Chapter 125: The Face of Vengeance
Lian’s world narrowed to a single point.
The figure that had materialized in the center of the training room was unmistakable. Standing there motionless, with the same cold, arrogant posture he remembered from that fateful night, was the white-eyed man — the one who had murdered his uncle Harlan in cold blood. The same pale skin, the same long silver-streaked hair, the same mechanical white eyes that glowed faintly with an unnatural light. The same spider-like shadow entity faintly visible behind him, a dark silhouette that seemed to writhe in the air. The memory hit Lian like a hammer to the chest. The blood, the screams, the way his uncle’s body had been torn apart while he watched helplessly from the shadows.
His body froze.
Veins bulged on his neck and forehead. His fists clenched so tightly that his nails dug into his palms, drawing blood that dripped onto the white floor. His breathing became ragged, shallow, as rage — pure, boiling rage — flooded every cell in his body. His vision tunneled, the rest of the room fading away until only the white-eyed man remained. The air around him thickened, becoming heavy and suffocating, the kind of oppressive aura that would make a normal person collapse in fear. It was raw killing intent, unfiltered and primal, leaking out of him like poison.
Elara felt it immediately. She had seen Lian angry before — during fights, during moments of cold calculation — but this was different. This was deeper, more personal, a storm that threatened to consume him. She stepped forward, her hand tightening on her thunder blade, worry etched across her face. She didn’t know who this figure was. Lian had never spoken about his past in detail. He rarely talked at all. She could only guess this was the man who had destroyed his life, the one he had sworn to kill.
Lirien’s small voice cut through the tension.
“Master, please calm down.”
Her tone dropped, becoming serious and gentle. She could sense the danger — the way Lian’s Qi was fluctuating wildly, the black liquid inside him stirring in response to his emotions. She was ready to intervene if he hurt himself. Her tiny frame moved slightly closer, prepared to act.
But Lian didn’t hear her. Or if he did, it didn’t register.
He stood there, completely still, like a statue carved from rage. His mind was in chaos, a storm of violent thoughts crashing against each other.
Kill.
Kill.
Kill.
Kill him.
I want to kill him.
Rip him apart the same way he ripped Uncle apart.
Make him suffer.
Make him scream.
Make him beg.
The images flooded him — the way the white-eyed man had dismembered Harlan, the casual cruelty, the spider-like shadow feeding on the remains. He imagined doing the same: cutting him slowly, breaking every bone, tearing out his eyes, making him feel every ounce of pain he had inflicted. Real or fake didn’t matter. This was the face of his hatred. This was the enemy he had lived for.
Lirien continued the system command.
“System, continue. Bring every opponent Master has faced.”
The room responded.
One by one, figures materialized from black liquid, forming solid shapes around the training area. They stood motionless, blank expressions on their faces. The white-eyed man was first. Then the massive creature from the early days, the two syndicate enforcers who had attacked him on Khar-9, the guards he had killed in the undercity, the students he had fought at the academy, and others from his bloody path. All of them — every enemy, every obstacle — recreated perfectly in the training room.
Lian walked forward slowly, his steps heavy, his body shaking with barely contained fury. He stopped inches away from the white-eyed man, staring into those cold, mechanical eyes. The air around him was thick with killing intent, suffocating, heavy enough to make Elara’s skin crawl. She had never seen him like this. Not even during their worst fights. This was personal. This was the root of everything.
He stood there for a full minute, completely silent, not moving a muscle. But inside, his mind was screaming.
Kill.
Kill.
Kill.
Kill him now.
Even if it’s not the real one, it doesn’t matter.
Make him pay.
Make him suffer the same way Uncle suffered.
The thoughts looped endlessly, feeding the rage until it felt like his body would burst. His fists trembled. Blood continued to drip from his palms. His breathing was ragged, eyes locked on the man who had taken everything from him.
Then, finally, he spoke. His voice was low, almost a whisper, but both Elara and Lirien could hear it clearly due to their enhanced senses.
“Even if I kill this one,” he said, the words dripping with venom, “I won’t change the fact that I haven’t killed the real one.”
Elara and Lirien stood in silence, watching the storm inside him rage.
Dear Readers,
I want to sincerely apologize.
It has come to my attention that while writing the recent Chapters, I completely skipped over the word "augs" (cybernetic augmentations) in many places where it should have been used. This was an oversight on my part, and I take full responsibility for it.
To remind everyone:
Augs are cybernetic enhancements — mechanical or technological upgrades to the body. They can include alloy limbs, internal systems, neural implants, enhanced senses, strength boosters, and more. In our story, they are common in the galaxy, especially among fighters, enforcers, and elites. However, there is a major conflict: Pure Qi cultivation clashes with heavy augs, often blocking higher realms. Only rare "harmonized" augs allow both paths. Elara is a hybrid (half-human, half-aug with advanced alloy limbs and systems), which gives her unique strengths but also limitations.
Lirien was different.
She was the real deal.
An ancient creation from a long-forgotten era, built using lost progenitor technology that combined the pinnacle of bio-engineering, quantum AI, and precursor energy manipulation. Her body was not augmented — it was designed. Every cell, every circuit, every strand of her silver-white hair was intentionally crafted. Her "skin" was a perfect synthetic lattice that mimicked human flesh down to the smallest pore, warm to the touch, capable of healing, blushing, and even feeling pain if she allowed it. Her violet eyes were not cybernetic implants but living optical matrices that could see across spectrums, analyze Qi flows, and store visual data for centuries. Her small, doll-like frame contained an AI core so advanced it bordered on true consciousness — an eternal mind that had slept for a thousand years and remembered every moment of its existence.
She was not a hybrid.
She was a masterpiece.
She chose to appear as a little girl — innocent, cute, and unassuming — because her old master had preferred it that way. That form was her default, a deliberate choice that hid the terrifying capabilities beneath.
I have been using phrases like "alloy limbs," "cybernetic parts," or "machine enhancements" instead of the proper term "augs." I will now correct this and start using "augs" consistently where it belongs.
Thank you for your understanding and continued support. I hope you are still enjoying the story. Your feedback helps me improve.
Power Scale / Cultivation Realms (Quick Reminder)
Foundation Realm (Layers 1–9): Body forging, no external Qi.
Circuit Awakening Realm (Early–Peak): First Qi loop, internal bursts.
Core Condensation Realm (Early–Peak): External Qi release, short flight.
Stellar Circuit Realm (1–9 Stars): True flight, Qi armor, energy projection.
Nebula Dominion Realm and higher: Domain control, galaxy-level power, etc
Power Scale Reminder
Lian Yu: Stellar Circuit Star 1.
Elara Voss: Core Condensation Middle
Keep it as reminders
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