Chapter 14: A Leap in Power
Chapter 14: A Leap in Power
Teacher Zhuang looked at my efforts and stared. “What are you doing?” she asked.
“Teacher, this bracelet is too valuable. Please take it back. I really can’t accept it.”
Oddly, Teacher Zhuang did not become angry this time. Instead, she looked at me with a teasing expression. I made a great effort to remove the bracelet, but no matter how I tried, it would not come off my wrist.
Teacher Zhuang said, “It’s no use. You need a special incantation to remove it. Without my incantation, you will obediently wear it for the rest of your life, you silly brat.”
Listening to her, my heart filled with an unfamiliar emotion. I realized that Teacher Zhuang not only treated her students with kindness—she treated us as if we were her own children. She radiated a kind of maternal warmth.
Teacher Zhuang looked at me in surprise and asked, “What’s wrong? You don’t like it? Why are you looking at me like that?”
I felt tears welling in my eyes. “Teacher Zhuang, thank you. You’ve let me feel human warmth. I…”
Teacher Zhuang walked toward me and placed her hand on my shoulder. “Child, what’s wrong? Looking at you makes me feel that you must have had an unhappy childhood.”
I wiped my tears away. “When I was younger, other than my grandmother, no one really cared about me. My mother never even looked me in the eyes. Things were all right until my grandmother died a few years ago. At that time, I fell into such deep despair that the whole world seemed dark in my eyes. It wasn’t until I met you and Zi Xue that I finally saw a gleam of light in that dark world. Teacher… can I call you mother?”
Teacher Zhuang blushed. “Lei Xiang, I would never have thought that you were so unfortunate. But with my age, I can’t become your mother. I can become your elder sister instead. Is that all right?”
If she said I could call her sister, then so be it. Calling an unmarried woman “mother” was indeed a bit inappropriate. I nodded.
“Sister, thank you.”
Teacher Zhuang said, “You can only call me Sister when nobody is around, just like now. Brother, do you have any plans for this holiday?”
I nodded. “I want to find somewhere quiet and train there for a period of time.”
Teacher Zhuang nodded. “That’s good. You really have a determined heart. Right—about one hundred miles from here there is a place called White Smoke Mountain. The elevation there is very high, and it’s also very dangerous. Under normal circumstances there shouldn’t be anyone there. You can go there to train.”
My eyes brightened. “Such a good place, and it’s also near the capital. That’s great! Please tell me how to get there.”
Teacher Zhuang took out a piece of paper and drew a simple map.
“If you follow this map, you will find your way there. Be careful on the journey. Although your skills aren’t bad, there is always someone stronger than you. Try not to cause trouble. Right—when you reach the mountain, how will you find food?”
I thought about it. “There should be wild beasts around the area. I can hunt them when I reach the mountain. I could also pick fruits there.”
Teacher Zhuang smiled mysteriously. “You won’t have to. Your sister has already prepared something for you.”
I quickly said, “No need, no need. Sister has already given me so much. I couldn’t take anything more from you.”
Teacher Zhuang took out a small porcelain bottle.
“It’s nothing valuable. Just this bottle.”
I looked at it curiously. “What is it?”
“This is an Inedia Pill. If you eat one pill, you won’t starve for a whole day. It will replenish all of your body’s needs. Although it’s not particularly valuable, it’s very useful and reliable. There are two hundred pills inside this bottle. If you don’t use them all, keep the rest. Sister has the recipe, so I can make more anytime.”
I was surprised and delighted. “There’s actually something so good? Then I’ll gladly accept it!”
Teacher Zhuang watched me put the Inedia Pills away.
“Did you clear up your misunderstanding with Zi Xue?”
As she spoke, she seemed to recall the moment when she had kissed my cheek, and her face reddened slightly.
I sighed. “I’ll resolve it when I come back. Without absolute strength, whatever I say would just be ignored. I already told her father about the circumstances of our fight. She will probably understand.”
Teacher Zhuang smiled. “Although your sister doesn’t have much experience with love, I think you’re right—power strengthens your words. My only advice is to stay true to yourself. Sister will root for you.”
I was surprised. With Sister’s appearance, many men should have chased after her. Even though I was curious, I refrained from asking so as not to embarrass her.
I nodded, then grabbed Teacher Zhuang’s hand.
“Sister, I’m leaving. Take care.”
I turned to leave but suddenly remembered something.
“Right—could you please tell Zi Xue to feed Black Dragon for me? Black Dragon will only allow Zi Xue to feed him.”
