Volume - 3rd — Tournament of Rising Dragons.
The western forest stretched endlessly beneath the evening sky.
Ancient trees whispered in the wind.
Sunlight filtered through thick leaves in broken streams of gold.
Lin Shuan moved swiftly through the woodland, his white robes fluttering lightly, footsteps almost soundless.
Longshe rested hidden inside his sleeve today, only his tiny golden eyes occasionally peeking out.
Since leaving Blackwood Forest, Lin Shuan had traveled without stopping, eager to reach Da Cang Empire before the Empire Warriors Tournament began.
His heart—though calm outwardly—
was restless.
Memories of the empire kept returning.
Old rivals.
Old humiliation.
Old promises.
And—
friends waiting.
He exhaled.
"Soon…"
Then—
rustle.
A blur shot past him.
Fast.
Very fast.
Lin Shuan's eyes narrowed.
A girl.
About his age.
Fifteen.
Purple robes torn from travel.
Hair disheveled.
Breathing in panic.
She rushed past him so quickly he almost collided with her.
Lin Shuan instinctively halted.
The girl didn't even notice him.
She was fleeing for her life.
Moments later—
eight figures burst through the trees.
Armed warriors.
All radiating Energy Core pressure.
Their killing intent disturbed the air.
Lin Shuan's eyes sharpened.
Four-star.
Five-star.
And one stronger.
Seven-star.
Their leader.
A cold-faced youth with snake-like eyes.
Yin Jing.
Lin Shuan had no wish to interfere.
He stepped aside and continued forward.
Not his business.
Not every conflict required entering.
But then—
behind him—
a cry tore through the forest.
The girl had stumbled.
Collapsed to the ground.
The warriors surrounded her.
She clawed backward desperately.
And then she saw Lin Shuan walking away.
Her voice broke as she cried—
"Bhai…!"
"Mujhe bachao…!"
Save me.
Those words—
struck like thunder.
Lin Shuan froze.
Everything went silent.
Wind stopped.
Forest disappeared.
Only those words echoed—
Save me…
Save me…
And suddenly—
memory.
A riverbank.
Childhood sunlight.
A little girl in white robes.
Laughing.
Running beside him.
Lin Yun.
Then—
water.
A splash.
Tiny frightened hands reaching.
Her terrified voice—
"Lin Shuan… mujhe bachao—!"
His pupils shook.
His breathing stopped.
"Lin… Yun…"
Pain buried for years rose again.
For one moment—
he was not a warrior.
Only a boy who failed to save someone.
His fists clenched.
Slowly—
he turned.
Yin Jing sneered.
"Well."
"Another fool."
He looked Lin Shuan up and down.
A lone youth.
Travel-worn.
No visible clan mark.
He laughed.
"Leave."
"This doesn't concern you."
The girl—Zi Xianyi—reached toward Lin Shuan weakly.
Her lips trembling.
"Please…"
Something inside him settled.
Cold.
Sharp.
Resolved.
Lin Shuan stepped forward.
Quietly said—
"She stays."
The eight men burst into laughter.
One warrior spat.
"Who do you think you are?"
Another sneered—
"A hero?"
Yin Jing's smile turned cruel.
"Boy."
"Walk away and live."
Lin Shuan looked at him calmly.
"No."
Silence.
Then Yin Jing's face darkened.
"Kill him."
Seven moved instantly.
Steel flashed.
Energy surged.
The forest exploded into battle.
But—
CRACK.
Thunder erupted.
Lin Shuan vanished.
The attackers froze.
Where—
did he go?
One man turned—
too late.
A cold whisper behind him.
"Too slow."
FLASH.
Frost Halberd appeared in Lin Shuan's grasp.
A crescent of icy light.
SHHK—
Head fell.
Blood froze before touching ground.
First death.
Before the corpse dropped—
Lin Shuan vanished again.
CRACK.
Lightning Immortal Path.
Invisible.
Untraceable.
A second warrior screamed—
too late.
Frost halberd pierced chest.
Second kill.
The others panicked.
"What is this speed?!"
"I can't see him!"
"Where is he?!"
Lin Shuan became thunder among trees.
Not a human.
A storm.
Third kill.
Fourth.
Bodies dropped before reacting.
Frozen wounds gleamed silver.
Zi Xianyi stared in disbelief.
Her savior—
was terrifying.
Yin Jing's expression changed.
Fear.
Real fear.
"This…"
"This movement…"
He barely sensed traces.
Only because he was Seven-Star.
Then—
three subordinates attacked together.
Trying to trap Lin Shuan.
Good coordination.
Against ordinary cultivators.
Meaningless here.
Lin Shuan whispered—
"Flash Crossing."
BOOM.
Three thunder shadows split apart.
He moved between them.
Faster than thought.
Frost Halberd danced.
Three arcs.
Three deaths.
Bodies collapsed.
Seven dead.
Almost instantly.
Silence.
Only wind.
Only dripping blood.
Yin Jing stumbled back.
Impossible.
Seven Energy Core warriors…
slaughtered.
By one boy.
Lin Shuan stood still now.
Halberd humming with frost.
