical treasures.

—Dragon-Blooded Ginseng.

—Starfire Essence Root.

—Nine Yin Serpent Flower.

—Void Shadow Leaf.

All were highly valuable ingredients used in pill refinement.

Tianming's eyes gleamed behind his mask. A true fortune.

He raised his gaze and spoke again, his tone carrying a slight condescension.

"Since you know how to act appropriately, I'll let this matter rest… for now."

The Second Elder narrowed his slitted eyes but did not retort. He had lost today.

Instead, his cold gaze flickered toward the still unconscious Tang Zijie and his two assassins. Without another word, he extended his sleeve, and a dark energy swirled around them.

In the next instant, their bodies vanished into thin air.

The elder gave Tianming one last glance, then disappeared into the shadows.

Only after he was gone did the suffocating tension in the air fade completely.

---

Qin Xuan stepped forward, her gaze sharp and filled with intrigue.

He turned slightly. "What is it?"

She studied him closely, her delicate fingers lightly tapping against her arm. The aura he just unleashed… it confirmed her suspicions.

"You really aren't what you seem," she murmured, a knowing glint in her eyes.

Tianming chuckled softly. "And neither are you."

Her lips curved into a smirk. "It seems we both have our secrets, then."

The White Scaled Guards behind her, still recovering from the shock of what had transpired, remained silent.

Qin Xuan stepped closer, her intoxicating fragrance mixing with the lingering energy in the air. "A man of your caliber… you should consider working with the Hundred Treasures Pavilion on a more formal basis."

Tianming shook his head. "I prefer my freedom."

She sighed, feigning disappointment. "A shame. But I won't give up so easily."

He turned to leave. "Then I'll be waiting to see what you come up with."

Qin Xuan smiled, watching his mysterious black-robed figure disappear into the streets.

'He is far too interesting to ignore,' she thought.

---

Tianming moved swiftly, his mind still processing everything.

Tonight had been… exhausting.

Physically and mentally, his body ached all over.

Suppressing the power of the Aurora Silk Serpent's General had taken a significant toll on him. His muscles trembled beneath his robes, his breathing heavier than usual.

Even now, his hands felt slightly numb from the sheer pressure he had endured from the Tang Elder.

'Just exuding a tiny portion of his aura… took this much out of me?'

A bitter chuckle escaped his lips. 'How terrifying was the actual Aurora Silk Serpent's General in his prime, then?'

He clenched his fists.

Tonight had shown him one undeniable truth—

He was still too weak.

If not for the inherited aura, if not for the fear it instilled, he would have been helpless before an actual powerhouse.

He needed more power.

Much more.

---

Finally reaching his temporary residence, Tianming pushed open the wooden doors and stepped inside.

The room was dimly lit by a single flickering candle. He locked the door behind him and let out a deep breath.

He pulled off his black mask, revealing his tired face. The edges of his lips were still stained with blood.

Sitting down cross-legged, he immediately entered a meditative state.

The battle earlier had drained him, and he needed to recover.

As he closed his eyes, the golden scriptures within the Heaven Boundary Monument began to glow faintly once more, circulating a strange energy through his veins.

Despite his exhaustion, a determined light flickered in his eyes.

Tonight was just the beginning.

If he wanted to survive in this cruel world…

If he wanted to stand above all others…

He needed to grow stronger.

And fast.