Xia Song shrieked like a goose and dove behind a pillar the moment the molotovs flew.

  The guard, though, had just enough time.

  One twist of the waist, one flick of his sword, and the bottles were swatted mid-air. Glass shattered. Flames whooshed harmlessly aside, licking at the walls but missing their marks.

  Xia Song peeked out from behind his cover, eyes wide. "You—!"

  I lunged.

  Not at the guard.

  At him.

  A big, dramatic swing—wide and obvious. The kind of move you could see coming from a mile away.

  Predictably, the guard moved fast. Exactly what I wanted.

  He stepped in, sword raised, barking out a sharp chant.

  "Pure Sea Sword!"

  His blade lit up. A faint sheen of blue traced along the metal's edge like moonlight on still water.

  I didn't stop.

  I brought the blade down hard—then let go mid-swing and threw it right at his face.

  He flinched. Eyes widened. His sword jerked sideways in a flash, swatting the flying weapon to the ground with a metallic clang.

  But I was already moving in.

  Left foot pivot. Right arm low. Then a brutal upward crescent. I wasn't aiming to kill.

  I was aiming to break.

  He barely twisted in time. His blade scraped into the path of my hand like a panicked shield, barely enough to catch the blow. Metal screeched as I threw my full weight into the bear-claw strike. His whole body shuddered—I felt the air leave his lungs—before he was flung back across the room.

  He hit the ground hard, boots scraping as he tumbled. Credit where it's due, he held onto his sword.

  I didn't give him time to reset.

  I charged again. This time with bare hands—just raw momentum and murder in my bones. Five fingers curled like claws, angled for his face.

  The air flexed. A talisman snapped into existence mid-air, golden threads unraveling into flowing script. The heat of the room vanished under a sudden mist.

  A barrier of flowing water flowed into existence.

  My hand slammed into it with a dull thud, like punching into gel.

  I growled, glancing toward the source—there. The Majordomo, moving fast to help the guard up. A blue talisman shimmered in his hand.

  Behind the barrier, the Qi Refining guard coughed and struggled to his feet. Xia Song was there too, visibly straining to support him.

  I flexed my arms, stepped forward, and began hammering the barrier with wide, sweeping strikes. Every hit rippled out in slow waves, the water Qi dispersing the force like it was nothing. I was about to rouse the Asura's craving. Maybe that would give me the Oomph I needed.

  Qiu's voice hummed in my ear, sharp and low. "Don't bother. That barrier's beyond you. The amount of Qi in it isn't something you can break."

  "He's right there!" I snarled, slamming both palms into the shield again. "I'm not leaving empty-handed."

  "I didn't say that," Qiu snapped. "But stop wasting your strength. It's a temporary talisman—I can already sense it burning out. Your attacks aren't speeding that up."

  I hissed through my teeth and stepped back.

  The fire was spreading. Smoke rolled across the floor. Scrolls crackled and flared behind me.

  The fire was spreading fast. Smoke rolled low across the floor. Behind me, scrolls flared like paper fireworks, popping and hissing in the heat.

  "How many cultivators nearby, Qiu?" I asked, eyes fixed on the barrier.

  "They're scattered," Qiu replied. "But two first stage signatures are definitely moving this way. Don't take too long."

  Of course. Clock's ticking.

  "You!" Xia Song's voice cracked through the smoke, shrill and righteous. "How dare you! Do you think you'll get away with this? The Northsea Sect will eradicate you! Your father! Everyone you know—yes, all of them will die!"

  I gave him the most trembling, wide-eyed look I could muster. "W-wow. That's... actually kind of terrifying."

  His eyes lit up, confidence rising as I let my shoulders sag. Just a little.

  "But I had to!" I said quickly. "They kidnapped my father! They forced me to come here!"

  That hit. Xia Song's expression shifted. His chest puffed up, righteous fury slowly mutating into self-importance.

  "Who?" he demanded, pointing like a drunk magistrate. "Who dared send you here?!"

  I dropped to my knees, hands hitting the scorched floor. Ash clung to my palms. I clenched it tightly like it meant something.

  "I... I can't say!" I wailed. "They said they'd kill him! He's all I have left—I can't lose him too!"

  "Wow. You are a menace."

  "Hmph," Xia Song said, adjusting his sleeves like he was suddenly the benevolent prince. "If you tell us, I might ask Young Miss to take pity on you. Perhaps even... help you."