Eyes cold.
White frost-light flickered in them.
Yin Jing felt death.
Real death.
He forced himself steady.
"You…"
"Who are you?"
Lin Shuan answered—
"Someone you should not have met."
Yin Jing roared.
Seven-Star aura exploded.
Dark energy surged.
A black spear formed.
He attacked.
Fast.
Much stronger than the others.
Lin Shuan finally moved seriously.
Halberd collided with spear—
BOOM.
Shockwave shattered trees.
Yin Jing's pupils contracted.
His arms trembled.
Monster strength.
He retreated instantly.
Stabbed again.
Again.
Trying desperately.
Lin Shuan blocked effortlessly.
Then vanished.
Yin Jing barely sensed him appear at his side.
Cold halberd at his throat.
Death.
So close.
Sweat flooded his back.
Lin Shuan's voice was icy.
"Who sent you?"
Yin Jing gritted teeth.
Said nothing.
Then suddenly exploded backward using escape technique.
Smoke burst.
Illusion clones.
Lin Shuan almost pursued—
then—
a soft collapse.
He turned.
Zi Xianyi.
She had fainted.
Fallen into leaves.
Pale.
Breathing weakly.
Lin Shuan frowned.
Yin Jing used that instant.
Turned and fled into darkness.
Lin Shuan watched.
Could chase.
Kill him.
Take his energy crystal.
End loose ends.
But—
he looked at the unconscious girl.
And chose.
He lowered halberd.
"Lucky."
He crouched beside the dead warriors first.
Battle instincts unchanged.
One by one—
he extracted their energy crystals.
Seven glowing cores.
Stored them.
Nothing wasted.
Then returned to Zi Xianyi.
Longshe slid from his sleeve.
Hissed at the girl suspiciously.
Lin Shuan sighed.
"She isn't enemy."
Longshe still looked offended.
As if asking why humans were always troublesome.
Lin Shuan knelt beside her.
She was lighter than expected.
Small.
Fragile.
Not a warrior now.
Only exhausted.
Her pulse weak.
Poison traces?
No.
Overexertion.
Fear.
Injury.
He supported her shoulders.
Used Luo essence to stabilize her breathing.
Soft frost energy cooled fever on her skin.
Her brows relaxed slightly.
Unconscious—
she whispered faintly—
"…Don't let them take me…"
Lin Shuan's expression changed.
Something protective stirred.
He looked toward where Yin Jing escaped.
Eyes darkening.
"Next time…"
"…you die."
Pendant glowed faintly.
Tian Wuchen's voice came in his mind.
"You spared the stronger one."
Lin Shuan answered inwardly—
"She would've died."
A pause.
Then—
"…Correct choice."
Rare approval.
Lin Shuan almost smiled.
Tian Wuchen added—
"But that seven-star will return."
"Probably with worse company."
Lin Shuan looked grim.
"I know."
Longshe suddenly lifted his head.
Hissed toward the darkness.
Still alert.
Tian Wuchen's tone lowered.
"This girl…"
"She may carry trouble."
Lin Shuan looked at unconscious Zi Xianyi.
Then answered simply—
"So did I."
Silence.
Even Tian Wuchen did not reply at once.
Finally—
"…Fair."
Night had begun descending.
Purple twilight spread through trees.
Lin Shuan carried Zi Xianyi to a clearing beside a stream.
Built a small fire.
Laid her against folded cloak.
Longshe coiled beside her suspiciously like a golden guard.
Occasionally poking her cheek.
Lin Shuan sat opposite the flames.
Watching sparks rise.
Mind restless.
Lin Yun's voice still echoed.
Save me.
He looked at his hands.
How many years had he blamed himself?
Maybe—
today—
he had answered that old cry.
A little.
The girl stirred weakly.
But did not wake.
Lin Shuan adjusted blanket over her.
Then looked into fire.
Quiet.
Thoughtful.
Tian Wuchen finally spoke again.
"You killed seven human opponents cleanly."
"Your battle comprehension has matured."
Lin Shuan smirked faintly.
"Master…"
"Was that praise again?"
"…Do not become arrogant."
There it was.
He almost laughed.
Then his face darkened.
"Who wants her captured?"
Tian Wuchen answered—
"That…"
"…we may soon discover."
Wind moved through trees.
Somewhere wolves howled.
But none dared approach.
Longshe's presence saw to that.
Lin Shuan looked at the unconscious girl.
A stranger.
Yet fate had placed her in his path.
Maybe accident.
Maybe not.
He had learned—
nothing around him was ever simple.
And somewhere far away—
Yin Jing ran through darkness bleeding and terrified.
His mind full of only one thought—
That boy…
what monster was that?
And deeper in shadow—
someone awaited his report.
Someone whose interest in Zi Xianyi…
was far from innocent.
The fire crackled.
Night deepened.
Lin Shuan sat guard beside the unconscious girl.
Unaware—
this chance encounter
would become the beginning
of a bond
and a storm
far greater than the tournament ahead.
And above them—
moonlight touched frost still lingering on Lin Shuan's halberd.
Cold.
Silent.
Waiting.
To be continued…