Teacher Zhuang smiled and nodded.
“You must come back before the new term starts. Until then, I’ll be waiting to see a whole new you. Don’t push yourself too hard while training, or you might get injured.”
“I understand, Sister. Goodbye!”
I placed Black Sable into the leather sheath that Teacher Zhuang had prepared for me earlier. Carrying it on my back, I left her office.
I first returned to the dormitory to wash my clothes. Feng Yun and the twins had already left. They had probably returned to their homes. Afterward, I walked to the school entrance.
Looking at the large words—Sky City Academy—I felt a little sad.
I’m leaving, school. Zi Xue… I’m leaving.
After I disappeared beyond the horizon, two purple-haired figures arrived at the school entrance.
“Sister, do you think he has already left?”
“It’s hard to say.”
“It’s all my fault. I misunderstood him. He must be angry at me. Oh, Sister, what should I do? I truly love him. I…”
“Let’s not talk about that right now. Let’s go inside and look for him. He might not have left yet.”
The two figures flashed into the school. Shortly afterward, they came back out.
“Sister… he left…”
“Little sister, don’t be sad. He will come back. Didn’t Father say that Lei Xiang didn’t blame you? He only hoped to clear up the misunderstanding.”
“It’s all my fault. Why didn’t I trust him?”
“Enough. It’s just one man. Why are you tormenting yourself over him? Sigh… his horse is still here. Taking good care of it will be enough. Let’s go home. The holiday is only two months long.”
“Sister, you’ve never experienced love’s pull. How could you understand my pain?”
Their voices slowly faded along the path and gradually disappeared into the distance.
If I had still been there, I would have recognized them. They were Zi Yan and Zi Xue, the duke’s daughters.
After leaving the capital, I followed Teacher Zhuang’s map. I searched for deserted shortcuts and used a flight spell to speed up my journey. Whenever no one was around, I took short breaks and tested the limits of Black Sable.
I discovered that when I channeled dark magic into Black Sable, its power increased dramatically. With a casual swing, it released a black shockwave that felled three large trees as thick as a grown man.
I assumed that as my Demonic Arts improved, Black Sable’s power would improve as well.
Traveling on foot couldn’t compare to traveling with Black Dragon. Even when I used flight magic, I had only covered fifty miles the entire day.
As the sky began to darken, I stopped in a small town to rest for the night before continuing my journey tomorrow.
I walked through the streets, amazed at how many people were still out and about. Although there weren’t as many people as in the capital, the town was still quite lively.
I found a reasonably priced hotel and decided to stay there for the night.
After a day of monotonous travel, I wanted somewhere to relax. Before long, I found myself leaving the hotel again.
It was already late at night, and there were fewer people on the streets. Then I noticed a bar ahead of me.
It seemed like the perfect place to relax after a long day.
I walked inside and looked around. The design was simple and unsophisticated. As I stepped further in, I saw two large trees standing in the center of the hall. I guessed that the trees were artificial, but the ceiling was completely covered with dense leaves, creating a quiet and elegant atmosphere.
A servant approached me.
“Mister, what would you like to order?”
“Bring me a large drink and some light refreshments.”
The servant nodded and left. I found a seat in the corner.
The bar was about one-third full. Although several people were present, the place remained quiet. When people spoke, they lowered their voices, maintaining the calm atmosphere.
This is so relaxing… I like this place…
The tranquil environment made me feel comfortable. Soon the food and drinks I ordered arrived. I leaned back in my chair and ate slowly while a refreshing fragrance drifted through the air.
Just then, the silence was broken as three men entered the bar.
The man in the middle was particularly unpleasant to look at. His face was pale with a sickly green tint, and his expression was both ugly and sly. Behind him stood two tough-looking men who were clearly his bodyguards.
The moment they entered, the man in the middle shouted loudly.
“Waiter! Hurry up and bring the great me the best wine in your shop! Today I’ll drink as much as I want!”
His rough voice immediately provoked resentment throughout the room.
I couldn’t stand it anymore.
“Be quiet! If you want to drink, go somewhere else. Don’t shout like a buffoon in here.”
The waiter beside me shot me a warning glance, but I had no intention of backing down.
When the ugly man heard me, he shouted, “Who’s making noise over there? Go deal with him!”
Seeing this scene felt like returning to the brutal world of the Beast Country. A cold smile appeared on my lips. Dealing with scum like this was my specialty.
The two bodyguards walked toward me. One extended his hand, intending to grab me with a palm as large as a fan.
