Thunder Talisman
The mountain range at the heart of the Netherworld Empire was ancient… a testament to the relentless march of time. Towering, primeval trees stretched towards the heavens, their branches heavy with exotic flowers and strange, luminescent fruits.
And hidden amongst their tangled roots… lurked creatures of myth and legend…
A flash of white… a blur of motion… Xing Jue tore through the undergrowth, his breath misting in the air. But he dared not slow down. Not for a second.
Two shadows… swift and silent… pursued him relentlessly.
"Damn it! That kid's fast!" The black-haired elder cursed, his chest heaving.
They'd been so sure… So utterly convinced… that they could outrun him.
They'd been wrong.
Xing Jue wasn't just fast. He seemed to know this forest like the back of his hand… leading them on a merry chase through a maze of ancient trees and winding paths as if toying with them…
"Idiots…" Xing Jue muttered, a smirk playing on his lips.
Thanks to his enhanced soul power, Xing Jue could sense their every move … hear their frustrated whispers as if they were standing right next to him.
The Soul Devouring Secret had truly lived up to its name. It had transformed him, imbuing his body with a seemingly endless supply of martial power.
But even the most potent techniques had their limits. Maintaining the Windwalk Arts for so long… it was taking its toll…
He couldn't keep this up forever. One way or another… this chase had to end.
"Brother… It's time." The white-haired elder's voice was strained but firm.
The black-haired elder nodded curtly, accepting his fate.
They stopped… facing each other… palms outstretched…
A faint humming sound filled the air as an ethereal energy enveloped their bodies.
And then… they were gone.
"What the…" Xing Jue's blood ran cold. He'd heard their whispered conversation… clear as day... but now… their auras… their presence… it was gone!
Gone!
Panic welled up inside him… threatening to consume him. He pressed on… pushing himself harder… faster… deeper into the ancient forest… but a terrifying thought had taken root in his mind…
What if they were waiting for him? Hidden… invisible… ready to strike when he least expected it?
His heart pounded against his ribs, a frantic drumbeat that echoed the growing fear in his heart.
"Buzz… Buzz…"
A high-pitched whine pierced the air, sending a flock of startled birds into the sky!
Two black discs… spinning rapidly… materialized out of thin air, hurtling towards him with terrifying speed!
He barely had time to react! With a curse, he leaped to the side, narrowly avoiding the deadly projectiles as they slammed into the trunk of a nearby tree with enough force to split it in two!
But there was no time to celebrate his narrow escape. Two more discs materialized behind him, their razor-sharp edges singing as they sliced through the air!
He was trapped!
Heaving a desperate sigh, he gathered his remaining strength. Twin orbs of energy pulsed in his palms… crackling… glowing…
"Wind Devouring Palm! "
Two bursts of pure, white energy shot from his hands, meeting the deadly discs head-on! The forest exploded in a deafening roar of energy as the two forces collided!
Staggering, he landed heavily on a thick tree branch… his breath ragged … his muscles screaming in protest.
And that's when he saw them.
The two elders…
Standing there… calmly… as if they hadn't just spent the last few hours running for their lives. They'd flanked him… cutting off any chance of escape!
"You're out of tricks, boy!" The black-haired elder was panting… his face contorted with a mixture of exhaustion and rage… but there was a triumphant gleam in his eye. "Thought you could outrun us, did you?!"
Xing Jue glared back at him, his chest heaving. He was trapped… exhausted… outmatched. But he wasn't giving up! Not yet!
"Let's see how much you like running now!" The black-haired elder snarled!
He lunged…
"You want me to run?" Xing Jue chuckled, meeting the elder's gaze without a trace of fear. "I'm not running anywhere." He paused, making sure he had their full attention. "It's not a good look… Two elders from the Netherworld Palace… ganging up on a single disciple from the Imperial Wind Sect."
Maybe… just maybe… mentioning his sect would make them reconsider.
