The morning sky was bruised with violet and gold, the sun barely piercing the heavy clouds. Word had spread through the Nine Flames Heavenly Clan: Ye Tianxing had arrived.
Disciples lined the courtyards, whispers sharp as blades. The prodigy who had humiliated the Heaven's Chosen three days prior now faced the very figure destined to overshadow him. Fear, excitement, and anticipation rippled through every heart.
At the central plaza, the patriarch rose, his expression grave. "Let this meeting be without blood… if possible," he said, though his words carried the weight of uncertainty.
Feng Xuanlong stepped forward, black flames coiling like serpents along his sleeves. His crimson eyes scanned the horizon, noting every detail: the wind, the dust, the faint glimmer of fate threads stretching from Ye Tianxing toward the clan.
The Villain System whispered:
[Alert: Heaven's Chosen detected. Danger level extreme. Recommended strategy: Combine Core Formation mastery with Dao-Plundering Chains for maximum disruption.]
Xuanlong's lips curved. "Let him come. I am ready."
A golden streak tore across the sky. The light grew, radiating warmth and authority, until it solidified into a youth clad in white robes, his aura blinding. Ye Tianxing landed lightly at the plaza's center, his eyes scanning the crowd, finally settling on Feng Xuanlong.
"Feng Xuanlong," he said, voice resonant, every word like thunder, "you dare humiliate Heaven's Chosen and devour my protégés? Do you wish to court death?"
Xuanlong's crimson gaze met his golden light. "Death is for those bound by fate. I am no one's stepping stone."
The disciples shivered. The air itself seemed to hold its breath.
Without warning, Ye Tianxing's aura flared. Golden light erupted, weaving around him like threads of divine law. The very ground shook as his cultivation surged, rivaling the Core Formation mastery Xuanlong had honed over the past days.
Xuanlong smiled faintly. "Finally, a challenge worthy of attention."
He flicked his wrist. Black chains burst forth from his shadow, writhing like living serpents, seeking the threads of Ye Tianxing's Dao.
Ye Tianxing's eyes widened. "Heretical! That technique—how dare you!"
The chains coiled around his golden spear, siphoning not his physical strength, but the Dao threads that guided his attacks. His strikes slowed, their brilliance dimming under the weight of Xuanlong's abyssal hunger.
[Dao-Plundering Chains active: Partial absorption of sword Dao in progress.]
The clash began. Golden light against black flames, Heaven's will versus abyssal defiance. Sparks and qi shattered the plaza's stones, sending shards flying. Disciples fled to the edges, unable to bear the shockwaves.
Xuanlong did not strike recklessly. Each movement, each feint, was calculated. His Core Formation mastery allowed him to predict Ye Tianxing's attacks, while the Dao-Plundering Chains subtly drained his techniques, turning his own cultivation against him.
"You rely too much on Heaven's favor," Xuanlong murmured, voice low, almost a purr. "Let me show you the taste of a villain unbound."
He extended his palm, black flames spiraling upward. The chains lashed at Ye Tianxing's spear, draining more of its Dao, bending the golden aura into tendrils of black qi.
Ye Tianxing staggered, shock flashing across his face. "Impossible… My Dao… How—"
"Yield?" Xuanlong's crimson eyes glimmered. "I do not ask. I take."
A sudden movement—Ye Tianxing lunged, spear slicing through the chains with blinding speed. The golden aura flared, overwhelming the black flames. But Xuanlong anticipated this. With a flick of his wrist, the chains split and wrapped around Ye Tianxing's arms and torso, siphoning even more of his Dao.
The golden threads in the sky trembled violently. Fragments of Ye Tianxing's fate twisted, weakening him subtly but perceptibly.
[Dao-Plundering Chains: Full absorption operational. Sword Dao partially stolen. +1,500 VP.]
The battle raged for minutes that felt like hours. Each strike sent tremors through the plaza. Xuanlong's black flames met golden light, his abyssal chains tangling with divine spear strikes. Yet with each passing second, Ye Tianxing's brilliance dimmed just enough, the advantage slowly tilting toward Xuanlong.
Finally, Xuanlong raised his palm, summoning the Heaven-Swallowing Palm once more. The air thickened, the clouds above twisting into darkness. The colossal shadow descended, blotting out the sun, blotting out hope.
Ye Tianxing roared, trying to push back, but even his Heaven-granted aura struggled against the devouring shadow.
"Yield, or be consumed!" Xuanlong's voice echoed across the plaza, cold and terrifying.
At that moment, the system chimed:
[Quest Update: Humiliate Heaven's Chosen before the clan. Reward: 2,500 VP + unlock Tribulation Devourer mastery.]
Xuanlong's smile deepened. This was no longer a duel. This was the first truly decisive battle of his villainous path.
He could feel Ye Tianxing's desperation, his reliance on Heaven's favor, his overconfidence in destiny. With a subtle gesture, the chains coiled tighter, siphoning not only the sword Dao but fragments of Ye Tianxing's physical prowess.
The golden aura flickered, threatening to collapse. Disciples and elders gasped—this was no ordinary clash. The heavens themselves seemed to pause, watching a villain who dared challenge a Chosen One.
Finally, Ye Tianxing stumbled, his golden spear barely held upright. Sweat and blood streaked his face. "You… you cannot…" he gasped, voice strained with both fury and disbelief.
"I already have," Xuanlong replied simply. Crimson eyes blazing, black flames spiraling around him.
He did not deliver the killing blow—not yet. Instead, he stepped back, letting Ye Tianxing struggle to his knees. Pride intact but body weakened. A warning, a demonstration, a first taste of the Heaven-Devouring Villain's mercy and malice intertwined.
The system confirmed:
[Quest Complete: Ye Tianxing humbled. Reward: 2,500 VP.][New Technique Unlocked: Tribulation Devourer—usable against Heaven's Chosen.]
Xuanlong's laughter echoed across the plaza, dark and triumphant.
The clan's elders, pale and shaken, finally found their voices. "He… he has bested a Heaven's Chosen in open combat!" one whispered.
The disciples trembled, and some fell to their knees in awe. Yan Ruyan's eyes followed him, a mixture of fear and admiration in her gaze. She had seen his power firsthand, and it both terrified and captivated her.
High above, faint golden threads quivered in the sky, fragments of fate recoiling from Xuanlong's abyssal hunger. The storm had only just begun.
And Feng Xuanlong, the Heaven-Devouring Villain, had made it clear: he would devour fate itself before he bowed to Heaven.