In the heart of Stone-Gloom City, where darkness became a blanket and ambition festered into the very air breathed, dawn broke lazily. The mist, never truly vanishing, now felt heavier, carrying the scent of fresh blood and whispers of fear. Chen Tian, now hidden in a dilapidated, barely habitable warehouse, felt a weary throb throughout his body. The spiritual Qi in his Qi ocean, though partially recovered, was far from full.
"Hmph. You're too weak, boy," Hei Xuan's voice growled within Chen Tian's mind, breaking the damp silence. His tone was a familiar blend of disappointment and carelessness. "One Moon-Eater Howl technique has drained you like this. Do you think you can conquer the world with the stamina of a maggot?"
Chen Tian ignored the taunt. He felt the truth in Hei Xuan's words. The intoxicating power of his new technique came at a steep price. The stinging pain in his hand, a remnant of the protective talisman activated in the arena yesterday, still lingered. That incident had made his name somewhat known in Stone-Gloom City's underworld, a double-edged sword in this cruel world.
"I smell something unpleasant, boy," Hei Xuan continued, his voice now more serious, dispelling the last vestiges of Chen Tian's drowsiness.
"Not the rotten stench of this city's garbage, but a fouler, more cunning smell. The scent of hidden ambition. The Iron Dragon Sect is beginning to stir their shadows. You've attracted unwanted attention, or at least, not this quickly."
Chen Tian clenched his fist. The Iron Dragon Sect. He had heard the name—a powerful faction, controlling most of the underground operations in the smaller provinces under Tengjian, including Stone-Gloom City. Their strength was far beyond what he could currently face.
"What should we do?" Chen Tian asked, his inner voice slightly tense.
"Eat. Replenish. And prepare to hunt," Hei Xuan replied without hesitation. "We need stronger Essence Beads. And I know where you can get them, as well as find something that might be useful for your journey."
That night, Chen Tian slipped out of the warehouse, his body cloaked in darkness. He moved like a ghost among the shadows, his blood-red hair the only faint sign of his presence amidst the thick mist. He knew he had to be careful. Every eye could be a trap, every whisper a knife stabbing him from behind.
He headed deeper into the black market, the heart of all intrigue and illegal transactions in Stone-Gloom City. The scent of rotten herbs, cheap alcohol, and rusted iron filled his senses. Vendors whispered, buyers haggled in low tones, and cunning shadows darted in every corner.
Chen Tian needed information. He knew he couldn't just plunge into an illegal auction den without a lead. He sought the right target, someone who seemed to know a lot, yet wasn't too dangerous.
In a dimly lit corner, under the flickering light of a lantern, he saw an old man with an unkempt beard, his eyes red from lack of sleep, and the strong smell of alcohol stinging Chen Tian's nose. The man looked like a bankrupt gambler, constantly muttering to himself while flipping worn cards.
"Just one more time... one more round, and I'll be rich," the old man mumbled, saliva dripping from his chin.
"He knows a lot. Losers like him are often the ears and eyes of the city. Approach him," Hei Xuan guided. "Give him some of your trash coins, and he'll give you the world."
Chen Tian approached, his hand slipping into the coin pouch from his last plunder. "Excuse me, Sir," he said, his voice hoarse yet polite, an old habit hard to break.
The old man looked up, his red eyes staring at Chen Tian with suspicion. "What do you want, boy? Seeking fortune? Go away, your fortune smells too foul for my table."
Chen Tian pulled out two silver coins, gleaming faintly in his dirty hand. "I'm looking for information. Something... rare."
The old man's eyes lit up. He snatched the coins in a flash, hiding them behind his beard. "Info, you say? For these silver coins, I can give you a map to hell or a road to false heaven. What are you looking for?"
"An auction," Chen Tian said, lowering his voice. "A dark one. One not everyone knows about."
The old man chuckled, his hoarse voice like grinding stones. "Ah, the Black Mist Auction, eh? Not many know about it, indeed. It's not for the likes of us, boy. Only those with guts and... valuable goods."
He leaned in, his voice barely a whisper. "Its location shifts. Tonight, at the old temple ruins in the Northern District. But listen carefully: you can't get in with just coins. You have to bring an entry wager—at least one Gold Grade Beast Essence Core or higher. Or... other items of equivalent value. To prove you have the right to be there."
Chen Tian frowned. Gold Grade Beast Essence Core? That meant he had to hunt a Soul Beast aged at least 1,000 to 5,000 years. Far stronger than the Stone Bear that almost killed him.
"Hei Xuan, Gold Grade?" Chen Tian whispered.
