Chapter 5 – The Cost of Standing Tall

  Wei Jin’s stance wavered. His body screamed in protest, Ether flickering unsteadily around him. He had landed a blow, yes—but he was still far from victory.

  Across from him, Xu Lin rolled his shoulders, his expression bored. “You had your moment. Now, I’ll break you properly.”

  Wei Jin forced down the fear clawing at his throat. He had made his choice. Now, he had to see it through.

  Xu Lin didn’t waste time.

  His Ether surged—not golden like Fang Lian’s, but cold and precise, a steel-gray aura wrapping around his limbs. He moved like a blade—quick, sharp, and without hesitation.

  Wei Jin barely raised his guard before the first strike landed.

  A palm to his ribs.

  Pain exploded in his side.

  A second blow—his shoulder. His arm went numb.

  A third—his knee. His leg buckled.

  Wei Jin collapsed to one knee, gasping.

  Xu Lin exhaled, shaking his head. “This is why you should’ve stayed down.”

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  The enforcer raised his foot for the final strike—

  And stopped.

  A breath of silence.

  Then, his foot slid an inch backward.

  His brow furrowed. “What—?”

  Another inch.

  His balance shifted.

  Wei Jin blinked in confusion. Xu Lin had him beaten—why was he hesitating?

  Only Shen Mu understood.

  He had seen it. The adjustment to the battlefield.

  The moment Xu Lin had lifted his leg, Shen Mu had pulled a thread—a subtle shift in weight distribution, a fraction of an inch misplaced.

  It wasn’t much.

  But it was enough.

  Xu Lin stumbled slightly, his intended stomp losing precision.

  And in that instant, Wei Jin moved.

  A surge of desperation. A flicker of Ether.

  His fist slammed into Xu Lin’s stomach.

  A clean hit.

  Xu Lin grunted, staggering back. It wasn’t a powerful strike, but it disrupted his rhythm. His balance was already off.

  Wei Jin didn’t stop to think. He surged forward, his battered limbs ignoring the pain.

  One step.

  Two.

  Then—he struck again.

  A wild, unrefined attack, but it didn’t matter. It landed.

  And then another.

  Xu Lin cursed, retreating. “Tch—”

  “Enough.”

  Qiao Han’s voice cut through the tension like a blade.

  Wei Jin froze.

  Xu Lin stilled, his lips pressing into a thin line. He didn’t like stopping a fight he could still win.

  But Qiao Han had spoken.

  The enforcer stepped back, rolling his neck in irritation. “Lucky.”

  Wei Jin exhaled sharply, his body swaying, but he remained standing.

  Shen Mu studied him, his gaze unreadable.

  For most, this would be a small victory—insignificant.

  But for Wei Jin, it was everything.

  He had stood. He had fought.

  And he had not broken.

  Qiao Han smiled faintly. “Interesting.” He turned toward Shen Mu. “And you… you’re very good at watching.”

  Shen Mu didn’t react.

  Qiao Han chuckled. “I’ll be keeping my eye on you.”

  Then, with a flick of his robes, he turned, gesturing for his enforcers to follow.

  The confrontation was over.

  For now.