  He glanced at the guard, who gave a satisfied nod.

  "Only if you kowtow a hundred times, though," Xia Song added, smugness dripping from every word.

  "Oh, thank you," I gasped, lowering myself further. "Truly, the Northsea Sect is generous beyond compare."

  My fingers dug into the floor, palm curling tighter around the handful of ash.

  The barrier flickered.

  I moved.

  Pushed off like a sprinter at the bell, the heat and smoke behind me a perfect curtain. I closed the distance in a heartbeat.

  The guard flinched, sword already rising—

  —but I was faster.

  I whipped the clump of ash into his face and ducked beneath the incoming slash. The blade hissed through the air inches above my head, but I didn't care.

  My target was right in front of me.

  My hand snapped upward with all the force and precision of a steel trap, fingers curled like a claw, and slammed into his groin with a sickening crunch.

  "AHH!"

  His scream tore through the chamber as he folded, legs giving out beneath him. But I wasn't done.

  I followed the first strike with another, then again, and again, each one hammering down like a war drum until he slumped over and stopped moving entirely.

  Behind me, I caught the sound of retreat. Quick, frantic footsteps scraping over the stone floor.

  Xia Song was running.

  Ah, can't have that, can we?

  Xia Song didn't get far before I closed the distance and caught him by the collar, yanking him backward with enough force to spin him off his feet. His body slammed into a nearby beam, a sharp, pathetic yelp escaping his throat as I pinned him in place.

  "The sect will never let you off for this!" he choked out. "You'll be hunted, humiliated, torn apart—your father, your village, everything you care about will be erased!"

  I didn't bother answering right away. My grip tightened around his throat, just enough to turn his panic into real alarm.

  "I can pay you triple," he sputtered quickly, each word coming with a gasp. "Triple what they offered! I'll even help you save your father! You don't have to die here!"

  I gave him a long look, letting the silence drag just long enough to let hope flicker behind his eyes. Then I smiled. "There was no deal. I made all that up."

  The change in his face was almost funny—hope turned to horror in a heartbeat.

  I adjusted my grip, the clawed hand shifting toward Xia Song's throat, ready to end it then and there—until a sharp voice cut across the chamber.

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  "Stop!"

  A compressed wave of killing intent slammed through the room as a razor-thin streak of sword energy screamed through the air. I dropped low without thinking, dragging Xia Song with me like a ragdoll shield as I pivoted toward the sound.

  Xia Song gasped, eyes wide, voice cracking with sudden relief. "Thank the heavens! Young Master Yuijin! Save me!"

  "Ah, shit," I muttered, already feeling the heavy pressure on my senses. "Am I seeing this right?"

  Qiu confirmed. "Fourth-stage Qi Refining. Clear as daylight."

  "Would've loved to know that beforehand, buddy."

  Across the smoke-hazed chamber stood a figure who could only be Ash Yujin, a Young Master. He looked like he'd stepped out of a painting—robes pristine, sword still shimmering with residual Qi from the warning strike, and an expression so flat it practically oozed disdain. Not quite a sneer. But close enough.

  "I've just broken through, so I'm in a good mood. Release the Majordomo, and I will grant you a painless death," he called out, voice calm and measured. "Refuse, and I will make you wish you had. "

  I pressed my hand tighter to Xia Song's throat, just enough for him to feel it. "Or you move, and I don't kill him."

  "Young Master Yujin, please!" Xia Song squealed, his voice climbing into full-blown panic. "You know my importance to Mistress!"

  I gripped Xia Song's neck tightly, and he began to panic even more.

  Ash didn't move, but his eyes sharpened. "Don't you dare!"

  So that was the game. Huh. I half expected a clean strike through both of us for 'Face.' Either this guy had more of a conscience than he looked, or the Majordomo really was valuable.

  "Then use him well. He's your only shot at getting out of this,"

  I gave a slight nod, pretending to consider surrender, then lunged forward without warning, dragging Xia Song ahead of me like a battering ram. His screams filled the air, but I didn't care. He was flailing already, too stunned to resist.

  Sword light flared again. I ducked and twisted, trying to use Xia Song's body as cover, even as I lashed out with a low swipe toward Ash's legs. My claws barely missed, and Ash responded instantly. His counters weren't just fast—they were terrifyingly precise. Every strike landed with surgical control, carving shallow lines into my forearm, my ribs, my shoulder. Not deep enough to kill. Just enough to bleed me dry.

