THE CHAOS SOVEREIGN

CHAPTER 3

Gao Hu screamed as his face instantly paled. The Qi he had spent three years cultivating—the very life force in his blood—began to flow through the whip and into Lu Chen’s palm.

"Stop... please... let go...". “Stop what?”!. Lu Chen shouted. Gao Hu fell to his knees, his skin wrinkling, his hair turning grey in a second.

Lu Chen felt a rush of energy. It was intoxicating. The energy, a very small energy from a Body-Refining Level 3 disciple was like a drop of water in an ocean.

He let go of the whip. Gao Hu slumped to the ground, unconscious and every energy of his spiritual power was drained. He wasn't dead, but he was lying there without spiritual energy, totally empty.

Lu Chen stepped over the fallen trash and walked past him out of the room. The sun was rising gradually, its shadows coming up over the Afure Cloud Sect ceremony ground.

He whispered, "The High Heaven Emperors took everything from me, the wind had changed for me. I'll start by taking their world.”

The bell of the Afure Cloud Sect rang three times. It was the sound of their monthly ranking. For most disciples, it was a day to show off. But for Lu Chen, it had always been a day he hid from his tormentors.

But today, things have changed, he walked toward the main square with his head held high without looking side by side.

The other disciples were already lining up in the arena. They wore clean white robes and carried their shining swords. When they saw Lu Chen walking toward them, they started immediately whispering.

"Is that Lu Chen? I thought Han Yu broke his ribs last night," one of the boys whispered.

"He looks... different today," a girl replied, frowning. "Look at his skin. It’s not pale and sick anymore. He is refreshing."

Lu Chen ignored them and kept moving. He felt a strange, cool hum in his chest. The Chaos Root was like a silent motor, spinning and waiting. Every breath he took felt deeper. Every sound—the wind that blew, the birds in the sky— everything felt clearer than before.

"You! How are you walking?"

Wei Feng stepped out from the crowd. He was the one who had crushed Lu Chen’s jade pendant. Seeing Lu Chen standing tall made his face turn with anger. To him, Lu Chen was a dog that didn't know how to stay down.

"I have legs, don't I?" Lu Chen said calmly.

Wei Feng snorted and walked closer until they were face to face. "You are lucky, trash. Maybe Han Yu was feeling sleepy last night and didn't hit you hard enough. But don't worry. I’ll finish the job today."

He reached out to slap Lu Chen’s face, a move he had been doing a hundred times before now felt different.

This time, Lu Chen didn't flinch. He didn't close his eyes. He was waiting to grab him.

Grab.

Lu Chen’s hand shot up like a lightning bolt. He caught Wei Feng’s wrist in mid-air.

"Leave me alone!" Wei Feng barked like a dog, trying to pull away. But Lu Chen’s grip was like a trap for him.

"You broke my father's jade," Lu Chen said softly. His eyes narrowed. "You told me I belonged in the dirt. But look at you, Wei Feng. You’re shaking for just a touch."

Inside Lu Chen, the Chaos Root felt the contact. It started pulling,

Wei Feng’s face moves from angry to confusion, and then to pure terror. He felt his energy—the Qi he had worked so hard to gather—leaking out of his arm and flowing into Lu Chen. It felt like his blood was turning into a liquid following him.

"What... What are you doing to me?" Wei Feng gasped. He tried to punch Lu Chen with his other hand, but his muscles felt weak, and can't be lifted up.

Lu Chen felt a surge of strength. The energy from Wei Feng was flowing into him, filling the "cracks" in his soul. It felt better than any meal he had ever eaten.

"I'm just taking back what the world owes me," Lu Chen whispered.

He pushed Wei Feng away. He stumbled back and fell into the mud—the same mud which Lu Chen had been scrubbing yesterday. Wei Feng was breathing quickly, and sweating, and the sweat was like water rushing out of his body. He was breathing like someone who had run a race.

The crowd went silent. Nobody had ever seen Lu Chen fight back, let alone even make a top disciple fall on the ground.

The Elder’s Gaze in command.

"Lu Chen! Step forward!"

Elder Zhao stood on the high platform, his eyes were sharp and cold. He had seen the fight, it didn't matter. He didn't care about it, but he hated the disorder.

"The ranking test is about talent and strength," the Elder said, looking down at Lu Chen with disgust. "Since you seem so energetic today, you will go first. And test your strength on the Spirit Stone."

The Spirit Stone was a massive block of black rock that glowed when a cultivator touched it. It showed how much power a person had.

Lu Chen walked toward the stone. The disciples started laughing at him.

"He has broken roots! The stone won't even flicker!". someone shouted,

"Maybe it will turn black like his soul!" Another laughed loudly. “Hahaha”

Lu Chen moved straight and stood before the cold stone. He thought about his family’s massacre. He thought about the years of being stepped on. He thought about the power inside him.

He placed his hand on the rock.

Feed me, he thought to the Chaos Root.

Lu Chen’s hand rested on the Spirit Stone. Deep inside him, the Chaos Root let out a silent roar. It wanted to drink the stone dry, to shatter it and show everyone his true power.

But Lu Chen caught himself. Not yet, he thought. If I show them everything now, the Elders will kill me before I can even leave this square.

He tightened his grip on the root, forcing it to stay quiet. Instead of letting the power explode, he only let out a flicker of energy