Chapter 106: Struck by Lightning

Chapter 106: Struck by Lightning

The crimson-maned white flood dragon exuded a majestic dragon's might, causing the snake-tailed leopard below to tremble in fear.

"Roar~"

The white flood dragon soared through the skies, letting out a joyous cry.

"Xiaotian!" Mu Feng called out. The red-maned white dragon dipped low, flying toward him. Mu Feng, standing on the snake-tailed leopard's back, leaped ten meters into the air and landed steadily on the dragon's head.

Gripping the half-meter-long blood-red dragon horn, Mu Feng guided Xiaotian as it carried him into the heavens, soaring through the clouds.

This red-maned white flood dragon was indeed Xiaotian. After absorbing the fire dragon's essence blood, Xiaotian had fully evolved into a true flood dragon—an extremely rare dual-attribute ice-fire dragon. It had reached the Core Formation Stage, its power now surpassing even that of Mu Feng.

With his snow-white hair flowing in the wind and black robes fluttering dramatically, Mu Feng soared through the clouds. Looking down upon the mountains below, a sense of boundless ambition swelled in his chest.

"Soaring upon a flood dragon through the heavens, I won't be a mere hero—I'll be a legend!"

Let the vile and corrupt perish; a single blade shall cleave the heavens.

Mu Feng threw his head back and unleashed a long, spirited roar into the vast sky, his ambition echoing far and wide.

"Roar!"

Xiaotian, as if resonating with Mu Feng's indomitable spirit, let out a resounding dragon's roar, spinning and twirling mid-air in elation.

Lightning Strikes

Suddenly, dark clouds gathered, and a bolt of lightning streaked across the sky. A branch of the lightning struck toward Mu Feng and Xiaotian, catching them both off guard.

"Ahhh! Damn it!"

Mu Feng let out a miserable cry as the lightning struck. Smoke rose from his singed hair as he tumbled from the sky.

Just moments ago, he had been filled with boundless pride. Now, he was struck by lightning—a humbling fall indeed.

Wait… could this be the infamous "karma for showing off" trope?

As Mu Feng plummeted from a height of several hundred meters, Xiaotian let out a panicked roar and swooped down to catch him just ten meters from the ground. The flood dragon gently lowered Mu Feng to safety before landing itself.

Jumping down from Xiaotian's back, Mu Feng coughed up a puff of black smoke and stared blankly at the sky, his teeth grinding in frustration. How could a clear day suddenly produce lightning?

But as he gazed upward, his frustration turned to shock.

High in the clouds, a mass of purple lightning crackled and swirled. Within the storm, two figures clashed fiercely, their battle shaking the heavens.

"Old man, hand over the Thunderous Eight-Step Art, or don't blame me for being ruthless!"

"You ungrateful wretch!" came the retort. "I raised you as my own, and this is how you repay me? You're no better than a beast!"

A Battle of Titans

Thousands of meters above, the two combatants separated after a thunderous clash. Suspended mid-air, one was an elder in gray robes, the other a young man in white.

The elder's stern face and long white beard gave him an air of authority. Lightning crackled around his body, and his eyes shone with wisdom. However, blood trickling from his lips and his weakened aura revealed his injuries.

Opposite him, the young man, clad in white, was strikingly handsome but marred by a cold, sinister gaze. Silver lightning danced around him, further undermining his outward elegance.

Both were clearly powerhouses at least at the Core Formation Stage, capable of flying unaided.

Down below, Mu Feng, Xiaotian, and the snake-tailed leopard crouched low in the forest, watching the spectacle in awe.

"This is your last chance—will you hand it over or not?" the white-robed youth demanded.

"I treated you like my own child," the elder replied bitterly. "I had intended to pass the Thunderous Eight-Step Art to you after my death, but your impatience and betrayal have disgraced me. How ironic that I nurtured a serpent in my bosom."

The young man's expression twisted with rage. "Wait for you to die? That would take another hundred years! I don't have that kind of time. If you won't give it willingly, I'll take it by force!"

With that, he let out a ferocious roar, transforming into a streak of silver lightning as he launched himself at the elder.

The elder mustered his strength, raising a fist glowing with purple lightning. The two forces collided with a deafening explosion, sending shockwaves rippling through the sky.

Thunderous Finale

The battle's power was so immense that a stray bolt of energy had been what struck Mu Feng earlier.

Seeing the overwhelming display of might, Mu Feng kept his head low, ensuring he didn't draw attention. Xiaotian, now transformed into a three-foot-long serpent, coiled tightly around Mu Feng's arm. Meanwhile, the snake-tailed leopard whimpered and crouched, paralyzed with fear.

The elder's purple lightning barely withstood the youth's silver onslaught. With a loud crack, the elder's protective energy shattered, and he was sent flying, coughing blood.

"If you won't hand it over, I'll kill you and take it myself!" the youth sneered, drawing a silver longsword as he prepared to deliver the finishing blow.

The elder's face hardened with resolve. "Very well. If you wish to see the Thunderous Eight-Step Art, I'll show you its true power!"

Channeling all his remaining strength, the elder called upon the heavens. Purple lightning surged from the clouds above, crackling ominously.

"Thunderous Summon!"

Eight massive bolts of purple lightning struck the elder in succession, each one amplifying his aura. With each strike, his body weakened further, his life force rapidly draining away.

The youth faltered, fear creeping into his expression. "You're going to fight to the death?"

The elder's eyes burned with determination. "Witness the might of the Thunderous Eight-Step Art!"

With a furious roar, he took eight steps in mid-air, each step unleashing a colossal lightning dragon. The eight dragons roared as they hurtled toward the young man, their power overwhelming.

"No! No!" the youth screamed, activating a golden shield engraved with intricate runes—a powerful spiritual artifact.

But the shield shattered upon impact, and the youth was blasted away, his body bloodied and mangled. Barely clinging to life, he fled into the distance.

As the thunderclouds dissipated, the elder, drained of energy, spat a mouthful of blood. His aura flickered, and he plummeted from the sky like a broken bird.

"Splash!"

The elder landed in a mountain lake below, the water erupting in a great spray.