The air inside the cavern was thick with the oppressive scent of blood and despair. Dim red sigils pulsed faintly on the walls, their eerie glow casting grotesque shadows across the stone chamber. Hua Lianxin was dragged forward by the cultists, his once-pristine robes now drenched in blood and grime. Though his body swayed weakly, feigning defeat, his mind was razor-sharp, calculating every move, every breath.
As he was forced closer to the sacrificial altar, his gaze locked onto the black cage in the distance. Lin Changsheng—his brave partner—lay within, her figure battered and crumpled. Blood soaked her torn robes, her radiant presence reduced to a fragile flicker. Seeing her like this sparked a surge of rage in Hua Lianxin, an intensity he hadn't felt since the night his family was torn from him. The fire within him burned fiercer than ever, every fiber of his being yearning to protect her, to exact vengeance.
Her eyelids fluttered weakly. Struggling against her injuries, Lin Changsheng's eyes opened slowly, fixing on him with faint recognition. "Hua... is that you?" she whispered, her voice trembling, faint and broken. "Why did you come back?"
Hua Lianxin sank to his knees beside the cage, his trembling fingers brushing against the cold metal bars that separated them. His voice was steady, yet tinged with sorrow. "I came back because I promised I would. Because I couldn't leave you to suffer like this."
Lin Changsheng's lips curved into a weak, bittersweet smile. Tears glistened in her eyes as she murmured, "Fool... you can't defeat them. You'll die here..."
"I don't care," Hua Lianxin said firmly, his tone resolute. "I'll rescue you—no matter what it takes."
Her smile deepened, though her fragile voice was laced with despair. "You're really a fool... a hopeless fool," she whispered before her strength gave way, her eyes closing once more.
---
The silence was shattered as an authoritative voice echoed through the cavern, sharp and laced with malice. "Boy, you are truly brave to return here," Feng Zhaoyang's tone rang out like thunder, his presence commanding as he stepped forward. Draped in the dark robes of the Verdant Wood Sect, his every movement radiated arrogance. His gaze bore into Hua Lianxin, a cruel smirk tugging at his lips.
Hua Lianxin clenched his fists as his hatred for the elder burned like a forge. "Traitor," he growled, his voice trembling with fury. "You're nothing more than a coward, hiding behind the innocent lives you've destroyed."
Feng Zhaoyang chuckled darkly, the sound echoing through the cavern. "And yet here you are, groveling in defeat. Did you really think you could fool me—a Supreme Elder with centuries of experience?"
Hua Lianxin's lips curled into a defiant grin. "Centuries of experience? How laughable. You've spent centuries as nothing but a dog—gnawing on scraps tossed by the cult!" His words dripped with venom, his hatred shining through his trembling frame.
Feng Zhaoyang's smirk faded as his expression darkened, his pride wounded. "Enough of your insolence!" he roared, his voice booming. Turning to the cultists, he barked, "Sacrifice him first!"
The cultists obeyed instantly, dragging Hua Lianxin toward the blood well. He offered no resistance—this was exactly what he had planned. Lin Changsheng stirred weakly at the commotion, her voice breaking through the chaos.
"Hua! No!" she screamed, her voice trembling with anguish. Her body shook as she clutched the bars of her cage, tears streaming down her face. The raw emotion in her cry echoed in the cavern, piercing Hua Lianxin's heart.
Her plea was a dagger to his soul, but he forced himself to remain silent. His mind was focused, his resolve unwavering.
The cultists pushed him into the crimson pool, its surface glowing with an ominous light. As his body sank into the well, the cavern fell eerily silent. The blood rippled, as though disturbed by a storm brewing beneath its surface.
Feng Zhaoyang's smirk returned as he turned to the cult leader. "It is done. His death will ensure the seal remains intact."
---
But the seal did not remain intact.
An earth-shattering roar erupted from the blood well, shaking the cavern to its core. The ground quaked violently as the seal binding the **Demon Monster** shattered completely. Cultists stumbled and fell as an overwhelming aura of chaos filled the chamber.
The demon emerged from the pool, its massive frame towering over everyone in the cavern. Its claws glistened with the blood of sacrifices, its glowing red eyes radiating malevolence. The cultists froze in terror, their voices trembling as they screamed incoherently. The demon wasted no time, tearing through the cult members closest to it. Flesh and bone were shredded beneath its monstrous claws, leaving only carnage in its wake.
Lin Changsheng gasped as the demon turned its gaze toward her, its movements predatory and unrelenting. She closed her eyes, her trembling body slumping forward. She was ready to accept what she believed to be her inevitable end.
But the blow never came.
---
In a blur of motion, Hua Lianxin appeared, his arms wrapping around Lin Changsheng as he pulled her from the cage with incredible speed. His **10 Thousand Movement Technique** propelled them through the air, his movements too fast for the cultists—or the demon—to react.
Lin Changsheng stared at him, her teary eyes wide with disbelief. "You're alive," she whispered, her voice trembling. Her delicate lips curved into a faint smile, though her exhaustion was clear. "I... I thought you were gone."
Hua Lianxin didn't reply immediately. He landed inside a small cavern hidden from view, gently laying her down on the cold stone floor. His hands moved deftly as he pulled out herbs and salves, applying them to her wounds with precise care.
"Stay here," he said firmly, his tone leaving no room for argument. "You're safe now."
Lin Changsheng's eyes searched his face, her voice soft yet pleading. "Wait... where are you going? Hua, don't leave me..."
Hua Lianxin's gaze hardened as his hands stopped. "I'm going to end this. Feng Zhaoyang, the demon, the cult—everything." His tone carried an unshakable resolve.
"You can't!" she cried, her voice breaking. "They're too strong—there's no way you'll survive. We can escape, Hua. Please, don't throw away your life!"
But Hua Lianxin shook his head. "You don't understand. They've killed thousands, tortured innocents, and turned honor into ash. They betrayed everything I stand for, everything I love. I won't run. I won't hide. This ends today."
Before Lin Changsheng could protest further, Hua Lianxin vanished, his **10 Thousand Movement Technique** propelling him toward the battle. His heart burned with vengeance and justice—a storm within him that refused to be contained.
And thus, the chapter ends.