The night air was thick with tension as Xiaojun and Liu Yan hurried through the forest, their breaths quick and shallow. Lin Mei followed closely behind, still weak from her escape but pushing through with a sense of urgency. They had no time to waste. The Jade Serpent Sect's forces were marching toward them, and the scattered resistance had no idea what was coming.
They reached a narrow ridge that overlooked the nearest village, Duan Xi's village, where they had started gathering allies. The soft glow of lanterns could be seen in the distance, peaceful and unaware of the chaos that was about to descend.
"We need to get them ready," Liu Yan said, her voice firm but laced with concern. "If what Lin Mei says is true, we have less than two days before the sect reaches us."
Xiaojun nodded, already thinking about how they could organize the defenses. "We need to rally everyone immediately. We'll start with Duan Xi and the blacksmiths. If we can get them to work around the clock, we might be able to arm enough villagers in time."
"And the cultivators?" Liu Yan asked, casting a wary glance toward Lin Mei.
Lin Mei looked pale but determined. "The Jade Serpent Sect has sent their elite—some of their most skilled fighters. We're not just dealing with their foot soldiers. They'll come fast, and they'll come hard. If you want to survive, you need to be ready."
The gravity of the situation settled on them like a heavy fog. Xiaojun could see it in Liu Yan's eyes, the same thought that was running through his head. They weren't prepared for this—not yet. But they had no choice. The resistance needed time, and time was running out.
"We need to split up," Xiaojun said finally, his voice calm but determined. "Liu Yan, you take Lin Mei to the other villages. Start rallying the rest of the forces. I'll stay here with Duan Xi and start preparing the defenses."
Liu Yan hesitated for a moment, her gaze locking with his. "You sure you can handle this on your own?"
"I'll manage," Xiaojun replied with more confidence than he felt. "We don't have a choice. If we don't move now, we're dead."
She nodded, her expression hardening. "We'll meet back here tomorrow night. If everything goes well, we'll have reinforcements."
With that, Liu Yan and Lin Mei vanished into the darkness, leaving Xiaojun standing alone at the ridge. For a moment, he simply stared out at the peaceful village below, trying to gather his thoughts. This was it. The calm before the storm.
He took a deep breath, squaring his shoulders before descending into the village. He could hear the steady clang of Duan Xi's hammer long before he reached the blacksmith's forge, the rhythmic pounding like a heartbeat in the stillness of the night.
When he arrived, Duan Xi was bent over an anvil, sweat pouring down his face as he hammered out the shape of a sword. Several other blacksmiths worked alongside him, hastily crafting weapons and armor for the coming fight. Xiaojun approached, and Duan Xi looked up, his face grim but resolute.
"You're back sooner than I expected," Duan Xi grunted, wiping sweat from his brow. "What's the news?"
"The Jade Serpent Sect is coming," Xiaojun said bluntly. "We have less than two days to prepare."
Duan Xi's eyes narrowed, and he slammed the hammer down onto the anvil with a resounding clang. "Figures. Those bastards never give anyone a fair fight."
"They're sending elite cultivators, assassins—people we're not ready for," Xiaojun continued, his tone serious. "But we can't afford to retreat. We need to arm every able-bodied person in the village. We need traps, barricades—anything that can buy us time."
Duan Xi nodded, his mind already shifting into overdrive. "I've got a few tricks up my sleeve. We'll have some weapons ready by morning, and I can start crafting more traps. But it's not going to be enough to stop cultivators of their caliber."
"I know," Xiaojun admitted. "But we're not trying to stop them—we're trying to survive."
Duan Xi stared at him for a long moment, then nodded. "Alright. I'll gather the others. We'll get to work. But you better have something up your sleeve too, Xiaojun. If we're going to stand any chance, we're going to need more than just steel."
The village was a flurry of activity as night turned into day. Duan Xi and the blacksmiths worked tirelessly, crafting crude weapons from whatever materials they had on hand. Farmers and craftsmen alike took up arms, many of them holding a sword or spear for the first time in their lives. Xiaojun oversaw the defenses, helping to set up barricades and organizing the villagers into small, manageable groups.
Despite the rush, the atmosphere was tense. Fear was a tangible thing in the air, thick and suffocating. The villagers knew they were facing an overwhelming force—an enemy that had crushed countless others before them. But there was also a quiet determination, a willingness to fight for their homes and families, even if the odds were stacked against them.
As the day wore on, Xiaojun found himself pacing along the edge of the village, his mind racing. He opened the system interface again, checking his remaining resources. The cultivation pills he had rolled the previous night sat in his inventory, but they wouldn't be enough to turn the tide. He needed something more—something that could level the playing field against the Jade Serpent Sect's elite fighters.
His eyes drifted to the gacha button, and he hesitated. He didn't have many tokens left, but if there was ever a time to take a chance, it was now.
