Chapter 28: The Hei Clan's Alliance
The streets of Dawnriver City were a bustling tapestry of life, the cobblestones worn smooth by countless feet, the air filled with the aroma of street vendors' spices and the faint hum of qi from passing cultivators. Yet, beneath this surface, a darker plot unfolded. In a shadowed alley, Hei Long met a Bloodshade Abyss elder—a gaunt man with a 7th Layer Qi Transformation aura, his crimson robes adorned with black runes, his eyes glinting with ambition. "The boy's blood arts threaten us," Hei Long growled, his 7th Layer aura a dark storm. "We ally to seize the Scriptures." The elder nodded, and they dispatched a 6th Layer Qi Transformation team—three cultivators, their qi blades crackling with curse-infused energy.
Lin Xuan sensed the threat, his crimson eyes narrowing as he stood in the inn's courtyard, the Celestial Unity Crest pulsing a warning. "Junior Sister, Liu Yang, prepare," he called, his voice cutting through the morning stillness. Liu Yue emerged, her raven hair tied back, her sapphire robes shimmering, her moonlight eyes meeting his with trust. Liu Yang followed, his crystalline blood armor glinting, his young face set with resolve. Lin Xuan activated Abyssal Lotus Step, intercepting the team on the street as they lunged, a qi storm tearing toward him.
The fight erupted with a clash— the leader's qi blade slashed, its edge aimed at his chest. Lin Xuan dodged with Celestial Glide, the blade grazing his arm, a sharp sting flaring. Crimson Lance Burst, crystallized blood spikes erupting, piercing the leader's shoulder, drawing a grunt. The elder retaliated with a qi wave, the cobblestones cracking, but Lin Xuan's Vein Fortress Body absorbed the blow, his blood armor glowing red. Liu Yue's Icy Skin froze the air, her icy spikes clashing with a disciple's attack, slowing him. Liu Yang's blood sword cut another's leg, a crimson arc spraying blood, their rings sparking with red lightning, deepening their bond.
Lin Xuan pressed forward, Starlit Void Fist striking a disciple's chest, the celestial punch shattering his guard, followed by Internal Fracture Wave, the shockwave repelling the second. The leader roared, unleashing a final qi storm, but Lin Xuan's Abyssal Lotus Step wove through, Crimson Lance Burst embedding spikes in his thigh. The team retreated, their curses fading, and Lin Xuan devoured their residual qi, breaking to the 4th Layer Qi Transformation, his aura surging. "They'll return," he warned, the Crest pulsing.
That night, he refined a pill, the silver-blue flame casting shadows as he unlocked the basics of the Blood Crystal Core Phase, his heart pulsating with crystal power. Liu Yue's moonlight eyes shone with pride, Liu Yang's resolve mirroring his own, the courtyard a silent witness to their growing strength.