Mutual Destruction, Severe Injuries for Both

On the scorched wasteland, amidst the smoldering remnants of battle, fire and thunder clashed in the air, sending ripples of spiritual energy through the surroundings. The forest was torn apart by shockwaves, leaving behind nothing but wreckage.

"Zhang Qiu, today will be your last!" Wu Heng snarled coldly, his eyes gleaming with malice. The green fire sword in his hand flared with sudden intensity, as torrents of spiritual energy surged into the blade, unleashing a powerful slash that illuminated the entire wasteland in a brilliant blaze of fire.

Zhang Qiu snorted, his gaze sharp as lightning. The thunder spear in his hand erupted with a dazzling burst of electricity, transforming into a mighty thunder dragon that roared forward with unstoppable force, charging toward the fiery blade. The lightning force crackled and boomed as the dragon spiraled through the air, producing an ear-splitting roar.

"Boom!"

The fire sword and thunder spear collided violently, exploding with a wave of spiritual energy that spread across the field. Dust flew into the air, stones shattered, and the fire and lightning intertwined, enveloping the entire wasteland in a vortex of energy.

Both fighters poured everything they had into the clash, their spiritual energy depleting rapidly, but neither willing to back down. The thunder dragon and fire clashed fiercely, their energy releasing shockwaves that rippled outward, pulverizing trees and rocks. Zhang Qiu's arm trembled slightly, his breathing uneven, but his gaze remained firm as he gripped the thunder spear with unrelenting determination.

Wu Heng, drenched in sweat, gritted his teeth as the flames on his sword flickered intensely. He knew that prolonging the fight would cost him dearly, and he needed to finish it swiftly.

"Haaah!"

With a roar, Wu Heng swung the fire sword, unleashing a tidal wave of flame that surged toward Zhang Qiu. Zhang Qiu's eyes narrowed as he raised the thunder spear, summoning a lightning barrier to block the incoming firestorm. Even so, the searing heat penetrated the shield, scorching his skin and causing a sharp pain in his arm.

The two exchanged blow after blow, with lightning and fire clashing repeatedly. The spiritual energy in the air swirled violently as their duel reached a fever pitch. Zhang Qiu gritted his teeth, pouring every ounce of his spiritual energy into the spear as he thrust forward. A brilliant arc of lightning shot through the air, aimed directly at Wu Heng.

Wu Heng's expression shifted as he raised his green fire sword to block the attack, but the lightning pierced through his defenses, leaving a bloody gash on his chest. He coughed up blood, his face paling as the injury took its toll.

Meanwhile, Wang Quan, Li Yuan, and Liu Ruo Han were locked in a fierce battle with the disciples of Tianque Sect.

"None of you from Yunxiao Sect will leave here alive today!" one of the Tianque disciples bellowed, unleashing a sharp wind blade toward Wang Quan. Wang Quan's expression hardened as he swung his sword, channeling Five Elements energy into a flaming, golden blade that collided with the wind blade mid-air.

The explosion sent waves of spiritual energy in every direction. Wang Quan quickly retreated, his eyes gleaming with cold determination. Without hesitation, he gathered more energy and launched another assault on his opponent.

"Careful, Ruo Han!" Li Yuan called out, struggling to fend off another Tianque disciple with his wind blades. Though barely holding his ground, he managed to keep his opponent at bay.

Liu Ruo Han, meanwhile, skillfully controlled her water-based spiritual energy, forming a water shield that blocked the fiery strikes from her adversary. As water met fire, steam hissed through the air, sending shockwaves through the battlefield that left her arm slightly numb.

Both sides fought with everything they had, their spiritual energy rapidly depleting as the battle wore on, with neither side able to claim an advantage.

Back at the center of the battlefield, Zhang Qiu and Wu Heng prepared for their final exchange. Wu Heng roared as he channeled all his remaining power into the green fire sword, its flame roaring to life as he swung it downward with the intent to incinerate Zhang Qiu completely.

But Zhang Qiu remained undeterred, raising his thunder spear once more as a brilliant bolt of lightning crackled from its tip, striking the flaming sword head-on. Fire and lightning clashed again, generating a massive explosion that shook the entire battlefield.

"Boom!"

The blast hurled both combatants backward. Zhang Qiu spat out a mouthful of blood as he crashed to the ground, while Wu Heng staggered back several steps, his face pale, his body riddled with burns from the lightning.

Wang Quan rushed to Zhang Qiu's side, helping him to his feet. "Zhang-dormitory, we need to retreat now. It's too dangerous to keep fighting!"

Breathing heavily, Zhang Qiu nodded, realizing that both he and Wu Heng were gravely injured. If they continued the battle, neither would survive. Gritting his teeth, he pushed himself up and said to Wang Quan in a low voice, "Let's go, we need to retreat now."

The remaining Tianque disciples, seeing Wu Heng gravely wounded, dared not press the fight any further. One of them quickly supported Wu Heng, his face filled with frustration as they began to withdraw.

But just as they were about to leave, one of the Tianque disciples turned back and seized a final opportunity. With a swift motion, he slashed his fire blade at Li Yuan. The attack caught Li Yuan off guard, the blade slicing deep into his shoulder, causing blood to gush out. Li Yuan groaned in pain, collapsing to the ground with violent spasms, his injury severe.

Wang Quan's expression darkened, his eyes flashing with killing intent as he swiftly retaliated, sending a golden sword light that forced the Tianque disciple to retreat. Despite this, the enemy managed to escape, dragging the injured Wu Heng with them.

Sheathing his sword, Wang Quan quickly knelt by Li Yuan, administering a healing pill as he muttered, "Li-dormitory, hold on. We need to get out of here."

Li Yuan, pale and trembling, managed a weak nod, his voice filled with guilt. "I'm sorry... I've become a burden."

"Now's not the time for apologies. We need to survive first," Wang Quan said firmly. He scanned their surroundings, knowing they had to move fast. Supporting both Li Yuan and Zhang Qiu, he signaled Liu Ruo Han to follow as they quickly retreated deeper into the secret realm, leaving the battlefield behind.

The four of them avoided further encounters as they moved through the forest, eventually finding a hidden cave where they could stop and tend to their wounds.

Inside the cave, Zhang Qiu sat cross-legged, circulating his spiritual energy to heal. Li Yuan leaned weakly against the wall, his face still ghostly pale, his breathing shallow. Liu Ruo Han silently stood guard, keeping a vigilant eye on the entrance.

After some time, Zhang Qiu opened his eyes, still weary but visibly more stable. He looked at Wang Quan, his expression tinged with regret. "I underestimated him... Wu Heng's spiritual weapon was much stronger than I anticipated. Even at my peak, I couldn't match it."

Wang Quan shook his head slightly. "Zhang-dormitory, you're the strongest among us, but now you're injured. We need to focus on recovery and try to regroup with other Yunxiao Sect disciples."