Chapter 108: The Fall of Peace
The Liu Clan had flourished for six years,
a hidden sanctuary nestled within the Crimson Forest,
the air rich with the sweet scent of blooming gardens
and the gentle rustle of leaves stirred by a soft breeze,
the morning light filtering through paper windows adorned with simple carvings.
The clan's wooden homes stood sturdy and warm,
filled with the laughter of children and the hum of daily life.
Lin Xuan, now seventeen, had reached the 1st Layer of Qi Gathering,
his crimson eyes glowing with a quiet pride as he practiced a steady stance,
his lean frame moving with confidence in the training grounds at dawn,
the grass beneath his feet damp with morning dew.
"A step forward at last," he murmured to himself,
wiping sweat from his brow with a faint smile,
the wooden dummy before him bearing the marks of his persistent effort.
Yet the peace that had settled over the clan felt tenuous,
shaken one fateful evening when Liu Ren vanished without a trace,
leaving behind a void that echoed through the halls.
Lin Xuan sat with Luo Shuang in the main hall,
the fire crackling softly in the hearth, casting a warm glow,
his voice cracking with a mix of fear and confusion as he asked,
"Martial Mother… where did Ren go?
He was here yesterday, guiding me—
now he's just… gone."
Luo Shuang's eyes welled up, her hands twisting a cloth nervously,
her voice trembling as she tried to offer comfort, her silver hair catching the firelight.
"I don't know, Xuan'er.
He's done this before—chasing something, or fleeing it.
He'll return… I have to believe that."
Her words hung heavy, a fragile hope against the uncertainty,
and Lin Xuan nodded, though his heart sank,
the loss of his mentor stirring doubts he struggled to suppress.
A month passed, the air carrying the fresh scent of timber and the faint crackle of a small fire,
when the Zhi Clan elders—once allies—turned with cold precision.
Flames erupted with a roaring boom,
engulfing the wooden structures in a blaze that turned the sky a violent orange,
the air filling with the acrid stench of smoke and the screams of the defenseless,
the homes collapsing under the onslaught with a shuddering crash.
Lin Xuan, fought with desperate fury,
his body moving on instinct as he faced the treacherous elders,
his strength surging as he confronted two of them,
his eyes turning black with a faint green glow as he lost Consciousness.
With a raw burst of power, he struck them down,
their bodies falling with a heavy thud, blood staining his hands,
his breaths ragged with effort and rage as he shouted,
"Stay away from my family!"
Liu Yue, her raven hair dusted with ash,
clung to his side, her tearful glance piercing his resolve at sixteen years old,
her voice a frightened whimper as she pleaded,
"Brother Lin, they're hurting us—please stop them!"
But the effort took its toll, his wounds multiplying—
a gash across his chest, a bruised rib, blood trickling down his face—
and his vision blurred, his body giving out as he collapsed with a heavy thud.
The last thing he saw was Liu Yue's tear-streaked face,
her voice fading into a distant echo,
"Don't go, Brother… don't leave!"
but in the present, The memory faded, the pain of that day as fresh as the scars on his body,
Lin Xuan sat in his room,
his eyes black with a faint white glow,
his resolve hardening like forged iron as he surveyed the quiet hall.
He pushed himself up, wincing at the phantom pain from the memory,
his voice a determined whisper as he stood tall.
"I'll protect them now.
That boy is gone—I'm stronger, and I'll make sure no one touches this family again."
Luo Shuang entered the hall, her face pale with the lingering worry of past losses,
her hands shaking as she carried a tray of tea, her silver hair disheveled from a sleepless night.
"Xuan'er, you're up early.
Are you all right? You seem distant,"
she said, her voice soft with maternal concern,
setting the tray down with a gentle clink.
Lin Xuan nodded, his voice steady as he helped her with the tray.
"I'm fine, Martial Mother.
Just… remembering some things."
Liu Yue, her raven hair tied back, joined them.
"Senior Brother Lin, you look like you've seen a ghost.
What's wrong? Can I help?"
she asked, her voice a mix of curiosity and worry,
plopping down beside him with a small smile.
Lin Xuan said, his tone lightening.
"Nothing, Junior Sister.
Let's focus on rebuilding—we've done it before."
Luo Shuang smiled faintly, her voice warm.
"You've always been our strength, Xuan'er.
We'll stand with you—together."
The family rallied, the air growing heavy with the scent of smoke and a shared determination,
The night deepened, the ruins a somber backdrop,
the family's unity a flickering light against the darkness,
his promise to protect a silent oath as the stars wheeled overhead.