Ascension of the Forsaken

Chapter 11: The Battle Intensifies

Luo Qiyan lay motionless in the shallow crater created by Kael’s last attack, his body aching but his pride even more bruised. Kael stood over him, his murderous intent emanating like a tidal wave. Rage burned fiercely in Kael’s eyes, the very air around him charged with hostility. Seconds passed, then minutes, as Luo Qiyan slowly rose to his feet. He wiped the blood from the corner of his mouth with a steady hand, his lips curling into a smile that was equal parts admiration and condescension.

“Not bad. Not bad at all,” Qiyan said, his voice calm but dripping with venom. “It turns out you can do it when you try. But the time for games is over now. If I were you, I’d run.”

Kael remained unfazed, his smirk unwavering. “Why would I run? I have every intention of killing you right here and now.”

At that, Luo Qiyan chuckled darkly, his eyes glinting with malice. “Oh, so you want to kill me? That’s amusing because I’ve decided I want to kill you as well—slowly and painfully.”

With those words, Qiyan unleashed the full force of his aura. The oppressive energy of the Sixth Stage Qi Condensation Realm blanketed the area, suffocating and unrelenting. His killing intent poured forth in waves, sending nearby creatures into a frenzy, some fleeing the vicinity in terror. Even the two Serpent Fang disciples, Dong Chao and Ma Hu, felt their faces go pale as the realization hit them. The same thought passed between them: Senior Brother Qiyan is serious.

Jin Mu, meanwhile, adopted a solemn expression as his gaze shifted toward Kael. Worry crept into his chest. He knew all too well the danger Luo Qiyan posed. Luo Qiyan wasn’t just any ordinary cultivator—he was the elder brother of Luo Qinglan, the most talented genius of the Serpent Fang Sect. Although often overshadowed by his younger sibling’s unmatched prowess, Qiyan himself was a formidable genius in his own right. His lineage spoke volumes, being the firstborn son of the Supreme Elder of the sect. Luo Qiyan’s reputation for ruthlessness and power preceded him, and Jin Mu’s first instinct had been to flee when he realized who their pursuer was.

But then Jin Mu’s gaze flicked to Kael, and memories of Kael’s talent and indomitable spirit surfaced. Kael had displayed strength that bordered on the impossible, a defiance that few dared to even dream of. Maybe… just maybe we have a chance, Jin Mu thought, though doubt lingered.

Still, Jin Mu knew Kael well enough to understand one thing: there was no way Kael would ever back down from a fight, even if it cost him his life. That pure arrogance and disregard for consequences were traits Jin Mu had come to recognize—and begrudgingly respect—in Kael.

Steeling himself, Jin Mu gripped his weapon tighter and turned his focus to the two disciples he was facing, Dong Chao and Ma Hu. I’ll deal with them, Jin Mu resolved. He knew he could hold his own—he wasn’t a slouch, after all. Back in his sect, he had been celebrated as a genius, and now it was time to prove that reputation.

Kael, meanwhile, stood unwavering before Luo Qiyan. The air vibrated with the tension between them, as if even the forest itself was holding its breath. Kael’s smirk widened as he stared Qiyan down, his fury now matched by his unyielding confidence.

“I’m not running,” Kael said, his voice steady. “If it’s a fight you want, then come get it.”

Luo Qiyan wasted no time. He vanished from his spot in a flash, reappearing a few paces behind Kael with fluid grace. His hands moved like lightning, forming intricate signs with speed and precision. His lips curled into a smirk as he muttered under his breath, “Heavenly Mirage Technique: First Form—Illusion Blades.”

Immediately, the qi in the atmosphere surged to life, coalescing into dozens of ethereal blades that gleamed like deadly mirrors. Luo Qiyan pointed toward Kael, his eyes burning with lethal intent. “Attack!” he shouted, and the blades shot forward, slicing through the air at supersonic speeds, aimed to shred Kael to pieces.

Kael, however, didn’t flinch. He remained still, his eyes closing as the blades bore down on him. The world seemed to quiet around him, his mind calm and cold. In that moment, a flood of information rushed into Kael’s consciousness as his second talent, Unrivaled Combat Mastery, came to the forefront. It wasn’t just the ability to dominate anyone in a fight—it was far more terrifying. This talent granted Kael complete mastery over any combat technique or skill after observing it just once.

But that wasn’t all. His third talent, Unmatched Comprehension also came to the forfront,  and it seamlessly worked in tandem, allowing him to grasp even the most abstract concepts effortlessly. Combined with his peerless qi manipulation, which his unrivaled cultivation talent afforded him, Kael was an absolute monster, a force beyond reckoning.

Kael’s mind raced back through the moments of the fight, analyzing every second of Luo Qiyan’s movements—the way he vanished like a phantom, the intricacies of his footwork, the subtle nuances of his hand signs. In less than a microsecond, Kael had deciphered the technique and run countless simulations in his mind. He wasn’t fast enough to dodge the incoming attack with his raw speed, but now he didn’t need to. He’d mastered Luo Qiyan’s movement technique entirely.

Kael’s lips curved into a smirk as his eyes opened, a cold gleam in them. The illusion blades were mere inches away, poised to tear him apart, when—“Swoosh!”—Kael vanished, leaving only a burst of displaced air in his wake.

Luo Qiyan’s eyes widened in shock as he felt a presence behind him. He turned, only to see Kael standing there, his smirk now bordering on arrogance. Without hesitation, Kael’s hands moved with unparalleled speed, forming the same hand signs Luo Qiyan had used—but faster, more precise, almost artful in their execution.

“Heavenly Mirage Technique: First Form—Illusion Blades,” Kael intoned, his voice calm yet commanding.

Qi exploded around Kael as blades materialized, shimmering with deadly beauty. Luo Qiyan stared, disbelief etched across his face. The very technique he had unleashed was now turned against him, but there was something different—Kael’s execution was flawless, more refined, as if Luo Qiyan’s mastery had been effortlessly eclipsed.

Kael pointed at Qiyan, his smirk widening. “Let’s see how you handle them.”