The hidden cave smelled of damp stone and pine resin, its walls glistening with moisture. Wang Lei had draped camouflage netting over the entrance, blending it seamlessly with the surrounding underbrush. Inside, Lin Yue sorted through the Spirit Crystals they'd collected, her face still marked with awe from Su Chen's defeat of the Ironclaw Wolves.
"We have eighty points already," she said, counting the glowing blue crystals. "That's more than most teams will get in a full day. But if Su Hao's team finds us-"
"They will," Su Chen cut in, his eyes fixed on the cave entrance. The Reverse God Meridian hummed in his chest, amplifying his senses to inhuman levels. He could hear heavy footsteps crunching through dead leaves half a kilometer away, the clink of metal armor, and the low boasts of Su Hao's voice. "They're coming. Three of them, moving fast."
Wang Lei tensed, reaching for the bundle of traps at his feet. "How can you be sure? I don't hear anything."
"Trust me," Su Chen said, standing up. His spiritual energy coiled in his veins, warm and ready. "They saw me take down the wolves. They want to finish what Su Hao started yesterday."
Lin Yue drew her sword, the blade glinting in the faint light of the Spirit Crystals. "We can fight them here. The cave is narrow-they can't attack all at once."
Su Chen shook his head. "No. If we're trapped here, they'll surround us. We need to meet them in the open, where I can use my speed." He paused, looking at his teammates. "Stay back. This is my fight. I don't want you getting hurt."
"But Su Hao's team has three four-meridian cultivators!" Lin Yue protested. "You can't take them alone!"
Before Su Chen could respond, a loud crash echoed outside-the camouflage netting being torn away. Su Hao's mocking voice rang through the forest, sharp and arrogant.
"Su Chen! Come out and face me, you coward! Or are you hiding like the broken-meridian loser you are?"
The three disciples stepped into the cave's entrance, their figures backlit by the afternoon sun. Su Hao stood in the center, his sword drawn, a sneer on his face. Flanking him were Zhao Gang and Li Ming-both tall, muscular men with fierce expressions. Zhao Gang wielded a heavy axe, his spiritual energy flaring dark red, while Li Ming held a pair of daggers, his movements quick and twitchy.
"Look at him," Zhao Gang laughed, eyeing Su Chen up and down. "Still clinging to that worthless pendant. Did it help you kill those wolves, or was that just a trick?"
Li Ming circled to the side, his daggers glinting. "Su Kun said we can do whatever it takes to eliminate him. No one will blame us for 'accidentally' killing a traitor."
Su Chen stepped forward, his body tensing. The Reverse God Meridian surged, sending a wave of golden spiritual energy rippling across his skin. His senses sharpened further-he could see the faint tremor in Zhao Gang's hands, the sweat on Li Ming's brow, the way Su Hao's feet shifted slightly as he prepared to attack. Everything moved in slow motion, as if the world itself had paused to let him react.
"Traitor?" Su Chen said, his voice cold. "I'm the heir to the Su Clan. You're just Su Kun's lapdogs."
Su Hao's face twisted with rage. "Enough! I'll tear that pendant from your neck and break your meridian all over again!"
He lunged forward, his sword slicing through the air with a whistling sound. It was a fast attack-faster than any normal four-meridian cultivator could manage. But to Su Chen, it was sluggish, predictable. His body moved on its own, guided by the Reverse God Meridian's inhuman reflexes. He dodged to the left, his movement leaving a faint golden blur in the air, and punched Su Hao in the ribs.
There was a loud crack. Su Hao let out a scream of pain, doubling over. His sword clattered to the ground, and he stumbled backward, clutching his chest.
Zhao Gang and Li Ming froze, their eyes wide with shock. They'd never seen anyone move that fast-faster than a blink, faster than the wind. It was inhuman.
"What the hell?" Li Ming whispered, his daggers wavering.
Zhao Gang roared, regaining his composure. He swung his axe at Su Chen, the blade coming down with enough force to split a boulder. But again, Su Chen moved too fast. He ducked under the axe, his fist slamming into Zhao Gang's stomach. The man grunted, the air rushing out of his lungs, and collapsed to his knees.
Li Ming attacked next, his daggers stabbing at Su Chen's back. But Su Chen's senses were too sharp-he felt the shift in air pressure before the blades even neared him. He spun around, grabbing Li Ming's wrists and twisting them sharply. The daggers clattered to the ground, and Li Ming let out a cry of pain as his bones creaked.
