Huang Ling leaned back with a mischievous grin on her face. Her flowing robes of light blue shimmered as they caught the moonlight, her sharp eyes glinting with amusement. Beside her sat Qing Yao, her long hair tied in a neat braid, the youngest and most playful of the group, while the ever-poised Zhang Ruolan, sat on the other side, her elegant features set in a gentle smile as she listened to the conversation unfold.
"Can you believe how serious he looked during the coronation?" Huang Ling smirked, her voice filled with sarcasm as she folded her arms. "I swear, if Young Elder wasn't trying to intimidate the entire sect with that performance, then I don't know what he was doing."
Qing Yao giggled, imitating Dao Wei's stern expression by furrowing her brow and lowering her voice dramatically. "I am the Sword Childe now," she said, mockingly deepening her voice. "You must all kneel before me, or else face my wrath!"
The three girls burst into laughter, their voices carrying through the garden. Zhang Ruolan, usually the calmest, couldn't help but join in, her own chuckles soft but genuine.
"I can't believe we actually have to call him the 'Young Elder' now," Zhang Ruolan finally said, shaking her head in disbelief. "It feels strange, doesn't it?"
"Very strange," Huang Ling agreed, though there was a hint of something else in her voice, something that the others picked up on but chose not to address. "But, I suppose it was bound to happen eventually. Young Elder's been moving up the ranks faster than anyone else."
Qing Yao sighed dramatically, leaning her chin on her hand. "I bet he thinks he's so untouchable now, with all the elders fawning over him." Her eyes sparkled with mischief.
The others fell quiet for a moment, a subtle shift in the air as they exchanged glances. There was an unspoken understanding between them—a shared secret that none of them was willing to admit. Each of them admired Dao Wei in their own way, but none would ever say it aloud.
Huang Ling cleared her throat, breaking the silence. "Anyway, it'll be interesting to see how the sect changes now. With the Young Elder in that position, things are bound to be... different."
"Different?" Qing Yao raised an eyebrow, leaning forward slightly. "How so? Do you think he'll start making ridiculous demands? Like… 'Everyone must practice swordsmanship until their arms fall off?'"
Zhang Ruolan smiled at the image. "No, I think it'll be more subtle. He's already got so many eyes on him, including the elders. He won't do anything reckless... at least, not yet."
Huang Ling shrugged. "Who knows? Young Elder's always been a bit unpredictable."
Before they could dive further into their speculations, something caught their attention. A series of bright flashes lit up the sky from the direction of the Golden Manor, momentarily turning night into day. The girls paused, eyes wide as they exchanged curious looks.
"What in the world...?" Qing Yao gasped, her eyes fixed on the distant peak. "Did you see that?"
"Of course, I saw it," Huang Ling replied, sitting up straight, her tone suddenly more serious. "That's coming from the Golden Manor. What do you think's going on up there?"
Zhang Ruolan frowned, watching the sky with concern. "It looked like... a fight or something. That much power doesn't just happen by accident."
"I bet the boys are up to something," Qing Yao muttered, biting her lip. "Probably pushing themselves too far, as expected. I hope they don't end up causing trouble."
"You mean Young Elder and the others?" Huang Ling smirked, though there was a hint of worry in her eyes. "Knowing them, they're either sparring or trying out some new technique. It's always the same with these geniuses—too much power and too little sense."
Qing Yao grinned mischievously. "You think they'll blow up the peak? I wouldn't put it past them."
"Let's just hope the elders don't catch them," Zhang Ruolan added, her voice soft but tinged with amusement. "Otherwise, there'll be consequences... and I'm not sure Young Elder's new title will save him from punishment."
The girls shared a quiet laugh, though the lighthearted mood was tinged with concern. As much as they enjoyed teasing Dao Wei and the others, there was no denying that something significant was happening at Golden Peak. The flashes of light, the distant rumble of energy—it all pointed to a major event.
Qing Yao sighed, leaning back and gazing up at the sky. "Well, whatever it is, I just hope they don't get themselves into too much trouble. I don't want to deal with any more chaos."
Huang Ling chuckled. "Knowing them? We'll be lucky if tomorrow isn't a disaster."
Zhang Ruolan smiled but remained quiet, her thoughts lingering on the distant flashes of light.