  A slash came high. I barely shoved Xia Song in front of my face in time, forcing Ash to pivot his strike mid-air. I aimed a desperate kick toward his groin, but he sidestepped and brought his blade back around with a blur.

  "You coward!" Ash Yuijin howled. "You dare call yourself a cultivator? You're filth!"

  I swung at him with the steel bear claw, but his next strike forced me off balance, sending me skidding backward. I couldn't land a clean blow. Couldn't push forward. And dragging this panicked deadweight was only making things worse.

  No good. I was bleeding from half a dozen points, and my vision was starting to blur. Every second I stalled gave him another chance to slip past my guard.

  Screw it.

  Do or die.

  No time left to be subtle.

  I surged forward, closing the distance fast. I yanked Xia Song upright, then ducked down and seized his legs before he could register the shift. His scream peaked in volume as I spun, swinging his entire body around in a wide arc, turning him into a living, screaming weapon.

  Ash hesitated for just a blink—enough to shift his blade, enough to buy me room.

  "Stop!" Ash Yujin shouted, his voice nearly swallowed by the roar of fire around us.

  I didn't even look at him.

  I spun again, dragging Xia Song's limp body through the thick smoke like a living weapon. Ash lunged forward to intercept—but he didn't strike. His blade shifted, angled deliberately, catching the Majordomo in a controlled grip. He cradled him like a fragile treasure, arms tensed to absorb the force without shattering what he clearly wasn't willing to lose.

  Perfect.

  The moment Ash's arms closed around Xia Song, his footing broke for just a breath. Not much. Just enough.

  I was already moving.

  His sword slashed wide in a defensive arc, and I felt it carve a burning line across my chest. My ribs screamed. Another swing caught my hand mid-lunge, and I saw half a finger vanish into the smoke before the pain even registered. My grip didn't falter.

  Because that wasn't the real strike.

  A crimson hand—long, barbed, and very much not human—erupted from my back like a living spear. It pierced clean through Xia Song's torso, ripping out through his chest in a burst of red mist, then punched straight into Ash Yujin's side with a wet, crunching impact.

  He reeled backward, choking on pain, his arms going limp as the Majordomo's mangled body slumped between us. Blood poured freely down his robes, staining the pristine fabric in seconds.

  "Demonic cultivator!" he screamed, voice cracking with rage and disbelief. Blue light flared across his blade, and with a clean, furious swing, he severed both Xia Song's corpse and the crimson Asura limb in a single motion. The arm shattered on contact, dissolving into curling motes of Qi.

  But it was too late.

  The Asura had arrived.

  It tore through the smoke like a vision of madness—twisted limbs, rippling crimson flesh, a too-wide mouth filled with jagged teeth. It didn't hesitate. Didn't roar. It simply opened its maw and devoured what remained of Xia Song with a sickening, wet crunch.

  I didn't give the bastard time to recover.

  I slammed into him with full force, driving him to the floor as burning debris rained down from the collapsing ceiling. My knee dug into his gut. One arm pinned his sword wrist against the half-charred beam. We locked together in a heap of fire, ash, and blood.

  The Asura didn't just linger.

  It fed.

  Tendrils of blood and Qi twisted from Ash's body, threading into the construct's claws and mouth as it loomed over us like a butcher mid-prep. His sword surged to life once more, slashing wildly, cutting into my shoulder, tearing across my back, stabbing deep into my side and thigh—but for every wound he gave, the Asura stole something in return. The pain stayed, but it never stuck.

  Blood flowed. I felt it. But none of it mattered.

  "You heretic freak!" Ash roared, panic cracking through his polished composure. "You'll kill us both!"

  "Sure!" I screamed, then drove my forehead into his with a sickening thud.

  The strike rattled through my skull, but I felt his Qi stagger beneath it.

  He tried to speak, lips curling into some weak protest—"My father won't—" but he didn't finish.

  I smashed my head into his face again, harder, and felt his teeth crack under the force. At the same time, the Asura lunged downward, claws tearing open his side. Flesh split. Bone cracked.

  His blade flashed upward, and I saw the Asura's head fly off in a clean, arcing spray of crimson light.

  Laughter spilled out of me, raw and jagged. I didn't even know why.

  The fire was chewing through my skin, every nerve screaming—but I welcomed it.

  Ash Yujin's screams echoed through the flames as the Asura tore into him, his Qi and blood ripping free while the fires burned us both.

  This was fun.

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