Fury and Retribution

Chapter 23: Fury and Retribution

The sight of Xiner, broken and bleeding, ignited a fire within Sanjeev that threatened to consume him. He had seen her strong, vibrant, and full of life. Now, she lay before him, fragile and vulnerable, her life hanging by a thread. He immediately began to treat her, his hands glowing with a soft, healing light, his mind focused on mending her shattered body and soul.

For seven days, Sanjeev remained by Xiner's side, tirelessly channeling his energy, coaxing her back from the brink of oblivion. He barely ate, barely slept, his entire being consumed by the need to heal her. The room became a sanctuary, filled with the soft hum of his energy and the faint scent of healing herbs.

Finally, on the seventh day, Xiner's eyelids fluttered open. She stirred, her gaze slowly focusing on Sanjeev's face. Tears welled up in her eyes as she saw the exhaustion etched on his features, the unwavering determination that had kept him going.

"Sanjeev..." she whispered, her voice weak and hoarse. The word was a broken sob, a testament to the pain she had endured and the relief she felt at seeing him.

Sanjeev's heart ached as he looked at her. Her once vibrant eyes were dull, her radiant aura dimmed. He gently took her hand, his touch sending a wave of warmth through her.

"Xiner," he said, his voice filled with a tenderness that belied the turmoil within him. "You're awake. Thank the heavens."

Xiner squeezed his hand weakly, her tears flowing freely now. She tried to sit up, but a sharp pain shot through her body, and she winced.

"Easy," Sanjeev said, gently helping her to adjust her position. "You've been through a lot. Just rest."

But Xiner couldn't rest. The memories of the brutal attack flooded back, the humiliation, the pain, the sheer terror of facing such overwhelming power. She had to tell Sanjeev, had to share the burden of her suffering.

With halting breaths, she recounted the events that had led to her injuries. She spoke of Miao Li's arrogance, her demand for Xiner's techniques, and Xiner's refusal. She described the brief but fierce confrontation, and then, the arrival of Li Xuan.

"After Miao Li left," Xiner said, her voice trembling, "her brother came to my room. He... he told me to apologize to his sister, to become her servant. I refused, of course. I told him I would never bow to such arrogance."

She paused, her breath catching in her throat. The memory of Li Xuan's cold, merciless eyes sent a shiver down her spine.

"He didn't take it well," she continued, her voice barely a whisper. "He... he attacked me. I tried to defend myself. I used the Lotus Blade, my family's technique, but it was useless against him. He was too strong. Too fast."

Xiner's voice broke, and she buried her face in her hands, her body wracked with sobs. Sanjeev held her close, his heart aching with a pain that mirrored her own.

"He... he took my techniques," Xiner cried, her voice muffled. "He stole them from me. And then... and then he..."

She couldn't finish the sentence. The image of Li Xuan's giving the pain, the feeling of his power crushing her, was too much to bear.

Sanjeev held her tighter, his jaw clenched, his body trembling with a rage so intense it was almost a physical force. He listened to her story, every word a knife twisting in his heart. He heard the pain in her voice, the fear in her words, the humiliation in her tears.

As Xiner spoke, the room seemed to darken. The air grew heavy, charged with a palpable energy. A storm began to brew outside, the sky turning a menacing black, the clouds swirling like a vortex of fury. It was as if the world itself was reacting to Sanjeev's anger, mirroring the tempest within his soul.

When Xiner finally finished her tale, her voice reduced to a broken whisper, Sanjeev gently pulled away from her. He looked at her, his eyes blazing with a cold, white fire.

"He did this to you," he said, his voice a low, guttural growl that sent a shiver down Xiner's spine. "He dared to harm you."

Xiner looked at him, her own fear momentarily forgotten in the face of his terrifying rage. She had never seen him like this before, his calm, gentle demeanor replaced by a fury that seemed to radiate from every pore of his being.

"Sanjeev..." she began, reaching out to him, but he gently brushed her hand aside.

"Stay here," he said, his voice firm and unwavering. "Blackie will stay with you. I'm going to settle this."

