Chapter 18: A Harsh Reminder
[Option 1: Take the Eclipse Orb and challenge Yang Lie to a life-and-death duel.
Reward: Beautiful Yellow Coffin (Rare Grade).]
[Option 2: Take the Eclipse Orb and flee.
Reward: Phantom Blade Technique (Uncommon Grade).]
[Option 3: Beg for their forgiveness and escape.
Reward: Fallen Star Saber (Uncommon Grade).]
[Option 4: Beat them up and take the Eclipse Orb by force.
Reward: Eclipse Orb (Complete Version, Rare Grade).]
...
Reon skimmed through the options the system presented, feeling a mix of frustration and amusement.
"Challenge Yang Lie... and the reward is a beautiful coffin?!" Reon muttered in disbelief.
A Rare Grade item, sure, but it's literally asking me to die.
He scoffed, shaking his head. "No thanks, system. I'm not ready to pick out my grave decor just yet."
"Hmm, running away is doable, but the reward's not great. Just an Uncommon Grade sword technique? Meh, I've seen better. Feels like I'd be selling myself short here."
Reon wrinkled his nose at the thought. "Beg? Forgiveness? No way. There's absolutely no chance I'm going to grovel in front of these scumbags."
He paused, glancing at the reward. "And the prize is just a Uncommon Grade Saber? Are you kidding me? What kind of trash-tier reward is that?"
Finally, his gaze settled on the last option, his eyes lighting up.
"This... this is tempting," Reon thought, a grin slowly spreading across his face.
Sure, it'll mean provoking Niu Ling ahead of schedule, but that confrontation was inevitable anyway. I swore I'd live for myself, not as someone else's pawn.
His fists clenched in determination. "I might as well get it over with."
Besides, the reward was too good to ignore.
In the original novel, Xue Taiyang had used the incomplete version of the Eclipse Orb to gain power equivalent to a Peak Stage Qi Solidification Realm cultivator, though it cost him his cultivation foundation.
Even crippled, he had become a temporary powerhouse, a force that left the outer sect in awe.
"And that was with the incomplete version. If I can complete it..." Reon's eyes gleamed with ambition.
Who knows how strong I'll become?
He made his decision, straightening his posture with newfound confidence.
"I'll take Option 4—beat them up, grab the Eclipse Orb, and rise above this mess. Time to show them I'm not the old Xue Taiyang anymore."
"This bastard is really begging for a beating," Xi Shen sneered, his eyes narrowing with cruel intent.
He glanced at the other disciples who stood by his side, cracking his knuckles as a malicious grin spread across his face.
"Boys, get ready. We're going to teach him a lesson he won't forget today."
"Since it seems you can't grasp things through polite words, I guess I'll have to resort to a bit of violence," Reon said, his tone calm but laced with a hint of menace.
[Ding! The Host has selected the Fourth Option. Please proceed to complete the task in order to claim your reward.]
The system's voice echoed in Reon's mind, urging him forward as the tension in the air thickened.
"You're not walking away from this," Xi Shen growled, clenching his fists as his party prepared to strike.
But just as they lunged forward, Reon's lips curved into a slow, confident smile.
Without a hint of hesitation, he whispered, "Come forth… my companion."
In an instant, a swirling mist enveloped the area, and the elegant, ethereal fox emerged from the haze, its silver fur shimmering.
Its glowing, intelligent eyes scanned the approaching enemies, a low growl escaping its throat as it stood protectively in front of Reon.
The group halted in their tracks, clearly unsettled by the sudden appearance of the beast. The Mist Cloud Fox's presence was enough to make them reconsider their reckless advance.
"Mist Cloud Fox, thrash them so badly they'll crawl back home!" Reon said with a smirk.
"What... What is this beast?" Xi Shen stammered, eyes wide in shock. "It's radiating such immense pressure!"
The beast darted forward in a blur of silver and shadow.
SWOOSH!
Xi Shen barely had time to react before claws struck his chest like a thunderclap, sending him flying back with a strangled cry.
"Ahhhh!"
He crashed to the ground, gasping for breath.
But before the others could rally, the fox twisted mid-air, landing with eerie grace and turning its attention to the rest.
"K-Kill that fox!" one of the disciples shouted in desperation.
Two charged forward—but the Mist Cloud Fox was already gone, vanishing into mist and reappearing behind them like a ghost.
A swipe of its tail thickened the fog, blinding them.
"Aghhh! I can't see—!"
Then came the impact. The fox descended like a comet, slamming one of them into the ground with a crushing force that cracked the stone beneath.
"I-I don't want to get beaten like that!"
Another disciple panicked and turned to flee.
SWOOSH!
A coil of mist snaked after him, wrapping around his legs like a living chain, yanking him back mid-stride.
Before he could scream, a swift kick from the fox sent him tumbling across the ground, coughing blood.
Xi Shen struggled to his knees, his body trembling, face pale.
"I-It hurts… so bad…" he croaked.
The Mist Cloud Fox turned its eyes back on him, its azure gaze glowing with quiet fury. Mist swirled around its form like an executioner's cloak.
Step by graceful step, it advanced.
Around him, his allies lay moaning—defeated, broken, and humiliated. Not a single blow had been wasted. Every strike from the fox had been swift, precise, and devastating.
As the beast loomed above him once more, Xi Shen could only stare in horror.