As the darkness of night shrouded the ruined landscape, Kane gazed up at the mysterious woman, his eyes burning with defiance.
"Give up, Kane," she urged, her voice laced with a hint of impatience. "Let me grant you a painless death. I cannot waste more time here."
Kane's thoughts flashed with amusement. Despite the woman's weakened aura, he sensed an undercurrent of power.
But before he could respond, the sky above began to distort. Morning dawned, only to yield to night once more. The continent itself seemed to shudder, lurching east and west in erratic, jerky movements.
The mysterious woman's eyes widened in shock. "What is this?" she demanded.
Kane's smile was arrogant, his voice dripping with confidence.
"I won't surrender. I won't kneel to any immortal's dog."
As he spoke, the System interface flashed:
"Blood Integration Completed."
"Collecting Ki and Converting into Life Essences."
Kane's gaze flicked to the System, a sly smile spreading across his face.
The mysterious woman's eyes narrowed, sensing something amiss.
But before she could react, the surrounding Ki surged towards Kane like a tornado. His body erupted in a brilliant red glow, as if he were being forged anew.
Cracks spread across Kane's skin, shattering like glass. His black muscles tore apart, revealing new, crimson-hued muscles beneath.
The mysterious woman's eyes went wide. "What... what's happening to him?"
Just as the mysterious woman was about to attack Kane, Zhao Min suddenly appeared, her movements swift and fluid.
"Wait!" Zhao Min exclaimed, her voice firm and authoritative.
Elder, what's going on? Your body—"
Kane's transformation continued, his form blurring between human and something more.
The mysterious woman paused, her gaze shifting to Zhao Min. Kane took advantage of the distraction to glance at Zhao Min, his expression a mix of surprise and gratitude.
Zhao Min's eyes locked onto the mysterious woman. "What's going on here?" she demanded.
The mysterious woman's smile was enigmatic. "And who are you to interfere?"
Zhao Min's stance was resolute. "Someone who won't let you harm him."
Kane's thoughts whirled. If she can distract her for sometime the. I can recover
The mysterious woman's gaze flicked between Kane and Zhao Min. Her aura shifted, her intentions unclear.
Here's a rewritten version with added intensity and detail:
The mysterious woman's voice dripped with malice. "Move aside, or I'll kill you first."
Her aura surged, radiating an otherworldly power that made Kane's heart sink. The pure, angelic energy resonated with the immortals', striking fear into Kane's core.
"I won't waste time," Kane thought, his resolve hardening. "I must survive."
As he watched, his body began to undergo a grotesque transformation. His face contorted into a devilish grin, and his skin rippled with dark, pulsing veins.
Zhao Min stumbled back, desperately dodging the mysterious woman's relentless attacks. "I can barely defend myself!" she exclaimed, her hands bleeding from the force of the blows.
The mysterious woman's strikes grew stronger, more precise. Zhao Min's eyes widened in alarm.
"She's toying with me," Zhao Min realized. "She's at least a hundred times stronger than Lei Bai and Elder Fang Lin combined."
As Zhao Min retreated, her foot caught on a loose stone from the ruins. She fell, her vision blurring.
The mysterious woman's laughter sent shivers down Zhao Min's spine.
"Your beauty is incredible," the woman said, her voice dripping with envy. "Though I can't see it, I sense it. And I'll destroy your eyes first, so you can never gaze upon the world again."
Zhao Min's eyes flashed with determination. "Never!" she spat, mustering her remaining strength.
Kane's vision blurred, overwhelmed by agony that surpassed anything he'd endured before. His current body, weaker than his Lunaria continent form, struggled to cope with the transformation.
As unconsciousness claimed him, Kane's thoughts fragmented:
"Don't... don't let me fall... not now..."
His mind slipped into a dream state, and Kane found himself in a unfamiliar room. The space was opulent, yet eerily devoid of warmth.
Fear, anger, and despair swirled within him, but happiness and joy were conspicuously absent. Darkness shrouded every corner, suffocating Kane.
His gaze fell upon a painting, and memories flooded back.
"On Earth, I cherished art," Kane thought, his voice barely above a whisper. "I bought masterpieces, thinking they'd bring me solace. But now, I see them for what they are – useless relics, mere records of past events."
Kane's eyes roved the hall, taking in the grand TV and the expansive window showcasing the city skyline. He stood atop a towering skyscraper, the world below him a distant hum.
"This could be my prison or my sanctuary," Kane mused, his thoughts tinged with bitterness. "What difference does it make?"
Suddenly, the TV flickered to life, displaying a news broadcast:
"...Reports of catastrophic disturbances across the continent... rumors of an immortal's return..."
Kane's eyes narrowed.
"Immortal's return?" he repeated, his mind racing. "Is this connected to my transformation?"