Rise of the Sword Lord

Chapter 1

[MIDAN CITY, WANG FAMILY PALACE]

The temple bells resounded throughout the Wang Palace, summoning every member of the Wang extended family to converge within the sacred halls.

As the family hurriedly gathered, they wondered about the reason behind the unexpected call for them to assemble.

Elder Feng, one of the oldest living members of the Wang dynasty, strode into the temple. Eyes followed him as he walked straight to the raised wooden platform where he faced the crowd.

"Good morning," Elder Feng called out, drawing a unified murmur of greeting from the assembled family members. With a measured tone, he addressed the crowd, "I have received a message from the Supreme Being."

Murmurs erupted from the corners of the hall as they wondered what message Elder Feng claimed to have received from the Supreme Being this time. Elder Feng raised his hand, silencing the growing noise.

"There will be a change in the order of things in this family," he declared with an authoritative voice. After all, he was one of the oldest and one of the few who could hear from the Supreme Being through revelations.

Elder Feng continued, "As you all already know, Kai Wang, the son of Zhang, who is also a son of the Wang family, has been holding the title of Heir Apparent of the Wang Dynasty..."

Everyone nodded as he reminded them of this fact, and then he continued speaking, "But from now on, Kai shall no longer hold the title of Heir Apparent. The position will be bestowed upon my grandson, Li Wang, who is also a son of this Wang family."

Everyone’s eyes widened in shock. They hadn’t anticipated this change. How could the Supreme Being order something like this? Kai had been holding the position and had been defending it properly.

Li, standing beside his grandfather, Elder Feng, couldn't hide the smile of satisfaction that crept onto his lips. He already knew about the title being transferred to him but acted like he was shocked in front of everyone.

Everyone was confused, trying to comprehend the unexpected change. They didn’t understand this but could not question Elder Feng since he was acting based on the order from the Supreme Being.

Listening to this, a young voice pierced the air, "No!"

The crowd gave way for the 13-year-old girl who ran out to stand in the center of the temple and faced the platform where Elder Feng and his grandson, Li, stood.

The girl was none other than Ming, Kai's 13-year-old sister. She couldn’t believe that everyone stood there and accepted the fact that the title of Heir Apparent would be taken from her brother and handed over to Elder Feng’s grandson, Li.

“Great Elder Feng, this is unfair! You can’t take the title from my brother after everything he has done for this family!” Ming shouted, making sure everyone heard her.

Elder Feng's expression hardened as he turned his attention to the defiant little girl. Not even the other elders there could question him, so who was this little girl who dared to speak when he was speaking?

"You must be Kai’s sick sister!” Elder Feng said, recognizing who she was.

“What is the meaning of this interruption?" he demanded, his voice filled with irritation.

Ming, filled with regret for interrupting that way, bowed respectfully but held her ground. "My brother Kai has earned this position," she pleaded.

"Kai has sacrificed so much for the family. What has your grandson Li ever done for this family? All he does is jump from one girl to another in this community and get drunk, while my brother fights for the honor of this family and our great legacy!"

Elder Feng's gaze narrowed, his patience wearing thin. "Do not question the will of the Supreme Being," he admonished, his tone causing Ming to tremble in fear. "Li is chosen for a reason," Elder Feng added.

Ming's voice quivered as she continued to plead Kai's case. "As we speak, my brother is out there in the South Mountains, fighting against the Yu family to secure our mining rights. Tell me, when has your grandson Li ever joined him in the fight?" she urged, her words resonating with some of the gathered family members, but all were afraid to speak.

"Enough of this," Elder Feng declared in anger. "Guards, drag her out!"

Elder Feng’s grandson Li, the newly appointed Heir Apparent, strode forward with anger burning within him. He felt insulted by the little girl.

"Wait," he commanded the guard who was trying to drag Ming out, his eyes flashing with the authority of his newly assumed position as the Heir Apparent.

Among the guards stood Chen, a long-serving servant eager to gain favor in the eyes of the new heir, Li. "Yes, my lord?" Chen responded, eager to follow through with Li’s command.

Li, aware of the impression he needed to make, instructed Chen carefully. "Ming's interruption cannot go unpunished," he declared. "Give her 20 lashes for disrespecting my grandfather, Elder Feng, and another 30 for insulting me."

A lump formed in Ming’s throat as she realized the severity of Li's command. Li continued with a cold voice, "I am the new heir, and disobedience will not be tolerated from anyone! Use Kai’s sister, Ming, as an example to show the rest of the family what will befall them if anyone tries to talk back to my authority."

Chen nodded eagerly, seeing an opportunity to prove his loyalty and gain favor.

