The night was cold, and the mist slithered across the ruined ground like restless spirits.
Above, the full moon hung in the sky like a watchful eye, casting its pale, silver light down onto the world below.
Vạn Thiên Phong stood motionless, the black cloak draped over his shoulders billowing softly in the night breeze.
The crowd, which had gathered out of both fear and curiosity, dared not move closer. His presence alone made their souls tremble.
No one wanted to get involved in the affairs of a man like him — a man who could destroy entire sects without mercy.
Suddenly, a voice broke the silence.
"So you're the so-called Vạn Thiên Phong?"
The voice was sharp, dripping with contempt.
A young man, no older than twenty, stepped out from among the onlookers. He wore a robe of pale blue, the symbol of the Azure Sky Sect embroidered in gold across his chest.
In his hand, a slender sword gleamed, catching the moonlight as if thirsting for blood.
The young man's face was handsome but twisted with arrogance.
He gazed at Vạn Thiên Phong as if the latter were no more than an insect in his path.
Vạn Thiên Phong glanced at him lazily. His crimson eyes glowed faintly under the moonlight.
"And who," he said, his voice as soft as silk yet carrying a razor's edge, "gave you permission to speak?"
The young man stiffened but quickly masked his anger with a smirk.
"I am Trần Bạch Lâm, the first disciple of the Azure Sky Sect! I have come to challenge you, villain!"
The crowd gasped.
Trần Bạch Lâm was famous across the land — a genius of his generation, destined for greatness.
That he would personally step forward to face Vạn Thiên Phong was both shocking and foolish in equal measure.
Vạn Thiên Phong, however, didn't even blink.
A slow, mocking smile spread across his lips.
"A dog barking in the night... how tedious."
Trần Bạch Lâm's face darkened with rage.
"Arrogant fool! Today, I will wash away your sins with your blood!"
Without waiting for a response, Trần Bạch Lâm dashed forward, his sword a blur of silver light.
Whoosh!
The sword cut through the air, aiming straight for Vạn Thiên Phong's heart with deadly precision.
But Vạn Thiên Phong didn't move.
He simply raised one hand — almost lazily — and two fingers snapped together.
Clang!
An invisible force erupted outward.
Trần Bạch Lâm's sword froze mid-air, stopped inches from Vạn Thiên Phong's chest.
A look of disbelief crossed Trần Bạch Lâm's face.
"Impossible!" he roared, infusing his sword with spiritual energy and pushing forward.
The ground beneath their feet cracked from the pressure. The air trembled.
And yet... Vạn Thiên Phong remained utterly unmoved.
In the next instant, he flicked his fingers.
Boom!
A shockwave burst forth.
Trần Bạch Lâm was sent flying backward like a ragdoll, crashing into the ground with a loud thud.
The spectators gasped. Some even stumbled backward, their faces pale with fear.
Trần Bạch Lâm struggled to rise, blood trickling from the corner of his mouth.
Still, he gritted his teeth and glared at Vạn Thiên Phong with undying hatred.
"You... you won't get away with this," he spat.
Vạn Thiên Phong stepped forward leisurely, each step causing the ground to crack slightly under his overwhelming aura.
"I already have," he said, his voice as cold as winter's breath.
Trần Bạch Lâm roared in defiance and lunged once more.
This time, he unleashed a secret technique of the Azure Sky Sect — the Sky Piercing Sword Dance!
Dozens of sword images materialized around him, each one radiating a deadly aura, aiming to shred Vạn Thiên Phong into pieces from every direction.
The crowd's hearts tightened.
Even some seasoned elders hidden in the shadows narrowed their eyes in approval.
This was the Azure Sky Sect's secret art — few could defend against it!
But Vạn Thiên Phong merely lifted a single hand and made a grasping motion.
The space around him twisted.
The dozens of sword images froze mid-air... then shattered like fragile glass.
Crash!
The pieces of broken sword energy rained down, glittering like dying stars.
Trần Bạch Lâm's eyes widened in horror.
He barely had time to react before a massive force slammed into him — an invisible palm pressing him into the ground.
Bang!
The earth shook violently.
A large crater formed where Trần Bạch Lâm lay, his body twitching weakly.
The crowd stared in stunned silence.
Even the most arrogant onlookers understood one thing:
There was an insurmountable gap between Trần Bạch Lâm and Vạn Thiên Phong.
No, not just a gap — it was a chasm as wide as heaven and earth!
Vạn Thiên Phong stood at the edge of the crater, looking down with disdain.
"You think talent alone is enough?" he said coldly.
"You are nothing more than a child playing with swords."
Without waiting for a response, he turned his back and began to walk away.
As he passed through the crowd, people instinctively moved aside, bowing their heads to avoid meeting his gaze.
No one dared to speak.
No one dared to breathe too loudly.
The legend of Vạn Thiên Phong had been terrifying before.
Tonight, it grew even darker.
But just as he was about to leave the plaza, a faint chuckle echoed from the shadows.
"Heh... impressive. Truly impressive."
Vạn Thiên Phong paused.
He tilted his head slightly, his crimson eyes flashing with interest.
From a dark alleyway stepped out a man clad entirely in black, his face obscured by a hood.
The man clapped slowly, mockingly.
"You've beaten a mere pup. Congratulations," he said, voice dripping with sarcasm.
"And you are?" Vạn Thiên Phong asked, his tone still casual, as if discussing the weather.
The hooded man smiled.
"A messenger," he said. "From those who watch."
Before Vạn Thiên Phong could reply, the man tossed a black jade token toward him.
The token spun through the air and landed neatly in Vạn Thiên Phong's hand.
Etched into the surface of the token was a single character: "Kill."
The crowd, watching from afar, had no idea what had just transpired.
But a few hidden powers watching from the shadows narrowed their eyes.
The true game was about to begin.
Vạn Thiên Phong stared at the token for a moment, then let a low chuckle escape his lips.
Interesting.
Very interesting.
Pocketing the token, he walked away without another word.
Behind him, the moon hung like a bloody eye in the sky, watching silently as chaos brewed in the dark corners of the world.
[End of chapter 10]