Chapter 48: Inferno of Hatred
The battlefield was chaos, drenched in the eerie red glow of the thunder-filled skies. Shen Yuan's clash with Elder Tian Xu painted the horizon with waves of destruction, their strikes ripping through the fabric of space itself. But amidst the larger battle, another confrontation was unfolding, one fueled by personal hatred.
Feng Yanqing stood firm, her Void Flames dancing around her hands, flickering like whispers of annihilation. Across from her was Feng Mo, her grandfather and the man she despised more than anyone in the world. His aura was like a mountain pressing down on her, suffocating and cold, yet Yanqing's fiery determination refused to yield.
Feng Mo's gaze was sharp, his expression a mixture of disdain and disappointment. "You've truly fallen," he said, his voice cutting through the chaos. "You've betrayed your bloodline to stand beside a boy like Shen Yuan. Do you not see what he is? A monster."
Yanqing's lips twitched into a bitter smile. "You think Shen Yuan's cruelty makes him a monster? At least he doesn't pretend to be righteous. He doesn't hide behind lies."
Feng Mo's aura flared with anger, his words dripping with venom. "And yet you choose to follow him? A fool who revels in destruction? You disgrace the Feng name." He stepped forward, his presence towering over her. "You're no granddaughter of mine."
Yanqing didn't flinch, but her heart pounded in her chest. She took a deep breath, her voice steady yet sharp. "You're right. I'm not. I stopped being part of this family the day you murdered my parents."
Feng Mo froze for a split second, but his expression quickly hardened. "Your parents were weak," he said coldly. "They were a disgrace to the family. Their deaths forged you into something greater. Everything you are, you owe to me."
Yanqing's flames flickered, her rage momentarily blinding her. "Greater?" she spat, her voice trembling with anger. "You think turning me into a weapon makes me 'greater'? You killed them because you're a coward who couldn't face his own failures!"
Feng Mo's expression darkened, his fury spilling over. Without another word, he disappeared into a pocket space, his presence vanishing like a shadow in the night. Yanqing's eyes narrowed, her body tense as she scanned the battlefield. She could feel him—his aura shifting, circling her like a predator.
And then, he struck.
In an instant, Feng Mo emerged from a tear in space behind her, his palm glowing with lethal energy as it shot toward her back. Yanqing spun around, her Void Flames surging to meet his strike. The collision sent shockwaves rippling through the battlefield, forcing both of them to retreat.
"You've improved," Feng Mo admitted, his voice begrudging. "But you're still a child playing with fire."
Yanqing didn't respond. Her flames burned brighter, hotter, as her emotions fueled their intensity.
"You think this is strength?" Feng Mo taunted. "Let me show you what true power looks like."
He vanished again, his presence shifting erratically through pocket space. Yanqing closed her eyes for a moment, her breath steadying as she focused. She could feel him moving, feel the subtle ripples in the air as he closed in.
When he reappeared, his fist aimed directly at her chest, she was ready.
Her Void Flames surged, forcing Feng Mo to retreat once more. But this time, his frustration boiled over. "You've always been a disappointment," he snarled. "You were never fit to bear the Feng name. Perhaps it's time I corrected my mistake."
Yanqing's flames flickered, her hands trembling. The memories of her childhood—of her parents, of the family she had lost—flashed through her mind. Her rage was a storm, threatening to consume her, but she forced herself to focus.
"I've hated you," she said, her voice low but steady. "I've hated you for everything you've done. You took my family, my life, and twisted it into a meaningless husk. But enough with you dictating my fate, I will choose my own destiny!"
Feng Mo's expression twisted into a sneer. "Yor rebellion won't save you, child."
He vanished again, his aura shifting as he prepared to strike. But this time, Yanqing didn't wait.
As he emerged from pocket space, she met him head-on, her flames erupting with unparalleled fury. Her hand caught his fist mid-strike, the force of her grip crushing the bones in his hand. Feng Mo's eyes widened in shock, pain flashing across his face.
"You think strength comes from destruction?" Yanqing said, her voice rising with emotion. "You're wrong. True strength comes from choosing to protect what matters, even when it hurts."
Coating her hand in Void Flame, she thrust it forward, piercing Feng Mo's chest. The flames consumed his blood and flesh, his heart now a bloody mess, their annihilating power erasing it from existence. Feng Mo staggered, his body beginning to disintegrate as the Void Flames devoured his very soul.
As he fell to his knees, his fading eyes met hers. "Why...?" he rasped, his voice barely audible.
Yanqing leaned closer, her gaze cold and unyielding. "You wanted to know why I chose Shen Yuan?" she whispered. "Because, for all his cruelty, he doesn't hide behind lies. And that's more than I can say for you. Oh, one more thing, he has something similar to me."
Feng Mo's body collapsed, crumbling into nothingness as his soul was erased from existence. Yanqing stood over the remains, her Void Flames flickering around her hands. For a moment, she closed her eyes, the weight of her actions settling over her.
When she opened them again, her determination burned brighter than ever. She turned her gaze to the battlefield, where Shen Yuan's clash with Elder Tian Xu raged on. Somewhere deep down, she knew, he had felt her victory.
Without a word, she clenched her fists, the Void Flames flaring once more.
"The war was far from over." She flew towards where Shen Yuan was fighting Elder Tian Xu.