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Chapter 14 : The Sovereign Ascendance
Pain.
It was not a sharp, sudden pain that faded quickly, but a deep, burning agony that settled into her bones, making every breath feel like fire. Ling Huai collapsed onto her knees, her hands digging into the cold earth. Sweat dripped from her brow, mixing with the dirt beneath her. Her body trembled, her vision blurred, but she refused to scream.
The Omen stood a few steps away, watching her with unreadable eyes. His presence was calm, unaffected, as if her suffering was expected. "Pain is the first lesson of power," he said, his voice low but firm. "If you cannot bear this, then you are not ready for what comes next."
Ling Huai clenched her jaw. She would not break.
The energy of Sovereign's Ascendance roared inside her, wild and untamed. It did not simply flow through her—it demanded control, demanded obedience. It was a power that did not bow to weakness.
Her mind stretched out beyond herself, reaching for something—anything—to hold onto. And then she felt it.
Something stirred in the distance. The beasts.
Their presence flickered in her awareness like shadows on the edge of firelight. At first, they shrank away, their instincts screaming at them to flee. She was human, weak, insignificant—or so they thought.
But then, something changed.
They felt her. Not as prey. Not as a fragile thing. But as something more. The connection was faint, almost hesitant. Some growled in warning, others merely watched from the safety of the trees, but they did not leave.
A pulse of energy rippled through her again, stronger this time. And with it, a whisper.
It did not come from the beasts.
It came from below.
Ling Huai's gaze snapped downward. Her breathing was shallow, uneven, but she focused on the small plant growing beside her. The Blue Moonlight Herb.
Its soft petals trembled, as if caught in a wind that did not exist. A faint glow pulsed at its center, the light growing and fading in steady waves.
And then—it spoke.
"…You hear us?"
Ling Huai's entire body froze. Her heartbeat pounded in her ears. The herb was speaking to her.
"I…" Her throat felt dry. "I do."
A pause. The glow of the herb brightened.
"…It hurts."
Confusion flickered through her pain-clouded mind. "What hurts?"
"The sky is too bright. The soil is too thin. We need… deeper roots."
A plea. A quiet request.
Ling Huai swallowed hard. This was the power the Omen had spoken of. The ability to hear them. To understand them.
Her fingers trembled as she reached out, brushing against the herb's delicate stem. "I'll move you somewhere better."
For the first time since this strange power awakened, she felt something other than pain. She felt relief—but not her own. The plant, the herb… it was relieved.
She had promised.
A sharp chuckle broke through the moment.
"Well, well," the Omen mused, his gaze locked onto her. "You learn fast. The plants already recognize you. That is not something most achieve so soon."
Ling Huai forced herself to look at him. "You could've warned me about the pain."
His lips curled slightly. "And what would that have changed?"
She had no answer.
Because he was right. Power had a price.
And she was willing to pay it.
Her fingers curled into fists as she forced herself upright. Her body protested, aching with every movement, but she did not stop. "What's next?"
The Omen's smirk faded. He stepped forward, pressing a single clawed finger against her forehead.
A surge of knowledge flooded into her mind.
Serpent's Flow. Panther's Strike. Dragon's Crest.
They were more than just techniques. They were instincts, the movements of the most dangerous creatures—twisting like a snake, striking like a panther, standing unshaken like a dragon.
Her breath hitched as the last of the knowledge settled. This was the final lesson of the Sovereign's Ascendance.
And yet, before she could fully grasp it, the Omen took a step back.
"I must leave."
Ling Huai stiffened. "What?"
His gaze darkened. "I will be gone for some time. No more than a week."
A strange tightness gripped her chest. "Why?"
The Omen's violet eyes gleamed. "There are things I must handle. My presence here is… noticed."
She didn't like the sound of that. "And if someone finds me?"
His expression remained calm. "Then you'd best make sure you are strong enough to survive."
The weight of his words pressed down on her like a mountain.
Then, without another word, he turned and vanished into the shadows.
Silence stretched through the cave.
Ling Huai stood still, feeling the emptiness left behind by his presence.
Then, she turned her gaze toward the forest.
She had one week.
And she would not waste it.
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