Night fell over the Su Clan, and darkness became Su Chen's ally. He moved across the rooftops like a shadow, his inhuman speed carrying him past patrols, his enhanced senses detecting guards before they could spot him. Ma Long's memories guided him-every hidden passage, every blind spot in the defenses, every guard's rotation schedule. Su Kun's private study was located in the inner courtyard, surrounded by ten elite cultivators, each at least five-meridian Foundation Establishment. But to Su Chen, they were just obstacles.
He dropped into the courtyard, landing silently behind a stone lantern. The first guard turned, his sword drawn, but Su Chen was already on him. He covered the guard's mouth, snapping his neck with a single twist. The guard fell, 无声无息 (soundlessly)-a habit Su Chen had picked up from Ma Long's memories.
Two more guards approached, chatting softly. Su Chen moved like a blur, his fists striking their temples. They collapsed, unconscious. He didn't kill them-yet. He needed to avoid raising the alarm until he'd found the antidote.
He reached the study door, its surface carved with spiritual runes-a barrier designed to detect intruders. But Su Chen's Reverse God Meridian could absorb spiritual energy. He pressed his palm to the door, golden light flowing from his hand. The runes dimmed, their power drained, and the door creaked open.
Inside, the study was lit by a single oil lamp. Bookshelves lined the walls, filled with ancient cultivation manuals and clan records. A large desk sat in the center, its surface cluttered with scrolls and vials. Su Chen's eyes scanned the room, his senses honing in on a small wooden box locked in the desk drawer-Ma Long's memories told him that's where Su Kun kept the Soulfreeze Venom antidote.
He crossed the room in a single step, his fingers closing around the drawer handle. But before he could open it, a cold voice spoke from the shadows.
"I've been waiting for you, nephew."
Su Chen spun around. Su Kun stood in the corner, his robes flowing, his eyes glinting with malice. Behind him stood three more enforcers-all Core Formation cultivators, their spiritual energy dark and oppressive.
"You think I didn't notice when my Twin Blades disappeared?" Su Kun said, a smirk tugging at his lips. "You think I didn't sense the monster you've become?" He stepped forward, his spiritual energy flaring. "That Reverse God Meridian of yours is impressive. Too bad you're still a child playing with power you don't understand."
Su Chen's golden energy surged, his body tensing. "Where's the antidote? What did you do with my father's meridians?"
Su Kun laughed, a sound like ice cracking. "Antidote? You think I'd keep something so valuable where you could find it? As for your father's meridians… let's just say they're being put to better use. He was weak, Su Chen. A leader who couldn't protect his clan. I'm doing everyone a favor by replacing him."
The three enforcers lunged, their spiritual energy forming blades of dark light. Su Chen dodged, his body leaving golden blurs, and countered. He punched the first enforcer in the chest, his golden energy shattering the man's meridians. The second enforcer attacked with a sword, but Su Chen grabbed the blade, snapping it in two. He kicked the third enforcer in the head, sending him crashing into the bookshelf.
In less than a minute, all three were defeated. Su Kun's smirk faded, replaced by shock. "Impossible… you're only Foundation Establishment-"
"I'm not like you," Su Chen said, his voice cold. "I'm not human. Not anymore."
He charged at Su Kun, his fist glowing with golden light. Su Kun raised his hands, a barrier of dark spiritual energy forming in front of him. But the Reverse God Meridian devoured it, the barrier dissolving into nothing. Su Chen's fist connected with Su Kun's chest, and the acting clan leader let out a scream of pain.
But Su Kun was no fool. He activated a talisman, a burst of dark energy sending Su Chen flying backward. He crashed into the desk, the wooden box falling open. Inside, there was no antidote-only a note.
"Your father's in the Hidden Chamber. Come find him… if you can survive."
Su Chen's eyes narrowed. He'd been tricked. The study was a trap. But before he could react, the room shook. The walls began to close in, the spiritual runes on the door flaring to life. Su Kun laughed as he vanished through a hidden passage.
"Enjoy your tomb, monster!"
Su Chen stood, his golden energy flaring. The walls were closing fast, but he wasn't going to die here. He focused on the Reverse God Meridian, channeling all his power into a single punch. He struck the wall, golden energy exploding. The stone crumbled, creating a gap just big enough for him to escape.
He burst out of the study, the building collapsing behind him. Guards swarmed, but Su Chen cut a path through them, his speed and strength overwhelming. He needed to find the Hidden Chamber-to save his father, to get the antidote, to finish what he'd started.
As he ran toward the clan's mountain depths, Su Chen clutched the note. Su Kun had made a mistake. He'd underestimated the monster he'd created. And now, he would pay.
The Reverse God Meridian hummed in his chest, hungry for more. Su Chen smiled, his golden eyes glowing in the darkness. The hunt was over. Now, the reckoning began.