Unwritten Destinies

Chapter 7: A Predator's Eyes

The clash of steel filled the air as Li Tian and Yuan Fei danced across the battlefield, their swords a blur of motion. Sparks flew with every strike, the ground trembling beneath their feet. The intensity of the duel was palpable, each warrior pushing the other to the limit. Li Feng watched from the sidelines, his heart pounding in his chest. He could barely keep up with the speed and precision of their attacks. Li Tian's movements were calculated, his every step a testament to years of mastery, while Yuan Fei fought with a savage grace, his strikes vicious and unrelenting.

But then, in the middle of the frenzied battle, something happened that Li Feng didn't expect.

Yuan Fei's gaze shifted.

Amidst the furious exchange of blows, Yuan Fei's cold, predatory eyes locked onto Li Feng, lingering for a split second too long. It was enough to send a chill down Li Feng's spine. Why was he looking at him? He wasn't a threat—he was barely managing to hold his own against lesser enemies, let alone someone of Yuan Fei's caliber.

But that momentary distraction cost Li Tian.

With a sudden surge of energy, Yuan Fei deflected Li Tian's blade and lashed out with a powerful kick, sending him staggering backward. Li Tian recovered quickly, but the smirk on Yuan Fei's face told Li Feng that something was wrong. Yuan Fei wasn't just fighting Li Tian. He had noticed Li Feng. And worse, he was intrigued.

"Interesting," Yuan Fei murmured, loud enough for both brothers to hear, even amidst the chaos. His eyes flicked to Li Feng again, this time with clear intent. "You've been holding back something, Li Tian. I didn't know you had such a cute little brother."

Li Feng froze. What? Why would Yuan Fei even care about him? He was the weakest here, barely surviving his first battle. He was nothing compared to Li Tian.

Li Tian's jaw tightened, his gaze darkening as he stepped protectively in front of Li Feng. "Stay away from him."

Yuan Fei chuckled, a dangerous glint in his eyes. "Ah, now this makes things even more fun. I wonder... just how much are you willing to risk for your dear little brother?"

Before Li Feng could even react, Yuan Fei shifted his stance and moved—fast, too fast for Li Feng to process. In a heartbeat, he was no longer fighting Li Tian. Instead, he was standing directly in front of Li Feng, his sword raised in a menacing arc.

Everything happened in slow motion.

Li Feng's body reacted on pure instinct, his muscles tensing as he raised his sword in a desperate attempt to block the incoming strike. But it was pointless. Yuan Fei's speed and strength were far beyond his own. The force of the blow knocked his sword out of his hands, sending it clattering to the ground as he stumbled back.

Li Feng's heart raced, his mind screaming at him to move, to do something—but before he could act, Yuan Fei was already on him. A strong hand gripped his collar, lifting him off the ground as if he weighed nothing.

"Feng!" Li Tian's voice cut through the noise, filled with a mixture of anger and panic.

Li Feng struggled, his hands clawing at Yuan Fei's iron grip, but it was useless. The man's strength was overwhelming, his presence suffocating. Yuan Fei tilted his head, studying him with a twisted curiosity.

"You're different," Yuan Fei said softly, his voice laced with amusement. "You don't belong here, do you?"

Li Feng's blood ran cold. How could he know? No one should know. He was just a bystander in this world—a character that shouldn't have existed. But Yuan Fei's gaze seemed to pierce through the very fabric of the reality Li Feng had been hiding in, as if he could see something that even Li Feng didn't fully understand.