The night sky above the academy was unnaturally still, stars flickering behind clouds heavy with ominous weight. It had only been a few hours since the Thunder General had been defeated—his lightning had been swallowed by Asura's growing power, his pride shattered, and his body broken. Word of the battle had already started to spread, leaking through the academy walls like wildfire.
The students buzzed with speculation. Some whispered in awe, others in fear. But every tongue carried one name:
Asura.
Rumors and Reverence
At the center of the academy, in the courtyard where the Tower of Martial Glory stood tall, a group of elite disciples from various kingdoms gathered in secret.
"I heard he defeated the Thunder General in three moves," said one.
"Three? I heard Asura stood still and broke the general's bones with just his aura."
"Did you see the crater outside the eastern gates? That wasn't made by a technique—it was pure raw power!"
The air was thick with tension. Some students now idolized Asura. Others were quietly terrified. But amongst the strongest elite students—those from the Frost Kingdom, Shadowfall, and Demonfang—envy simmered.
A tall, silver-haired youth from the Frost Kingdom narrowed his eyes. "He's growing too fast. If we don't stop him now… he'll dominate the academy."
His words were cold, calm. But his grip around his frost-etched blade said more than he spoke.
Asura's Recovery
Meanwhile, inside the Sword Clan's inner sanctum, Asura lay on a simple jade bed, his body surrounded by wisps of golden energy. Ancient runes hovered in the air, pulsing softly. It was Lira who knelt beside him, eyes filled with concern.
"His energy channels are fine," the elder healer muttered. "But his qi is… unstable. It's like it's evolving on its own."
Shao leaned against the doorway, arms crossed. "He absorbed too much thunder qi from that general. His body's not just recovering—it's adapting."
Lira's fingers brushed Asura's cheek. "He always pushes too far…"
Suddenly, Asura's eyes snapped open—golden, burning, alive with qi. The room trembled slightly as his aura surged, then instantly collapsed back into calm.
"I'm fine," he muttered.
The healer stumbled back, stunned. "You—you should've been unconscious for at least three days!"
Asura sat up slowly, cracking his neck. "I don't have time for rest. Something's coming."
A Gathering of Shadows
Far beyond the academy, deep within a forest cloaked in darkness, a council of hooded figures stood around a flickering black flame. Each was from a different kingdom, but they all shared one thing: hatred for Asura.
"He humiliated the Thunder General."
"He's uniting the Sword Clan."
"He's becoming a threat to the balance."
The figure at the head of the circle raised his hand. "Then let us unbalance it."
The black flame flared.
"Begin the Purge of Rising Stars. Send assassins. Poison. Traps. We end him before he can rise any higher."
The Calm Before the Storm
Back at the academy, Asura sat alone at the top of the Martial Stone Peak, gazing at the stars. His body was still aching, but his spirit was stronger than ever. He could feel it—something shifting deep within. The thunder qi he'd absorbed was merging into his core.
The fusion wasn't complete, but something new had begun.
A soft wind blew, and he heard a faint voice.
"You're walking a dangerous path."
Asura didn't turn. "I've already died once. What's danger to someone like me?"
From the shadows emerged an old man—one of the academy's oldest instructors. His beard was silver, eyes deep with wisdom.
"You remind me of someone," the old man said. "A genius from a thousand years ago. He tried to unite all martial arts. Failed. His body exploded from imbalance."
Asura smiled. "Then I'll succeed where he didn't. Because I'm not just uniting martial arts… I'm devouring them."
The old man looked into Asura's eyes—and for a moment, he saw galaxies spinning, martial truths unraveling, a storm that could not be stopped.
Cliffhanger – Assassins in the Dark
That night, as Asura returned to his quarters, a strange silence hung in the air.
Too quiet.
He paused before the door. His Supreme Martial Eyes shimmered faintly—and instantly caught the faintest distortion in the air.
Assassins. Four of them.
He stepped forward without fear.
"Since you've come to kill me," he said calmly, "let me show you what true killing intent feels like."
A pulse of dark crimson qi exploded from his body, freezing the assassins in place mid-sneak.
Their eyes widened in horror. They had targeted a boy.
But what they found…
Was a demon dressed in a smile.
End of Chapter 81
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