“Was it you who ran your mouth?” he said coldly. “If you anger our young master, you’re already a dead man.”
I swiftly grabbed his arm and held it tightly.
“It was me. So what? You want to fight? Young master? I didn’t see any young master. All I saw was a barking dog.”
With one hand, I flipped him over my head and threw him aside.
The ugly man shouted, “Kill him! I’ll take responsibility!”
The bar owner hurried out and pleaded desperately.
“Oh, Young Master Bai, please don’t cause trouble in my humble shop. I’ll cover all the expenses today.”
Young Master Bai’s triangular eyes widened in anger.
“Get lost! The great me has been angered! If I say I’ll kill him, then there’s no way he’s leaving here alive! Anyone who gets in my way will die!”
He slapped the owner aside, sending him tumbling across the floor.
Seeing his arrogant expression made my blood boil.
I slammed the table, stood up, and shouted, “If you have a problem, come at me. Don’t bully innocent people.”
Young Master Bai sneered.
“Fine. You want to play the hero? Today I’ll grant your pathetic wish. Get him!”
At his command, the two bodyguards roared and charged toward me simultaneously.
From their movements, I could tell they had some martial arts training. But against me, it meant nothing.
This so-called Young Master Bai was clearly a parasite—a scourge upon society.
Today, I would remove this piece of trash.
A thick killing intent surged from my eyes.
I didn’t even bother dodging the bodyguards’ attacks. I let them punch and kick my body. Yet each time they struck me, the sound of cracking bones echoed through the bar.
Soon they grew tired.
I punched each of them once.
Both bodyguards flew backward into the tables, blood streaming from their noses.
My victory had been decided in an instant.
Young Master Bai stared at his two bodyguards lying bloody on the floor in shock.
When he saw me walking toward him step by step, he finally realized the danger he was in.
With a terrified scream, he turned and ran out of the bar.
Perhaps he had committed too many bad deeds. While running, his legs cramped and he fell to the ground, squealing in terror.
I walked forward and stepped on him.
“Weren’t you acting so wild earlier? Didn’t you want to kill me? Well then—come on. I’m waiting.”
Young Master Bai glared at me with hatred in his eyes.
“If you dare touch me, my father will never spare you. He’ll rip you into a million pieces. You won’t die a good death!”
At first, I hadn’t wanted to dirty my hands dealing with this wretch. Even now, I was still reluctant. But hearing his words made my temper flare once again.
“I’m curious how your father plans to do that,” I said flatly.
A strong killing intent burst from my body.
Young Master Bai finally realized that his life was in danger, and terror filled his eyes. Just as he was about to beg for mercy, I stepped down harder on his chest.
With the increase in pressure, his sternum shattered. He died instantly, blood pouring from the seven orifices of his head.
At the time, I had no idea that killing someone in the Dragon Empire for the first time would almost bring a fatal disaster upon myself.
I looked down at the corpse coldly.
“His death was too painless.”
The bar owner suddenly fell to his knees and cried out, “Disaster! Disaster! Young Master Bai is dead!”
Annoyed, I snapped, “Are you his ancestor? Why are you mourning him like this?”
The bar owner trembled as he spoke.
“You must be a traveler from far away, sir. You don’t know. Young Master Bai is the only son of the lord of this land—Count Bai Sikai. Since childhood he has been pampered and spoiled. We locals have long been used to his behavior. But now that you have killed him, the White Count will never let this go so easily.”
I grew irritated. Taking out a bag of money, I tossed it to him.
“Since you’re so afraid of trouble, take this money and get out of my sight.”
The bar owner immediately grabbed the money and ran off. The customers also began scattering in all directions.
I simply wanted to return to my seat and continue eating in peace. However, before I could sit down, one of the customers pulled at my sleeve and gestured toward the exit.
“Brother, you should leave quickly. No one can fight the White Count. Today you got rid of that scumbag, and we’re grateful. We can’t let you lose your life here.”
I frowned.
“Is Count Bai really that formidable?”
The customer nodded.
“Count Bai is a retired Dragon Knight. The empire granted him this territory as a reward. Even though the empire reclaimed his dragon, in this place he’s like the emperor. No one dares to offend him.”
I was stunned.
“A retired Dragon Knight?”
Who would have thought that Dragon Knights held such privilege in the Dragon Empire? Even after retirement, they could still become counts.
The customer urged me anxiously.
