Chapter 9: Moonlight and Killing Intent

The night sky seemed to hold its breath.

Then—boom!

The sound of fireworks erupted, tearing through the darkness with brilliant bursts of light. Waves of color—green, purple, gold, and crimson—bloomed high above, painting giant flowers in the sky as if the entire universe were crafting a glowing masterpiece just for humankind.

Beside him, the moonlit girl tilted her head upward. Her violet eyes sparkled, reflecting the shimmering explosions. A soft breeze danced through her long silver hair, sending it fluttering like a flowing galaxy stirred by the thunderous sky. On her gentle face rested a small, serene smile—one that felt like she'd been waiting for this very moment all along.

But Hao Thien—he didn't look up.

His gaze never left her.

While the fireworks bloomed in brilliant flames overhead, while the crowd around them gasped and stared at the sky, Hao Thien quietly watched her—watching the curve of her face, the soft glow in her eyes, like they held an entire world within.

The fireworks lit up the heavens.

But to Hao Thien, the only light that mattered—was the one gently reflected in her eyes.

She kept her gaze lifted toward the fireworks, but after a moment, her violet eyes slowly drifted away from the sky and turned toward Hao Thien.

She tilted her head slightly, her voice soft as a breeze across still water:

"Aren't you going to look?"

Hao Thien paused for a heartbeat, his eyes never leaving her face.

"…I already am."

he said quietly, his voice low and calm—as if, in that moment, even the sound of fireworks faded beneath those words.

The girl let out a soft laugh, her voice like wind chimes in the night.

"You've been looking at me,"

she said, tilting her head slightly, her violet eyes gently blinking,

"not the fireworks."

Hao Thien didn't look away, his gaze steady and sincere.

"I am watching them… through your eyes,"

he replied softly.

"Because the brightest light—has already reflected in yours."

The moonlit girl tilted her head slightly. Her silver-purple hair caught the wind, glowing under the cascade of fireworks above. Her violet eyes, clear and deep like amethysts, turned toward Hao Thien with a playful glint:

"My eyes… are they really that beautiful?"

Hao Thien didn't answer right away. He just looked at her—for a long, still moment. As if trying to memorize the stars reflected in her gaze. The noise of the world faded behind them, leaving only the glow of firelight and moonlight on her face.

Then he nodded softly.

"…Yeah."

Just one word. Quiet, simple. But the look in his eyes—so honest, so calm—spoke more than any sentence ever could.

Just as Hao Thien's quiet "yeah" hung softly in the air, his gaze still locked with hers—

A sudden wave of killing intent sliced through the night like a blade of ice.

Whoosh!

A shadow appeared midair. Cloaked in black from head to toe, their face hidden behind a cold metallic mask, revealing nothing—no expression, no identity.

In the blink of an eye, the figure raised a hand, unleashing a razor-sharp strike of energy straight toward Hao Thien.

"Watch out—!"

He barely had time to react. The wind hissed past his ears, and for a moment… time seemed to stop.

Crack!

A sharp impact rang out. The deadly strike had been stopped—

With a single finger.

The moonlit girl still stood where she was, seemingly unmoved. One hand remained tucked behind her back, while her other hand was raised calmly before her—only her index finger touched the incoming attack.

Her white dress fluttered gently in the night breeze, hair of silver and lavender dancing under the moonlight. Her eyes—still calm, still serene—held not a trace of fear.

The masked figure froze midair. Their attack dissolved like smoke in the wind. They retreated slightly, eyes behind the mask narrowing in alarm.

Hao Thien stood still, heart pounding. He stared at the girl—

The one who had just blocked a fatal strike… with a single finger.

The figure in black barely had time to regain his footing when—

Whoosh!

The moonlit girl vanished from her spot.

No sound. No warning.

Only a gentle breeze remained, carrying with it a faint floral scent beneath the moonlit sky.

Then—thud!

A sudden strike from the side sent the masked man flying backward, his body spinning midair. He tried to stabilize himself, raising a hand to form a defensive barrier, but—

Crack!

She was already behind him.

A simple flick of her hand—light, effortless, like brushing away dust—slammed into the barrier, sending waves of force rippling through the air, distorting the space around it.

"Who… are you?"

he growled, his voice strained by shock and pain.

The girl didn't answer.

Her violet eyes, calm as a still lake beneath autumn moonlight, gazed at him as if he were nothing more than a meaningless object.

Swish!

She stepped lightly off the air itself, her graceful form gliding around him like a petal caught in the wind. Each strike that followed wasn't brutal or explosive—just simple touches, taps with a fingertip, a wrist, the hem of her dress.

But every touch landed like a bolt of lightning.

Boom!

A spinning kick from her slender legs sent him crashing through three thick tree trunks.

Snap!

The back of her hand grazed his chest—it sounded like a pat on the shoulder, yet hurled him like a meteor, far off course.

BOOM! BOOM!

Finally, after a storm of impact and dust, the masked man was sent flying into the side of a distant mountain. A deafening explosion tore through the cliffside, leaving a massive crater where rock and earth had once stood.

Hao Thien stood frozen in the grass.

Speechless.

That wasn't a fight. Not like any he'd ever witnessed.

And yet—

She stood there in the moonlight, unshaken, her silver hair fluttering gently, not a strand out of place.

As if the entire battle…

had simply been a delicate, elegant dance.

