WHAT! I Have To Kill Heaven's Son To Live!

A few moments ago, while Reon was locked in battle with Rin Gong—

Just a few kilometers away from him, beside a calm, shimmering lake, six disciples were gathered.

Five of them wore the standard robes of outer sect disciples.

The sixth, however—though dressed in a torn Inner Sect robe—was slumped against a tree, blood trickling from the corner of his mouth.

That disciple, Xiao Yan, was gravely injured.

Though bloodied and injured, he still looked handsome; yet his breathing was shallow, and his body trembled with pain as he clutched his chest.

The other five outer disciples stood before him, completely unharmed. Arrogant grins stretched across their faces, eyes gleaming with mockery.

One of them stepped forward with a mocking smirk.

"Xiao Yan, really… we should thank you. Our group was short of just one Purple Crystal—thanks to you, that problem's solved."

Another sneered.

"Still hard to believe, honestly. How the hell did a loser like you manage to defeat a Mid-Stage Foundation Realm puppet and get a Purple Crystal all by yourself?"

A third scoffed.

"I have my doubts too. Maybe he ambushed someone just after they'd exhausted themselves fighting the puppet? That sounds more like it."

Struggling to speak, Xiao Yan rasped, "I… I fought the puppet head-on. It wasn't easy… but I earned that Purple Crystal with everything I had."

His voice cracked as he raised his bloodstained eyes.

"W-Why? Why did you suddenly attack me? I don't even know you… we have no grudge."

One of the outer disciples chuckled darkly.

"Hahaha… this bastard can still talk? Alright then, listen up — you don't need to know us. You just made the mistake of offending someone you never should have."

Xiao Yan coughed harshly. "O-Offended someone? Who…? I don't remember offending anyone in the outer sect."

The tallest disciple leaned in with a wicked grin.

"No, not in the outer sect… someone from the inner sect."

"The… Inner Sect?" Xiao Yan echoed weakly, eyes filled with confusion.

The disciples began jeering one after another, their voices thick with scorn.

"Yeah. You dared to provoke our Young Master Zheng—just by being the worthless fiancé of Miss Ling."

"Hah! Who do you think you are? You—a nobody—daring to be engaged to Miss Ling, ranked eighth among the inner disciples and hailed as one of the Inner Sect's Three Great Beauties?"

"And you? You've been in the Inner Sect for over a decade and haven't made the slightest progress."

"Only Brother Zheng—one of the top five in the Inner Sect—is worthy of someone like her. After all, she is known as the Elegant Swan of the Inner Sect."

"And you're nothing but a toad lusting after a swan."

"Just because you carry the name of the 'Legendary Elemental King' doesn't make you him. You're not even worthy of touching the hem of Miss Ling's robes."

"Besides, Your Xiao Family is already in decline. A mere Second-Class clan with nothing to offer. What makes you think you deserve her—she, who hails from an Elite-Class Family?"

"Only someone like Young Master Zheng, from a Superior Clan, has the right to stand beside her."

"We are from the Zheng Family—and today, we're here to crush your limbs on his behalf!"

Xiao Yan clenched his fists despite his broken body. His eyes burned with grief and defiance.

"I see… so you're all just lackeys of that bastard. Why is it always you people… getting in the way between me and Ling Jing? She still cares about me… so why do you keep trying to separate us?"

SMACK!

"UGH!"

One of the disciples struck him hard across the face.

"What did you just say, you bastard?! You dare insult our Young Master?!"

SMACK!

"AHHH!"

Another kick slammed into his ribs, causing him to cough blood.

"And how dare you speak Miss Ling's full name with that filthy mouth?! Do you have a death wish?"

"Miss Ling likes you?" one scoffed. "What a joke! Maybe you were childhood sweethearts once—but everything changed when she met Young Master Zheng."

Xiao Yan's bloodied lips trembled.

"Th-that's not true… We promised to marry each other when we grew up…"

One of the disciples leaned in close, sneering.

"Then why hasn't she seen you even once in the past three years? Not since she entered the sect and surpassed you in every way."

"T-That's only because… maybe she's just been busy…" Xiao Yan muttered, his voice hollow.

"Busy?" another laughed cruelly. "Stop lying to yourself, you pathetic worm. The truth is, you're just a stain between a perfect union blessed by the heavens."

"One has power, prestige, and incredible talent… The other has beauty, elegance, and grace. And you? You have nothing."

Just then—

"That's enough."

A calm yet commanding voice echoed from behind them.

Their leader, a broad-shouldered man wearing a Inner Sect robe, stepped forward.

"I know it's fun to torture him, but we should finish this quickly. If he's not dead soon, Young Master Zheng will be displeased."

"I couldn't stay long either. Inner Disciples aren't allowed to form parties in this trial… but I had to come and confirm his death."

Xiao Yan's bloodied eyes widened in shock as he recognized their leader.

"L-Ling Xing…?! You… what are you doing here?"

"Wait… kill me? What are you saying?"

"Weren't we... best buddies? We trained together in the Inner Sect... you were like a brother to me!"

But Ling Xing only sneered.

"Brother? Are you sick in the head, you pathetic insect? Who would want to be friends with trash like you?"

"I'm with Young Master Zheng now. I do what he commands." He stepped closer, his gaze cold. "And right now, he wants you dead. So just die quietly—and save everyone the trouble."

He turned to the others.

"Kill him."

Swoosh!

A sword flashed—and in one swift motion, pierced deep into Xiao Yan's chest.

But—

He didn't even scream.

No sound came from his lips. He simply collapsed, eyes blank, blood slowly pooling beneath him.

Because somewhere deep inside… Xiao Yan had already died.

It wasn't the blade that killed him—it was everything else.

The betrayal. The heartbreak. The humiliation.

Tears slipped from the corners of his eyes as he lay dying, the pain in his heart far deeper than the wound in his chest.

"Why…? Why?! Why is heaven so cruel…?"

'Ling Xing… he was a distant relative of Ling Jing. From a branch of the Ling Clan. He was always bullied by others. Always weak… I stood up for him. I treated him like my own brother.'

'And now… he's the one driving the knife into my back…'

'Everyone's betrayed me… abandoned me… just because I have no talent.'

His thoughts drifted, growing colder as darkness crept in.

"Father… Mother… why did you have to leave the clan?"

"After you were gone… everything crumbled."

"Internal strife, betrayal, corruption… that's what ruined our Xiao Clan. Once a proud Elite-Class family… now just Second-Rate."

"I… I just want to die peacefully."

But then—

A flicker of defiance surged from the depths of his fading soul.

"No…"

"Oh Heaven… if you're listening… even if you must let a devil inhabit my body…"

"Use it... feed it your power... and let it carry out my revenge!"

'Revenge... I need... re... ven... ge.'

His eyes slowly shut.

His final breath escaped.

Current Moment After the Explosion —

Laughter echoed like thunder.

"HAHAHAHA…"

"I, the Elemental King—XIAO YAN—have finally RETURNED!"