The morning sun cast long, cold rays over Dao Xuanzhen Academy, painting the sparring grounds with streaks of gold and shadow. The training fields buzzed with murmurs, laughter, and the clanging of practice blades. But above it all, one whisper spread faster than wildfire through the courtyards—
Polyfalls Yen had accepted a public duel.
For three days, the so-called "trash of the academy" had vanished. Some said he ran away out of fear. Others claimed he was plotting some foolish trick to save face before disappearing for good. Either way, no one believed he would actually show up.
"He's probably gone already," one boy sneered, folding his arms.
"A coward like him wouldn't dare face Chen Rui."
Chen Rui—the arrogant, broad-shouldered youth standing beside Elder Jiang's grandson's friend group—smirked when he heard his name being whispered. His aura flared slightly, the faint glow of Peak Qi Condensation Stage rippling in the air around him. He had trained under special tutelage, nourished by rare Mid-Grade Spiritual Stones that his benefactor provided.
His victory today, everyone thought, was inevitable.
But far from the gossiping students and jeering crowd, Polyfalls Yen knelt within the quiet cave where the Demon Whale's consciousness lingered. His eyes were closed, his breath slow but deliberate. The dim blue glow of demonic runes illuminated his face, the cold light tracing across his cheekbones and the determined set of his jaw.
Inside his mind, the Demon Whale's ancient voice echoed—deep and rumbling like waves crashing against the abyss.
"You seek strength… yet your body is frail. Mortal qi cannot sustain my arts without consequence."
Polyfalls's breath trembled slightly as he opened his eyes. "Then teach me how to endure it," he said quietly. "If pain is the price, I'll pay it."
The cavern pulsed once, and the demonic sigils in the air flared.
"Very well, little inheritor," the Demon Whale said, its tone both amused and approving. "The three techniques of Chi You's inheritance are not meant for the weak."
Then, as if the darkness itself took form, the memories of those techniques unfurled before him.
1. Soul Rend (Path of Blood and Darkness)
The Soul Rend technique was a forbidden path — burning one's blood essence to wound the enemy's spirit directly. A single strike could shatter a cultivator's mental sea, but the price was cruel: each use drained life force, reducing lifespan and damaging meridians.
"Every drop of blood burned is a heartbeat stolen from your own future," the Whale's voice warned.
Polyfalls felt the searing agony even in meditation as he envisioned channeling his qi through his heart, igniting it into crimson flames that wrapped around his spiritual threads. The pain made him grit his teeth — yet a faint smile touched his lips. Power at a cost is still power.
2. Abyssal Echo (Demon Whale's Roar)
Next came the Abyssal Echo, a sonic technique that attacked both body and spirit. It was a roar that could destabilize qi flows within a radius, causing internal chaos among weaker opponents. However, it required immense spiritual focus — a single misstep could rebound the force, injuring the user's dantian.
"The sea's roar spares none — not even its master," the Whale murmured. "Control, boy, not rage."
Polyfalls practiced the resonance within his chest, letting his breath vibrate like a low growl. Each exhale deepened his control, the air trembling faintly around him. He felt alive. Dangerous. Ready.
3. Infernal Bind (Chi You's Grasp)
Finally came the Infernal Bind, the sealing art of burning demonic chains forged from corrupted qi. It could suppress an opponent's movement or cripple their spiritual energy temporarily — a terrifying ability in close combat. But to summon the chains, one must infuse them with demonic intent.
The risk: losing oneself to madness.
The chains fed not only on qi, but emotion — the stronger the rage or hatred, the tighter they bound.
"The more you hate, the stronger they become," the Whale whispered. "But remember, child… hatred is a blade with two edges."
Polyfalls opened his eyes, sweat dripping down his temples. His breathing was uneven, his body trembling from the pressure of absorbing even a fragment of these techniques. Still, his determination burned undimmed.
He gazed at his calloused hands and murmured a short, dark poem — a whisper lost to the echoing cave.
"Stones for the weak, blood for the strong,
In pain I drown, yet rise along.
From abyss to sky, I claw and climb—
Power is hunger; power is mine."
The Demon Whale chuckled faintly, its vast shadow swirling above him.
"Your heart is dark, but your will is firm. You may yet live to master them."
And so he trained. Hours bled into days, and the whispers outside the cave turned from mockery to anticipation.
