Chapter 88: The City Stirs — Glory Brews, Darkness Lurks
Evening settled over Oakwood City like a velvet curtain, casting golden-orange hues across tiled rooftops and winding alleyways. Lanterns flickered to life one by one, their warm glow pushing back the creeping dusk like tiny suns battling the encroaching night.
But tonight, the air wasn't filled with the usual hum of city life.
It buzzed—with whispers of awe and anticipation.
The upcoming match between Su Tianhao and Su Jian had become the talk of the city. In just three days, Su Tianhao—Second Young Master of the Su family and adopted son of the Patriarch—would face Su Jian, the clan's biological heir and its acknowledged number one genius. With the duel being held publicly, excitement and speculation had reached a boiling point.
Not long ago, Su Tianhao had been dismissed as a fallen genius—a discarded name in the prestigious Su family. The trash young master. Forgotten and overlooked.
But now? Now, he was a rising star.
A cultivator with a powerful heavenly constitution. Someone who had cultivated an ancient mortal rank technique. The youth who defeated Ye Wenjie, a 4th level Martial Disciple, in a single strike despite having a lower cultivation base. Rumor even said he was the disciple of a Martial Lord.
Each one of these accomplishments alone was enough to turn heads. Together, they created a storm.
Yet despite the growing reverence, many still harbored doubts. Su Jian, after all, wasn't just anyone—he was a six-star talent, already at the 5th level of the Martial Disciple Realm, and the rightful heir to the Su family name.
And so, with tension rising and the day drawing near, all of Oakwood City watched with bated breath. Some saw it as a battle between two prodigies. Others whispered of bloodlines and inheritance. But no matter their thoughts, one truth remained:
Every eye in Oakwood City was now turned toward the long-awaited match about to erupt.
---
Nestled in one of the livelier corners of Oakwood City, the Crimson Vine Tavern was as vibrant as ever. Warm lantern light spilled through its wide windows, and the rich scent of roasted meat and spiced wine drifted through the air, drawing in cultivators, mercenaries, and wanderers alike.
Tonight, however, the usual cheer was replaced by something sharper—buzzing speculation.
Inside, the tavern was packed to the brim. Wooden mugs clinked. Dice rolled across stained tables. But amidst the noise, only one topic filled the air.
"You're telling me Su Tianhao beat Ye Wenjie in one move?" a burly man with a greatsword strapped to his back asked in disbelief, slamming his mug down hard enough to rattle the table.
"I saw it with my own eyes," said a younger cultivator across the table, leaning in with the intensity of someone swearing an oath. "It wasn't even close. Ye Wenjie struck first. Next thing you know, he was eating dirt."
"Hahahaha! I was there too!" a wild-looking man with tangled hair and an oversized axe chimed in, his laughter booming through the tavern like thunder. "Su Tianhao faced off against Ye Wenjie and his companion right outside this very tavern. Two against one—and both were flattened with a single blow each!"
Someone nearby scoffed loudly. "Tch. That sounds like an exaggeration. He's still only at the 1st level of the Martial Disciple Realm, isn't he? How could he defeat Young Master Ye Wenjie in one move?"
The speaker was a bald man with rough features and a skeptical scowl etched deep into his weathered face.
Hmph.
"What, you didn't know?" the wild man snorted with disdain. "Su Tianhao has a heavenly constitution which makes him naturally stronger than others. Combine that with the ancient technique he cultivates, and it's no surprise he crushed Ye Wenjie!"
"He's right," the younger cultivator added. "I saw it myself. It was... overwhelming."
"Ancient technique?" the bald man muttered, his eyes narrowing with unmistakable greed flickering in their depths.
"Hahahaha!" the wild man burst into laughter again, slapping the table. "What, you live under a rock? That technique was given to him by his master—a Martial Lord. And even if you did manage to steal it, without the same heavenly constitution, you'd just cripple yourself trying to cultivate it."
The bald man's face flushed red with embarrassment as strange glances turned his way. The room's silent expression said everything: where did this fool even come from?
"I heard about the match between Su Tianhao and Su Jian. Who do you think will win?" a deep voice suddenly cut through the awkward silence, drawing attention like a thrown stone into still water.
The one who spoke was none other than the burly man from earlier, the greatsword still strapped firmly to his back.
"Hmm... Su Jian is clearly stronger than Ye Wenjie. It's too early to say," the wild-looking man replied, his usually brash demeanor giving way to a rare moment of thoughtfulness. "That Su Tianhao is powerful, no doubt—but Su Jian is no pushover either."
Around them, the surrounding crowd thickened. Chairs scraped. Mugs paused mid-air. Even a few of the tavern girls slowed their rounds, lingering near the edge of the conversation with undisguised curiosity.
"Didn't Su Jian break through to the 5th level recently?"
"They say he's also mastered a peak-grade mortal rank technique to perfection!"
"I heard Su Tianhao hasn't even reached the 2nd level yet. Wouldn't that just make this match a death wish?"
"Don't be so sure. Power isn't always about cultivation level... I've heard Su Tianhao's strength far surpasses those within the same realm."
The murmurs flowed like wine, filling the tavern with subtle tension. Doubt, curiosity, excitement—all swirling together in a heady mixture.