Blackie, sensing the shift in Sanjeev's mood, padded silently to Xiner's side, his massive form a comforting presence. He looked at Sanjeev with intelligent, knowing eyes, as if understanding the gravity of the situation.

Sanjeev turned and strode out of the room, his footsteps echoing through the silent halls. The storm outside intensified, the wind howling like a banshee, the rain lashing against the windows. It was as if the heavens themselves were weeping for Xiner, raging with Sanjeev.

He made his way to the Fighting Hall, the central arena of the Lotus Blade Sect, a place where disputes were settled and strength was tested. As he walked, he began to call out Li Xuan's name, his voice a thunderous roar that carried through the sect.

"Li Xuan!" he bellowed, each syllable laced with a fury that made the very air vibrate. "Li Xuan! Come out and face me, you coward!"

His voice, amplified by his spiritual energy, echoed through the sect, causing some of the weaker disciples to tremble with fear. The sound of his rage drew the attention of everyone nearby, cultivators and elders alike. They emerged from their rooms, their faces filled with curiosity and trepidation, drawn to the source of the commotion.

Slowly, a crowd began to gather at the Fighting Hall, their whispers and murmurs filling the air. They sensed the raw power emanating from Sanjeev, the barely contained rage that threatened to erupt like a volcano.

Eventually, Miao Li and Li Xuan arrived, their faces a mixture of surprise and apprehension. Miao Li, still nursing her wounded pride and aching face, looked at Sanjeev with a flicker of fear in her eyes. Li Xuan, however, tried to maintain his arrogant facade, though a hint of unease crept into his expression.

Sanjeev saw them, his eyes locking onto Li Xuan's. The world seemed to narrow, the crowd fading into a blur, the only thing that mattered was the man who had dared to harm his wife.

Arav stepped forward, his expression grave. He had heard Sanjeev's cries and sensed the dark energy that hung in the air. He knew that something terrible had happened.

"Sanjeev," Arav said, his voice filled with concern. "What's going on? Why are you so angry?"

Sanjeev turned to Arav, his face a mask of fury. He recounted Xiner's ordeal, his voice trembling with a rage that threatened to overwhelm him. He spoke of Miao Li's arrogance, Li Xuan's brutal attack, and Xiner's stolen techniques.

As Arav listened, his own anger began to rise. He knew Xiner well, knew her strength and her gentle nature. The thought of her being so cruelly violated filled him with a righteous fury. He looked at Li Xuan and Miao Li, his eyes hardening.

For a moment, Li Xuan was taken aback by the combined rage of Sanjeev and Aarav. He saw the raw fury in their eyes, the barely contained power that threatened to erupt. He swallowed hard, a flicker of fear passing through him.

"What's it to you?" Li Xuan sneered, trying to regain his composure. "It was just a little... discipline. She needed to learn her place."

Sanjeev roared, his voice shaking the very foundations of the Fighting Hall. "Discipline? You call that discipline? You left her broken and unconscious for seven days! You stole her techniques, her very essence! I will take my revenge, Li Xuan. I will avenge my wife."

Sanjeev issued a challenge, his words ringing with a deadly finality. "I challenge you to a life-and-death duel. Here, now, in front of everyone. Only one of us will walk away from this arena."

The crowd gasped, their eyes widening in shock. A life-and-death duel was the most serious challenge imaginable, a fight to the bitter end, with no rules and no mercy. It was a challenge rarely issued, and even more rarely accepted.

Li Xuan hesitated. He had expected to intimidate Sanjeev, to cow him with his royal status and his superior cultivation. But Sanjeev's rage was a force of nature, a power that brooked no opposition. He looked at the crowd, at the expectant faces, and his pride, his arrogance, his fear, all warred within him.

Finally, driven by a twisted sense of honor and a desperate need to save face, Li Xuan leaped into the fighting arena.

"I accept your challenge," he declared, his voice trembling slightly. "I will show you the consequences of defying the Li royal family."

