The air between George and Jalen crackled with tension, the scorched earth beneath them still trembling from their clash. They stood motionless, locked in a silent glare that spoke volumes. Around them, the crowd had retreated to a safe distance, watching with bated breath. No one dared to speak. No one dared to move.
George's fist still burned faintly with residual flame qi, but his expression had shifted. Beneath the fury and pride, there was something else—shock. He had faced countless opponents in his long life, but never had a boy—barely past his youth—stood against him like this. Not only had Jalen survived the blow, he had countered with precision, speed, and a weapon that should not have been in his possession.
How? George thought, his mind racing. How could this boy be so strong?
Jalen, meanwhile, remained calm on the surface, but inside, he was calculating. The clash had left him with internal damage—nothing visible, nothing that would betray weakness—but real nonetheless. Elder George's technique had pierced through his defenses, even with Motion Eclipse activated. The elder's mastery of flame qi was terrifying, and Jalen knew that if the fight continued, he could last ten moves at best. And that was assuming George didn't get serious.
I only avoided his technique because he didn't know mine, Jalen thought. Now he does. It won't work again.
He had no intention of gambling further. This wasn't pride—it was strategy. He had already made his mark. Now it was time to vanish.
Without a word, Jalen activated the switch.
A shadow clone—one he had created the moment he exited the Scorch Realm—had been waiting far from the battlefield. In an instant, Jalen exchanged places with it. The clone appeared where he had stood, flickered for a moment, then dispersed into nothingness.
The crowd gasped. Even the Sage Realm experts blinked in confusion. One moment Jalen was there—the next, he was gone. No spatial ripple. No teleportation signature. Just... gone.
George clenched his fists, his pride wounded deeper than any blade could cut. He had let a junior escape him. Worse, he had no idea how.
The Crimson Vale Sect left in a sour mood, their disciples silent, their elder brooding. But George's fury was not the kind that burned out quickly. It was the kind that simmered, waiting for the right moment to erupt again.
They won't stop until they find him.
___
Back at the estate where Rana and her master were staying since they arrived in the Riley State, the atmosphere was quieter—but no less charged.
Inside the private living quarters—a spacious chamber lined with flame-inscribed walls and soft ember light—Rana sat on a cushioned bench, her gaze distant, her thoughts tangled in the aftermath of the battle. Her flame qi still pulsed with strength, but her heart felt heavy.
Master Talia entered, her steps light but deliberate. She studied her disciple for a moment before speaking.
"Is that the boy you're madly in love with?"
Rana blushed instantly, her cheeks glowing with heat that had nothing to do with flame qi. She didn't answer with words—just a small, shy nod.
Talia raised an eyebrow. "Who is he? Does he come from the Ruona continent like you?"
"No, Master," Rana replied softly. "And please... don't ask any more questions."
Talia paused, then nodded. She respected boundaries, especially those drawn by the heart. "I'm sorry. It's just... that kid is a monster. And here I thought you were a top genius."
Rana smiled, a touch of pride and humility in her eyes. "I'm just a novice compared to him."
"Oh, don't count yourself so short," a familiar voice said.
Both master and disciple turned sharply.
Jalen stood near the entrance of the chamber, his presence quiet but undeniable. He wore simple robes, his aura masked, but the weight of his existence pressed gently against the air.
Talia's eyes narrowed. She scanned him again, trying to pierce through whatever technique he was using. Nothing. No cultivation signature. No qi fluctuations. Just stillness.
He's using something strange, she thought. Something I've never seen.
She stepped back and gave a small smile. "I'll leave you two to have some alone time."
She then mind link Rana. "I'll give you three hours to sort out your love affairs. After that we'll be leaving for Great Ling. And please don't get pregnant while I'm away ok. The patriarch will punish me if something like that should happen on my watch."
Rana blushed. "It's not like that."
"Sure it isn't."
With that, Talia turned and walked away, her curiosity of Jalen burning.
Jalen stepped forward, his gaze meeting Rana's. She stood slowly, her heart thudding in her chest.
"You're here to say goodbye, aren't you?" she asked, her voice barely above a whisper.
"Yes," Jalen said, his tone firm but gentle. "But this time... I wanted to tell you."
Rana's lips trembled. "Does that mean I won't see you for years again?"
"I'm not sure," Jalen admitted. "But we will meet again. Eventually."
She nodded, swallowing the ache in her throat. "Okay. But I have a gift for you. You have to close your eyes."
Jalen raised an eyebrow. "Are you messing with me?"
"Just close your eyes."
He sighed, then obeyed. "Alright."
Seconds passed. Then he felt it—something soft and warm pressing against his lips. His eyes snapped open in surprise, but it was too late. Rana had kissed him.
It wasn't long. It wasn't dramatic. But it was real.
Jalen froze. He wasn't an idiot—he knew what it was. But it caught him off guard. More than that, it shocked him.
For the first time in a long time, his heart raced.
Rana pulled back, her face flushed, her eyes wide with vulnerability. "I just... I didn't want to regret it."
Jalen stared at her, words failing him. He had faced death, battled monsters, and stood against Sage Realm experts. But this—this was something else entirely.
His mind was blank, but his body moved instinctively.
He stepped forward, closed the distance between them, and pulled her into his arms. His grip was firm, but not forceful—like he was afraid she might vanish if he didn't hold her close enough.
Then he kissed her.
Not the stunned, passive reaction from before. This time, it was deliberate. Real. A proper kiss.
Rana's eyes widened, then softened. Her hands found his chest, trembling slightly, but she didn't pull away. She leaned into him, her flame qi flickering gently around her like a protective cocoon.