Chapter Nineteen: A Pall of Murderous Intent (Your support through collections and recommendations is the hope that keeps this book moving forward.)

The medical institution’s tower loomed in darkness as Xia Yan opened his eyes. Night had fallen, the world outside shrouded in pitch black. This was an ordinary hospital ward; Xia Yan glanced around, but the absence of light rendered the shapes of nearby objects indistinct.

“You’re awake!” came a familiar voice at his side—it was Tao Lu.

“Mm.” Xia Yan nodded. At that moment, the lights flickered on. Tao Lu sat lazily in the chair beside his bed, rubbing her eyes, still drowsy. When she saw Xia Yan awake, a glimmer of relief warmed her gaze.

“You passed out at the end of the match. Many people came to check on you, but since you didn’t wake up, they left. Miss Gu Yue’er also visited; it was so late, I sent her home,” Tao Lu explained.

“Mm.” Xia Yan understood the strange changes in his body, though the cause eluded him. It felt as though two forces within him were fiercely colliding, leaving him in a haze. Yet this unconsciousness wasn’t wholly a bad thing; after his last bout of fainting, his physical strength had exceeded the limits of the human body, reaching twelve percent above.

“Have you figured anything out?” Tao Lu asked.

“No,” he shook his head.

“Forget it, no one will force you to say anything if you don’t want to.” Tao Lu lowered her gaze, cheeks tinged with a faint blush. “It’s the critical moment in the tournament now. I was worried about you, so I stayed.”

“Thank you,” Xia Yan said gratefully.

Tao Lu seemed to realize something, hastily clarifying, “Don’t get the wrong idea. I’m thinking as your partner. If anything happens to you, it’s trouble for me too.”

Xia Yan smiled gently and changed the subject. “Tao Lu, did you make it to the top sixteen?”

“Are you underestimating me?” Tao Lu snorted. “Of course I advanced—it was effortless.”

The night passed.

At the Ability Training Institute, the arena was awash with crowds like a surging tide. The atmosphere was electric. Every member who had entered the top sixteen possessed remarkable strength, and the ordinary spectators strained to memorize their faces.

Today, Xia Yan’s opponent was far less formidable than yesterday’s Meimi—a member whose abilities ranked at the bottom among the sixteen. Though his power was defensive and could withstand Xia Yan’s simulated handgun, once they closed in, Xia Yan gained an overwhelming advantage and won within moments.

After his victory, the crowd was hardly stirred; it was as if this outcome was only natural. After all, this contestant—number 55—had even defeated his own elder sister. If Xia Yan lost to someone ranked so low, that would be truly astonishing. Yesterday, his win had been miraculous; today, it was expected.

Returning to the stands, Xia Yan saw Gu Yue’er waving at him. He hurried over and took the empty seat beside her.

“Incredible, Xia Yan! You’re the strongest contender for the championship!” Gu Yue’er beamed, not asking about his condition from yesterday.

“It’s hard to say,” Xia Yan replied with a wry smile. “There are still two top favorites—I can’t guarantee victory.”

Gu Yue’er pouted, “You can’t lose here, Xia Yan! You have to defeat the people in charge of the institute.”

Xia Yan smiled. “Tell me, Yue’er, how big is the gap between my strength and the management?”

“I’m not sure, but there’s definitely a difference,” Gu Yue’er replied, watching him. “Some members have challenged the management, but almost all lost. Last year, only one succeeded—number eleven at the time.”

“Oh?” Xia Yan mused.

“Don’t underestimate the gap in strength. Last year’s final was between number eleven and number twelve, Meimi. The fight lasted only ten seconds.”

Xia Yan nodded, acknowledging the distance between himself and the management.

“Number eleven’s victory was different from yours—she utterly crushed the summoned creature. The force of her blow was like a miniature sun. But number eleven is likely one of the top combatants within the management—not an average member.”

Xia Yan nodded.

“Oh, Miss Tao Lu’s match is starting,” Gu Yue’er said, looking toward the arena.

Xia Yan followed her gaze. Tao Lu’s opponent was a young boy, his left eye obscured by his hair—a distinctive feature. He looked impossibly young, likely under fifteen, a rarity in the institute.

