Wang Yan's gaze remained steady as he rested a hand on the hilt of his sword. "It was a domain," he said simply. "And this… this is what I gained after my sword evolved."
Zhao Qing and Chen Yu exchanged glances, hesitant, as if not fully grasping the weight of his words. "Evolved…?" Liu Ming finally asked, his voice low, tinged with disbelief.
Wang Yan nodded. "Yes. The energy from the beast core—absorbed directly by my sword—triggered its evolution. My sword itself changed, becoming sharper, heavier in presence, more dominating. The markings near the base—the scorpion-tail linings and the tiger's roar—are the result of that absorption. And it didn't just change the sword…"
He paused, letting the gravity settle. "When my martial soul first awakened, my innate soul level was three. Now, after absorbing the seventh soul ring and the beast core, if measured, it reaches peak seven."
Chen Yu's jaw tightened, and Zhao Qing's eyes widened slightly. Even Liu Ming's usually calm face showed traces of astonishment.
Liu Ming finally whispered, almost to himself, "Peak seven… and a domain… this is beyond anything we've seen."
Wang Yan said, "calling it simply an Iron Sword doesn't feel right anymore."
He glanced at his hand, where the sword had appeared moments earlier.
"From now on," he said calmly, "I'll call it the Demon Roaring Sword."
This time, none of them questioned the name.
After a brief discussion, they left for Tian Dou City.
Reaching the edge of the city, Wang Yan decided it was time to move secretly, unseen by anyone, as Blood Scale Clan spies were likely watching.
The three friends continued openly, while Wang Yan slipped away quietly, keeping to the shadows.
After some time, he reunited with them at the Iron Guard base.
After reuniting at the Iron Guard base, the next day, Liu Ming and Chen Yu returned to the Lingyun City branch, leaving Wang Yan and Zhao Qing to continue operations in Tiandou City. Wang Yan, disguised as a standard Iron Guard with his face hidden beneath a mask, moved quietly among the guards. Only Zhao Qing knew his true identity, and together they ensured that all operations and missions of the Tiandou City Iron Guard branch ran efficiently.
Over the months, Wang Yan and Zhao Qing completed a series of small-scale missions. These tasks required careful coordination, vigilance, and subtle observation. Wang Yan worked in the background, ensuring smooth execution while keeping his presence hidden from both allies and outsiders.
Every evening, without fail, Wang Yan would quietly enter the academy where Tang Yuehua resided. Avoiding the watchful eyes of her two protectors, he would lift her into his arms like a princess, and together they would move to their secluded meeting spot: an open area with a single sturdy tree at the center, surrounded by flowering shrubs. Here, away from the city and the Iron Guard base, they spent their evenings in private, uninterrupted, and secure moments.
By the end of the year, Tiandou City had grown in importance. Its Iron Guard branch had become the main hub for regional operations. Liu Ming, Chen Yu, and Shuo linger relocated to Tiandou City, further consolidating the branch's strength. The base expanded its reach, coordinating missions across the city and supporting surrounding operations.
During this year, the rising influence of the Iron Guard did not go unnoticed. Several powerful mercenary factions and logistical groups, some with extensive networks and significant influence, began to feel pressure. The Iron Guard's growing presence, efficiency, and discipline directly threatened their operations. Even the largest and most influential of these groups could not ignore the Iron Guard's rise, recognizing that the branch's increasing strength was now a force that demanded respect and caution.
.....
The evening breeze was gentle.
Beneath the lone tree outside Tiandao City, flowers swayed softly, their faint fragrance lingering in the air. Wang Yan leaned against the trunk while Tang Yuehua rested quietly in his embrace. Her head lay against his chest, listening to his steady heartbeat. Neither spoke. This secluded place, this single tree surrounded by flowers, had long become their silent meeting ground.
At the same time, inside the academy within the city, a man in his fifties stepped through the gates.
His appearance was unremarkable at first glance, yet his presence carried a natural sense of authority. The two protectors stationed there straightened immediately.
"Greetings, Chief."
His eyes swept across the courtyard. "Where is Yuehua?"
The protectors exchanged a glance. "She should be inside the academy. We will inform her at once."
They turned and went inside.
Moments passed.
Then longer.
When the two protectors returned, their expressions had changed completely.
"Chief… she is not inside," one of them said, voice tense. "Her room is empty. She is not anywhere within the academy."
The man's gaze hardened.
"Not inside?" he said slowly. "She vanished without alerting you? She is not even a Soul Master. What exactly were you doing?"
A faint pressure leaked out, making the protectors' breathing grow heavy.
"Find her," he said coldly. "Immediately."
Before another word could be spoken, his figure blurred and disappeared from the academy.
Outside Tian Dou city.
Wang Yan and Tang Yuehua were sitting beneath the tree, Yuehua lying comfortably against Wang Yan's chest. His arm rested around her, loose but secure, while she leaned into him as if it was the most natural place in the world.
"You're quiet again," she said softly.
He looked down at her, a little surprised. "Am I?"
"Yes," she replied lightly. "Whenever you get like this, it means you're thinking about something."
He was silent for a moment, then gave a small smile. "I guess I am."
She tilted her head back slightly to look at him. "Then tell me."
He shook his head. "It's not important. It'll only make you tense."
She studied his expression. "And if I still want to know?"
He hesitated, then said quietly, "It's the kind of thing that might make you feel afraid."
She blinked, then laughed softly. "Afraid?"
"Yes," he said, half-serious now. "Afraid."
She turned fully toward him, her expression steady. "I wouldn't be."
He looked at her for a long moment, then asked in a lighter tone, "You're saying you're not afraid of anything?"
She smiled. "Not of what matters."
His lips curved slightly. "Not even of me?"
She didn't answer immediately—only reached up and tugged lightly at his collar. "No."
That answer lingered between them.
Wang Yan shifted and lifted her gently, settling her onto his lap. Yuehua instinctively leaned into him, her arms resting against his shoulders, her body closer now, higher than before. She looked down at him, their faces only inches apart.
He tightened his hold around her waist. "Still not afraid?" he asked quietly.
She shook her head. "No."
He leaned forward and pressed a soft kiss to her forehead, lingering there before resting his own forehead against hers.
"Not even now?" he murmured.
Her breath brushed his lips as she replied, "No."
Wang Yan smiled faintly. He drew her closer, his hand steady at her waist, and leaned in.
Their lips met gently—no rush, no force—just a quiet, lingering touch, as if the moment itself had finally caught up to them.
For that brief instant, nothing else existed.
End of chapter.