The black-haired elder's eyes widened in mock surprise. "Oh? You're a disciple of the Imperial Wind Sect? How… unexpected." He threw back his head and laughed, a harsh, grating sound, "As if that changes anything!"
He'd suspected all along that Xing Jue had a powerful backer. But he hadn't come this far… endured this humiliation… to be deterred! He would have his revenge, and no one would be the wiser!
"Enough talk!" The black-haired elder roared, charging towards Xing Jue, his hands crackling with energy.
The white-haired elder followed close behind, a predatory glint in his eye.
Xing Jue knew he couldn't escape. Not this time. But he couldn't just stand there and die either!
He had to do something!
Leaping back, he gathered his remaining strength… preparing to face them head-on.
"You can't hide forever, boy!" The black-haired elder's laughter echoed through the trees. They were closing in, their movements as precise and deadly as vipers.
Trapped… There was nowhere left to run...
A cold smile spread across Xing Jue's face. He'd been waiting for this… waiting for the perfect moment…
The Heavenly Thunder Talisman!
It was a risky move… Its power was undeniable, but it was a single-use weapon… If he missed…
He watched them approach… their faces contorted with rage… blinded by their need for vengeance…
Now!
With a flick of his wrist, he unleashed the talisman…
A blinding flash of lightning erupted as the talisman shot forward!
"Shit!" The black-haired elder swore. He could sense the raw power contained within that tiny piece of paper… the devastating energy that pulsed within it! But it was too late!
There was no time to dodge…
Desperate… He grabbed his unsuspecting comrade, shoving him towards the Heavenly Thunder Talisman with all his might… using him as a human shield!
"Brother!" The plea died in the white-haired elder's throat…
His eyes widened in betrayal… then fear… then… nothing…
The forest exploded as the Heavenly Thunder Talisman slammed into his chest!
The air crackled and hissed… A blinding white light filled the sky, followed by a deafening roar that seemed to shake the very foundations of the world! For a moment… there was nothing but blinding light and the earsplitting roar of thunder…
And then… silence…
A cloud of dust and smoke rose from the impact… obscuring everything…
When the dust settled… there was nothing left of the white-haired elder but ashes…
The black-haired elder stared at the spot where his comrade had stood… his eyes wide with shock and… was that… fear? He'd survived… but at a terrible cost.
"That… That was… " He stammered, his voice trembling.
"You… You killed my brother! I'll make you pay for that, you little bastard!" His voice shook with rage… but Xing Jue could detect a tremor of fear in it.
"Oh, please. Don't even try to play the victim here, old man! " Xing Jue spat. "It wasn't my fault you decided to use your own brother as a goddamn meat shield!"
He'd known the elders of the Netherworld Palace were ruthless… but this… this was a new low, even for them.
"You… " The elder sputtered, his face turning an interesting shade of purple. He lunged again, his hands curled into claws, ready to tear Xing Jue limb from limb.
Xing Jue laughed. "You want some more? I've got plenty where that came from! Let's see how much you like the taste of lightning!"
He stood his ground, his expression defiant.
The elder skidded to a halt… hesitation flickering in his eyes. He'd seen the power of the Heavenly Thunder Talisman… felt the raw energy that pulsed within it… Even a Martial God wouldn't walk away from that unscathed… "You… You're bluffing! You don't have another one! " He tried to sound confident… menacing… but Xing Jue saw right through him.
"Oh yeah? You want to bet your life on it?"
He could practically taste the elder's fear.
"Tch… fine!" He snapped. "You win. But don't think for a second that this is over! I will have my revenge! You can count on that!"
And with that… he vanished!
His laughter followed… a mocking, chilling sound that faded into the silent forest.
Xing Jue smiled grimly, reaching into his robes. He popped a small, glistening pill into his mouth, savoring the taste of herbs and raw energy.
It was time to even the odds.
As he felt the power of the Ascending Dragon Pill coursing through his veins… surging… building… he allowed himself a small, triumphant smile.
He was no longer a helpless pawn…
He was a Martial Venerable!