For Daren, his mission was to kill Xia Yan during the tournament. Of course, he would factor in Mentor Nina’s abilities, ensuring she had no chance to intervene.

His current opponent was intriguing—she was Xia Yan’s partner, Tao Lu. This little ant had once threatened Levin with a gun and obstructed their plans; now was the perfect opportunity to eliminate her.

Mercy and gentlemanly conduct were unnecessary—even though she was female, he would show no hesitation.

“Will you use the system’s simulated weapons?” Mentor Nina asked them both.

“No,” Daren shook his head.

“I will,” Tao Lu said, choosing a simulated handgun. Her ability paired well with firearms, granting her a swift path to victory.

Both had readied themselves. At the signal, they moved simultaneously.

Tao Lu’s fighting style was straightforward—paralyze the enemy, then use her simulated gun to wear down their health bar, securing her win. But her mental attack met a barrier, rebounding off an unseen shield.

Tao Lu’s expression darkened.

Daren, his left eye hidden, flashed a sweet, threatening smile at her. Then his body began to change.

The crowd watched intently—members and mentors alike.

“Demon bloodline,” someone murmured.

“This boy is from the demon race.”

“So young, yet his bloodline has already awakened!”

Black wings sprouted from Daren’s back as he leaped into the air, hovering mid-flight. A dark radiance emanated from him.

“Dark energy,” Tao Lu muttered grimly. The demon bloodline granted him both dark energy and flight.

In truth, dark energy wasn’t particularly formidable among demons, since their blood purity was typically low. If he were a pureblood demon, his dark energy would far surpass any elemental abilities.

Almost instantly, Tao Lu discerned that the boy’s blood purity was extremely high.

Among races like demons, angels, vampires, winged people, and werewolves, their achievements were tightly linked to their blood purity. Those with diluted bloodlines could only reach a brain development cap of around thirty percent. Purebloods, however, could reach one hundred percent.

Tao Lu focused her mind, locking onto Daren soaring above, but his speed was too great; he deliberately avoided her aim.

Suddenly, Daren raised his hand, gathering dark energy at his fingertips, and hurled a dark energy orb toward Tao Lu.

Her expression soured. She swiftly drew her weapon—a plasma handgun known as the 102 Frenzy, which used energy blocks instead of magazines and could overheat with excessive use.

She fired!

A plasma beam struck the orb. The two energies clashed, tearing at each other, then penetrated one another.

A storm of dark energy spheres rained down from above, all targeting Tao Lu. She barely caught her breath, retaliating with her 102 Frenzy.

The energies entwined in midair, creating dazzling beams like shifting rainbows.

“Overheated,” Tao Lu muttered, her face changing. She tried to retreat but couldn’t evade the incoming orb.

It struck her, sending her tumbling backward.

At that moment, Daren swept down with his wings, landing beside her. His right hand, now shrouded in black light, gripped her throat, threatening to snap it.

His eyes were filled with cruelty and ferocity, murderous intent swirling.

The entire arena fell silent, stunned by the sudden turn. Even Mentor Nina might not have been fast enough to rescue her.

“Not good,” Mentor Nina sensed the danger, immediately casting the Hand of Space-Time to pull Tao Lu to safety.

In that instant, Daren’s left eye flashed red.

It was a special ocular technique—one that, at the moment of Tao Lu’s death, would alter all images, making the audience perceive her demise as an accident.

“Damn!” Mentor Nina was alarmed; her space-time ability had failed.

“Heh,” Daren sneered, tightening his grip.

All across the arena, spectators closed their eyes, unable to watch the brutal scene.

“Wait!” Daren suddenly sensed something amiss; his right hand was paralyzed.

Tao Lu had struggled for two full seconds before uttering, “I concede.”

A forfeiture meant the match ended. If Daren continued to kill, he would be judged guilty and executed, regardless of any protection from that mysterious figure.

He snorted coldly, releasing Tao Lu and letting her fall.

The match was Daren’s victory.

Xia Yan sat unmoving in the stands, his gaze brimming with murderous intent. If ever given the chance to face Daren, he would make sure to kill him under the guise of an accident.