The night enveloped the makeshift camp in darkness, interrupted only by the faint glow of embers from the fire. The twisted branches and leaves of ancient trees covered the sky above the Feng brothers' heads.
After confirming the child was dead and ensuring no one would interfere with their plans, they approached their target slowly and silently.
Lieyan and Haotian gazed at Zahira as she slept.
Haotian leaned closer to the hybrid girl's head. A small trail of blood trickled from her nose. Raising his hand, he checked her breathing—it was shallow, as if it could stop at any moment. Satisfied, he signaled to his younger brother, who, without hesitation, began rummaging through her bag.
Lieyan grabbed a small axe and stepped toward her legs.
He raised the axe, preparing to strike. Lieyan smiled at the thought of the pride their parents would feel when he and his brother brought home a prize as valuable as this one. His arm descended, and the blade sliced through the air at an impressive speed, enhanced by the Lightning essence amplifying his body.
But before the axe could strike Zahira's short legs and dismember her body, something unexpected happened—a red, viscous thing grabbed the blade mid-air, deflecting it with a swift motion.
Lieyan stepped back, startled.
Buk, Zahira's small pet, had awakened.
The animal's sticky tongue latched onto the axe, ripping it from the attacker's grasp before hurling it far away.
Haotian clenched his teeth at the sight of the unfortunate creature disrupting their plans. He grabbed his whip and, with a fluid motion, swung it horizontally toward Zahira's pet's head.
Buk tried to dodge by leaping, but Haotian was much faster. Abruptly adjusting his arm movement, he shifted to a vertical strike, hitting Buk's right shoulder and slamming him brutally to the ground.
The attack ripped the skin off Buk's shoulder, leaving a bloody red streak. The impact nearly shattered his bones.
Haotian didn't stop there. His arm moved like a serpent, and the whip's tip struck Buk's body violently. Haotian was surprised at how resilient the creature was—he couldn't understand why Buk hadn't died from the first blow.
Buk's body was covered in deep wounds, yet the small beast's determination remained undiminished. With trembling legs, he rose, showing no fear, and charged at the aggressors threatening his owner.
Leaping into the air, he struck Haotian's face with his tongue, blinding him.
Haotian pulled at it with all his strength, but Buk's tongue clung to his skin as if glued to his flesh.
His younger brother rushed to help. Quickly donning clawed gauntlets, Lieyan swung his arm, slicing Buk's tongue effortlessly in an attempt to aid his brother.
But at that moment, Haotian's scream echoed through the air.
Lieyan saw a thin blade had pierced his elder brother's chest.
"HAOTIAN!" he shouted uncontrollably.
Shock and disbelief clouded his mind.
"This can't be," he murmured, unwilling to accept what had happened.
Lieyan stumbled toward his brother, his legs trembling. When he reached him, he saw blood gushing from Haotian's chest, staining his clothes. The severed piece of Buk's tongue remained glued to Haotian's face, preventing him from witnessing the moment life left his brother's eyes.
He glanced at the tip of the sword that had taken Haotian's life. It felt familiar, and then clarity struck him.
The blade retracted, and Haotian's lifeless body fell to the ground. Behind him, a small figure emerged.
That figure darted toward him. Still reeling from his brother's death, Lieyan reacted with fury in his heart.
Without a second thought, he swung his clawed gauntlets aimlessly at his opponent's neck.
His adversary redirected the bloodstained sword toward the right side of Lieyan's abdomen.
In a battle between cultivators, the first to channel their essence could determine the fight's outcome.
But the Lightning essence obeyed its cultivator's will faster than others. With his body charged with essence, Lieyan gained the initiative over his opponent. Closing the distance in an instant, he attempted to decapitate his enemy.
His opponent had no choice but to sacrifice his left arm to block the claws. A sense of triumph filled Lieyan's heart as he saw his blades deeply embedded in his rival's flesh. However, to his surprise, his enemy's mutilated arm elicited no reaction.
The opponent's advance continued without pause. Holding the sword with only his right hand, he redirected the attack, stabbing Lieyan's left leg.
Reacting swiftly, Lieyan leapt back, retreating several meters away from his foe. He looked at his bleeding leg, then cast an irritated glance at the child who had done this. Tristan's perfectly white teeth contrasted with his appearance as his lips curled into a broad grin.
"Wasn't that a bit slow for a king of speed?" Tristan taunted.
[Fallen Grace]
A white light traveled down Tristan's arm, halting the bleeding from his wounds.
Unfortunately, Tristan's smile was only a provocation—he wasn't sure if the advantage he had managed to secure would be enough to close the gap between them.
"YOU!" Lieyan's face twisted in hatred. "How are you still alive? I checked—you were dead! I'm certain of it!" He roared, trembling with indignation.
Tristan answered his question by lunging forward, aiming to stab his abdomen.
[Storm Rush]
Sparks enveloped Lieyan's body. Despite his limp, he retreated quickly. In an instant, he circled around Tristan, appearing to his right.
Seeing this, Tristan was taken aback. 'These movements are different from the ones he used before.' Initially, he had thought injuring his opponent's leg would hinder his movement techniques. However, he now realized Lieyan possessed a versatile technique. This concerned him slightly, but he didn't despair—after all, he always prepared for the worst-case scenario before a battle.
Tristan halted his advance, forced to block Lieyan's attack with his sword. The impact dragged his body backward. He barely managed to stay on his feet, preventing himself from falling. Lieyan had far more mass and vitality than he did. Tristan pondered how he could bridge this gap.
[Electric Claw]
Sparks covered Lieyan's claws as his arm descended toward Tristan's head like a lightning strike in a storm.