At the royal palace training grounds, the air buzzed with energy as two beams of light shot into the sky, painting it with their brilliance. One beam crackled with crimson lightning, while the other shimmered in golden hues. The thunderous display filled the area with an oppressive, electrifying presence that silenced the disciples below.
"Princess Mei Xue has finally reached Level 2, the Essence Sensing Level," exclaimed Fang Xinyao, one of the sect masters, her tone filled with admiration.
Tian Wu, standing composed, added, "Lei Zhen has also stepped into Level 2. A dual breakthrough—a rare sight."
On the ground, Mei Xue and Lei Zhen stood motionless, their bodies shrouded in the remnants of thunder and heavenly aura. The pure essence of the heavenly crystal in the center of the training grounds was still being drawn into their forms, their dantians growing as they absorbed its energy.
Moments later, the sky darkened ominously, and the first rumble of a heavenly tribulation echoed. Bolts of golden and crimson lightning surged from the heavens, crashing down upon the two cultivators. Mei Xue and Lei Zhen braced themselves, their auras flaring as they resisted the onslaught. Each bolt left scorch marks on their bodies, yet neither faltered. They endured until the tribulation passed, leaving the grounds silent.
As the heavenly tribulation subsided, disciples rushed to congratulate the two. Despite their battered appearances, Mei Xue and Lei Zhen stood tall, their gazes unwavering.
From a distance, Mei Zihan observed with a helpless smile. "Sigh… my sister has surpassed me this time. I'm only at half a step into Level 2. Just months ago, she was only at the early stage of Level 1. But after meeting Xuan Li, she returned at the late stage, and now she's already broken through again. I need to work harder to catch up."
Amidst the crowd, Lei Zhen approached Mei Xue, his expression solemn yet respectful. "Princess Mei Xue, congratulations on your breakthrough."
Mei Xue nodded, her voice calm but firm. "You too, Lei Zhen."
Lei Zhen hesitated, then spoke with a challenging gleam in his eyes. "Princess, since we both broke through…"
Mei Xue, reading his intention, interrupted with a faint smile. "Alright, let's duel."
The nearby disciples erupted with excitement. "A duel between Princess Mei Xue and Lei Zhen! This is going to be incredible!"
On the raised platform, one of the sect masters remarked, "A duel after a breakthrough is good. It helps stabilize the foundation."
In the center of the training grounds, Mei Xue and Lei Zhen faced each other, taking their fighting stances. Mei Xue's aura flared as crimson lightning enveloped her. Across from her, Lei Zhen stretched out his hand, manifesting several golden thunder spheres around him. The tension was palpable as the air grew heavier with their combined power.
From the sidelines, Mei Zihan watched with disinterest, his arms crossed. "This is boring," he muttered.
A voice interrupted his musings. "You really think so?"
Mei Zihan turned to see Ling Yuna standing beside him. He shrugged. "Yeah."
Ling Yuna raised an eyebrow. "Why?"
Mei Zihan smirked. "It's just a duel. Not even a fight to the death. When you stand before death itself, the power and determination you summon in that moment are worth witnessing. You either survive and become absolute, or you perish."
Ling Yuna studied him curiously. "You talk like you've faced such a moment."
Mei Zihan's smile faded as he fell into memory. "It wasn't a battle, but I once dueled a young warrior. I attacked with all my might, and though he took damage, he stood up and said something bizarre: 'I was testing if I could resist your attacks with only physical power.' Then he came at me with one punch."
Mei Zihan trembled slightly as he continued. "When that punch came at me, I felt like I was staring into the vast expanse of the universe, where I was no more significant than a speck of dust." Flames flickered around him unconsciously. "That moment was true death staring me in the face. After that day, I trained like a madman. If I meet him again, I'll give everything I have."
Ling Yuna felt a chill as she sensed Mei Zihan's intense resolve. Before she could respond, a shout drew their attention. "Oh no! Princess Mei Xue is being pushed back by Lei Zhen!"
The duel raged on, with Mei Xue and Lei Zhen exchanging powerful moves. Despite her best efforts, Mei Xue was overwhelmed, her medium-grade thunder struggling against Lei Zhen's high-tier abilities. She coughed up blood but remained standing, a faint smile on her lips.
Suddenly, her crimson thunder intensified, flaring wildly. Her eyes glowed with red lightning inscriptions, and the entire training ground lit up with her power. Lei Zhen froze, stunned by the transformation.
Mei Zihan smirked. "She would've lost if she were the Mei Xue I knew four months ago. But after traveling with Xuan Li for three months, she's completely different."
Mei Xue surged forward, her power surging to new heights. She manifested a thunder sword, slicing through Lei Zhen's thunder spheres with ease. With a swift kick, she sent him stumbling back twenty steps, blood dripping from his lips. Lei Zhen struggled to recover but was met with Mei Xue dashing toward him again.
Before the final blow could land, a sect master stepped between them. "Enough! The duel is over. Step back."
The disciples cheered, the tension dissipating as both Mei Xue and Lei Zhen lowered their weapons. Though bruised and bloodied, Mei Xue's triumphant smile shone through, her spirit unyielding.
Mei Zihan observed Mei Xue's triumphant smile, a faint glint of pride flickering in his otherwise detached gaze. He turned to Ling Yuna, his voice calm yet edged with frustration.
"That's why duels are boring," he said, crossing his arms. "If the sect master hadn't stepped in, Mei Xue would've landed a severe blow on Lei Zhen. He, in turn, might've countered with all his strength. We would've witnessed a truly interesting duel. But, as always, it ended just as it was about to get exciting."
Without waiting for a response, Mei Zihan turned away, heading back to his training area. His crimson flames flared briefly, a sign of his simmering passion and resolve, before he vanished into the crowd.
Ling Yuna watched him go, her thoughts racing. "He mentioned Mei Xue traveling with Xuan Li. But the Xuan Li I know is weak, incapable of anything remarkable. How could someone like that inspire such a drastic change in Mei Xue? And rescuing both princesses? That doesn't sound like the Xuan Li I remember."
She clenched her sword hilt tightly, her mind swirling with curiosity and doubt. "Regardless, I need to meet this so-called 'new' Xuan Li. If he's truly changed, I'll see it for myself."
Ling Yuna's gaze shifted back to Mei Xue, who was now surrounded by disciples congratulating her on her victory. Despite her bloodied appearance, Mei Xue's unwavering smile spoke volumes about her resolve and transformation. "If Xuan Li is behind this change, then perhaps there's more to him than I thought. I'll find out soon enough."