Beyond Virtue

Chen Rong's body began to swell unnaturally, his muscles bulging grotesquely as veins pulsed beneath his skin, now darkened with an ominous hue. His eyes glowed a ghastly red, their intensity radiating malice and unbridled fury. A guttural roar escaped his throat, echoing through the forest and sending chills down Mei Qing's spine.

"It's time for you to die, Xu Yan!" Chen Rong bellowed, his voice deep and distorted, as though a beast had taken over his very being.

Xu Yan remained calm, his expression cold and detached. His voice carried an almost casual disdain. "You were right about one thing, Chen Rong. The strong determine the rules. But only weaklings rely on external methods and shortcuts like this. Taking a forbidden pill will only cripple your future potential. Pathetic."

Chen Rong's red eyes burned with rage, his massive frame trembling with power. "You know nothing!" he roared, his voice reverberating through the trees as he charged forward, his steps shaking the earth beneath him.

Xu Yan glanced briefly behind him. Mei Qing lay on the ground, her sharp eyes glaring at him, though they couldn't entirely mask her fatigue and pain. Near her, a sword rested in the dirt, its blade catching faint glimmers of light through the mist.

Without a word, Xu Yan turned and bent down, his hand gripping the hilt of the sword.

"What are you doing?" Mei Qing demanded coldly, her voice sharp and cutting as she glared at him.

Xu Yan didn't reply. He held the sword in his hands, turning it slightly to test its weight and balance. His fingers ran along the hilt with practiced ease, as though reacquainting himself with a long-lost companion.

The faintest trace of a smirk tugged at the corner of his lips as he straightened, his grip tightening on the blade.

Chen Rong's pace quickened, his massive frame thundering forward with terrifying speed. The ground quaked under his strides, and his bloodthirsty roar echoed through the forest.

Xu Yan stood unmoving, his grip on the sword tightening as a sudden stillness settled over him. The air around him began to ripple faintly, and the faint light of converging qi gathered toward his form. Slowly, he closed his eyes, his breathing steady.

Chen Rong snarled as he noticed the change, his monstrous figure barreling ahead. "You think closing your eyes will save you?" he roared, his voice twisted with rage and contempt.

The air around Xu Yan suddenly shifted. The faint ripples became a torrent, a burst of energy radiating outward. His eyes snapped open, glowing faintly as the unmistakable aura of Qi Awakening exploded from him.

With a single, fluid motion, Xu Yan raised the sword, his voice calm but commanding as he called out, "Azure Cloud Strike!"

The blade gleamed with an azure light, and in an instant, a powerful arc of qi shot forward, slicing through the air with devastating force. The strike struck Chen Rong head-on, its energy crackling as it collided with his bloated form.

Chen Rong roared in pain as he was pushed back, his feet digging furrows into the ground before he finally collapsed to his knees. His breaths came in ragged gasps, his body trembling under the weight of the attack.

Behind Xu Yan, Mei Qing stared at him in stunned silence, her wide eyes filled with disbelief. "You—?" she began, her voice barely above a whisper.

Before she could continue, a low, guttural laugh interrupted her. Chen Rong lifted his head, his ghastly red eyes narrowing as his twisted grin spread across his face. "HAHAHAHAHA!" he cackled, his voice hoarse but dripping with malice. "And here I was wondering how a disciple of the Blood Fang Sect understood the moves of the Azure Sky Sect so well."

His laughter stopped abruptly, his face twisting into a devilish smile. "It all makes sense now… You're a traitor to the sect! A spy sent to infiltrate us, aren't you?" He spat the words with venom. "Looks like it's my duty to eliminate you, Xu Yan."

His grin widened as he pushed himself up, his body trembling but his bloodthirsty aura still radiating malice.

Chen Rong let out a roar, his monstrous body surging forward once more. His steps thundered as his blood-red eyes locked onto Xu Yan with a murderous glint.

"You're dead, Xu Yan!" he bellowed, his swollen fists swinging with brute force.

But just as Chen Rong's charge reached him, Xu Yan's figure blurred again, vanishing before the attack could land. Chen Rong's movements faltered, his glowing red eyes darting around wildly.

"Where are you?!" he growled, spinning in frustration.

Before he could react, a shadow appeared above him. Xu Yan descended from the air, the sword in his hands glowing faintly with residual qi. With a swift and precise motion, he slashed downward, the blade cutting cleanly through Chen Rong's neck.

Chen Rong's massive body froze, his monstrous red eyes widening in shock. A sound escaped his throat before his body collapsed to the ground with a heavy thud, lifeless. The forest fell eerily silent, save for Xu Yan's labored breaths.

Xu Yan landed lightly, wiping the blood from his mouth as a thin stream trickled down his chin. He spat the metallic taste to the side, his cold gaze falling on Chen Rong's body. Without hesitation, he crouched down, searching through the dead disciple's possessions. Among them, he found the faintly glowing Scarlet Moon Lotus, pocketing it quickly.