Back in the Golden Manor, within the vast expanse of Dao Wei's Sea of Qi, an eerie calm enveloped the storm raging above. Dao Wei sat cross-legged in the center, seemingly unaffected by the chaos unfolding around him and the ongoing fight outside. The storm, formed by the refined thunder from the Spirit Wine, swirled ominously, releasing electric bursts and gamma rays, fueling the atmosphere.
The Heaven-Defying Chaos Scripture had refined the Spirit Wine to such an extreme that Dao Wei's Sea of Qi now felt like a massive reactor of pure energy. Purple thunderbolts crackled violently in the storm, their intensity growing with each passing moment. Each bolt of lightning charged the air with Yang Qi, amplifying the destructive energy within.
Dao Wei watched the thunderstorm with detached indifference. His gaze flickered as the storm continued to generate high-energy bursts. The appearance of two unidentifiable forms of gamma radiation did nothing to disturb his calm. They swirled within the storm, independent of the lightning discharges, but Dao Wei didn't care to analyze them further. It was another peculiarity of his cultivation, another obstacle he had to face—and like everything else in his life, he would face it head-on.
RUMBLE!!!
Suddenly, the thunderous Qi surged, spiraling down from the storm and crashing into Dao Wei's Sea of Qi. The violent energy collided with his essence, sending a shockwave through his body. The energy felt like it was tearing him apart, threatening to overwhelm him, but Dao Wei remained seated, his expression unchanged. Pain was something he had grown accustomed to.
Bang!
The merging of the thunderstorm with his Sea of Qi was intense. Bright flashes illuminated the vast sea, each bolt of lightning lashing out like a dragon's tail, coiling and thrashing as they forced themselves into Dao Wei's being. The energy coursed through him, intertwining with his essence, and yet he didn't flinch. To him, this was just another day in the life of a cultivator—a storm to weather, a trial to endure.
As the flashes grew more intense, the lightning Qi began coalescing into a single form, radiating with immense power. Slowly, a glowing ring of silver light began to take shape—the Sixth Element in his Elemental Wheel.
"Another one, huh?" Dao Wei muttered to himself, observing the new addition to his arsenal with mild interest.
The Silver Halo pulsed with power, crackling with the same energy that had ravaged his Sea of Qi. It was volatile and dangerous, and yet, Dao Wei felt no urge to tame it. He didn't need to understand it fully—what mattered was that it was now a part of him, something he could wield, just like the other elements in his Elemental Wheel.
The storm continued to rage above, but Dao Wei's focus shifted inward. He could feel the thundering energy surging through his meridians, flooding his body with power. The high-energy bursts were no longer just external—they were now a part of him, woven into the very fabric of his cultivation.
"Feels like I'm an electrical conductor," Dao Wei mused, his voice devoid of emotion. He could feel the raw, destructive force of the thunder coursing through his veins. Most cultivators would be terrified of losing control, of the possibility that this energy could consume them. But Dao Wei wasn't like most cultivators.
"Gift or curse… does it matter?" he muttered. His lips curled into a faint smirk. "It's just what it is."
The thunder element spun within his Silver Halo, filling the sixth void star and merging seamlessly with the other elements—water, metal, space, light, and darkness. The addition of thunder only made his Elemental Wheel closer to completion, and more powerful. He could feel some balance shift, the energy realigning itself as if his body instinctively knew how to handle the newfound power.
Dao Wei's eyes remained closed, as the thunder resonated within him. The sensation of power flowing through his meridians was almost overwhelming, but he welcomed it. There was no fear, no hesitation—only a calm acceptance of the storm within. For Dao Wei, it was never about control; it was about embracing whatever life threw his way.
The storm began to settle, though the tension in the air remained thick. Dao Wei opened his eyes and glanced at the sky within his Sea of Qi. The clouds were still heavy with purple lightning, and the gamma radiation continued to hum beneath the surface, but the worst of it had passed.
"Guess that's done," Dao Wei murmured to himself, standing up. His Sea of Qi, once a calm, serene place, was now forever changed. The storm had left its mark, just like everything else in his life. But to Dao Wei, it was just another change, another shift in the endless journey of cultivation.
"Moonrush Sword Kill,"
Suddenly, Wei Jun's breath steadied, his hands gripping the hilt of his sword tightly. This was no ordinary move—this was an ultimate technique of the Sword God Sect, and he intended to unleash it in all its glory. His Martial Soul, the War God, responded to his intent, eyes blazing brighter, as the two resonated with perfect harmony.