"Running away?" Chu Wuchen laughed, a cold, mocking smile curving his lips.
"Too late."
Boom!
In that instant, the world seemed to shift—colors drained from the sky, as though darkness itself had taken over. The heavens loomed ominously above, casting an eerie shadow upon the land.
A massive, silver hand formed from celestial laws and descended with relentless power, filling the entire sky. Its presence suffocated the air, as if it alone could smother all who dared defy it. Under its crushing weight, everything seemed insignificant.
Trapped in its path was Lei Ling, the Thunder Spirit, who cried out in dismay.
"No! This was a trap!"
Lei Ling's voice trembled, a shrill cry that echoed across the darkened skies. As if in a blind panic, it tried to flee, abandoning all restraint. In desperation, it summoned the last drop of precious blood essence within itself, blood it had painstakingly condensed over centuries, hoping it would grant enough strength to escape.
Boom!
Just as Lei Ling shot forward at blinding speed, another massive, silver hand appeared, blocking its escape route perfectly. It had materialized so quickly that Lei Ling collided with it, unable to avoid the impact.
With a deft twist of his hand, Chu Wuchen seized Lei Ling, imprisoning it in an iron grip.
"Help me, Dragon Maiden!" Lei Ling wailed, its bravado crumbling as its eyes widened in terror.
Despite its reputation as a daring thief, the Thunder Spirit's courage faded fast in Chu Wuchen's presence. Its frightened eyes darted wildly as it struggled, burning every remaining drop of its precious blood essence to no avail.
Boom!
Not far off, the Dragon Maiden saw what was happening and hesitated only for a split second. She understood all too well the dreadful power that Chu Wuchen wielded, but abandoning her companion was unthinkable. She launched herself forward, but was intercepted by a graceful yet formidable figure.
Chu Ling'er, wrapped in swirling celestial energy, blocked the Dragon Maiden's path. Her hands formed a complex seal, summoning powerful laws that rippled through the air as she struck.
Though she was the second-ranked cultivator, she stood no real chance against the Dragon Maiden, a warrior of divine status. Still, Chu Ling'er was determined, hoping to delay the Dragon Maiden just long enough for Chu Wuchen to capture Lei Ling.
Boom!
The two women clashed, their energies sparking across the sky, sending shockwaves through the heavens.
In the midst of their battle, Lei Ling's body suddenly glowed with a strange, fiery red light. Somehow, miraculously, it slipped free from Chu Wuchen's grip, evading his massive hand. It bolted through the air, its speed almost unmatched, yet its victory was bitter. Tears of sorrow welled in its eyes.
"I had to burn all my precious blood essence… it took me so long to cultivate that!"
Terror lingered on Lei Ling's face as it fled. It had been so frightened that, without a second thought, it sacrificed its very life essence. That blood was its lifeline, its ultimate trump card. Yet, panic had left it no choice.
Though naturally timid, Lei Ling was also caught off guard by this unprecedented danger. With its extraordinary speed, it had always been invincible in flight, impossible for anyone to capture. And with the Dragon Maiden by its side—a warrior respected across the heavens—it had thought itself safe. But now, with death lurking so close, it realized that burning the blood essence had been its only option.
It had barely escaped.
Chu Wuchen's brows knitted in surprise. His gaze followed Lei Ling, its form a blur of lightning. He was one step too slow, or perhaps he hadn't used enough force at the very beginning. For now, he could only watch Lei Ling speed away.
Boom!
Turning swiftly, Chu Wuchen focused his energy on the Dragon Maiden. If he couldn't capture Lei Ling, then capturing her might turn the tide in his favor.
"Dragon Maiden, run!" Lei Ling shouted desperately, its voice ringing with urgency as it raced back towards her. It aimed to scoop her up and flee at its unparalleled speed, as they had done in past battles when overwhelmed.
Boom!
In the depths of the sky, a colossal hand formed again, its five fingers closing in like an iron cage. Its grip was fierce, as if it alone could shatter the heavens. Lei Ling accelerated, sparks of lightning crackling around it as it grabbed hold of the Dragon Maiden, lifting her with a single swoop and fleeing at a blinding pace toward the horizon.
With a blinding flash, the silver hand missed them by inches, its crushing grip striking empty space and shaking the heavens.
Only moments later, however, the Dragon Maiden gasped in alarm.
"My Qiankun Pouch!"
She stretched her hand back, her fingers reaching out as if willing herself to retrieve it, even as Lei Ling continued pulling her away at breakneck speed.
"Don't be a fool! Let it go!" Lei Ling's anguished cry was almost a scream as it poured every ounce of strength into their escape. "How can you still be thinking about that?"
The two disappeared into the distance, a streak of lightning carrying the Dragon Maiden with it. Their speed was so unmatched that not even the ancient art of shrinking the earth beneath one's feet could compare.
Chu Wuchen remained motionless in the sky, awestruck by Lei Ling's extraordinary speed. Catching that slippery Thunder Spirit was no easy feat; it was like trying to grab hold of a writhing eel. But his intrigue grew—Lei Ling's technique was worth further study.
Still, all was not lost. He glanced at what remained—two items left behind.
One was the Dragon Maiden's Qiankun Pouch. The other was Lei Ling's precious wolf-tooth club.
Curiosity piqued, Chu Wuchen opened the Qiankun Pouch and let his consciousness seep in, inspecting its contents.
Clothing…
Various types of garments were tucked inside, alongside an array of elixirs, mystical tools, ancient talismans, rare spiritual crystals—treasures of all sorts, stacked high within. His lips curled into a slight smirk. It seemed the Dragon Maiden had robbed quite a few people to gather such a collection.
Then something golden caught his attention.
An Immortal Herb?
Chu Wuchen's eyes gleamed. Before him lay a radiant, golden herb. It shone with an ethereal light, its aura so powerful it almost seemed alive, coiled like a miniature golden dragon. He could feel its surging life force, its strength almost tangible.
"Quite the little fortune…" He mused, eyeing the three Immortal Herbs in the pouch. The Dragon Maiden's wealth was impressive, to say the least. Though he found no holy weapons, the pouch held a variety of peculiar artifacts.
Sunset descended on the distant horizon, casting a soft orange glow across the land.
Miles away, Lei Ling and the Dragon Maiden had finally stopped. Both were slumped on the ground, exhausted and dispirited.
"We actually lost…" The Dragon Maiden muttered, disbelief clouding her face.
Beside her, Lei Ling sighed, its expression equally forlorn.
"He confiscated my weapon…" Lei Ling muttered, a trace of sorrow in its voice. The wolf-tooth club wasn't just a weapon; it was its prized possession, its faithful companion.
That club had been with it through countless heists and battles. It had slept beside it, fought alongside it—no, it wasn't just a weapon; it was its beloved companion.
The more Lei Ling thought about it, the more furious it became.
"Chu Wuchen!" it roared to the sky, its voice full of rage. "You took my most treasured possession—I'll never forgive you!"