Villain Seduces to Rise in Status

A blazing runic array expanded from his chest, forming a swirling circle of black flames for protection against the circling red sword.

"Hah! don’t think you’re the only one who can make arrays!"

’Although mine is a basic one, heh, he doesn’t need to know that.’

He summoned a massive circle of concentrated black flames to intercept the crimson blade. He slid backward across the scorched earth to brace himself, coughing up a small splatter of blood.

"A mere child’s play, and you call that an array." Wang Rou scoffed at Cale’s battered state, flourishing his sleeves as he commanded his crimson energy to strike again.

He was determined to shatter Cale’s fortress of black fire and end the fight once and for all.

What Wang Rou couldn’t guess was that Cale had been fighting deliberately along the barrier’s perimeter, his true objective had always been to figure out the barrier’s opening and run away.

The barrier’s foundation was lightning. Crackling electrical energy forming the base structure. And lightning possessed weaknesses. Yin energy could negate it and dark energies could sever it. Life energies could unravel it, who knew those classes would actually work out somewhere.

Yes, Cale possessed all three.

His Yin physique generated Yin energy effortlessly, and for Life energy, Genesis itself—creation, the act of giving existence—could serve that purpose. Although Noxis could cut through nearly anything, but his current cultivation was quite inferior to the barrier’s creator.

He needed something like a crack or opening, else create a vulnerability.

And he came up with the simplest solution, which was to merge both energies, create a fissure, and cut it wide open.

’Alright, time to initiate this plan.’

But again, there was another problem, merging these energies for the first time would need alot of concentration he couldn’t spare while dueling an Expert Stage cultivator. So he split his consciousness—80% to the fight, 20% put to a hastily-formed soul body tasked with merging the energies at maximum speed.

’It shouldn’t take too long, but without my comprehension level... five minutes, maybe. The result will be crude, but usable at least. I’ll refine it further once its done and use it against him.’

All this calculated while his blade clashed against Wang Rou’s in brutal exchanges.

"What are you thinking about now?" Rou sneered, pressing his assault harder. "Don’t tell me you believe you’ll survive this."

Their fight escalated. Cale eliminated every subordinate. Either burning them, slicing them, obliterating them one by one until only Rou remained.

’He should be defeating me easily. I’m two entire realms beneath him. Unless...’

Cale smiled through the exhaustion. "You have a lightning element too, old man? Or fire, maybe? Because mine is ten times stronger than yours."

Wang Rou’s eyes narrowed dangerously, but he said nothing.

The confirmation was answer enough. This old man was easy to provoke at that.

Cale continued blocking, dodging, fighting defensively while maintaining his tactical awareness. His soul body was close now, almost finished with the energy merger.

Wang Rou couldn’t hide his shock anymore. Initially, he’d fought with low effort, expecting this kid to collapse from exhaustion. But the boy’s reserves were impossibly huge for a mere Master Stage cultivator. His potential was terrifying too. If cultivators of this caliber continued emerging on this barren continent, how would the sect ever maintain control? Such seeds had to be pruned before they could grow.

’Done! fuck yeah! It’s done.’

Cale pulled his consciousness back from the soul body, reintegrating that 20% into his primary awareness. His speed, strength, and perception instantly spiked.

’Now I just need another minute or two.’

He could feel the strain building. ’System, convert all my Blank Points into Agility and Strength.’

The system complied, and Cale felt a subtle surge of energy which was barely anything, but still noticeable.

The battle transformed into something visceral and desperate.

Wang Rou unleashed everything, lightning spells crackled through the air, qi slashes tore gouges across the earth, a bell-shaped artifact materialized around him like a shield that absorbed multiple direct hits.

’Fuck... this old man isn’t holding back anymore. If only I could use telekinesis... I could actually deploy those Ashes of Undying.’

Then, as the minute mark passed, Cale channeled every ounce of his merged Yin and Genesis energy directly into Noxis. With each passing second, his attacks began drawing blood and scratches, cuts too.

Most Master Stage cultivators wouldn’t have survived this long against an Expert. Cale’s body, his divine physique and his absurd qi capacity was the only reason he still drew breath.

He pivoted strategy and formed chaos needles. Dozens of them, hundreds. He condensed them from pure mixed energy, his reserves draining to their absolute limit with only ten percent remaining as he launched the entire volley simultaneously.

Wang Rou’s eyes exploded wide. "You! What trickery is this?!"

Cale’s wings unfurled in their full, celestial glory. A single powerful flap and he launched skyward toward Rexa.

Everyone on the battlefield froze in shock. A human with wings?

"Rexa, now!" he shouted.

She understood instantly. Both Sael and Zetian retreated defensively, uncertain what surprise awaited seeing he gave her some signal.

A blinding flash detonated across the entire battlefield—the gravity artifact activating, compressing reality itself into a crushing point.

Cale didn’t waste a second. He infused Noxis with his mixed energies one final time, pushed himself toward maximum speed, and dove downward in a blur of white hair and divine robes.

"Rexa! Jump!"

She leaped. He caught her mid-air, and his blade sang a horizontal slash of merged power that tore through the barrier’s constructed geometry. Override activated at the same time, forcing the formation to acknowledge his authority over the creator’s.

The barrier split open like tearing fabric.

"Y-Young Master, how did you—"

"Shh."

He rushed through the opening, his wings carrying them both skyward with increasing speed. As they ascended, he burned everything below, be it trees, grass, earth itself, creating a wall of flame that would slow anyone following them.

’Even the simplest distractions buy time, hope the old guys don’t follow us flying on their swords.’

Noxis vanished back into shadow as Cale flapped his wings again, accelerating like a hunting eagle, his silhouette quickly becoming a distant speck against the night sky.

Wang Rou stood alone on the scorched battlefield, his body trembling with barely contained fury. Veins bulged along his forehead as rage consumed rationality.

"You! I will definitely kill you!"

Zetian turned to Sael, his expression dark. "They possessed an escape artifact?"

Sael lowered his head in shame. "We... we didn’t know about that."

Zetian sighed. "Even if he somehow understood the formation’s mechanics, breaking through shouldn’t have been possible. What kind of technique was that? We need to report this."

Wang Rou approached, his voice carrying concern. "An artifact, perhaps. But what truly disturbed me was that sword. It could cut through energy itself... if we’d continued fighting, my own Soul-Bound blade would’ve been destroyed. He wields dark energy of a sinister caliber."

Zetian nodded grimly. "That woman too, I observed her using an artifact right as he caught her. She lost consciousness immediately afterward."

"Making her a burden," Rou continued the thought. "Either he abandons her, or they rest nearby to recover. Given that she called him ’Young Master,’ she’s likely his servant. Few wish to carry injured dependents, and she is only a servant, not even some noble."

Zetian allowed himself a grim smile. "Then we call our forces here to search for them while we pursue the treasure. Two paths, twice the chances of success."

Rou agreed. "That artifact is dangerously powerful, it suppressed our cultivation to mere mortal levels for roughly a minute. We didn’t resist because we never expected it, but had we been prepared..." He trailed off.

"Indeed. We must learn more about this continent. The other factions have certainly must have discovered similar anomalies in other kingdoms."

Zetian gazed toward the distant sky where Cale’s silhouette had vanished. His expression was troubled. This wasn’t supposed to happen.

"Seems like even a dead continent can produce its own heroes in difficult times."