Dancing on the golden ashes

I stood alone, hidden behind the shadow of a towering tree. The night enveloped me like a shroud, and my darkness aura surged, merging seamlessly with the pitch-black surroundings.

The stillness of the air was heavy, almost suffocating, but it was my ally tonight. This was no time for hesitation or mercy.

Tonight, I will reap the lives of the unlucky ones—silently, swiftly, without remorse.

The scythe in my hand pulsed with energy, hungry for what was to come.

The first group of two approached swiftly, their footsteps growing louder as they closed the distance. My eyes scanned their auras, trying to decipher their strength, but no matter how hard I focused, I couldn't make sense of it.

Nine extremely thin lines shimmered faintly across their bodies, stacked atop one another like a fragile tower. Was this the Soul Birth stage? Or perhaps Soul Bend? I couldn't tell. Frustration bubbled in my chest—how did cultivators always seem to determine someone's realm with just a glance?

No time for that now.

They were running at full speed, their focus elsewhere. One of them veered closer to my position, passing right by the tree I was hiding behind.

Perfect.

The darkness around me coiled tighter, my scythe pulsing in anticipation as I prepared to strike.

You messed with the wrong person today, you bastards.

My scythe pulsed in my hand, the darkness swirling around me in a deadly embrace. In a single, silent motion, the first head was severed, his body collapsing onto the forest floor with barely a sound.

Before the leaves and twigs had fully settled, I darted toward the second.

"Brother?" he called, turning around at the faint noise. His confusion was short-lived; instead of his brother's voice, he met the cold edge of my blade. The cut was swift, clean—another life extinguished in an instant.

Two down.

These two had to be the weakest of the group, and I had no time to waste. My eyes shot to the sky as the others descended, riding gleaming flying swords like predators circling their prey.

I need to act fast. Find your next read on empire

My aura surged, shadows wrapping around me like armor. Tonight, speed and precision would determine who lived and who perished.

Damn it! I have to reveal my abilities here… so be it.

I felt my power surge as darkness and fire intertwined within me, merging into a volatile storm.

"Let my flames and shadows unite once more," I muttered under my breath, my voice low and resolute. "Let them burn all who dare challenge me to ashes."n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om

A pair of black fire wings erupted from my back, their fiery edges crackling with untamed energy. With a single, powerful flap, I shot into the sky, hurtling toward the group of seven with deadly precision.

They halted mid-air, their flying swords trembling slightly as I came to a stop before them, my scythe gleaming in the flickering light of my fiery wings. The sky seemed to darken around us, the oppressive weight of my aura suffocating the air.

The entire party froze in place, their confidence faltering under the overwhelming force of my presence.

"Woman, you must have a death wish, daring to mess with our sect!" barked a boy no older than thirteen, his high-pitched voice dripping with arrogance and malice. "Explain yourself now, and perhaps you'll be spared. The Supreme Court will decide your fate!"

His words hung in the air, each one more venomous than the last. But I didn't flinch.

Vile little brat, I thought, gripping my scythe tighter. You won't have the chance to utter another word.

"And what if I refuse?" I mused, letting my voice carry an edge of amusement. These people were insufferably arrogant, each one radiating an air of superiority as if the outcome was already decided.

"What can a rookie at the fourth challenge of the Soul Bend stage even do to us?" a bulky figure sneered, his tone dripping with mockery. "We're all at the ninth challenge. Do you think you're some never-before-seen genius who can actually stand a chance against us?"

He chuckled darkly, his grin widening. "You and your stupid friend are cut from the same cloth. He dared to challenge us with his pathetic skills, and our elder brother crushed him like the fool he was. And you? Alone?"

His laughter grew louder, more scornful. "Maybe if you brought another million of you, you'd have a one percent chance to win. But here? You're nothing."

"Hahaha, good one, Brother Liang Wuji!" The group erupted into mocking laughter, their jeers grating against my composure like nails on stone.

