Demon Blood, Maiden Vail

The sun had barely risen when Lin Yuan was yanked out of bed.

> "Where are we going?" he mumbled, still sore from last night's brutal refinement.

> "To prove you're not soft," **Lady Mingyan** said.

She dragged him out of the Clearmist Pavilion, into a hidden path that led behind Yuhua City's jade walls. After several winding corridors, they reached a wide **stone coliseum** etched with rune marks.

On the wall: **\[Mortal Arena – No Qi, No Spells, Only Blood]**

Lin Yuan blinked. "Wait, this is a—?"

> "A mortal fighting arena," she confirmed, tossing him a set of simple black training clothes. "No spiritual energy. No talismans. Just your fists, bones, and blood."

Before he could protest, she pressed a talisman onto his chest.

**All of his qi sealed instantly.**

> "I just rebuilt your body," she said. "Time to test if it deserves to live."

Lin Yuan stepped into the ring. Around him, **dozens of cultivators and mortal warriors** jeered and roared with excitement.

> "A pretty boy? He'll last one punch!"

> "Who brings silk to a slaughter?!"

The announcer's voice rang out:

> "Next match! A newcomer! Lin Yuan of… no known origin!"

The crowd laughed.

Then came his opponent—a giant, muscle-bound man wrapped in steel-plated leather, known only as **"Stone Ox."** A famed champion with over **30 undefeated matches**.

> "Try not to die," Lady Mingyan said cheerfully from the stands.

The bell rang.

Stone Ox charged forward, fists swinging like hammers. Lin Yuan dodged the first blow but was clipped by the second—**a crunching uppercut** to the ribs.

He stumbled back, wheezing.

> *She sealed my qi! I can't even repair the damage!*

Another punch came—a hook straight to the jaw. Lin Yuan barely ducked.

> *No spells. No help. Just instincts.*

Then he remembered Lady Mingyan's voice from last night:

> "Muscles are nothing without memory. Fight. Or fall."

He gritted his teeth and **lunged forward**.

One fist to the ribs. The other to the jaw.

Stone Ox staggered—**not from the punch, but from the unexpected force.**

> "What the—?"

> *I'm stronger…*

Now Lin Yuan moved differently—fluid, efficient. Every dodge was tighter. Every jab carried **refined strength** from the Ash-Phoenix Body.

Stone Ox roared and slammed both fists down.

Lin Yuan **rolled forward**, slammed his elbow into the man's stomach, then spun and drove his fist into his opponent's chin.

**CRACK.**

Stone Ox dropped.

The arena went **silent**.

Then—

> "Winner: Lin Yuan!"

Lady Mingyan stood and **clapped slowly**.

> "One fight doesn't make you a warrior. But you're not soft anymore."

Back in the quiet hall behind the arena, Lin Yuan lay on a wooden bench, bloody but grinning.

> "I beat a guy named Stone Ox. With no qi."

Lady Mingyan handed him a bottle of spirit wine. "Don't be cocky. He was slow."

She helped him sit up and checked his pulse.

> "Your muscles handled it well. No internal bleeding. Phoenix blood refined properly."

> "Mom…"

> "Yes?"

> "You're terrifying."

She smiled faintly. "Good. That means you're learning."

**Phoenix Combat Instinct (Passive):**

When spiritual energy is sealed, Lin Yuan's reflexes, balance, and muscle memory increase by 50% for 10 minutes.

Lin Yuan returned to the Mortal Arena—bruises faded but memories fresh.

Lady Mingyan stood behind him with folded arms, her voice calm and firm.

> "Last time, you fought a brute. This time, fight someone trained."

She handed him another qi-sealing talisman. He hesitated, but placed it on his chest without a word.

The talisman flared—and once again, **his spiritual energy vanished**.

The arena roared as the announcer called:

> "Second match! Lin Yuan, the Black-Fist Newcomer… versus **Rainhand Mu** of the Nine-Palm School!"

The gate across the arena opened.

Out stepped a slim, shirtless man—scarred, lean, and focused. His hands moved like flowing water. His feet barely touched the ground.

> "You're stronger than last time," Lady Mingyan whispered. "Now let's see if you can adapt."

The bell rang.

Lin Yuan rushed forward, fists high, throwing a punch toward Mu's ribs.

It missed.

**Mu wasn't there anymore.**

A palm struck Lin Yuan's shoulder—**paralyzing the muscle.** Another hit his hip. Another, his throat.

Before Lin Yuan could land a single punch, he was already **kneeling**.

> *I can't even follow his hands...*

Mu stepped back calmly, letting him stand.

The crowd murmured.

Lady Mingyan's voice echoed in his mind:

> *"Don't rely on strength. Read his rhythm. Break his pattern."*

Lin Yuan adjusted his stance.

This time, he didn't charge. He waited.

When Mu came in, Lin Yuan stepped forward—**catching a palm** with his forearm, gritting his teeth as the bones **cracked**.

He twisted—**landed a heavy punch to Mu's side.**

The man grunted.

The crowd gasped.

> "He hit him! He actually—"

But Mu recovered instantly. He spun, swept Lin Yuan's legs, and delivered a swift elbow to his chest.

Lin Yuan flew backward, **spitting blood**, landing hard.

The bell rang.

> "Winner: Rainhand Mu."

Lin Yuan lay on a stone bench, panting, arm swollen, ribs sore.

Lady Mingyan stood beside him, silent.

Finally, he laughed bitterly. "I hit him once. That's a win, right?"

> "No," she said. "It's a **lesson.**"

> "You fought harder than last time, but **brute will** isn't enough. You need control. Structure. Flow."

She sat beside him.

> "You were born with demon and fairy blood. You have talent. But without discipline, talent is a torch without oil."

> "I'm not ashamed I lost," Lin Yuan said quietly. "But I hate… feeling small."

Lady Mingyan didn't speak for a long time.

Then she nodded once.

> "Good."

> "Hate it. Then fix it."

Defeat earns no prizes—but a quiet moment of **respect** from the master who trained him.

Later that night, as Lin Yuan walked back to the inn alone, he paused under the lanterns.

Tearlume, glowing faintly in Lady Baihua's arms, reached out with one chubby hand.

He took it.

> "I'll keep fighting," he whispered to her.

> "Even if I fall a thousand times."

Would you lilik