"Hah! Now that's a worthy challenge," Hei Xuan snorted. "Gold Grade Beast Essence shines golden yellow or bright orange. Its power is enough to significantly elevate your Martial Soul. They have a stronger aura than anything you've ever felt. And yes, you'll have to find it yourself."
"Where can I find one?" Chen Tian asked the old man.
The old man grinned, showing his missing teeth.
"Lately, there have been rumors of a wild Spirit Beast roaming the Northern Swamps of Stone-Gloom City. A Poisonous Mist Serpent said to be over a thousand years old. Some Martial Adept cultivators tried to hunt it, but none returned whole. Perhaps it holds the Essence Bead you seek."
The Northern Swamps. A dangerous place. But also a promising one.
Chen Tian left the black market, his new objective clear. He had to go to the Northern Swamps. He had to get that Gold Grade Beast Essence. Without it, he wouldn't be able to enter the Black Mist Auction, and he would be stuck at the bottom of Stone-Gloom City.
Midway, as he passed through darker alleys, he heard voices. Arrogant laughter and familiar scolding.
"You dirty rats! You should all be kneeling before my master!"
Chen Tian looked ahead. A group of young thugs in flashy clothes were extorting a small merchant. In their midst, a young man with an arrogant face and neatly combed hair stood tall. He exuded a faint Martial Adept aura, and his Martial Soul, a Golden Fang Saber-Toothed Tiger, flickered on his wrist. This was Zhou Li, the pampered son of one of the Iron Dragon Sect Elders, known for his arrogance and cruelty.
Zhou Li was not alone. Behind him stood two adult cultivators in simpler clothes, but their auras felt sharper and colder. They were his lackeys, or perhaps, as Hei Xuan suspected, spies from the Iron Dragon Sect watching him.
"Hah, look who it is," Zhou Li sneered, his eyes fixed on the ragged Chen Tian. "What little rat from what village is this? Your mud stench is even fouler than the garbage in the sewers."
Chen Tian did not reply. He just kept walking, trying to ignore them. He didn't have time to fight these small dogs.
"Are you deaf, huh?! I'm talking to you, you mud loser from Qinghe!" Zhou Li yelled, his anger overflowing when Chen Tian ignored him. "I heard there was a crazy red-haired dog causing a ruckus in the arena yesterday. Don't tell me that was you? Who do you think you are, huh? Daring to steal the spotlight in my city!"
Zhou Li stepped forward, his Martial Adept aura pressing down on Chen Tian. His two bodyguards, true members of the Iron Dragon Sect, merely smirked, as if enjoying the show.
"A loser like you should be kneeling before me!" Zhou Li grabbed Chen Tian's shoulder, trying to push him. "I, Zhou Li, will show you your place!"
"Kill this boy in the arena. Absorb his Essence. Let those who lurk get even hotter. Let them know who the new bastard here is," Hei Xuan's voice growled within Chen Tian's mind. His tone was cold, yet filled with a desire for destruction. "He underestimated you. Make him pay."
Chen Tian looked at Zhou Li. In his right eye, a faint golden flash appeared. In his dark purple left eye, the spiral vortex of the Void Abyss Eclipse Eye slowly spun, though unseen by the naked eye. A chill ran down Zhou Li's spine, but he ignored it, thinking it was just fear from the "loser" in front of him.
Chen Tian gave a thin, cruel smile. "Arena, you say?" his voice hoarse and cold. "Very well. I will show you your place."
Zhou Li was surprised. He hadn't expected Chen Tian to accept the challenge. "Hah! You dare?! Good! Tonight, at the Bloody Claw Arena! I will show everyone how a true Martial Adept crushes a village rat!"
He laughed, a sickeningly arrogant laugh. His bodyguards also laughed, looking at Chen Tian with disdain. They thought this would just be a one-sided show, where Zhou Li could show off in front of them.
"Hah… good. Let them know. This is just the beginning of their hell," Hei Xuan laughed within Chen Tian's mind, a laugh filled with ancient evil. "Prepare yourself, boy. Tonight, you will further defile their name."
The Bloody Claw Arena. A smaller, dirtier illegal duel pit than the previous arena, hidden beneath Stone-Gloom City's slums. The smell of old blood and cheap alcohol was thicker here, mingled with the scent of simmering bets. Dim oil lamps illuminated rough faces hungry for violence.
Zhou Li had arrived with his small entourage, surrounded by gamblers eager to pick up the crumbs of his victory. He stepped into the center of the arena, his Golden Fang Saber-Toothed Tiger Martial Soul glowing brightly on his wrist, radiating a powerful Martial Adept aura. His greatsword glinted under the dim light.
