As the dome shattered, the beast tried to rise, its wings beating as it forced itself upward through the collapsing space. It barely gained distance before a force dragged it down again, its body pulled sharply as Miao Han seized it mid-flight.

In the next instant, Tianhe appeared above, his presence descending like weight itself as a dark, pulsing spear formed in his hand. Without pause, he drove straight through the dragon’s back and out its chest in one clean motion.

The impact froze the battlefield for a moment as he emerged through its body, a massive black heart torn free in his grasp. The dragon’s eyes glazed instantly, and it let out one final, broken roar before its strength collapsed completely.

Its body fell heavily, and Miao Han descended with it, both crashing toward the ground together. Before the impact could land fully, Lin Xiao Tian appeared, Miao-Miao on his back, and caught Miao Han without slowing.

The dragon struck the ground behind them, its weight crushing the earth as blood spread across the area. Tianhe landed shortly after, his breathing uneven as the strain of the attack finally showed.

The others gathered quickly, their attention fixed on Miao Han as his senses blurred. The taste of blood filled his mouth, thick and mixed, while the voices around him grew distant and unclear.

Lin Xiao Tian placed him down, his hand steady as he spoke, though the words no longer reached him. His vision dimmed, the world fading as darkness spread outward without end.

Then—

He gasped and opened his eyes, his voice breaking as he called out, "Master."

But there was nothing no battlefield, no voices, only a vast, endless void stretching in every direction, dimly lit yet empty. He turned slowly, searching, yet found no trace of anyone.

Then, far ahead, a figure appeared.

A girl in white stood quietly, her smile gentle as she faced him from the distance. The moment Miao Han saw her, his expression changed, his face turning rigid as his lips began to tremble.

As she approached him, her steps were light and steady, her expression calm as that faint smile remained unchanged. She reached out and placed her hands beneath his chin, lifting his face until their eyes met.

For a brief moment, everything stood still as his breath caught and his body refused to move. Then he screamed as a bloom of blood spread across her white dress, staining it instantly as if it had always been there.

The ground beneath him gave way without warning, and his body dropped as the space around him collapsed into darkness. The fall did not end as memories surged upward, dragging him into something far deeper.

He stood before his home again, the night quiet and familiar as he returned from a long journey. The air felt normal, unchanged, and nothing warned him as he pushed the door open and stepped inside.

The first thing he saw was his mother’s head lying on the floor, separated cleanly as blood spread beneath it in silence. His body froze where he stood, yet his eyes continued forward without control.

His father’s body was pinned to the wall, lifeless and unmoving as the ground beneath him was soaked dark. A scream echoed from the next room, breaking through the silence and tearing into his thoughts.

Before he could move, the door opened slowly as a large bald man stepped out with a twisted smile. Recognition struck instantly as he realized who it was, one of his father’s former subordinates who had been dismissed not long ago.

The man laughed as he looked at him, his voice filled with mockery as he spoke without restraint. "So even young master Miao is here... tch, you missed a good scene."

Three more men stepped out behind him as faint whimpering continued from inside the room. Miao Han’s body trembled as he rushed forward and pushed past them without hesitation.

What he saw inside broke something within him as his stomach turned at the sight before him. His sister lay on the ground, her body twisted unnaturally with limbs bent in ways they should not, her form covered in wounds.

Blood flowed down her legs and pooled beneath her, the slow drip echoing faintly in the quiet room.

Her breathing was shallow and weak as life slipped away from her with every passing moment. As he stepped closer, she looked at him one last time, her eyes filled with something he could not bear to face.

Her lips moved weakly as a single word escaped. "Why..."

The man tilted his head slightly, his grin widening as he watched Miao Han stand frozen in place. His eyes moved lazily toward the body on the ground before returning, filled with open mockery.

"Why that face, young master," he said lightly, as if the scene around them carried no weight at all. "You should be grateful... she helped us release our anger and saved your life."

He tilted his head slightly, his tone turning almost playful as he looked him up and down without restraint. "You are free to go now, no one will stop you, so do not waste the chance she bought for you," he added with a faint laugh. 𝙧𝙚𝙚𝔀𝒆𝓫𝓷𝙤𝓿𝒆𝙡.𝒄𝙤𝓶

He clicked his tongue lightly, shaking his head as if in disappointment while his gaze lingered without restraint. "A fine beauty indeed, it would have been a waste to leave her untouched," he added with a faint chuckle.

The others behind him laughed quietly, their voices low yet clear in the silent room. The sound carried no guilt, only amusement, as if what they had done meant nothing at all.

Seeing it, a surge of rage flooded Miao Han’s mind, burning through everything else as his body moved without thought. His vision blurred, yet his focus locked onto the man before him.

With a scream, he lunged forward and swung his fist with all the strength he could gather, his movement raw and unrefined. There was no technique or restraint only anger driving the strike forward.

The man simply raised his hand and caught the punch easily, stopping it in place as if it carried no weight at all. The impact meant nothing, the difference in strength laid bare without effort.

The man’s smile did not fade as he tightened his grip slightly, his eyes filled with amusement as he looked at him. "So the young master still has some spirit left," he said lightly, his tone almost pleased.

In the next moment, the man shifted his hand slightly, and a sharp crack rang out as Miao Han’s wrist shattered, pain surging through him as he instantly fell to his knees.