Chapter 38: Rising Shadows
The Central Profound Arena was still buzzing with noise after Ling Feng’s defeat. Murmurs spread through the crowd like ripples on water, growing louder with every passing second.
“Did you see that? Ling Feng fought hard, but he was completely outclassed…”
“The Void Clan’s momentum is slowing down. Only the Young Mistress and that attendant Su Qinglan are left…”
“Even after all that training and the miracle of the Survival Trial, they’re still falling short against the real top talents.”
In the Void Clan’s pavilion, the atmosphere had grown heavy. Ling Feng was helped off the stage by two attendants, his head bowed in shame. Blood still dripped from the corner of his mouth, and his sword arm hung limply at his side. He had given everything he had, yet it had not been enough.
Ling Qingmei watched with a pained expression, her hands clenched tightly in her lap. The Patriarch remained silent, his face solemn. Several elders exchanged worried glances, the earlier excitement from the Empress’s victory now tempered by the harsh reality of the quarterfinals.
The Empress sat on her throne-like seat, her expression calm and regal. Her silver-white hair shimmered under the arena lights as she observed the murmurs spreading through both her own pavilion and the wider crowd. She said nothing at first, allowing the weight of the defeat to settle.
Then she spoke, her voice low but carrying clearly to everyone in the Void Clan’s section.
“Ling Feng fought with spirit. He pushed himself beyond his limits. That alone is worthy of respect.”
She paused, her crimson eyes shifting toward Su Qinglan, who stood quietly behind her with perfect obedience.
“Su Qinglan.”
Su Qinglan immediately stepped forward and knelt before her Empress; head lowered in reverence.
“Yes, my Empress.”
The Empress looked down at her loyal attendant, her voice calm yet filled with absolute authority.
“You must win your match. No matter who stands before you, no matter how strong they appear. You will win. I have given you power. I have given you, my essence. Now prove that you are worthy of it. Do not disappoint me.”
Su Qinglan’s eyes shone with fervent devotion. She bowed even lower, her voice steady and filled with unwavering resolve.
“I will not fail you, Empress. I will win. For you. For the clan. For the glory you deserve.”
The Empress placed a hand gently on Su Qinglan’s head, a rare gesture of approval that sent a visible shiver of joy through the attendant.
“Good. Then go. Show them the power I have bestowed upon you.”
Su Qinglan rose gracefully and stepped back, her posture straighter than ever. The murmurs in the pavilion quieted as the clan members watched their Young Mistress’s chosen servant prepare for her own match.
XXXX
The announcer’s voice rang out clearly across the Central Profound Arena.
“Match 4: Han Xue (Profound Dao Alliance) versus Su Qinglan (Primordial Void Immortal Clan).”
The crowd leaned forward with intense focus. This matchup carried significant weight. Han Xue was a respected sword cultivator from the Profound Dao Alliance, known for her calm, profound sword intent and elegant technique. Su Qinglan, the once-quiet attendant of the Void Clan, had become a symbol of the clan’s surprising resurgence after her impressive performance in the previous stages.
Han Xue stepped onto the stage with elegant poise. Her long black hair was tied neatly, and she carried a simple wooden sword. Her expression was calm and focused, her profound aura steady like a deep river that had flowed for centuries. She wore flowing white and blue robes that accentuated her graceful figure.
Su Qinglan faced her with quiet grace. Her dark purple robes hugged her figure modestly yet elegantly. Her long black hair was tied back, and her eyes were calm, filled with unwavering devotion and quiet confidence. The faint black-purple traces of void energy in her aura were visible to those with sharp senses; a clear sign of the power the Empress had bestowed upon her.
The barrier dropped.
The fight began.
Han Xue moved first. She drew her wooden sword in a single, fluid motion and swung it in a wide arc. A profound sword intent erupted, forming a massive wave of sword Qi that screamed toward Su Qinglan like a river of stars. The attack carried the weight of the Dao, refined and unstoppable.
