The scene shifts to **Li Wei**, his footsteps slow and deliberate as he walked through a vast, endless grassfield. The wind rustled the tall blades of grass, carrying with it an eerie silence that seemed to hang in the air. His mind was consumed with thoughts of power, revenge, and destruction—his body coursing with the electric energy of **Howl**, the thunderous sword in his grip.
As he trudged forward, the landscape shimmered, and from the distance emerged a figure—tall, dark, and eerily familiar. The mysterious woman from the forest all those years ago, the one who had planted the virus that ravaged his village, appeared before him. Her black hair flowed in the wind, and her cold, calculating gaze fixed upon him with a cruel smile.
Before she could even speak a word, **Li Wei**'s rage boiled over. Without hesitation, he lunged forward, his sword **Howl** crackling with lightning. He swung with terrifying speed, aiming to cut her down in a single strike.
But she moved.
With a fluid grace that defied belief, she sidestepped his attack, her movements so swift and effortless that it was as if she were gliding through the air. Li Wei's sword cleaved through the grass, missing her by mere inches. He snarled, launching another flurry of blows, his movements a blur of lightning and fury.
The woman dodged each strike effortlessly, weaving through his attacks like a shadow. Her expression remained calm, almost amused, as if **Li Wei** was nothing more than a child throwing a tantrum.
**Li Wei** gritted his teeth and pressed forward, swinging **Howl** in a deadly arc. The force of the swing cracked the earth beneath him, but the woman leapt into the air, flipping gracefully over him. She landed behind him, her feet touching the ground soundlessly.
**Li Wei** roared in frustration, spinning around and charging her again. This time, his sword met hers—a black, sleek blade that seemed to hum with an unnatural energy. The sound of metal clashing rang through the field, and sparks flew as their blades collided.
Their swords clashed again and again, each strike more brutal than the last. **Li Wei**'s face twisted in rage as he pushed her back, lightning crackling around him. His strikes were wild, powerful, and relentless, but she was a phantom—each time, her movements were precise, controlled, as if she were playing a deadly game of cat and mouse.
Suddenly, she darted in close, ducking under one of his swings and driving her fist into his ribs. The impact sent a shockwave through **Li Wei's** body, blood spraying from his mouth as he staggered backward, gasping for air. She followed up with a vicious kick to his chest, sending him flying across the field and crashing into the ground with a thunderous impact.
**Li Wei** coughed, blood dripping from his lips as he struggled to stand. His vision blurred, but his rage burned hotter than ever. He wouldn't stop. He couldn't stop. The power of **Howl** surged within him, and with a guttural scream, he unleashed a storm of lightning from his sword. Bolts of electricity arced through the air, striking the ground around them, scorching the earth.
But the woman dodged each one with ease, her movements almost inhuman. She closed the distance between them in the blink of an eye, her hand reaching out and grabbing **Li Wei** by the throat. Her grip was like iron, lifting him off the ground with terrifying strength.
"You're still just a boy," she whispered coldly, her eyes boring into his soul. "All that power, yet you still don't understand how to use it."
**Li Wei** choked, his vision fading as he struggled against her grip. In desperation, he swung his sword at her, but she caught his wrist with her free hand, stopping him cold. With a swift, brutal motion, she twisted his arm, dislocating his shoulder with a sickening crack.
**Li Wei** screamed in agony, dropping **Howl** to the ground as his body trembled in pain. She tossed him aside like a ragdoll, and he rolled across the dirt, blood pouring from his wounds.
For a moment, everything was still. The only sound was **Li Wei's** ragged breathing as he struggled to push himself up. His body was broken, but his spirit... it was still burning.
"You're pathetic," the woman said, her voice dripping with disdain. "I had high hopes for you, but perhaps you were never meant to wield that power."
Through the haze of pain, **Li Wei**'s eyes narrowed. His hand reached out, trembling, and grabbed **Howl** once more. The sword responded to his touch, crackling with renewed energy.
With one final, desperate surge of power, he charged at her again, his entire body engulfed in lightning. This time, his movements were more focused, his strikes more precise. He aimed for her throat, her heart, her head—anything to put her down.
But once again, she dodged, her movements a blur. She spun around him, her blade flashing as she cut deep into his side, blood spraying from the wound. **Li Wei** stumbled, but he refused to fall.
"You're still not ready," she said, her voice like ice. "But perhaps, in time, you'll be worth killing."
With that, she disappeared into the shadows, leaving **Li Wei** kneeling in the grass, bloodied and broken, but still alive.
He screamed in frustration, pounding the ground with his fist. His power meant nothing if he couldn't defeat her. If he couldn't protect the ones he loved. If he couldn't avenge the world that had been taken from him.
After the brutal battle, as **Li Wei** lay bloodied and broken in the grass, his body trembling with pain, the woman reappeared, her cold expression returning. She stood over him, her dark silhouette cast against the dimming sky.
"You fought well," she said, her voice devoid of warmth, "but you're still weak. Power like yours—power like ours—cannot be wielded aimlessly. It must serve a purpose, a cause greater than yourself."
**Li Wei** glared at her, his eyes burning with defiance. "What cause? You toy with lives. You brought the virus, killed millions—what purpose does that serve?"
The woman smiled, an eerie, knowing smile. "I serve the **Star Council**—an organization of gods. Beings who exist beyond the limitations of mortals. We govern the balance of the multiverse, ensuring that the natural order is maintained. You see, Xianzhou... is a world without a god, an insult to all of us who transcend mortality. It is a world where mortals dare to touch the heights of immortality, reaching powers that rival our own."
She paused, her eyes narrowing as she looked down at him. "The council sees this as an abomination. Mortal defiance. And so, Xianzhou must be destroyed. Those who believe they can challenge the gods—those like you—must either be eradicated or brought to heel."
**Li Wei** gritted his teeth, rage building inside him as her words sank in. "And what do you want from me?"
The woman extended her hand, her voice turning softer, yet dripping with cold authority. "I am offering you a place among us. Become a hunting dog for the **Star Council**. Seek out those who challenge the divine order, and in return, you will be granted unimaginable power. Power enough to crush anyone who stands in your way. Power enough to destroy worlds."
For a moment, **Li Wei** hesitated. The idea of serving gods, of being nothing more than their tool, disgusted him. But the desire for power, the thirst to never feel helpless again, consumed him. He had lost everything—his family, his people, his world. And now, all he wanted was the strength to exact his vengeance.
He slowly pushed himself up, his body still aching from the battle, and looked the woman in the eye. "You want me to be your hunting dog? Fine. If it means I can have the power to crush anyone who dares stand in my way... I accept."
The woman smiled once more, a satisfied grin that chilled him to the bone. "Very well, **Li Wei**. Welcome to the **Star Council**. Your only purpose now is to fight, to hunt, and to destroy."
With a flick of her hand, a dark, shimmering portal opened behind her, swirling with cosmic energy. "Come. Your new masters await."
Without looking back, **Li Wei** stepped through the portal, leaving behind the broken world of Xianzhou, abandoning whatever remnants of humanity he still had. His path was now one of darkness and destruction, guided by gods who cared nothing for the lives of mortals.
All that mattered to him was power. Nothing else.