Three Days Later — Dao Xuanzhen Arena
The vast arena was packed before dawn. Students filled the stands, whispering, pointing, mocking. Even instructors had gathered, some curious, others simply expecting a quick spectacle.
"Three days of hiding just to be beaten publicly," one laughed.
"He'll regret ever coming back."
In the center of the arena, Chen Rui stood arrogantly with his arms crossed, wearing the azure robe of the Health Division. His friends surrounded him, laughing loudly. Elder Jiang's grandson watched from the VIP terrace, sipping tea with mild amusement.
Then, as the morning light pierced the mist, a lone figure appeared at the far end of the arena.
Polyfalls Yen.
His robes were simple, torn slightly at the sleeves. His hair was damp, and his eyes — dark and calm — reflected the stillness of deep water. The crowd went silent for a heartbeat. Somehow, there was something different about him. The once-weak aura around him now carried a faint, oppressive chill.
Even Meilin Xue, the mysterious girl who had defended him, felt a flicker of awe. She stood among the crowd, her silver-lined robe fluttering lightly in the breeze. Her fingers gripped her sleeve, her lips pressing together. He came… he really came.
Polyfalls stepped onto the platform. "Twenty spiritual stones," he said flatly, his voice clear and steady. "Don't forget our wager."
Chen Rui sneered. "Hmph. I'll make sure you never touch another stone again."
The referee raised his hand. "Begin!"
The Battle
Chen Rui charged forward, qi swirling around his fists like roaring wind. His strikes were fast, heavy — the product of solid foundation and endless resources. His first punch hit Polyfalls square in the chest, sending him stumbling back.
Gasps echoed through the stands.
"It's over already!"
"He's too slow!"
But Chen Rui's smirk faltered when he saw Polyfalls stand upright again, dusting off his robe as if nothing had happened. A faint red glow shimmered in his eyes — brief but unmistakable.
"My turn," Polyfalls whispered.
With a low exhale, he gathered his qi and murmured, "Abyssal Echo — First Resonance."
The air vibrated.
A low, thunderous hum rippled through the arena floor, shaking even the audience stands. Chen Rui's body froze mid-step, his internal qi momentarily disrupted. His face twisted in confusion and pain.
"What— what is this?!"
Polyfalls moved. His body flickered forward, fist blazing with faint crimson energy — Soul Rend.
He struck Chen Rui's chest. Not a deep wound, but the boy screamed as if something inside him had been torn apart. Blood sprayed from his lips, his spiritual sense convulsing violently.
"Soul… damage?" one elder whispered from the stands, eyes narrowing.
Polyfalls didn't stop. The hunger inside him surged. The whispers of the Demon Whale echoed in his mind — "Strike until silence."
He lunged again, fists flying, each impact cracking bone and tearing flesh. Chen Rui's screams grew hoarse, his defense breaking apart. The arena floor splattered with crimson.
Even when Chen Rui fell, Polyfalls didn't stop — his knuckles bleeding, his expression distant and cold. The crowd was horrified, yet no one dared intervene.
"Polyfalls! Enough!" Meilin Xue's voice finally broke through the madness, trembling with both fear and relief.
For a moment, he didn't hear her. The blood, the power — it sang to him. It demanded more.
Then, from the instructor's terrace, a senior disciple flashed onto the stage, catching Polyfalls's wrist mid-strike.
"The duel is over!" the senior barked. "He's defeated!"
Polyfalls blinked, dazed, and looked down. Chen Rui lay motionless, his body battered, blood pooling beneath him. A strange silence fell over the arena.
He pulled his hand back slowly, trembling. His knuckles were raw, his breath shallow.
The senior glared at him. "You nearly killed him."
Polyfalls looked up at the stands — at the shocked faces, the whispers, the disbelief. Then at Meilin Xue, whose expression was soft but pained.
"He was the one who challenged me," Polyfalls said quietly. "I merely finished the fight."
The referee hesitated, then raised his voice.
"Winner — Polyfalls Yen!"
The arena erupted into chaos — some cheering, most horrified. For the first time, Dao Xuanzhen Academy's "trash" had not only won but shattered expectations.
Above, the Demon Whale's voice echoed faintly in his consciousness.
"So, little inheritor, how does victory taste?"
Polyfalls's lips curved into a faint, tired smile. "Like blood… and freedom."