Su Qinglan remained composed. She stepped forward gracefully and thrust her palm out. Black-purple void mists swirled around her hand as she met the sword wave head-on. The profound sword Qi shattered like fragile glass upon contact with her void energy, dissipating into harmless sparks that scattered across the arena floor.
Han Xue’s eyes narrowed slightly. She stepped forward and began a series of elegant sword forms. Each swing released profound sword lights that curved and multiplied in the air, creating a deadly net of attacks that closed in on Su Qinglan from every direction. The sword lights hummed with philosophical depth, each one carrying the intent to cut through illusion and falsehood.
Su Qinglan moved with fluid elegance. Her movements were enhanced by the power the Empress had granted her through dual cultivation and training. She dodged and deflected with precise void steps, her body blurring slightly as she avoided the heavy blows. When Han Xue overextended, Su Qinglan countered with sharp palm strikes infused with void energy, each hit disrupting her sword circulation and forcing her back several steps.
The crowd watched in growing amazement. The once-quiet attendant was holding her own against a powerful profound sword cultivator with elegant, almost effortless movements. Her void techniques were precise and efficient, devouring Han Xue’s sword Qi before it could fully form.
Han Xue grew more serious. She raised her wooden sword high and poured all her profound intent into one powerful strike — Heavenly Sword Cascade. Dozens of massive sword projections formed in the sky above the arena, each one carrying the weight of the heavens. They rained down toward Su Qinglan like falling stars, unstoppable and overwhelming.
Su Qinglan looked up at the descending swords with calm indifference. She raised both hands.
“Void Domain — Eternal Silence.”
A black-purple dome erupted outward, engulfing a large portion of the stage. The heavenly swords froze mid-air the moment they entered the domain, then shattered into nothingness as the void devoured them completely. The domain suppressed Han Xue’s movements, making her feel as if she were moving through thick mud.
Han Xue’s eyes widened in shock, but she adapted quickly. She channelled her profound intent into her sword and swung it in a circular motion, creating a defensive sword domain that cut through the void mist and pushed it back. The two domains clashed in a dazzling display of light and darkness.
Su Qinglan stepped forward through her own domain, appearing directly in front of Han Xue. She delivered a powerful palm strike to her opponent’s shoulder. The impact sent Han Xue skidding backward, blood spraying from her mouth as void energy disrupted her meridians.
Han Xue recovered quickly and countered with a swift thrust aimed at Su Qinglan’s heart. Su Qinglan twisted her body at the last moment, the blade grazing her robes. She grabbed Han Xue’s sword arm and twisted it violently, forcing the sword to drop. Then she drove her knee into Han Xue’s stomach, followed by a palm strike to the chest that sent her flying once more.
The fight continued with Su Qinglan maintaining control. She used her enhanced speed and void techniques to stay one step ahead, striking at Han Xue’s weaknesses while avoiding her powerful but increasingly sluggish attacks. Her movements were elegant yet ruthless, a perfect blend of the training and dual cultivation she had received from the Empress.
Han Xue refused to yield. She raised her wooden sword high and unleashed her strongest technique — Heavenly Sword Ascension. A colossal sword projection formed above her, piercing toward Su Qinglan with the full weight of her profound intent.
Su Qinglan met it head-on. She raised both hands and summoned a concentrated void sphere. The two ultimate techniques collided in the center of the arena with a cataclysmic explosion. The shockwave shook the entire floating island.
When the light faded, Han Xue was on her knees, blood pouring from her mouth. Her sword was cracked, and her profound aura was flickering weakly.
Su Qinglan stepped forward, her expression calm. She grabbed Han Xue by the throat and lifted her off the ground. With a surge of void energy, she slammed her palm into Han Xue’s dantian. The impact was devastating. Void energy exploded inside Han Xue’s body, shattering her meridians and crippling her cultivation permanently.
