Chapter 4: My Boss Tried to Kill Me, So I Broke His Dantian
The sun had barely risen over Neo-Aurion when I found myself standing outside the familiar doors of the auction house. It wasn't nostalgia that brought me here—it was unfinished business. Yesterday, this place had been a battleground where my life changed forever. Today, it would become a reckoning ground.
Mr. Zhao—the man who'd employed me for years, paid me scraps, and called me worthless—wasn't just some sleazy middle manager trying to climb the corporate ladder. He was part of the hidden world I'd stumbled into, a pawn in the game of power played by ancient clans and secret sects. And now, thanks to his betrayal, he was going to pay.
I pushed open the door, letting it slam shut behind me. The sound echoed through the empty halls, loud enough to draw attention. Good. Let him know I'm coming.
The auction hall looked different in daylight. Stripped of its glittering chandeliers and polished veneer, it was just another decrepit building—a façade hiding rot underneath. I walked past rows of shattered display cases, their contents spilled across the floor like discarded trash. Bloodstains marked the marble tiles where bodies had fallen during last night's chaos.
At the far end of the room, Mr. Zhao sat in his office, sipping tea as if nothing had happened. Through the glass walls, I could see him scrolling through documents on his tablet, his expression calm and composed. If he noticed me entering, he didn't show it.
That arrogance pissed me off more than anything else. Did he really think he was untouchable?
I strode toward his office, my boots crunching against broken glass. Each step felt deliberate, charged with purpose. My heart pounded not from fear but from anticipation. This wasn't just revenge—it was justice.
When I reached the door, I didn't bother knocking. Instead, I kicked it open, sending it crashing against the wall. Tea sloshed out of his cup as he jumped in surprise, nearly spilling it onto his expensive suit.
"You!" he spat, his face turning pale. "You're supposed to be dead!"
"Oh, I'm very much alive," I replied, stepping inside. "And now, you're going to answer some questions."
Zhao scrambled to his feet, fumbling for something beneath his desk. Instinctively, I tensed, ready for another attack. But instead of pulling out a gun, he pressed a button on the underside of his desk. An alarm blared somewhere in the distance, followed by the sound of footsteps rushing toward us.
"Guards will be here any second," he sneered, regaining some of his composure. "You won't escape this time."
"I'm not here to escape," I said coldly. "I'm here to settle a score."
His eyes darted toward the door, calculating whether he could make a run for it. But before he could move, I closed the gap between us in an instant, grabbing him by the collar and slamming him against the wall.
"Who sent you?" I demanded, tightening my grip. "Was it the same people who attacked me last night?"
He laughed nervously, beads of sweat forming on his forehead. "You don't understand what you're dealing with, boy. These aren't ordinary enemies. They're—"
"Clans," I interrupted. "Ancient families hiding in plain sight. Yeah, I figured that part out already. What I want to know is why they targeted me. Why destroy my bloodline a hundred years ago only to come after me now?"
For a moment, he hesitated, debating whether to lie or tell the truth. Finally, he sighed, defeated.
"They feared your ancestors," he admitted. "Your family possessed powers no one else could match. Powers that threatened to upset the balance of power. When they erased your lineage, they thought it was over. But then… then you showed up."
"And the artifact?" I pressed. "What did it do?"
"It awakened your bloodline," he whispered. "Activated abilities thought lost to history. That's why they want you dead—or worse. Alive, you're dangerous. Dead, you're unpredictable."
Before I could respond, the office door burst open. Three armed guards stormed in, weapons drawn.
"Let him go!" one shouted, aiming his gun at me.
I didn't hesitate. Using Ghost Shadow Steps, I darted behind Zhao, using him as a human shield.
"Shoot," I taunted. "See if you hit your boss first."
They froze, unsure of what to do. While they hesitated, I tightened my hold on Zhao, channeling Qi into my palm. The fiery symbol glowed brighter, radiating heat that made him cry out in pain.
"This ends now," I growled.
With a swift motion, I drove my hand forward, striking Zhao's abdomen with pinpoint accuracy. There was a sharp crack, followed by a strangled gasp. His eyes widened in shock as energy surged through him, disrupting the flow of Qi in his body.
"You—you broke my dantian!" he choked, collapsing to the floor.
"Consider it a lesson," I said, stepping back. "Never mess with someone thats stronger than you."
The guards stared at me, paralyzed by fear. None of them dared to move. Taking advantage of their hesitation, I turned and walked out of the office, leaving Zhao writhing in agony behind me.
As I walked out of the auction hall, the weight of what I'd done settled over me. Breaking someone's dantian wasn't just an act of violence—it was a declaration of war. From this moment on, there would be no turning back.
But I didn't care. Let them come. Let them try to stop me. Because I wasn't the scared orphan mopping floors anymore.
I was Jin Hao, heir of the Celestial Bloodline—and I was just getting started.
Back on the streets, I leaned against a lamppost, catching my breath. Adrenaline still coursed through my veins, but beneath it lay a strange sense of clarity. For so long, I'd lived in fear—fear of poverty, fear of failure, fear of being invisible. But now, I realized something: fear only existed because I let it.
The System chimed softly in my mind, offering confirmation.
**"Skill Mastery Increased: Qi Manipulation (Intermediate). Description: Enhanced control over internal energy channels."**
So breaking Zhao's dantian hadn't just been revenge—it had also helped me grow stronger. Every action I took, every enemy I faced, pushed me closer to mastering the powers within me.
But it wasn't just about strength. As I replayed the confrontation in my mind, I couldn't help but reflect on Zhao's words. My family's powers had once been feared, capable of upsetting the balance of power. What did that mean for me? Was I destined to follow in their footsteps—or forge my own path?
Either way, one thing was certain: I couldn't afford to stand still. The clans hunting me wouldn't rest until I was dead—or under their control. And Lin Wei, despite her claims of wanting to help, remained an enigma. Could I trust her? Or was she playing her own game?
These questions swirled in my mind as I wandered through the city, blending into the crowd. For now, I needed to focus on survival. But deep down, I knew the real battle was only beginning.
Later that evening, I returned to the rooftop where Lin Wei and I had trained the night before. She was already waiting for me, leaning casually against the railing with her arms crossed.
"How did it go?" she asked, raising an eyebrow.
"I broke his dantian," I replied simply.
She smirked. "Good. That'll send a message."
"But it won't stop them," I said, shaking my head. "If anything, it'll make them come harder."
"That's the point," she countered. "You can't hide forever, Jin Hao. Eventually, you'll have to fight back—not just for yourself, but for everyone they've hurt."
Her words lingered in the air, heavy with meaning. Fight back. Not just for revenge—for justice.
For the first time since discovering my bloodline, I felt a flicker of hope. Maybe I wasn't alone in this. Maybe, with allies like Lin Wei and the power growing inside me, I could change the rules of the game.
But first, I needed to get stronger. Much stronger.