The laughter died in my ears as I took a deep breath, steadying myself. "Well then," I said, my voice cold and resolute. "You leave me with no other choice..."

The air around me grew heavy as I murmured the words that would change everything: "Fourth Step: Infinity."

I had never dared use this skill before. It was a technique the script explicitly warned against, meant only for those with an overwhelming reserve of soul energy. And yet, here I was, standing on the precipice, ready to risk everything.

But I had trained relentlessly over these past few weeks. My soul had grown, my strength had risen far beyond what even I thought possible.

Even if this skill leaves me half-dead, I'll follow through.

Suddenly, their carefree expressions twisted into fear and panic as my aura surged around them, suffocating and inescapable. From the heavens, a massive torrent of dark fire descended like the wrath of a vengeful god.

With a flick of my wrist, the inferno engulfed them completely. They scrambled to cast protective spells, their chants desperate and incoherent, but the sky itself seemed to ripple and shatter under the sheer force of the flames. This attack was absolute—so devastating that even Kim Ha-Joon wouldn't have survived an instant.

I watched as their bodies turned to ash, the last remnants of their arrogance consumed by the dark blaze. But as the flames dissipated, the toll of my actions came crashing down.

Pain shot through me like a thousand knives, my muscles screaming in agony. My body felt as though it were tearing itself apart from the inside. My head spun, and the metallic taste of blood filled my mouth as I coughed up a mouthful, unable to stop my descent.

Crashing to the ground, the impact jarred my already weakened body. My vision blurred, and I knew I was losing consciousness.

I overdid it...

Perhaps I didn't need such overwhelming power, but if I hadn't used it, they might have escaped. They would've gone after my friends.

No regrets, I thought, as darkness began to consume my vision.

Just as the ground rushed up to meet me, a pair of arms caught me mid-fall. Through my hazy vision, I saw Seong-Hoon's face, swollen and bleeding, yet determined. He stood tall despite his injuries, unwavering, and behind him were the rest of the group. They had come back for me.

"You fools..." I murmured weakly, my voice barely audible as the last of my strength ebbed away. My eyelids fluttered, struggling to stay open.

"You never abandoned me, and I won't abandon you either," Seong-Hoon said, his voice steady yet filled with emotion. His lips curved into a soft, determined smile. "If we die, we die together."

Clap. Clap. Clap.

The sound of slow, deliberate applause echoed through the woods, sending a chill down my spine. From the shadows of the trees, a familiar figure emerged, his presence as unsettling as his smile was wide.

I squinted, and my heart sank. It was him—the man from the market square. The one who had bought me the golden plate.

"I knew you had talent, miss... What was your name again?" he asked casually, his voice dripping with mockery as his wild grin widened. "Ah, no matter. You've just killed my junior brothers, and I can't let that slide. Even if I like you, all of you will die today."

His aura surged violently, a suffocating pressure pressing down on us as he continued. "I, Lin Feng, will bring my master the heads of four killers."

Seven glowing swords materialized above him, radiating an intense red light. The air around us grew hotter, the temperature rising to an unbearable degree as if the earth itself were melting under his power.

"Prepare to die, you scum!" he roared, the swords blazing like molten lava as they hovered, ready to strike.

"You're not very good with your words," Seong-Hoon barked, his tone sharp and biting. "I'll have to correct that mouth of yours."

Without hesitation, he moved swiftly, laying me gently against the base of a nearby tree. His touch was surprisingly careful, despite the urgency of the moment. Then, with a sharp motion, he summoned his dragon sword.

The blade gleamed ominously in the flickering light, its presence alone enough to send a ripple of power through the air. Seong-Hoon strode forward, standing shoulder to shoulder with Jieun and Eun-Woo.

The three of them radiated dangerous auras, their combined energy like a storm ready to unleash its fury.

Lin Feng stood unmoved, his grin never faltering as his seven blazing swords hung in the air above him, pulsing like molten hearts.

The tension thickened, the silence between the two sides almost deafening. The clash of titans was imminent.