Hao Thien was still reeling from the brief but intense clash. He looked at the silver-haired girl calmly adjusting her sleeve, his eyes filled with both admiration and confusion.

"…You were that strong just now… May I ask, what is your current cultivation level?"

He asked hesitantly, his voice full of respect.

The girl turned to him, her violet eyes curving gently like a crescent moon as she smiled.

"Body Condensation… ninth stage."

"Body Condensation, ninth stage!?"

Hao Thien froze in disbelief. With the power she had just shown, he had assumed she was at a much higher level.

He immediately straightened up and bowed deeply.

"This junior apologizes for any offense. Greetings, senior!"

The girl blinked, momentarily surprised, then let out a soft, clear laugh—like morning breeze gliding over calm water.

"Senior? Do I look that old to you?"

She tilted her head slightly, half-teasing, her tone playful.

Hao Thien blushed, stepping back awkwardly.

"No… I just thought—"

"Don't call me senior anymore."

She gently shook her head and stepped closer. Her voice dropped to a soft whisper, light as mist:

"If you want… just call me by my name."

Hao Thien remained silent for a moment, then scratched his head lightly as if trying to compose himself. Though still overwhelmed by the power she had just displayed, the gentle look in her eyes made it impossible for him to stay tense.

"…My name is Hao Thien. Tran Hao Thien,"

he said, his voice low but sincere.

The girl smiled softly, nodding slightly. The moonlight reflected in her eyes, like silver ripples dancing on the surface of a quiet lake.

"I know,"

she tilted her head, her voice as soft as a passing breeze.

"And I'm… Hoang Da Nguyet."

That name rang out in the stillness of the night like a lingering note in a symphony of moonlight and stars. At that exact moment, the final firework burst in the sky—violet and silver crossing paths, as if to adorn the name and etch it forever into Hao Thien's memory.

The fireworks had faded, leaving only trails of shimmering light like scattered stardust in the night sky. The music of the festival softened, and the laughter gradually died down as the crowd began to disperse from the plaza.

In another corner of the festival, Luc Duong, Ta Tham, and Luc Diep were still searching through the narrow paths, their eyes scanning the chaotic flow of people.

"Still no sign of him,"

Ta Tham sighed, his voice laced with worry.

"He only said he was going to the restroom… What's taking him so long?"

"Could something have happened?"

Luc Duong frowned, his sharp gaze sweeping across unfamiliar faces around them.

"Stay calm. Let's split up and look. He couldn't have gone far."

Luc Diep said, his voice steady, though a flicker of concern showed in his eyes.

Just then, from a narrow alley on the right side of the plaza, a familiar figure in a black jacket slowly stepped out into view.

"Hao Thien!"

Ta Tham was the first to notice, immediately running over. Luc Duong and Luc Diep quickly followed.

"Where did you go? The fireworks are already over!"

Luc Diep asked, his tone a mix of mild scolding and obvious relief.

Hao Thien stopped in front of them, a trace of daze still lingering in his expression, as if the moment he had just experienced hadn't completely faded from his mind. He simply lowered his head and said in a quiet voice:

"…Sorry."

He didn't explain, nor did he look back. Instead, he walked forward in silence, blending into the thinning crowd around the plaza.

Ta Tham, Luc Duong, and Luc Diep exchanged glances, none of them speaking a word. But in each of their eyes, the same thought quietly surfaced:

Hao Thien had just been through something… unusual.

A dark mountain slope behind the academy – late night

Amid the silent mist of night, a limping figure emerged along the shadowy trail behind the academy. The man in black moved with heavy steps, his cloak torn and tattered, left shoulder visibly sunken as if it had taken a heavy blow.

He stopped behind a moss-covered rock, swiftly pulling a small, thin, pitch-black device from inside his robes. Faint glowing ancient symbols flickered on its surface. He pressed it lightly.

A violet ring of light hovered in the air, connecting immediately to a long-distance communication channel. A deep, cold voice crackled through:

"You failed, didn't you?"

The man in black lowered his head, voice tight with tension.

"I approached the target… but couldn't confirm whether he carries the Spirit Seal of the Ancient Realm."

"Why not?"

"A girl appeared—origin unknown. She blocked my attack with a single finger."

There was a pause on the other end. Then the voice grew sharper, colder:

"You were stopped… by a girl?"

"She's no ordinary person,"

he replied quickly, as if fearing the misunderstanding.

"She struck lightly, but the force was enough to launch me hundreds of meters. It felt like my body was being crushed from the inside out by pure spiritual pressure. If I hadn't reacted in time… I wouldn't be alive right now."

"Cultivation level?"

"She said… Body Tempering, ninth layer. But I don't believe it. My instincts tell me—she's much stronger than that."

The other end fell silent for a long moment, then asked slowly:

"The Spirit Seal of the Ancient Realm… did you sense anything?"

"Unclear. The spiritual energy around him is strange—like there's a seal or a barrier concealing something. Whatever it is, it's being locked away."

The voice turned grave:

"Don't act again. Continue observing. Await further orders."

"Understood."

The signal ended. The device disappeared back into his robes.

The man stood up straight, his gaze shifting toward the distant lights of the academy, still flickering faintly in the night. Behind the mask, his narrowed eyes gleamed coldly—like they could pierce through all the secrets hidden within Tran Hao Thien.