Vahn accepted the challenge with a casual lift of his chin, perfectly showing the arrogance and wounded pride of the young master Damien.

​"You want a demonstration, cousin? Fine.. But you'll regret asking that," Vahn sneered, stepping toward the training dummy.

​He channeled his power, not his innate Fire affinity (which he didn't possess), but his Lightning Affinity, heavily augmented by his new Foundation Establishment Stage 3 Cultivation base.

"From today onward, this Clan will see it's true rightful heir. Behold, witness the power of the Secret Fire Art My Master bestowed upon me."

​With the dramatic declaration, Vahn unleashed the Second Sword of Nine Heavens Lightning Swords: Red Calamity Storm.

​The black blade of his Hellbringer Saber was instantly erupted in crimson-red lightning.

The color was utterly unique, as it belong another form of Heavenly Lightning.

"Destroy!"

​The attack wasn't a sword strike; it was a focused, crackling storm of energy. Vahn unleashed the crimson lightning directly onto the enchanted training dummy.

​CRACKLE! BOOOM!

​The red lightning exploded against the target.

It wasn't the slow, searing heat of fire; it was the intense, instantaneous, incinerating destruction of a crimson lightning storm.

The dummy, designed to withstand the typical Fire Arts of the clan, was instantly overloaded and utterly destroyed into smoking debris.

"WHAAAT!"

​A collective gasp of fear and awe swept through the training yard. Vahn's peers and cousins, having never seen such an intense, red-hued burst of power, instantly mistook it as a powerful secret Fire Art, a terrifying, higher-grade technique taught only by the most elite Grandmasters.

​Vahn sheathed his saber and glanced over others with arrogance and pride.

"That is the art my Master taught me," he claimed loudly, ensuring everyone heard the source of his new, terrifying strength.

He then fixed his gaze directly on Boros and the other skeptical cousins. "Does anyone else wish to face it?"

​Boros looked utterly awestruck. No, not just shock; his face instantly turned pale. He was a high-level cultivator for his age, but Vahn (Damien) had just demonstrated a raw destructive power that almost surpassed his own.

Yet, some of his foolish supporters, still blinded by rivalry and denial, didn't accept defeat so easily.

​"Brother Boros, he's being very cocky! Go and teach him a lesson! "

​"Yeah, you can't admit defeat without a fight. Go on, we're with you! Prove them that you're the worthy heir!"

"Shut up, you lowly bastards!," ​Boros snapped, turning his fear-stricken fury onto his overly enthusiastic supporters. "Didn't you see how Damien destroyed that dummy? Do you all want me to charge straight at my death?"

​After seeing that terrifying power, any thought of challenging Damien was instantly purged from his mind. Boros's immediate, violent retreat from the confrontation was the loudest endorsement Vahn could have received. His clan mates' foolish suggestions only annoyed him to no end.

​Vahn watched the scene with a genuine cold smile. He had completely neutralized the internal threat and cemented his new image as the untouchable, powerful disciple of a mysterious master.

​Now, he could continue with his training right under his enemy's nose. The audacity was intoxicating.

​But before diving back into real Training , there was one critical action he needed to take. He needed to acquire the Fire affinity somehow.

And his crafty mind already formed a plan for that.

​After successfully concluding his morning training yard demonstration, Vahn headed to the secret Guest room where Lilith resided.

​Once inside, he saw Lilith seated cross-legged on the bed in deep cultivation, the darkness outlining her absorbed the ambient light coming in through the windows.

​"Lilith!" he called out softly.

​Lilith opened her veiled eyes, watching him with a questioning look, waiting for him to elaborate on his "Turn the Tables" plan.

​"Lilith, I need the Fire Affinity!" he stated, answering her unspoken curiosity.

However, his demand made her raise a skeptical eyebrow.

​"Vahn, I understand why you need it, especially here," she replied. "But how can someone just acquire an affinity like that?

Besides, you already have Light, Dark, and Lightning affinity. You'll have to manage them with that trick, just as you did before coming here."

​Vahn sat before her, facing her closely. "I wish I could. But you know I can't deceive the higher powerhouses of this city with the same trick repeatedly. They will be able to tell the difference between my Lightning and Fire with just a glance, just like you did at the training yard," he explained in a serious tone.

He needed the Fire Affinity to perfect the disguise and make his survival seamless within the Infernal Clan.

​Lilith sighed helplessly, realizing the logical flaw in his current cover. "So, what do you want me to do? I don't have a Fire Seed with me."

​Vahn smiled mysteriously, a crafty glint entering his eyes. "I have one plan. But for this, I need another person's help."

​"And who is that?"

​"Saintess of Fire, Flama Astoria."

​Instantly, Lilith's mind connected the dots. The Forbidden Marriage Ritual might be broken, but the profound spiritual connection between the Saintesses remained, which was a unique network only they could access.

​"So, you want me to arrange a meeting between you two?" Lilith asked.

She emitted the cold amusement of someone observing a ridiculous scheme.

​"Yes. I already know you all can contact each other using your connection. So establishing a connection with her shouldn't be impossible for you to do so. Isn't that right?"

Lilith narrowed her eyes, observing Vahn. Sometimes she couldn't understand just how his brain functioned to allow him to think so far ahead and so deep.

​It was he who had proposed taking the disguise of Damien; it was he who maintained the disguise so flawlessly; and he had even tricked the entire Infernal Clan into believing he had the Fire Affinity when he did not.

​His intelligence and craftiness shocked her often times. Nevertheless, she knew that cunning and strength both makes a person undefeatable, so she couldn't complain.

​The stronger he grew, the better she felt. In the past, she might have been worried about his rapidly increasing power, but ever since their goals aligned, she wished to see him grow strong enough to destroy everything her mother had built.

​"Alright. Let's do this then," she conceded. "Time for you to meet the Saintess of Fire."

Next chapter will be updated first on this website. Come back and continue reading tomorrow, everyone!

If you find any errors ( broken links, non-standard content, etc.. ), Please let us know < report chapter > so we can fix it as soon as possible.