Han Xue screamed in agony as her profound sword intent shattered completely. Her body convulsed as she was reduced from a late Spiritual Sea Realm genius to a powerless mortal. Su Qinglan held her there for a moment longer, letting the crowd witness the full extent of the defeat, before tossing her broken opponent onto the stage like a discarded puppet.
Han Xue lay twitching on the ground, blood pooling beneath her. Her once-proud sword cultivation was gone forever. She would never wield a sword at her previous level again.
Su Qinglan stood over her, breathing steadily, her expression calm and composed. She had not only won, she had done so with the ruthless efficiency that pleased her Empress.
The announcer’s voice rang out:
“Match 4 — Winner: Su Qinglan (Primordial Void Immortal Clan).”
Su Qinglan bowed respectfully toward the Empress’s direction before stepping off the stage, her heart filled with quiet joy at having served her Mistress well.
XXXX
The Central Profound Arena remained in a stunned, heavy silence for several long seconds after Su Qinglan’s victory was announced.
Then the murmurs began.
They started as scattered whispers and quickly grew into a roaring wave of shock, outrage, and fear that swept through the hundreds of thousands of spectators.
“Did you see that? She crippled her… permanently.”
“Han Xue’s cultivation… it’s gone. Completely shattered.”
“That wasn’t a normal defeat. Su Qinglan drained her while breaking her. That’s demonic!”
The crowd’s reaction was visceral. Many righteous sect disciples shouted in moral outrage, calling for the match to be invalidated. Others sat in terrified awe, realizing the Void Clan’s Young Mistress was not the only monster in their ranks. Her quiet attendant had just shown the same ruthless efficiency.
In the Profound Dao Alliance’s pavilion, the elders were on their feet, faces pale with fury and disbelief. Han Xue had been one of their brightest talents. Now she was being carried off the stage on a stretcher, her body broken and her future as a cultivator destroyed.
The Heavenly Radiance Sect’s section was deathly quiet. Saintess Mu Hui stood on the balcony, her voluptuous body trembling slightly. Her purple eyes burned with a mixture of obsessive hunger and cold calculation. The sight of Su Qinglan’s brutal victory only fuelled her twisted fascination with the Void Clan.
“So even her servant has this kind of power…” she whispered, licking her full red lips. “The Void Empress is raising monsters. How delicious.”
In the Void Clan’s pavilion, the atmosphere was a strange blend of pride and unease. Ling Qingmei clutched the railing tightly, her face pale as she watched Su Qinglan bow toward her daughter before stepping off the stage. The Patriarch remained silent, his expression grave yet hopeful. The younger disciples looked at Su Qinglan with newfound respect and fear.
The Empress sat calmly on her throne-like seat, her silver-white hair shimmering under the arena lights. Her crimson eyes followed Su Qinglan’s return with quiet approval. Inside, her thoughts were sharp and ambitious.
Good. She has grown strong. Every victory brings us closer. By the end of this tournament, I will reach the Dao Manifestation Realm. Su Qinglan’s win today is another step toward that goal. The more essence we claim, the faster I ascend.
Su Qinglan returned to the pavilion and knelt before the Empress, head lowered in perfect devotion.
“I have won for you, Empress,” she whispered. “As you commanded.”
The Empress placed a hand gently on her head, a rare gesture of approval that sent a visible shiver of joy through Su Qinglan.
“You have done well. Rest and prepare. The semifinals await.”
The murmurs in the arena continued to grow. Many powerful elders from various sects exchanged grave looks, realizing that the Void Clan was no longer a declining power to be mocked. They had become a genuine threat.
The quarterfinals had delivered another shocking result.
And the tension for the remaining matches only continued to rise.
The Empress leaned back in her seat, her expression cold and regal. Her silver-white hair flowed gently in the wind as she looked out over the arena with calculating eyes.
The final stage was unfolding exactly as she had planned.
And she was only growing stronger.
End of Chapter 38