But one truth settled like ash after a fire: Su Tianhao was no longer a name to ignore.
---
Seated at the far end of the tavern was a hooded figure clad in flowing black robes, his features hidden in shadow. Only a pair of narrow, slanted eyes could be seen beneath the hood—gleaming with malice and seething with pure, concentrated hatred.
"Su Tianhao..." The figure growled under his breath, the name tasting like poison on his tongue.
This figure was none other than Ye Wenjie.
Ever since his humiliating defeat at Su Tianhao's hands, his carefully engineered reputation had gone down the drain. Those who had once looked at him with awe and approval now looked at him with mockery and pity. Even though they tried to hide their emotions—as a calculative person, how could he not see through all that?
"Su Tianhao... very soon, you will meet your demise, and I can finally redeem myself," Ye Wenjie said quietly, his fingers curling into fists beneath the table.
Just last night, he had received news that the intermediary who assisted him in contacting the Blood Shadow Assassin Group had returned. Without any hesitation, he had rushed to the black market and requested an audience with her. When he was granted access, he finally issued the upfront payment and officially commissioned the assassination contract on Su Tianhao's head.
The most dreaded and powerful assassin organization in all of Longzhou Country was now out for Su Tianhao's life.
"Hehehehe..." Ye Wenjie chuckled darkly, sinister thoughts circulating in his mind like vultures over carrion. 'Su Tianhao... continue living these little days you have left. I will have you enjoy glory by defeating Su Jian publicly, then take everything from you and claim your life.'
Ye Wenjie, as a proud genius, naturally despised Su Jian—who had long surpassed him in the public's eyes—and wanted him to suffer the same crushing defeat he himself had experienced. As much as he hated to admit it, he dreaded Su Tianhao's strength and did not think Su Jian had any chance against Su Tianhao whatsoever.
"Three days from now, huh? It's going to be interesting..." Ye Wenjie's eyes flashed with cunning light as he spoke.
He was like a snake coiled in the dark—waiting patiently, silently, for the perfect moment to strike.
---
Far from the noise and flickering lanterns of the Crimson Vine Tavern—beyond the city's bustling streets and swirling rumors—silence reigned once more.
Deep within the secluded Fei Wu Quarter, in a quiet courtyard bathed in moonlight, a different kind of storm brewed. Not one of voices or speculation, but of raw, surging power. Beneath the ancient oak, Su Tianhao sat at the edge of a pivotal moment—his breakthrough looming like a tidal wave poised to crash.
"It's time," Su Tianhao murmured. Though his eyes remained closed and his posture perfectly still, the world around him told another story.
Waves of spiritual energy from a full twenty-meter radius surged into his body, drawn by an overwhelming suction force that greedily devoured them like an endless abyss.
Whoosh!
The courtyard trembled. Leaves, dust, and loose stones rose into the air, swirling like a whirlpool around him.
Then—
"ROOOOAR!!!"
A phantom dragon's roar echoed from deep within Su Tianhao's being, shaking the night air and sending ripples through the spiritual energy itself.
A thunderous boom erupted from his dantian, followed by a flood of rejuvenating energy that surged through every fiber of his body—fierce and invigorating, like a carp leaping through the Dragon Gate.
Snap!
Su Tianhao's eyes flew open—twin golden suns piercing through the moonlit darkness, sharp and radiant with profound satisfaction.
"I did it... 3rd level Martial Disciple Realm," he breathed, clenching his fist as power coursed through his veins like molten lightning.
The current Su Tianhao was a completely different person from before. After breaking through twice in a single night, his base strength—originally four thousand pounds—had soared to eight thousand pounds. A staggering leap, and a clear testament to the might of the second layer of the Supreme Dragon Transformation Technique—a two-thousand-pound increase with every breakthrough.
An ordinary 7th level Martial Disciple possessed exactly eight thousand pounds of raw strength. That meant Su Tianhao, though only at the 3rd level, was in no way inferior to someone four minor realms above him in terms of pure physical power.
"This feeling..." Su Tianhao murmured, a satisfied grin tugging at his lips.
Despite achieving two consecutive breakthroughs in one night, his cultivation foundation remained unshaken—solid and stable as ever, like a mountain with roots reaching deep into the earth. With the Heavenly Devouring Dragon Physique, concerns like unstable foundation or backlash from rapid breakthroughs were simply irrelevant.
Hmm.
Su Tianhao pinched his nose, frowning slightly at the foul stench rising from his own body. His golden eyes narrowed as he glanced down at his skin.
"So many impurities!" he muttered in disbelief.
The black, tar-like substances clung to his body like molten pitch on scorched stone—thick, greasy, and utterly vile. Expelled from deep within his flesh and bones, they were a physical reminder of how much stronger and purer his body had become.
"I should go get a proper bath," Su Tianhao said with a chuckle, eyes bright with excitement. He didn't seem the least bit bothered by the disgusting coating. After all, the more impurities expelled, the closer he was to physical perfection.
With a light step and a face full of smiles, Su Tianhao turned and made his way into his home.
Unaware that in the shadows beyond the courtyard, the most dangerous and sinister assassin organization in Longzhou Country had already set their sights on him.