With a deep breath, he hit the button.
The familiar spinning symbols whirled across the screen, and Xiaojun held his breath, waiting for the result. After what felt like an eternity, the wheel stopped, and a notification appeared.
[Gacha Roll: Soulfire Amulet (One-time Use)]
Xiaojun's brow furrowed as he read the description. The Soulfire Amulet was a powerful artifact, but it came with a cost. It would unleash a devastating wave of energy, powerful enough to take out multiple enemies at once, but it would also drain the user's life force. A dangerous gamble, but one that could turn the tide of battle—if used wisely.
He pocketed the amulet, his heart pounding. It wasn't a perfect solution, but it was something. And in a fight like this, something was better than nothing.
By nightfall, the village was as ready as it could be. The barricades were in place, weapons were distributed, and traps were set along the outskirts of the village. Duan Xi and his blacksmiths had outdone themselves, crafting enough weapons to arm every villager. Xiaojun could see the exhaustion in their faces, but there was also a sense of grim determination.
Liu Yan and Lin Mei hadn't returned yet, and Xiaojun couldn't help but worry. They needed reinforcements. If the Jade Serpent Sect attacked before they arrived, the village would be hard-pressed to hold them off.
As the moon rose high in the sky, a distant sound broke the stillness—the rhythmic pounding of drums, growing louder with each passing minute.
"They're coming," Duan Xi muttered, stepping up beside Xiaojun. His hands clenched the hilt of a massive hammer, his knuckles white. "No turning back now."
Xiaojun's heart raced as the drums grew louder, echoing through the valley. He could see the faint glow of torches in the distance, flickering like angry fireflies in the darkness. The Jade Serpent Sect was on the move.
"Everyone, to your positions!" Xiaojun called out, his voice steady despite the fear clawing at his insides. "Stick to the plan, and we'll make it through this."
The villagers moved quickly, taking up their positions behind the barricades, weapons in hand. Xiaojun could see the fear in their eyes, but there was also resolve. They were ready to fight, ready to defend their homes, no matter the cost.
As the first wave of Jade Serpent Sect soldiers appeared on the horizon, Xiaojun's mind raced. This was it—the moment that would decide everything.
He felt the weight of the Soulfire Amulet in his pocket, a reminder of the deadly power he now held. But he also knew that using it would come with a price. He would have to wait for the right moment, the perfect opportunity to strike.
The drums grew louder, and the enemy soldiers drew closer, their forms silhouetted against the moonlit sky. At the front of the group, Xiaojun spotted a figure dressed in dark robes, their face obscured by a hood. This wasn't just a foot soldier—this was one of the elite cultivators, sent to crush the resistance before it could even begin.
"Hold the line!" Xiaojun shouted, gripping the hilt of his sword. The first wave of attackers reached the edge of the village, and the battle began in a flurry of steel and blood.
Screams filled the night as the two sides clashed, the villagers fighting with desperate strength. Xiaojun moved through the chaos, cutting down enemies left and right, but his eyes were always on the hooded figure at the back—the true threat.
As the battle raged on, the elite cultivator finally
made his move. With a flick of his wrist, the hooded cultivator sent a pulse of energy rippling through the air. The blast struck the barricades, shattering them like brittle wood, sending splinters flying in every direction. The villagers who had been holding the line were thrown back, some hitting the ground with sickening thuds.
Xiaojun gritted his teeth as he felt the impact ripple through the battlefield. The cultivator was powerful—far more powerful than anyone they had faced so far. The villagers were no match for someone like this.
"Regroup! Fall back to the second line!" Xiaojun yelled, his voice rising above the noise of the battle. The villagers scrambled to follow his orders, retreating to the next set of defenses they had hastily set up earlier.
As Xiaojun moved to intercept the cultivator, he caught a glimpse of Duan Xi, hammering down an enemy with a furious yell, defending the retreating villagers. The blacksmith was holding his own, but they all knew that they wouldn't last much longer against the overwhelming power of the Jade Serpent Sect's elite fighters.
The hooded cultivator continued his slow, deliberate march forward, his dark robes flowing like liquid shadow around him. With every step, he exuded an aura of absolute dominance, the very air crackling with his power. His hand rose once more, and Xiaojun could feel the pull of energy as another devastating wave of force began to build.
Xiaojun's grip tightened on his sword, but he knew he couldn't simply rush in. This wasn't some low-level thug—this was someone who had spent years, possibly decades, honing their cultivation. Charging in recklessly would only get him killed.
He needed a plan. Fast.
His mind raced, thinking back to the traps they'd set earlier. If he could lure the cultivator into one of them, it might give the villagers the chance they needed to regroup. But it would require precise timing and a bit of luck.
