Like a passage to the underworld, a vast, pitch-black vortex hung in the sky, its depths immeasurable and bottomless, like the gaping maw of a fiend from the Netherworld, ready to devour all that exists. The winds howled fiercely, sweeping through the remnants of the clouds, while thunder rumbled and lightning crackled.
Zhang Xiaofan propelled himself forward, his Burner Stick radiating an azure light that stood out beneath the swirling, dark clouds. Lu Xueqi, gazing at Zhang Xiaofan’s figure enveloped in the ethereal glow, her face turned as pale as alabaster.
The “Thunder-Wielding Divine Sword Mantra” was one of the supreme and rarest Daoist spells, capable of unleashing the wrath of the heavens and earth through the body of a mortal. It was easy to imagine the immense pressure Lu Xueqi’s body was under at that moment.
“Tianya” was a divine weapon without equal, perfectly suited for casting the “Thunder-Wielding Divine Sword Mantra.” However, compared to the might of the spell, Lu Xueqi’s own cultivation and mastery of Daoist magic were insufficient.
At this moment, she felt the limitless, surging force within the dark clouds rushing into her body like a tumultuous wave. Though she appeared unchanged on the outside, her blood and qi were churning within, threatening to burst from the overwhelming power.
If not for Tianya continuously absorbing the surging force, Lu Xueqi would have surely collapsed long ago.
The wind howled and thunder roared as she stood suspended in midair, feeling as frail as a blade of grass in the wind. In that instant, she recalled her master Shuiyue’s words when she had taught her this wondrous spell: “Xueqi, your talent is unparalleled, but the power of this mantra is too great, and the backlash is even more fearsome. Your time in cultivation is still short; although you can barely control it, do not use it recklessly, lest you meet with disaster.”
**Boom!**
A thunderclap erupted, almost directly overhead from the summit of the Heavens-Reaching Peak. Everyone could feel the ground beneath their feet quiver slightly, as if the ancient Thunder God had been disturbed from his slumber, roaring in fury!
All faces blanched in shock.
Zhang Xiaofan was now only two zhang away from Lu Xueqi. Anyone could see that if Lu Xueqi completed the spell, he would be reduced to ashes.
Suddenly, his body tensed, and he felt as if he had hit an invisible wall, halting his advance.
In that instant, Zhang Xiaofan’s face turned ashen. The “Thunder-Wielding Divine Sword Mantra” was one of the Azure Ethereal Conclave’s most powerful spells, creating an invisible shield around the caster during its incantation. Zhang Xiaofan could not penetrate it.
The Burner Stick glowed even brighter, but it could not move any closer. Perhaps in terms of spiritual power, the Burner Stick was not inferior to Tianya, but in the mastery of the spell, the difference was vast. Zhang Xiaofan was merely using his own spiritual energy to enhance the Burner Stick, which was far less effective than the refined and perfected technique of the Azure Ethereal Conclave.
But in this moment of despair, as the massive vortex spun faster and the lightning intensified, Tianya’s light grew ever brighter, and the wondrous spell was about to be completed, Lu Xueqi suddenly convulsed. Her previously snow-white face flushed crimson, and she spat out a mouthful of blood, forming a mist of red before her.
Tianya’s light flickered, appearing unstable. Lu Xueqi gritted her teeth, closed her eyes, and concentrated all her will and spirit into Tianya. Moments later, the light stabilized, glowing even more brightly and dazzlingly than before.
A tremendous boom echoed from the depths of the dark clouds, and a bright light appeared at the center of the vortex, a convergence of countless lightning bolts, aimed directly at Lu Xueqi’s Tianya.
Yet, Lu Xueqi felt a sense of despair. Amidst the whistling wind, a sharp cry echoed.
She poured all her strength into protecting Tianya but could no longer maintain the protective shield. Seizing the opportunity, Zhang Xiaofan, with the Burner Stick, transformed into a beam of azure light, streaking across the sky towards the beautiful woman swaying in the wind.
Was this the end?
Had everything come to this?
In that moment, her heart suddenly calmed, and she thought quietly to herself.
In that fleeting moment, the world was silent and still, frozen in place. Only she stood in the wind, her robes fluttering, her black hair dancing, her eyes reopening to look ahead at the approaching azure light.
That moment seemed eternal!
Zhang Xiaofan saw her, and their eyes met!
She stood alone in the wind and rain, facing the awesome power of the heavens with such composure, though her face was slightly pale, her eyes tinged with sorrow and a hint of fear.
Amidst the howling wind and rain, this beautiful woman gazed silently back at him.
Whose gaze was that, filled with sorrow and desolation, as if someone had been hurt by love last night? A pain that seeped deep into the marrow, deep into the soul.
Deep! Deep!
Was it you, the woman in love with another?
Did you swear to never regret loving him for the rest of your life?
Zhang Xiaofan smiled faintly, a mixture of sorrow and resignation, as if recalling the night before.
The Burner Stick merged into the glow of Tianya, and everyone lost sight of their figures, as the Burner Stick’s light dimmed.
At that moment, a deafening thunderclap split the sky, and a massive bolt of lightning descended upon Tianya.
The entire world, all the gods and buddhas, seemed to sing in unison at that moment.
A colossal beam of light refracted from Tianya, carrying the force of destruction, hurtling towards Zhang Xiaofan. At the brink of death, the Burner Stick rose to block the attack, protecting its master.
In the next instant, Zhang Xiaofan was engulfed in the light.
For a long time! For a very long time! For an eternity!
The dark clouds dissipated, and the light faded.
People gazed up at the sky, seeing the young man, tightly clutching a black Burner Stick, falling like a battered stone, covered in wounds.
He did not hit the ground, for Tian Yixi appeared like a ghost below him, catching him in midair.
Tian Yixi’s face was grave, and he moved with the speed of the wind, prying open Zhang Xiaofan’s mouth and taking a small bottle from his pocket. Without hesitation, he poured a yellow pill into Zhang Xiaofan’s mouth.
The pill dissolved instantly. Without a word, Tian Yixi leaped up, a crimson light rising beneath him, and he sped away, not looking back, heading towards Dazhufeng.
Su Ru and the other members of the Dazhufeng lineage followed close behind.
Lu Xueqi, her face pale, descended and was immediately surrounded by the jubilant Xiaozhufeng disciples. In the midst of her sisters, she remained silent, looking up at the disappearing crimson light, her thoughts distant.
He felt as if he had slept in darkness for a thousand years, yearning to awaken but unable to open his eyes. In the endless, oppressive darkness, he was utterly alone.
He walked alone in the darkness, but there was no path, only more darkness.
Filled with anger and a burning rage in his heart, he swore a solemn oath to the Nine Nether Demons: even if his body and soul turned to ashes, he would kindle a spark of light, even if it meant burying the entire world along with him.
The ancient, rebellious spirit remained undiminished!
Zhang Xiaofan slowly opened his eyes.
Soft light filtered into the room, and the familiar scent of his dwelling wafted through the air.
No one seemed to be there.
He sat up slowly, and just as he was about to wipe the sweat from his forehead, a sharp pain shot through his shoulder, chest, and abdomen. He gasped, his face turning pale.
He sat on the bed, unmoving, and after a long while, the excruciating pain gradually subsided.
It must be afternoon. The door was slightly ajar, and the windows were open, revealing the green grass and bamboo in the courtyard. Neither Xiao Hui nor Dahuang, who usually accompanied him, were present. Could they have found some meat bones again?
He chuckled softly to himself, a lonely smile in the empty room.
* * *
This translation maintains the Fantasy style and emotional depth of the original text, ensuring that the atmosphere and the intricate details are preserved.
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