The Last Immortal's Blade

chapter 4 The Restaurant Clash

A loud crash echoed through the restaurant as a burly man with a sinister aura slammed his fist on a nearby table, cracking the wood beneath his knuckles. The man was a rogue cultivator, his Qi radiating the oppressive energy of someone at the peak of Qi Gathering Level 9. His eyes, sharp and predatory, scanned the room with a mixture of disdain and hunger for dominance. His gaze settled on the trembling restaurant worker, a middle-aged man with a weathered face and calloused hands.

“You dare serve me cold food?” the rogue cultivator snarled, his voice dripping with menace. He leaned forward, his massive frame casting a shadow over the worker. “Do you know who I am? I could crush this entire village with a single thought!”

The worker stammered, his voice trembling. “M-my apologies, honored cultivator! The kitchen is understaffed today, and the firewood is damp. Please, allow me to bring you a fresh meal—”

The rogue cultivator’s hand shot out like a viper, grabbing the worker by the collar and lifting him off the ground. The worker’s feet dangled helplessly as the cultivator’s grip tightened. “Apologies?” the cultivator spat, his voice rising. “Do you think your pathetic words mean anything to me? Perhaps I should teach you a lesson in respect!”

The other patrons in the restaurant froze, their faces pale with fear. Some looked away, unwilling to draw the cultivator’s attention, while others whispered nervously among themselves. Su Xuan, seated in the corner with his hood pulled low, clenched his fists beneath the table. His jaw tightened as he watched the scene unfold. He had no desire to draw attention to himself, but the rogue cultivator’s arrogance and cruelty were unbearable.

Before Su Xuan could act, a small figure darted forward—the young server girl who had brought Su Xuan his meal earlier. She couldn’t have been more than sixteen, her face pale but determined as she stepped between the rogue cultivator and the worker.

“P-please, honored cultivator!” she said, her voice shaking but loud enough to draw attention. “My father didn’t mean any disrespect! The kitchen is struggling today, but I’ll make sure your meal is perfect. Please, let him go!”

The rogue cultivator’s eyes narrowed as he looked down at the girl. A cruel smirk spread across his face. “Well, well,” he sneered. “What do we have here? A little mouse trying to protect her papa?” He released the worker, who collapsed to the floor, gasping for air, and turned his full attention to the girl. “Perhaps I should teach you a lesson instead.”

The girl took a step back, her courage faltering under the cultivator’s menacing gaze. Su Xuan’s grip tightened on the hilt of the Blade of Eternal Requiem. He had seen enough.

Before the rogue cultivator could lay a hand on the girl, Su Xuan’s voice cut through the tension like a blade. “Enough.”

The rogue cultivator froze, his smirk fading as he turned to face Su Xuan. “You,” he said, his voice dripping with disdain. “You’ve been staring at me since I walked in. Do you have a problem?”

Su Xuan remained calm, his voice steady but firm. “I have no quarrel with you. Leave them alone.”

The rogue cultivator laughed, a harsh, mocking sound that echoed through the restaurant. He took a step toward Su Xuan, his massive frame looming over the table. “A Qi Gathering Level 5 brat dares to lecture me?” he sneered. “You’re nothing but an ant beneath my boot. Do you even know who you’re speaking to?”

Su Xuan’s eyes narrowed, but his tone remained calm, almost dismissive. “I don’t care who you are. Bullying the weak doesn’t make you strong. It only reveals your cowardice.”

The rogue cultivator’s smirk faltered, replaced by a flicker of anger. He took another step forward, his voice rising. “You insolent fool! Do you think your little sword and your weak cultivation make you a hero? I’ll teach you to respect your betters!”

Su Xuan’s hand rested on the hilt of the Blade of Eternal Requiem, his fingers tightening around it. His voice was cold, each word measured and deliberate. “Respect is earned, not demanded. And you, cultivator, have done nothing to earn it.”

The rogue cultivator’s face twisted in rage, his Qi flaring around him like a storm. “You dare mock me? I’ll crush you where you stand!”

Without warning, the cultivator lunged at Su Xuan, his fist glowing with concentrated Qi. The air around his fist crackled with energy, and the force of his movement sent chairs and tables flying. Su Xuan’s eyes flashed as the Vision of the Dead activated. He could see the flow of the cultivator’s Qi, the weaknesses in his movements, the openings in his stance. Time seemed to slow as Su Xuan analyzed the attack.

With a swift, fluid motion, Su Xuan unsheathed the Blade of Eternal Requiem. The blade’s ghostly glow illuminated the room, casting eerie shadows on the walls. The rogue cultivator’s arrogance turned to shock as Su Xuan’s blade met his attack, deflecting it with ease. The force of the clash sent a ripple of energy through the room, causing the remaining patrons to scramble for cover.

The rogue cultivator stumbled back, his eyes wide with disbelief. “How…? You’re just a Qi Gathering Level 5! How can you match my strength?”

Su Xuan stood, his blade held steady. His voice was calm but carried an edge of steel. “Strength isn’t measured by cultivation level alone. You rely on brute force, but you lack discipline and control. That is your weakness.”

The rogue cultivator’s face flushed with anger and humiliation. He roared, charging at Su Xuan with a flurry of attacks. Each strike was powerful but wild, fueled by rage rather than skill. Su Xuan moved with precision, his blade dancing through the air as he deflected and dodged each blow. The rogue cultivator’s frustration grew with every missed strike, his movements becoming more erratic.

“Stand still and fight, you coward!” the cultivator bellowed, his voice shaking the walls.

Su Xuan’s voice was calm, almost taunting. “Your anger blinds you. It makes you predictable.”

The rogue cultivator’s face contorted with rage. He channeled his Qi into a massive strike, aiming to crush Su Xuan in one blow. But Su Xuan saw the opening—the slight imbalance in the cultivator’s stance, the overextension of his arm. With a swift, precise motion, Su Xuan sidestepped the attack and slashed the Blade of Eternal Requiem across the cultivator’s arm.

The rogue cultivator cried out in pain as his arm bled profusely. He stumbled back, his confidence shattered. “Y-you… how? You’re just a Qi Gathering Level 5!”

Su Xuan stood tall, his blade glowing faintly. “Arrogance will be your downfall. Leave this village, and don’t return. If I see you again, I won’t be so lenient.”

The rogue cultivator clutched his wounded arm, his face pale with fear. He glanced around the room, his bravado completely gone. Without another word, he turned and fled the restaurant, leaving behind a trail of blood and broken furniture.