The javelin shot out like a ravenous beast, tearing through the air with a deafening scream. The cold flame trailed behind it, freezing everything in its path, while the energy concentrated at the tip sent waves of destructive force rippling through the ground. As it ascended into the sky, the night was briefly illuminated by a pale blue light, casting an eerie glow across the battlefield.
The javelin flew in a perfect arc, rising higher and higher until it reached the peak of its flight. For a moment, the entire world seemed to hold its breath. Then, with a primal scream that echoed across the heavens, a bird-like figure manifested around the javelin—a fierce, ancient creature, its form reminiscent of a phoenix but twisted and darkened with rage.
Its cry was filled with fury and pain, the remnants of a long-forgotten battle.
The flaming bird twisted in the sky, its wings spread wide as it dove downward, honing in on Yan Li like a vengeful specter. The air itself seemed to freeze as the javelin descended, the temperature plummeting as frost began to creep across the battlefield. The force of the attack was immense, the weight of the energy and the cold fire warping the very space around it.
Yan Li, pinned to the ground by Wei Xi, Meng Xiao, and Yan Bai, looked up in horror as the javelin came hurtling toward him. The scream of the bird pierced through his mind, and for the first time since the battle began, a flicker of true fear crossed his corrupted face.
The night was illuminated by the freezing flames as the javelin plunged downward, the bird's cry intensifying as it neared its target.
As the javelin, wreathed in ancient cold flames, hurtled towards Yan Li, time seemed to slow. Yan Li thrashed in place, his corrupted aura flaring wildly, desperately trying to free himself from the brutal hold of Wei Xi, Meng Xiao, and Yan Bai. His eyes, once filled with arrogance, now brimmed with terror as the spectral bird descended from the heavens.
The freezing flames licked the air around him, burning not with heat but with an unbearable cold that seeped into his bones. The air became heavy with the scent of death, a tangible reminder of the bloodshed and misery he had wrought upon Pine City.
Yan Li's last moments were nothing but torment. He let out a guttural scream as the javelin crashed into him, piercing through his corrupted defenses. The moment the cold flame made contact with his skin, his body convulsed violently. The ancient power in the javelin tore through him, unraveling his flesh from his bones.
He could feel his blood boiling and freezing at the same time, a paradoxical agony that twisted his very existence. His corrupted dragon, once a manifestation of his power, shrieked in unison with him as the freezing flames devoured it from within, disintegrating it into nothingness.
Yan Li's face contorted into a mask of horror and rage as his body began to disintegrate. The cold flames consumed him slowly, agonizingly, stripping him of his flesh, his power, and his life. His bloodline—once his greatest pride—became his prison as the javelin's power tore through it, breaking him down on a molecular level.
Yan Jin stood a distance away, his posture unmoving as he listened to the screams of his uncle. The air around him remained cold, his breath visible in the freezing mist that surrounded him. Though blind, Yan Jin could feel the suffering radiating from Yan Li's fading presence, each cry and convulsion echoing like a death knell in his mind.
His heart did not stir, his face impassive, as his uncle's final moments stretched on in prolonged agony.
Meng Xiao joined them, her usual confident demeanor returning as she flicked the blood off her claws. "Don't think we'll go easy on you just because we fought together," she teased lightly, though there was a serious edge to her words. "We all have something to prove in that tournament."
Yan Bai remained silent, but his eyes met Yan Jin's. There was no longer hatred there, only a deep-seated respect. "We'll see each other again," he said quietly, before turning and walking away.
Yan Jin finally spoke, his voice steady but tinged with exhaustion. "Until then." He offered a small nod to each of them before turning away himself, walking into the shadows with his bow still in hand.
As the three departed, the quiet night once again settled over the battlefield, with only the faint remnants of cold air lingering where Yan Li had met his end. The temporary alliance had dissolved, and the path forward was uncertain. But for tonight, they had earned a small victory in the midst of their ongoing battles.
Yan Jin walked alone into the darkness, his mind already shifting toward the challenges ahead. The Iron Blooded Tournament awaited, and the stakes would only grow higher from here. But for now, he allowed himself one fleeting moment of peace, knowing that he had fulfilled a promise long overdue.
--
As the dust settled and the remnants of the battle began to fade, Purple Spear Meng and the City Lord continued their quiet observation from their distant perch. The City Lord's sharp gaze traced the outlines of the battlefield below, taking in the wreckage and the participants now drifting apart. His eyes narrowed, trying to make sense of the overwhelming display of power.
Purple Spear Meng broke the silence first, his tone curious but tinged with admiration. "Did you catch what his bloodline was?"
The City Lord shook his head slowly, thoughtful. "No. He must have felt our presence and deliberately concealed it. But what I saw... it seemed similar to an ice phoenix, a powerful one at that. The cold air, the flames...
all of it carried the essence of something ancient and fierce."
Purple Spear Meng nodded, his brow furrowed. "An ice phoenix, you say? It makes sense now. The precision, the control... it's a rare and formidable bloodline. No wonder he's managed to survive this long." His eyes trailed down toward Yan Jin, who now stood isolated and drained on the battlefield below.
"The boy's hiding more than just his potential," the City Lord mused. "He's dangerous—and clever. We'll need to keep a close eye on him during the Iron-Blooded Tournament. I have a feeling we haven't seen the extent of his power yet."
Purple Spear Meng agreed, his voice dropping low. "Yes, and when the time comes, I'm not sure even we will be able to stand against him if he decides to reveal everything. But for now... we watch."