Su Chen kicked him in the chest, sending him flying into the cave wall. Li Ming slid to the ground, unconscious.
In less than thirty seconds, all three of Su Hao's team were defeated. Zhao Gang knelt on the ground, gasping for breath. Li Ming lay unconscious against the wall. And Su Hao stood there, his face pale with fear and humiliation, his ribs broken, his sword forgotten.
Lin Yue and Wang Lei stared at Su Chen in stunned silence. They had witnessed the fight, but they could barely comprehend what they'd seen. Su Chen had moved like a blur, his reflexes beyond human comprehension, his strength overwhelming. It was as if he were a different species-something not quite human.
"How… how did you do that?" Wang Lei whispered, his voice trembling.
Su Chen's golden spiritual energy faded, leaving him breathing slightly heavier. The Reverse God Meridian's power was incredible, but it still drained him-though far less than it would a normal cultivator.
"I told you," he said, looking at Su Hao. "I'm not the same as before."
Su Hao glared at him, his eyes filled with hatred. "This isn't over. Su Kun will hear about this-he'll-"
"He'll what?" Su Chen said, stepping closer. He leaned down, his face inches from Su Hao's. "Come after me himself? I'd like to see him try."
He picked up Su Hao's sword, twirling it in his hand. The blade glinted in the light, and he could feel the faint spiritual energy embedded in the metal. With a flick of his wrist, he tossed it to Lin Yue.
"Take their Spirit Crystals," he said. "They won't be needing them."
Lin Yue and Wang Lei hurried to collect the crystals from the defeated disciples, their hands still shaking. Su Hao tried to stand, but winced in pain, falling back down. Zhao Gang glared at Su Chen, but didn't dare move-he knew he was no match for that inhuman speed.
As Lin Yue finished gathering the crystals, a loud shout echoed through the forest. It was the sound of a clan elder's voice, calling for all teams to return to the Trial Grounds. Sunset was approaching, and the trial was coming to an end.
Su Chen looked at the three defeated disciples, his eyes cold. "Tell Su Kun this," he said. "I'm not going anywhere. And when I find out what he did to my father, he'll regret ever crossing me."
He turned and walked away, Lin Yue and Wang Lei following close behind. As they left the cave, Su Chen could feel the Reverse God Meridian thrumming in his chest, its power growing stronger with each passing moment. He had not just won the trial-he had sent a message. A message that the broken-meridian loser was gone, replaced by something far more powerful.
Something non-human.
When they reached the Trial Grounds, the other disciples fell silent as they passed. Word of Su Chen's victory had spread, and everyone stared at him with a mix of fear, awe, and curiosity. Su Kun stood on the raised platform, his face set in a stern expression, but his eyes betrayed his anger as he looked at Su Chen.
The elder counted the Spirit Crystals, his voice booming across the crowd. "Team 7-Su Chen, Lin Yue, Wang Lei-two hundred and thirty points! They are the winners of this year's Clan Trial!"
Cheers erupted from the crowd, mixed with murmurs of disbelief. Su Chen stood there, his head held high, as the elder handed him a small wooden box-his reward for winning the trial. Inside was a high-grade medicinal herb, capable of boosting spiritual energy and repairing meridians. But to Su Chen, it was worthless. He already had the Reverse God Meridian-the most powerful treasure in the world.
As the crowd dispersed, Su Kun approached him, his face cold. "You've surprised me, nephew," he said, his voice low. "But don't think this changes anything. You're still a threat to the clan-and threats must be eliminated."
Su Chen smiled, a cold, confident smile. "We'll see about that, uncle."
He turned and walked away, Lin Yue and Wang Lei by his side. The sun set behind the mountains, casting golden light over the Su Clan's grounds. Su Chen clutched the jade pendant around his neck, feeling its warmth. He knew the real fight was just beginning. Su Kun would not stop until he was dead, and the truth about his father's coma was still hidden.
But he was ready. With the Reverse God Meridian's inhuman speed, strength, and senses, he could face any enemy. He would uncover the truth, avenge his father, and take back what was rightfully his.
Because he was no longer human. He was the wielder of the Reverse God Meridian. And nothing-not Su Kun, not the Su Clan, not even the laws of cultivation-could stand in his way.