Xiaojun edged forward, keeping low as he positioned himself between the advancing cultivator and one of the hidden pitfalls they had dug earlier. It was crude—nothing more than a shallow pit lined with sharpened stakes—but it was all they had. The key would be getting the cultivator to move just a few feet to the right.
The cultivator's hand came down, releasing another pulse of energy. This one swept toward Xiaojun, and he barely had time to dive out of the way. The force of the blast left a deep gouge in the ground where he had just been standing, and Xiaojun could feel the hairs on the back of his neck stand on end.
"Come on," he muttered under his breath. "Just a little closer."
He began to retreat, deliberately drawing the cultivator's attention. As expected, the hooded figure followed, each step heavy with intent. The aura of menace surrounding him was palpable, and Xiaojun could feel the pressure building as the distance between them closed.
Finally, they were close enough. Xiaojun took a calculated step backward, planting his foot just inches from the edge of the pit.
"Now!" he yelled, throwing a rock toward the opposite side of the pit to create a distraction. The cultivator's eyes flicked toward the noise for just a second, and Xiaojun seized the opportunity. With a swift, decisive motion, he launched himself sideways, rolling across the ground and away from the trap.
The cultivator, caught off guard, stepped forward—and the ground gave way beneath him.
There was a moment of stunned silence as the hooded figure fell, the sharp wooden stakes waiting for him below. But just before he hit the bottom, an explosion of energy erupted from his body, vaporizing the stakes and creating a small crater where the trap had been.
Xiaojun cursed under his breath. Even that hadn't been enough.
The cultivator rose from the pit, his robes now tattered and torn, his face visible for the first time. He was younger than Xiaojun had expected, perhaps in his late twenties, but his eyes burned with the cold fury of someone who had long embraced the path of violence.
"You'll pay for that," the cultivator hissed, his voice low and dangerous.
Xiaojun had no time to respond. The cultivator lunged forward, his speed inhuman, and Xiaojun barely had time to raise his sword to block the incoming strike. The force of the blow reverberated through his arms, nearly knocking him off balance.
The cultivator pressed the attack, his strikes precise and deadly. Xiaojun was forced to retreat, parrying and dodging as best he could, but the gap in their skills was painfully clear. The cultivator was toying with him, testing his defenses, looking for the perfect moment to strike a fatal blow.
Xiaojun knew he couldn't keep this up for long. His arms were already starting to ache from the relentless barrage, and every second that passed brought them closer to defeat. The villagers behind him were barely holding the line, and if this cultivator broke through, it would all be over.
His mind raced. The Soulfire Amulet. It was his last resort, but he didn't know if he could survive using it. The cost could be devastating, but what choice did he have? If he didn't act now, the village would be lost.
With a quick movement, Xiaojun reached into his pocket and pulled out the amulet. The cultivator's eyes widened in recognition, and for the first time, there was a flicker of uncertainty in his gaze.
"You don't know what you're doing," the cultivator snarled, taking a cautious step back.
Xiaojun tightened his grip on the amulet, feeling its power surge through him. He could feel the heat building in his chest, the energy crackling in the air around him. It was overwhelming, threatening to consume him, but he couldn't stop now.
"I know enough," Xiaojun replied, his voice steady despite the chaos inside him. He raised the amulet high, and with a final, decisive motion, he activated it.
The world exploded in light.
A wave of scorching, white-hot energy erupted from the amulet, sweeping across the battlefield like a storm. Xiaojun could feel the power tearing through him, ripping at his very soul, but he held on, pouring everything he had into the attack.
The cultivator screamed, caught in the heart of the blast. His defenses crumbled under the onslaught, and for a brief moment, Xiaojun saw the fear in his eyes—the fear of someone who had never faced defeat.
And then it was over.
The light faded, and Xiaojun fell to his knees, gasping for breath. The amulet crumbled to dust in his hand, its power spent. Around him, the battlefield was eerily quiet, the air thick with the acrid smell of burned earth and scorched bodies.
The cultivator lay motionless in the center of the blast zone, his robes charred and torn. He was still alive, barely, but his aura of invincibility was gone.
Xiaojun staggered to his feet, his entire body screaming in protest. He had survived, but just barely. The villagers around him were starting to recover, their eyes wide with disbelief at what they had just witnessed.
Duan Xi rushed over, helping Xiaojun stay on his feet. "What the hell was that?"
Xiaojun shook his head, too exhausted to explain. "Something… we won't be able to use again," he said, his voice hoarse.
As the dust settled and the survivors began to gather, Xiaojun's gaze turned to the horizon. They had won the battle, but the war was far from over. The Jade Serpent Sect would come again, and next time, they wouldn't be so easily caught off guard.
But for now, they had survived. That was all that mattered.
"We need to prepare for the next wave," Xiaojun said quietly, his eyes dark with determination. "This isn't over yet."