Night fell quietly over the Inner Clan.
But for Jiang Chen—
There was no rest.
His room was dimly lit, shadows stretching across the walls as a faint golden glow pulsed from his body. He sat cross-legged, breathing slow, steady…
Yet his mind was anything but calm.
[Status: Marked by Unknown Entity]
[Threat Level: Rising]
The system panel flickered faintly before fading.
"…Marked…"
Jiang Chen opened his eyes.
That feeling again.
Not close.
Not far.
But present.
Watching.
"…Let's test this," he murmured.
Golden qi gathered in his palm—then shifted.
Something deeper.
Darker.
Fainter.
The same energy he had touched in the courtyard.
The Origin Thread.
It responded slowly at first—like a sleeping beast unwilling to awaken.
Then—
It moved.
A thin strand of translucent energy coiled around his fingers, almost invisible… yet impossibly dense.
Jiang Chen's eyes narrowed.
"…So it's real."
He guided it forward—
Just slightly.
The air in front of him distorted.
Space itself seemed to ripple.
Too dangerous.
He cut it off immediately.
The thread vanished.
But his breathing—
Had quickened.
"…I can't control it yet."
And worse—
Using it felt like sending out a signal.
A beacon.
Knock.
Jiang Chen's gaze snapped toward the door.
"…Come in."
The door slid open.
Lin Xue stepped inside.
"…You're awake."
Jiang Chen gave a faint smile.
"…Could say the same."
She didn't respond immediately.
Her eyes studied him carefully.
"…You tried using it again."
Not a question.
Jiang Chen sighed lightly.
"…I needed to understand it."
Lin Xue stepped closer.
"…And?"
"…It's not power."
"…Not really."
He looked at his hand.
"…It feels like… authority."
Lin Xue's expression shifted slightly.
"…Authority?"
"…Like something that shouldn't belong to me yet."
Silence settled between them.
"…Then don't use it," she said quietly.
Jiang Chen chuckled faintly.
"…If only it were that simple."
She stepped even closer now.
Close enough that the distance between them felt… different.
"…You don't have to carry everything alone."
Jiang Chen froze for a fraction of a second.
Then exhaled.
"…I know."
For a brief moment—
The tension eased.
Then—
It shattered.
A killing intent.
Exploded into the room.
Both of them moved instantly.
Phoenix Shadow Step!
Jiang Chen pulled Lin Xue aside as—
SHHHK!
A blade pierced straight through where his heart had been.
The wall behind them cracked.
A figure—
Cloaked in black—
Stood silently in the center of the room.
No aura.
No presence.
Only killing intent.
"…So it begins," Jiang Chen muttered.
The assassin didn't speak.
Didn't hesitate.
He moved.
Fast.
Too fast.
Jiang Chen barely reacted in time—
Their blades clashed.
CLANG!
The impact sent shockwaves through the room.
Lin Xue's frost qi erupted instantly—
Freezing the ground—
Slowing the assassin's movement by a fraction.
"…Not enough," Jiang Chen said.
The assassin twisted unnaturally—
Breaking through the ice—
And vanished.
Gone.
"…Above!" Lin Xue shouted.
Jiang Chen reacted instantly—
Golden qi surged.
Primordial Strike!
BOOM!
The ceiling exploded as their attacks collided midair.
The assassin was forced back—
Landing silently.
Still expressionless.
Still calm.
But his eyes—
Glowed faintly.
"…Same as before…" Jiang Chen narrowed his eyes.
But this time—
It wasn't a projection.
This was real.
The system flashed urgently:
[Assassin Identified: Origin Mark Hunter]
[Threat Level: High]
[Warning: Target Elimination Priority — YOU]
"…Good," Jiang Chen smiled faintly.
"…Now I can fight properly."
Golden qi erupted from his body.
Lin Xue stepped beside him.
Frost energy surged.
"…Together," she said.
Jiang Chen nodded.
The assassin moved again.
Faster.
Sharper.
Deadlier.
But this time—
He wasn't alone.
Jiang Chen stepped forward.
Timing.
Precision.
He watched—
Analyzed—
Adapted.
There…
A tiny delay.
Jiang Chen's eyes flashed.
Primordial Strike — Focused Convergence!
BOOM!
The assassin was forced back—
Sliding across the ground.
For the first time—
He stopped.
Then—
He spoke.
"…Target confirmed."
"…Execution will continue."
His body—
Began to dissolve.
Not retreating.
Disintegrating.
"…He's escaping!" Lin Xue said.
Jiang Chen stepped forward—
But stopped.
"…No."
His gaze hardened.
"…He's reporting."
The last trace of the assassin vanished.
Silence returned.
But this time—
It was heavier.
Much heavier.
Jiang Chen exhaled slowly.
"…This won't stop."
Lin Xue looked at him.
"…Then we get stronger."
Jiang Chen smiled faintly.
"…Exactly."
The system pulsed again:
[Survived Assassination Attempt]
[Primordial Points +300]
[New Passive Unlocked: Threat Perception]
Far beyond the Inner Clan—
In darkness—
Multiple figures opened their eyes.
"…He survived."
"…Interesting."
"…Increase priority."
A symbol ignited.
The same mark.
Burning brighter.
Jiang Chen—
Was no longer just being watched.
He had become—
A target.