Legend of the Divine Archer

When Yan Jin and Zhang San arrived at the martial hall of the Treasure Pavilion, the atmosphere was tense. Soldiers stood on guard, disciplined and silent, arranged into four units—three combat units and one support unit. The hall was eerily quiet, except for the heated voice of Zhang Li.

"So you're telling me that unless I give up my third spot, you won't proceed with the coronation ceremony?" she yelled.

"That's not it, General Zhang," one of the generals replied, his tone dripping with insincerity. "We just can't afford to give opportunities to undeserving people simply because of their parentage." He glanced disdainfully at Zhang San.

As Zhang San and Yan Jin made their way to the front, the four generals of the Treasure Pavilion sat on a stage, looking down at everyone like lords over their domain. Their powerful auras, equal to Zhang Li's, made the air feel heavy and oppressive. The moment they saw Yan Jin, the tension in the room thickened even more.

"What are you doing here? Zhang San, why did you bring him here?" Zhang Li asked, frustration evident in her voice.

"Sis... General, I…" Zhang San began to stammer, but before he could explain, Zhang Li's giant hammer came crashing down like a thunderbolt. Zhang San barely managed to defend himself as he was thrown out of the martial hall. No one reacted; it seemed such occurrences were common between the siblings.

Yan Jin walked over to Wei Xi, who was kneeling at the center of the hall. "Stand up," Yan Jin commanded, ignoring everyone else in the room. As Wei Xi stood, Yan Jin dusted him off, noticing the toll the past few days had taken on him.

"You must be the blind brother of little Xi. I am General Zhang Pao, the first chosen by Archduke San. We were just discussing your participation in the Babel Tower," one of the generals said, his voice oozing with condescension.

Yan Jin, still focused on Wei Xi, addressed Zhang Li loudly. "When I left the kid with you, you promised to take care of him. It seems you can't even take care of yourself."

"I've been really busy, but this won't happen again," Zhang Li responded, trying to regain control of the situation.

"I'm sure it won't because he's leaving with me right now," Yan Jin retorted.

"Don't be rash! I gave my word, and I'll keep it," Zhang Li insisted.

"You promised me a spot at the Babel Tower, but it seems you can't deliver on that. Why should I trust you? You can't even make decisions about your own belongings," Yan Jin countered.

Wei Xi, visibly concerned, tugged at his brother, signaling that he could endure the situation.

"I was the one who vetoed her decision. The spots are important for our Treasure Pavilion; we can't just offer them to anybody," Zhang Pao interjected.

"Please, spare me the charades. I had a deal with her. Since she can't honor it, the deal is off," Yan Jin said, his patience wearing thin.

"So, are you going to whore your brother to another organization for a spot?" Zhang Pao sneered.

"It seems you're mistaking me for yourself. I don't covet others' belongings and claim them as my own," Yan Jin shot back.

"You don't realize where you are. I could kill you with a flick of my finger," Zhang Pao threatened, his aura flaring.

"It seems you don't realize where you are. You can try," Yan Jin replied, unflinching.

"Enough!" Zhang Li intervened, her voice cutting through the tension. "Zhang Pao, why don't we let them fight for the spot since competency is what we're debating here?"

Zhang Er, another general, stepped forward. "And who are you?" Yan Jin asked, his tone still cold.

"I am Zhang Er, the second general."

"I see. Since this was your plan all along, why did you have to humiliate the kid? Where is the contender?" Yan Jin demanded.

Zhang Er clapped his hands, and a tall man entered the hall. He was clad in silver armor made from bones, his long red hair flowing behind him. He held two knives in his hands, his presence exuding menace.

"My name is—" the man began.

"I really don't care. I'm itching to kill. Come and die," Yan Jin interrupted.

The man vanished, like a ghost and appeared near Yan Jin aiming to cut his neck but the knife, grinded against an invisible armor instead of cutting a scratching sound resonated , and Yan Jin grasped the hand holding the knife firmly enough to crush the man's armor and bone.

Before a scream could come out of him Yan Jin grasped his throat firmly "This is what you should have done from the beginning, if you keep hesitating, they are going to keep pushing you around." He said to Zhang li as he pressed harder on his throat. Stay tuned with m,v le,mpyr

The moment Yan Jin crushed the man's throat, the hall fell into a tense silence, only broken by the sound of the man's armor and bones snapping under Yan Jin's grip. The shock, rippled through the ranks of soldiers and generals alike as they realized just how far Yan Jin was willing to go.

"Junior, put him down!" Zhang Er ordered, his voice laced with both command and concern.

"Sure," Yan Jin responded coldly before slamming the man into the ground with such force that it created a shockwave, cracking the man's head open. Without hesitation, Yan Jin released his soul energy, and with a mere raise of his hand, thousands of arrows materialized, all pointed directly at the soldiers present.

"I may not be able to fight you Generals, but I will wipe out your regiments with me," Yan Jin declared, his killing intent flooding the room like a tidal wave.

"This madman," Zhang Li thought, recalling how Yan Jin had previously outwitted seven generals, but now he was threatening four of them outright, with the lives of their soldiers hanging in the balance.

"Are you sure you want to do this?" Zhang Pao asked, his aura rising in response, ready to retaliate.

"There is nothing I, Huang, don't dare to do," Yan Jin shot back, his voice steady and fearless. "So let me warn you: if you're not ready to put everything on the line and kill me right here, the next time we see each other, your head is what I'll be aiming for."

Turning to Xiao Xi, Yan Jin's tone softened, but the intensity remained. "Xiao Xi, listen to me well. It's fine if you die to injustice; this big brother will avenge you. But if I catch you kneeling again, I will kill you myself," he declared, his words echoing through the hall, leaving no doubt about his resolve.

"What is it going to be, Generals?" Yan Jin asked again, his voice carrying the weight of a final ultimatum.

For a moment, silence hung in the air, thick and suffocating. Then, slowly, a sound broke the tension—clap clap clap.

"I am Zhang Chi, the third general. I was wondering how you were going to get out of this predicament," he said, crossing his legs and reclining in his seat. His tone was one of both amusement and approval.

"You gave me a surprise. A soul master, this powerful at such a young age, is definitely someone to befriend. You behave like a real man. The guy you just killed was my candidate. The spot is yours," Zhang Chi continued, his words carrying the weight of finality.

As the reality of Zhang Chi's words sank in, Yan Jin began to levitate, the soldiers around him watching in shock. It was clear now—he was indeed a soul master of considerable power.

"Since you have said so, I will let it go," Yan Jin replied, his voice calm as the thousands of arrows turned into little crows, vanishing like a magic trick. Before he left, he mouthed slowly, only for the four generals to hear, "The next time, I will raze your pavilion to the ground."