"And you, Chen, by doing exactly as I say, I will make you the head of all the guards. As the new Heir Apparent, I have the power to move you from a common guard into the paid service!"

Chen's smile betrayed his greed as he approached Ming, who knelt weakly, her fever returning. She was sick, but despite being really weak, she had only come out to defend her brother, who was away in the South Mountains, defending their family rights.

With a cruel slap, Chen sent Ming sprawling to the ground. Li watched with satisfaction, enjoying his newly acquired power.

Chen then dragged Ming to a secluded corner of the temple, grasping a cane with a killer instinct in his eyes, as he prepared to shamelessly flog the little girl just to gain favor from Li.

As the first strike fell on Ming’s back, she endured. But before the second blow could land, a shadow fell over the temple's entrance, as it seemed a figure was obstructing the sun's rays reaching the temple. Everyone’s attention was drawn to the entrance, and a gasp escaped their lips.

It was Kai, clad in a bloodied black warrior robe which was ragged and worn out. Glancing at the corner where Chen was raising a cane against his sister, his eyes reddened.

"How dare you?" Kai's voice thundered, as bloodlust filled his eyes in anger.

Chen's grip faltered, the cane slipping from his hand as he faced the wrathful gaze of the returning hero. Kai's presence shifted the atmosphere.

In a blur of motion, Kai closed the distance to Chen, who stood frozen in shock. Without hesitation, Chen drew his sword, but Kai was quicker. With accuracy, Kai rolled and swung his own blade, cutting off Chen's arm in one swift motion.

A cry of agony tore through the air as Chen collapsed, his arm lying lifeless on the ground. Before the horror of the crowd could fully register, Kai acted again, this time ending Chen's life with a decisive strike to his throat.

Slupp!!

Blood splattered...

The brutality of Kai's retaliation sent a shiver of fear through the gathered crowd.

Ming, overcome with relief and gratitude, rushed into her brother’s arms, tears streaming down her face. Kai held her close.

“It is okay, I’m home now,” he whispered.

His attention turned to the platform where Li and Elder Feng stood, their expressions filled with shock.

Kai's voice cut through the silence like a blade, demanding answers. "Who authorized the flogging of my sister?"

Li's response was dismissive, his arrogance on full display. "It is not your concern," he talked back, with a smirk on his lips. "You have no right to question us."

Kai clenched his fists as he spoke, "You watched as my sister was hurt, and you dare tell me to stay silent?"

"Shut up, Kai. Drag your disrespectful sister out of here before I unleash my wrath," Li ordered.

Kai's jaw clenched as he resisted the urge to lash out. But Li's next revelation was a breaking point. "Since you are so desperate to know, I ordered her punishment for disrespecting me," Li admitted, his smirk widening.

The revelation ignited a blaze of anger within Kai, propelling him forward in a sudden charge towards Li. But before he could reach Li, Elder Feng intervened, his hand striking Kai's face with a resounding slap.

The force of the slap sent Kai to one knee, but he quickly regained his footing before falling completely. Elder Feng's next move was swift, as he tried to punch Kai's face. Instinctively, Kai raised his own fist to meet the attack.

To everyone’s shock, a strong energy was expelled from their fists colliding, creating a mysterious force that pushed Kai and Elder Feng apart and cast them to opposite sides of the temple.

In Midan City, warriors were organized into several ranks of realms:

Rank 1: The Physical Exercising Realm, which was a stage when one forges their body into a weapon through rigorous training.

Rank 2: The Strength Enhancing Realm, where one is able to channel raw power to elevate their physical prowess.

Rank 3: The Internal Force Reinforcing Realm, when one can delve into the unseen, mastering the flow of internal energy for combat.

Rank 4: The Internal-External Refining Realm, when one merges the inner strength of their spirit with the outer prowess of their body, creating a harmonious balance in combat.

Rank 5: The Self-Striving Realm, a stage when one embarks on a journey of personal growth, honing their skills and evolving their fighting style.

Rank 6: The Qi Varying Realm, a stage when one becomes a conductor of energy, shaping and molding qi to adapt to any situation in battle.

Getting to the 6th Rank, martial artists tap into Qi, a powerful life force that enhances their fighting skills and allows them to perform incredible feats.

But above this rank, there was another...

Rank 7: The Qi Harnessing Realm, a stage when one transcends mastery, seamlessly integrating qi into every movement and thought, becoming a living embodiment of martial prowess.

This was where everyone’s shock lay: Elder Feng was now in Rank 6, while Kai, in the Self-Striving Realm, was slightly weaker. So how did he manage to counter that force and repel Elder Feng’s fist?