Sanjeev stepped forward, his eyes fixed on Li Xuan. He drew his Mountain Slashing Sword, the blade gleaming in the dim light of the arena. He held it before him, his stance steady, his gaze unwavering.

"I will give you a death," Sanjeev said, his voice a low, menacing growl, "a death so horrific that your soul will recoil in terror. Your relatives will vomit at the sight of your mutilated corpse. You will beg for the sweet release of oblivion, but I will deny you even that."

His words were not mere threats; they were a promise, a vow carved in blood and fury. The crowd gasped, their faces paling, their hearts pounding in their chests. They had never heard such words spoken with such chilling conviction.

The fight began. Li Xuan, a cultivator at the Maṇipūra Radiance 4th level, held a significant advantage over Sanjeev, who was at the Maṇipūra Radiance 1st level. Three levels separated them, a gap that should have been insurmountable.

Li Xuan, confident in his superior power, launched a barrage of attacks. He unleashed a series of powerful strikes, each one aimed to cripple or kill. Sanjeev, however, moved with a speed and agility that belied his cultivation level. He dodged and weaved, his Mountain Slashing Sword deflecting Li Xuan's blows with surprising ease.

Frustrated by his inability to land a decisive blow, Li Xuan summoned his spirit beast, a ferocious tiger with razor-sharp claws and teeth. The tiger roared, its eyes glowing with a malevolent light, and charged at Sanjeev.

But Sanjeev was beyond reason, beyond fear. His anger had pushed him to a level of power he had never known before. He saw the tiger coming, its massive form a blur of muscle and fury, and he reacted with a speed that shocked everyone.

He grabbed the tiger's face, his grip like iron, and with a savage twist, he ripped the tiger's face off with his bare hands.

A collective gasp rose from the crowd. They stared in horror at the gruesome sight, the tiger's mutilated face, the blood and gore splattered across Sanjeev's hands. Many turned away, their stomachs churning, their faces pale with disgust.

Li Xuan recoiled in horror, his face turning green. He had never seen such brutality, such savagery. The sight of his beloved spirit beast being so callously destroyed shattered his confidence, his arrogance replaced by a primal fear. He began to vomit, his body heaving uncontrollably.

Miao Li, witnessing her brother's humiliation and the sheer brutality of Sanjeev's attack, felt a wave of terror wash over her. She had never imagined that Sanjeev possessed such power, such ruthlessness. She realized, with a chilling certainty, that she had underestimated him, and that she was now in grave danger.

Li Xuan, his composure shattered, desperately tried to regain control. He summoned a series of spiritual swords, their edges shimmering with deadly energy, and hurled them at Sanjeev.

Sanjeev met the swords with his Mountain Slashing Sword, each clash sending sparks flying. He moved with a speed and ferocity that overwhelmed Li Xuan, his attacks relentless, his power growing with every strike.

He then conjured a spiritual spear, a weapon of pure energy, and hurled it at Li Xuan with the force of a thunderbolt. Li Xuan, barely managing to deflect the spear, was pushed back, his face pale, his body trembling.

Sanjeev was not finished. He drew upon his innate ability, the power to manipulate his body's size, a technique unique to his ancient lineage. His body began to grow, his muscles expanding, his bones shifting, until he towered over the arena, a colossal giant of fury.

The crowd gasped, their eyes widening in disbelief. They had never seen anything like this before, a human being transforming into a giant, wielding power that defied the very laws of nature.

Sanjeev raised his massive foot, his shadow falling over Li Xuan, casting him in darkness. Li Xuan looked up, his eyes filled with terror, and tried to scramble away, but it was too late.

Sanjeev brought his foot down, the force of the impact shaking the entire arena. Li Xuan screamed, his body crushed beneath the colossal weight. The crowd recoiled, their faces contorted with horror, the sound of Li Xuan's bones snapping echoing in their ears.

Sanjeev lifted his foot, expecting to see a mangled corpse, the end of his retribution. But Li Xuan was not dead.

His legs were crushed, his body broken, but he was still alive. He was standing on his shattered legs.