Chapter 15: Clash of the Shadows

The darkness enveloping the admiral's troops had been torn asunder by his precise strikes, each spatial blade slicing through the void with deadly accuracy. The Admiral stood tall, his aura brimming with confidence as he faced the figure that had emerged from the shadows.

"You invaded my home, did you ask for my permission?" Yu Xue's voice was cold, his presence commanding as he floated in midair, surrounded by the remnants of dissipated darkness.

The admiral sneered, unfazed by Yu Xue's entrance. "You're the one who destroyed my troops? Who gave you the guts?" His words were laced with disdain as he gripped his sword tighter. "Such cheap tricks, manipulating the darkness in front of me? Do you really think you can stand against the might of the Galactic Empire?"

Yu Xue's eyes narrowed as he assessed the situation. The admiral's display of power was impressive, but Yu Xue was not one to be easily intimidated. The darkness that he commanded was not just a trick; it was a manifestation of the laws of reality that he had mastered under Xu Han's tutelage.

"Your arrogance blinds you," Yu Xue replied, his voice calm but deadly. "You may have power, but you lack understanding. You wield the elements like a blunt instrument, while I shape them like a sculptor with clay."

With a flick of his wrist, the shadows around him coalesced, forming tendrils that lashed out at the admiral. The air crackled with energy as the tendrils surged forward, their movements unpredictable and fluid. The admiral responded in kind, slashing at the tendrils with his sword, his spatial blades cleaving through the darkness with precision.

But Yu Xue was not done. As the admiral focused on the tendrils, Yu Xue silently invoked the spatial laws he had mastered, bending the space around the admiral to create distortions. The admiral's movements began to slow, as if he were wading through thick molasses. His eyes widened in surprise as he realized the extent of Yu Xue's control over the battlefield.

"You're not the only one who can manipulate space," Yu Xue said, his voice dripping with confidence. "But unlike you, I don't rely on brute force. I bend space to my will, turning it against my enemies."

The admiral gritted his teeth as he struggled against the distortions. His sword arm moved sluggishly, and his spatial blades lost their edge, dissipating into the void before they could reach their target. The realization that he was being outmaneuvered by this young cultivator began to gnaw at him.

In a desperate bid to break free, the admiral unleashed a surge of thunderous energy, the air around him crackling with electricity. The distortions in space flickered and wavered as the raw power of the thunder element clashed with Yu Xue's control. For a brief moment, the admiral found an opening and lunged at Yu Xue, his sword aimed for a decisive strike.

But Yu Xue was already a step ahead. With a swift motion, he melded into the shadows, disappearing from sight just as the admiral's blade sliced through the space he had occupied. The admiral's eyes darted around, searching for his elusive opponent, but all he found was empty air.

"Looking for me?" Yu Xue's voice echoed from behind, and the admiral barely had time to turn before a sharp pain erupted in his side. Yu Xue's shadowy blade had pierced through the admiral's defenses, leaving a deep gash across his torso. The admiral stumbled back, clutching his wound as he glared at Yu Xue with a mix of rage and disbelief.

"How… How are you doing this?" the admiral demanded, his voice strained as blood seeped through his fingers.

Yu Xue's expression was one of calm superiority. "You've underestimated the power of darkness, just as you've underestimated me. You may be strong, but strength alone isn't enough to defeat me. I've trained under a master who taught me to think, to strategize, and to wield power with precision."

The admiral's face twisted in fury. He wasn't accustomed to being outmatched, especially not by someone so young. His pride demanded retribution, and he refused to accept defeat. With a roar, he summoned the full extent of his power, channeling both spatial and thunder elements into a final, all-out attack.

The sky above darkened as storm clouds formed, lightning arcing across the heavens. The ground beneath them trembled as the admiral raised his sword, now glowing with an intense, almost blinding light. He aimed his attack at Yu Xue, intending to obliterate him with a single, decisive blow.

But Yu Xue was unfazed. He remained calm, his eyes locked onto the admiral's movements. In that moment, Yu Xue recalled Xu Han's teachings, the countless lessons drilled into him about control, focus, and the importance of not just reacting, but anticipating.

As the admiral's sword descended, Yu Xue moved. His body became one with the shadows, disappearing into the darkness that surrounded them. The admiral's attack hit nothing but air, the force of the blow splitting the ground where Yu Xue had stood just moments before.

Before the admiral could react, Yu Xue reappeared behind him, his hands glowing with dark energy. With a swift, decisive motion, Yu Xue struck, sending a wave of condensed darkness crashing into the admiral's back. The force of the impact sent the admiral sprawling to the ground, his sword clattering out of his hand.

Gasping for breath, the admiral tried to push himself up, but his body was weakened, his energy depleted. He looked up at Yu Xue, who stood over him with an expression of cold indifference.

"Your arrogance was your downfall," Yu Xue said, his voice low and menacing. "You thought you could come to this planet and do as you pleased, but you were wrong. This is my home, and I will protect it at all costs."

With those words, Yu Xue raised his hand, the dark energy swirling around him intensifying. The admiral's eyes widened in fear as he realized what was about to happen.

"No… Please, have mercy—" the admiral began, but his plea was cut short as Yu Xue unleashed the full force of his power. The darkness engulfed the admiral, consuming him completely. His screams echoed briefly before being silenced, leaving nothing behind but a faint wisp of smoke that quickly dissipated into the air.

Yu Xue stood still for a moment, his breathing steady as he let the last remnants of his power fade away. The battlefield was quiet, the threat eliminated. He had won, but there was no sense of triumph in his heart, only a grim satisfaction that he had done what was necessary.

As he looked up at the sky, where the remnants of the Galactic Empire's fleet still hovered, he knew that this was only the beginning. There would be more battles to come, more enemies to face. But for now, he had upheld his duty as Xu Han's disciple, protecting the world that had become his home.

With a final glance at the sky, Yu Xue turned and disappeared into the shadows, leaving the battlefield behind. The darkness that had once consumed him now served as his greatest ally, a testament to the power he had gained under Xu Han's guidance. And as long as he continued to grow, there would be no force in the universe that could stand against him.