As the days dwindled, the young warriors from the Wáng and Li families intensified their training, fueled by their desire to bring honor and prosperity to their respective families. Among them were two promising youths, Jiǎo Lóng (Level 10) from the Wáng family, and Liú Fēng (Level 9) from the Li family.
Both Jiǎo Lóng and Liú Fēng boasted impressive cultivation stages, having transcended the Mortal Realm, surpassed the Saint Realm, exceeded the Heavenly Realm, and even entered the God Realm, granting them partial deity powers. Their abilities included enhanced strength and speed, elemental manipulation, telekinesis, telepathy, and limited time manipulation.
Meanwhile, Lie Renwǒ and Lie, representing the Xiao family, were hard-pressed to find time to cultivate. Every evening, Lie Renwǒ would sneak out to meet Lyraea, a mysterious and beautiful demon. Unbeknownst to Lie Renwǒ, his mother, Miss Mei, had been observing his nocturnal escapades.
One fateful evening, Miss Mei decided to follow Lie Renwǒ, donning a dark cloak to conceal herself. She trailed behind him as he flew towards the Ruin Half Realm, her eyes widening in alarm as she realized the danger that lay within. Pressing on, she followed Lie Renwǒ to a secluded rock, where Lyraea awaited his arrival.
Miss Mei's eyes narrowed, her voice stern as she emerged from the shadows. "Hey, Lie! Are you in love with a demon?" Lie Renwǒ's eyes darted towards his mother, his face flushing with embarrassment as he stammered, "M-mom, let me explain..."
Lie approached his mother, his eyes brimming with trepidation, and she responded with a resounding slap, her countenance a mask of incredulity. "How could you be so reckless?!" she exclaimed, her voice laced with a mix of disappointment and anger.
She continued, her words dripping with venom, "In our realm, where exquisite maidens abound, how could you succumb to the charms of a demoness, the daughter of the very fiend who perpetrated the heinous murder of your father?!" Lie's visage contorted in shock and despair as he plummeted to the ground, his knees buckling beneath him.
With tears streaming down his face, he implored his mother, "Tell me it's not true! Please, mother, reassure me that this is all just a cruel fabrication!" Lyraea, sensing Lie's distress, drew near, but he rebuffed her attempts at solace, pushing her away with a vehemence that bordered on hostility.
"Don't touch me!" he spat, his words imbued with a toxic venom that cut through the air like a dagger. "You're...you're the daughter of the monster who slaughtered my father!" Lie's voice cracked as the weight of this revelation threatened to consume him.
His mother's expression softened, her eyes welling up with tears as she revealed the truth. "Lyraea's father, the Dark Emperor, is indeed the one who murdered your father. I'm sorry, Lie. I didn't want to hurt you, but you needed to know the truth." Lie's face twisted in anguish as he screamed, "Why did you conceal this from me?! Why did you allow me to fall prey to her charms?!"
The sound of his anguished cries echoed through the desolate landscape, causing Lyraea to recoil, her heart heavy with sorrow. With a whispered apology, she spread her wings and took to the skies, vanishing into the darkness, leaving Lie to grapple with the shattered remnants of his heart. Still reeling from the shock, Lie allowed his mother to guide him back to the Xiao family estate, his mind a maelstrom of questions, doubts, and anguish.
As Lie's heart continued to hemorrhage from the wounds of betrayal and sorrow, his mother, Mei, approached him with a contrite expression, her eyes brimming with tears of remorse. "Forgive me, my son," she implored, her voice laced with a deep sense of regret. "I know you have succumbed to the depths of Lyraea's charms, but I fear it is impossible for you to unite with her in matrimony. She is, after all, a demoness, the progeny of the very individual who perpetrated the heinous murder of your father."
Lie's eyes narrowed, his gaze piercing as he demanded, "I want to know the name of the man who killed my father!" His voice was low and menacing, a barely contained tempest of emotions.
Mei's countenance faltered, her eyes flashing with a mix of fear and trepidation. "His name is...Kǒng Wěi," she revealed, her voice barely above a whisper. "The Dark Emperor, Kǒng Wěi, is a formidable foe, and I implore you, Lie, do not succumb to the allure of vengeance. Do not do anything rash or impetuous."
Lie's face twisted in a scowl, his eyes blazing with a fierce determination. "I will not make any promises, Mother," he spat, his words laced with a toxic venom. With a curt nod, he turned and strode towards his chambers, leaving Mei to grapple with the weight of her own fears and doubts.
Days blended together in an amorphous haze of sorrow and tears, but Lie knew he could not afford to wallow in his grief. As the scion of the Xiao family and the son of the Supreme God, he had a duty to uphold the family's honor and legacy.
With a newfound sense of determination, Lie emerged from his chambers, his eyes blazing with a fierce resolve. He would not let his heartbreak consume him; instead, he would channel his emotions into a burning desire for justice and vengeance against the Dark Emperor, Kǒng Wěi.
As the day of the tournament dawned, Mei busied herself preparing Lie and Ling for the impending battle. With meticulous care, she adorned them in exquisite Xiao attire, a dazzling ensemble that proudly represented the Xiao family's legacy.
The attire consisted of flowing silk robes with intricate embroidery, depicting the Xiao family crest: a majestic dragon coiled around a golden phoenix. The robes shimmered with a subtle iridescence, as if infused with the essence of the celestial realm. Golden accents danced along the hem, adorned with tiny, gleaming gemstones that refracted light into miniature rainbows.
A delicate, bejeweled circlet rested upon Lie's brow, its central gemstone pulsing with a soft, blue light that seemed to harmonize with the rhythm of his heartbeat. Ling's attire was similarly resplendent, with delicate, silver filigree tracing the contours of her robes like the tender branches of a celestial tree.
As they finished their preparations, Mei stepped back to admire her handiwork, a warm smile spreading across her face. "You both look magnificent," she declared, her eyes shining with pride. "Remember, the Xiao family's honor rests on your shoulders. Fight with valor, and may the gods smile upon you!"
With a deep bow, Lie and Ling acknowledged their mother's words, their faces set with determination. Together, they departed for the battle field, where the cream of the cultivation world had gathered to witness the spectacle.
As they arrived, Lie's gaze swept across the assembled crowd, taking in the sea of expectant faces. Elders, masters, and cultivators of every stripe had gathered to watch the battle, their eyes gleaming with anticipation. The air was alive with the hum of excitement, the very atmosphere vibrating with the promise of impending combat.