“Yes! Hurry and leave! Rumor says his strength is close to that of a Light Knight. Even without his dragon, you’re no match for him. On top of that, he commands three thousand soldiers. Go quickly—before the news spreads. If you leave now, it’s not too late!”
He was right. Even without his dragon, I couldn’t possibly rival a Dragon Knight. I understood that clearly.
Sitting around waiting to be killed was not my style.
I nodded.
“Thank you for telling me. You should leave as well.”
I hurried back to the hotel, packed my belongings, and left the city in the middle of the night.
Because of Young Master Bai’s notorious cruelty, no one dared report his death to the count immediately. It wasn’t until the next day that the news finally reached him.
Count Bai Sikai personally led his soldiers to the hotel.
When he saw the tragic state of his only son, tears streamed down his face. Yet he never realized that it was his own indulgence that had led to this outcome.
His mind filled with hatred.
“No matter where you flee—even to the ends of the world—I will find you! I will use your blood to honor my son’s spirit!”
At that moment, far away on the road, I suddenly shuddered.
“It seems someone is cursing me,” I muttered with a bitter smile.
I regretted not listening to Sister’s advice. Because I had failed to control myself, I now had to run away like a dog with its tail between its legs.
Shaking my head, I continued my journey at a noticeably faster pace.
After traveling through the night, I arrived at White Smoke Mountain early the next morning.
Just as Sister had said, the mountain was surrounded by wreaths of white mist, and the air was extremely humid. I followed a winding mountain path upward.
Along the way, I occasionally encountered small beasts. For safety, I kept Black Sable in my hand, ready at all times. Its black aura radiated an icy chill that sharpened my mind.
Because it was early morning, the mountain was covered in thick fog. Even halfway up the slope, I could barely see three meters ahead.
Each step I took produced a soft whooshing sound as the damp mist drifted past me.
It felt as if I were walking through a blanket of clouds.
After climbing another three hundred meters, I finally emerged above the cloud layer. A magnificent sight appeared before my eyes.
The sun had just risen over the horizon. Its light reflected off the cloud sea covering the mountain. The clouds looked like enormous layers of cotton, tinted pink and red.
The scenery was so beautiful that I could hardly take it all in.
Looking upward, I saw the peak of the mountain piercing into the sky.
I hadn’t even reached one-third of the way up.
However, I didn’t need to reach the summit. I only needed a quiet place to train.
The scenery here was excellent, and there seemed to be no one nearby. I decided to settle here.
I found a relatively flat area on a plateau. Using the Mad God Battle Qi, I punched a massive hole into the mountain wall, creating a cave about six meters deep and two meters high.
For safety, I made the entrance smaller—only one meter high and one meter wide.
Afterward, I cut down two trees some distance away and used Black Sable to split them into planks. I laid them inside the cave as a simple wooden bed.
My temporary base was complete.
I spent the entire day building this cave, but I was satisfied with the result. I even dug the floor at a slight angle so that rainwater would drain toward the entrance.
Lying on the wooden planks, I swallowed an Inedia Pill.
I didn’t have much time. I was only staying here for two months.
I needed to start training immediately and increase my strength as much as possible.
I stood up and gathered vines to block the cave entrance. Then I cast a barrier using my Demonic Arts. That should be enough to prevent beasts from entering.
With everything prepared, I began my secluded training.
…
Twenty days passed.
Ever since I went berserk before, I had noticed many changes in my body. My training speed for Mad God Qi had become astonishing.
I was already close to the third tier.
Although I hadn’t broken through yet, I could sense that the breakthrough was coming soon.
However, my Demonic Arts had not improved at all. During the past twenty days, they remained completely stagnant.
I was stuck at the peak of the third tier, unable to break through to the stage that would allow me to transform into a two-winged Fallen Angel.
I once attempted to forcefully break through the bottleneck and nearly suffered a magical backlash. After that, I didn’t dare try again.
In the blink of an eye, more than a month passed. My progress still hadn’t improved, and I became increasingly irritated.
One morning, I stood at the edge of the plateau, gazing down at the sea of clouds below.
I tried to think of a way to break through the bottleneck, but nothing came to mind.
Perhaps I should take a break.
Both my Demonic Arts and Mad God Qi had reached bottlenecks. Breaking through them wasn’t easy.
My thoughts drifted to Zi Xue.
I wonder if the Duke explained the misunderstanding clearly…
I’m so lonely.
What should I do in the future?
Should I remain in the Dragon Empire as a human? Or return to the Bi Meng Tribe as a beastman?
Sigh… my heart is a mess. I can’t even decide my own future.