"Look who's here!" Zhou Li shouted, his voice loud, full of arrogance. "The village rat has come to meet his end! I, Zhou Li, will show you all the true power of the Iron Dragon Sect!"
The crowd cheered, some of them laughing at Chen Tian who had just entered. They saw him—the ragged boy with blood-red hair, a thin body that didn't even fit the title of Martial Initiate.
"He's crazy. Fighting a Martial Adept like Zhou Li?"
"Hah, maybe he's tired of living."
"How long will he last? I bet three breaths!"
However, among the crowd, there were some sharper eyes. They were those who had heard the rumors from the previous arena—about the red-haired boy who used a strange technique, who left corpses as ash. They watched Chen Tian with cold curiosity.
Chen Tian stepped into the arena. He carried no weapon. Only his body, and his faintly flickering Martial Soul. He looked at Zhou Li, a thin, yet terrifying smile etched on his lips.
"Hah! You don't even have a weapon, loser?" Zhou Li sneered.
"That's good. It'll be easier for me to tear you apart with my bare hands!"
Hei Xuan laughed within Chen Tian's mind, a laugh whose echo could shake the universe. "Good, boy. Let him be arrogant. The higher he flies, the harder he will fall. And you, you will be the one to break his wings."
At the same time, in the shadows behind the crowd, in a corner unseen by most, a silhouette appeared. A middle-aged man in simple clothes but radiating a powerful aura, even stronger than the guards outside. His eyes were sharp, scanning Chen Tian intently. It was Elder Zhao, a core member of the Iron Dragon Sect, who had been sent to investigate the rumors of a "new demon" in Stone-Gloom City.
Elder Zhao saw Chen Tian's blood-red hair, felt the faint yet unique aura of the Three-Eyed Moon Wolf Martial Soul. He narrowed his eyes. "So... this is him," he whispered softly, just to himself.
The duel began. Zhou Li charged, his Golden Fang Saber-Toothed Tiger Martial Soul roaring, radiating powerful golden energy. His greatsword flashed, ready to cleave Chen Tian in two.
Chen Tian did not use fancy techniques. He remained calm. He raised his left hand, blood from the burnt wound on his finger dripping onto the muddy floor. His voice, this time, was slightly clearer, yet still contained an indescribable whisper of cruelty. Every word was a curse.
"O wrathful moon,
You who witness the world's birth and damnation,
Unleash your teeth upon mortal flesh,
And let this putrid soul be my final taste."
As the last incantation was uttered, the Three-Eyed Moon Wolf on Chen Tian's wrist did not let out a full howl. It only emitted a low growl, and from its back, not from the sky, a smaller, purplish-black spiral energy disc appeared. The disc did not spin wildly, but moved slowly, as if stalking.
"Hah! What cheap technique is this?!" Zhou Li sneered, unaware of the approaching danger.
The disc shot forward. It did not directly hit Zhou Li with full force. Instead, the disc attached itself to Zhou Li's body, on his chest, and began to slowly spin, emitting a strange sucking aura.
Zhou Li felt something. Not sudden pain, but a cold sensation creeping over his skin, as if something was slowly draining his strength. His Golden Fang Saber-Toothed Tiger Martial Soul began to flicker faintly, its power slightly dimming.
This was Half-Moon Bite, a more refined version of the Moon-Eater Howl technique, designed to slowly drain Essence, tormenting the prey, and prolonging the duel.
The arena's aura began to change. The dark mist produced by the technique spread from Zhou Li's body, turning the dim light into a thick grey. The sweet scent of death spread, making the spectators hold their breath, their eyes fixed on Chen Tian.
Zhou Li began to panic. He didn't understand what was happening. His strength was being drained. He tried to hit Chen Tian, but his movements slowed, his coordination disrupted.
"What are you doing?! Let me go, you demon!" Zhou Li screamed, his face paling.
Chen Tian did not answer. He only stared at Zhou Li with his cold eyes, a cruel smile etched on his lips. He saw the fear in Zhou Li's eyes, and he felt a strange satisfaction.
In the shadows, Elder Zhao watched intently, his eyes narrowed.
"What technique is that? Draining... slowly... this is not a common technique. This is... dangerous."
Hei Xuan laughed within Chen Tian's mind, a laugh echoing through the universe, satisfying his ancient desire for chaos. "Good... let that sect know... this is just the beginning of their hell."
The Bloody Claw Arena was shrouded in grey mist, the duel had just begun, but Zhou Li's fate seemed already sealed. Chen Tian, the new wolf in this city, had shown his true fangs. And he was just about to begin his symphony of destruction.