The Duke once told me to find a goal—a dream I wanted to achieve.
But what was my dream?
Although I was still young, I was already tired of endless killing and fighting.
I wished the three races could live in peace.
Then I could find a place to grow old with Zi Xue.
But could humans, beasts, and demons truly coexist peacefully?
Even if I wanted to make it happen, what difference could my strength make?
Any random Dragon Knight could kill me with a flick of a finger.
No matter what happened, I still had to return to the Beast Country. It was my homeland.
Compared with the Dragon Empire, the Beast Country was far weaker. If things continued this way, the entire nation might collapse.
And although I had never met a demon, one-third of my blood belonged to them. My grandmother had been a member of the Demonic Royal Family.
I was tied to all three races.
Helping only one of them would not be the best solution.
So what was my goal?
At the very least, I wanted to change the Beast Country’s current situation. I wanted to eliminate its backward customs.
With those stubborn beastmen, the only effective method was brute force.
As I thought about this, a cold light flashed in my eyes.
If the Beast Country could become as strong as the Dragon Empire, then the three sides would reach a balance. War might finally end.
But I didn’t want to become some ordinary “hero.”
I wanted to become an invincible being—someone incomprehensibly powerful, someone who could do as he pleased.
I made up my mind.
I would only return to the Beast Country after achieving success.
Even if I hated it, I would help the Beast Country grow stronger. When the Beast Clan matured, I could then turn to the Demon Clan.
No single nation could be allowed to dominate the other two combined.
Only when all three were equally powerful would true peace be possible.
Yes.
My goal was to become the strongest being and use that power to change the relationship between the races—allowing all races to coexist peacefully.
This dream was big enough to last an entire lifetime.
Perhaps I wouldn’t even complete it within my lifetime.
But right now, my strength was far from enough.
Suddenly, my eyes brightened.
If one person’s strength wasn’t enough, then I could find companions who shared the same goal.
Together, we could bring peace and harmony to all races.
At that moment, everything in my mind became clear.
Just then, the sun burst through the clouds and rose into the sky.
I raised my head and let out a long howl.
Power surged through my body.
Mad God Qi and Demonic Arts separated into inner and outer energies, circulating rapidly.
One black and one yellow current of energy surrounded me, swirling violently.
The surrounding clouds were pushed aside by the powerful airflow. My blood boiled.
I knew the moment had come.
I stopped howling and sat down cross-legged, allowing the two energies to circulate naturally.
During the ninety-ninth cycle, the two powers met behind my eyebrows.
My entire body felt as if it exploded.
All my meridians transformed. The channels that had once been full suddenly felt vast and empty.
An indescribable sense of lightness spread throughout my body.
Both energies continued circulating.
Ecstasy filled my heart.
Not only had my Demonic Arts broken through the third tier, my Mad God Qi had also advanced.
Slowly, I guided both energies back to their original locations.
Although their circulation slowed, they did not stop.
Even without deliberate cultivation, they would continue growing.
When I opened my eyes, night had already fallen.
If someone had been nearby, they would have seen two flashes of lightning in the darkness—coming from my eyes.
I opened my Demonic Arts manual and began chanting.
“Darkness condense within the soul. To fall is to be freed. Awaken, powers that sleep within my blood.”
The black magic that had just calmed surged again.
A freezing pain pierced my brain, and I couldn’t help groaning.
My green hair turned black. My skin became pale as crystal.
Muscles swelled across my body as intense pain exploded from my back.
Then two wings—each about two meters long—burst forth.
Black magic surrounded my body in a dense aura.
Even more astonishing, my Mad God Battle Qi had fused with the black magic.
I had never felt so powerful.
Suddenly, Black Sable behind me emitted a cheerful cry and shot into the sky.
When I tried to chase it, I found myself instantly beside it.
My speed was so great that even I couldn’t adapt to it.
I grasped Black Sable and infused it with black magic.
A powerful black light erupted from the blade.
Just by thinking of movement, my body returned to the ground again.
My mind was cold and clear.
This form gave me the greatest combat capability.
With a leap, my wings spread wide and I flew ten meters into the air.
Holding Black Sable with both hands, I slashed downward.
A black arc of energy shot toward the ground.
With a thunderous explosion, trees were blown apart in every direction.
A pit one and a half meters deep and sixteen meters long appeared in the mountainside.
I burst into wild laughter.
I had finally succeeded.
After all these years of effort, I had obtained the power of a Fallen Angel.
I no longer needed to fear Li Wa.