As Zhìxué stood his ground, Xing'er's voice echoed in his mind, her tone focused and analytical. "Master Zhìxué, I've calculated another scenario based on their technique. They're using a hidden, high-level evil speed technique to close the distance rapidly. This technique pushes their bodies beyond normal limits, and if it continues, they will weaken once the technique's effects wear off."
Zhìxué raised an eyebrow, hope flickering within him. "How does that affect our chances?"
Xing'er responded immediately. "Their temporary speed boost grants us an advantage. The strain on their bodies will reduce their stamina, and as their energy diminishes, our chance of fighting back successfully increases by 25%. That brings us to a total of 65% for successful engagement. Additionally, once their bodies reach their limit, our chance of escape rises to 88%."
Zhìxué clenched his fists, determination hardening his gaze. "Sixty-five percent is enough. We can buy time for an escape."
Xing'er's voice softened, steady yet filled with a sense of loyalty. "I have fought by your father's side against many foes. With his battle tactics and my knowledge of these opponents, I can offer you strategies to endure."
Zhìxué nodded, a newfound strength rising within him. "Alright, Xing'er. Absorb everything around us—the leaves, the rocks. Forge me armor that can shield us."
In an instant, Xing'er activated the process. The foliage around them began to tremble as leaves, rocks, and fragments of earth seemed to come alive, swirling together in a radiant, shimmering mass. The pieces adhered to Zhìxué, layer by layer, forming a sturdy, organic armor that encased his body with natural resilience.
Within seconds, he stood transformed, cloaked in armor formed from the heart of the land itself. The leaves gave a natural camouflage, while the rocks provided a hardened defense, making him look both ancient and powerful.
As Zhìxué surveyed his new armor, the black-clad men across the field burst into mocking laughter, their voices thick with derision.
The elder with the black blade sneered, his dark eyes glinting with amusement. "Well, well. So you can wield qi after all. I thought this pathetic world only knew of external weapons—what do they call it? Guns?" He laughed, his companions joining him, their cruel chuckles filling the air.
Another black-clad figure sneered, looking Zhìxué up and down. "It's useless, boy. You think a little armor made of rocks and leaves can protect you from cultivators like us? Against our strength, your defenses are nothing but dust in the wind."
Zhìxué maintained his stance, his gaze unwavering. "You underestimate the power of this world and what it can achieve. I may not be from Tiānliàn, but I know enough to defend what's important."
The elder laughed, his dark aura intensifying. "Brave words for a worm who has only just tasted a drop of qi. We've conquered cultivators far stronger than you, and in our realm, you wouldn't last a second. You're nothing but a fool wrapped in pebbles."
Zhìxué could feel Xing'er's presence resonating within him, her voice calm and wise. "Master, let their arrogance lead them astray. They're assuming you wield qi just because of the armor they see. What they don't realize is that I, your AI, refined this armor using the natural elements around us. Rocks, leaves—ordinary materials—combined to form a protective layer, not from any qi, but from my ability to manipulate matter at a microscopic level."
Zhìxué smirked, realizing Xing'er's clever strategy. "So, we're not using anything beyond the basics of this world… and they think it's something more powerful."
"Yes," Xing'er continued, "they assume you have control over qi because they can't imagine that someone could build armor without it. Let's use that against them. Stay on defense, and their technique will drain their strength soon enough."
The armor wasn't his father's in a literal sense, but it was an extension of the technology and knowledge his father had left behind. The Neutron Star shard within Zhìxué was enhancing the AI's capabilities to manipulate natural elements, a technique his father had mastered. Though it looked like a suit formed by qi, it was actually a brilliant play on the principles his father had left behind.
As the cultivators sneered at him, the elder with the black blade laughed mockingly. "So you do wield qi, then. I thought your kind knew nothing beyond mere weapons, like those… guns. And yet here you stand, cloaked in elemental armor as if you were one of us."
The other black-clad figures laughed, their dark energy swirling around them as they prepared for an attack. They saw Zhìxué's armor and assumed he was using a beginner's qi technique. But they had no idea it was Xing'er's skill in manipulating the environment, not Zhìxué's cultivation, that formed his protection.
Zhìxué held his ground, suppressing a smile. "Believe whatever you want," he replied, keeping his tone even. "This world may be different from yours, but you'd be foolish to underestimate its strengths."
Inwardly, he thought to himself, If I can keep them guessing, if they believe I have qi, they may hold back just enough for me to survive.
One of the cultivators stepped forward, his eyes gleaming with dark intent. "You think rocks and leaves will protect you against real power? In our realm, we would tear this apart in seconds."
Xing'er whispered to him, "Remember, master, they're growing impatient. They can't sense the source of the armor, which confuses them. Use this time to stay on defense; they're expending energy to break down what they think is qiarmor."
Zhìxué gave the slightest nod. "Right. We'll keep them in the dark—literally and figuratively."
The elder with the black blade scowled, sensing Zhìxué's calm. "You'll regret your arrogance soon enough. Show us what that armor can really do."
As the dark figures began to unleash their attacks, Zhìxué braced himself, letting the refined armor take the brunt of their energy. He could feel the vibrations of their strikes but held steady, Xing'er's voice reminding him of the escape plan as the minutes ticked by, inching closer to their exhaustion point.
It was a battle of patience and precision, with Zhìxué counting every second until the cultivators' technique would finally wear down.
Xing'er's voice chimed in his mind, calm but determined. "Master, initiating Beast Calling Echo. Prepare yourself."
Suddenly, an eerie yet powerful echo rippled through the dense greenery of Samut Cher, reaching out to the native wildlife. Within moments, the forest came alive with movement. Tigers prowled from the shadows, lions emerged with quiet menace, and a host of other formidable beasts approached, their eyes fixed on the intruders.
Zhìxué watched in awe and surprise as the animals surrounded them, responding to Xing'er's call. "I didn't expect anything like this," he muttered, marveling at the sheer power his AI could harness.
Xing'er's voice whispered in his mind, "The energy from your Neutron Star shard amplifies the call, allowing us to tap into nature itself. Master, their speed technique has reached its limit. They're vulnerable now."
Elder Lu, however, was unimpressed. He looked at the encircling animals with disdain, lifting his black blade as he smirked. "You think a few beasts can stand in my way?" he scoffed, his voice laced with contempt. "These creatures are nothing to me."
With a menacing focus, Elder Lu summoned his dark qi, igniting his blade with a deadly black flame that pulsed with intensity. In one sweeping motion, he slashed his blade in a wide arc, the dark flames erupting and cutting through the air. The animals that had leapt forward to attack were instantly consumed by the dark fire, collapsing around them as the flames obliterated all in their path.
Zhìxué watched, his heart sinking as the beasts fell one by one. His armor, made of stone and leaves, shielded him briefly, absorbing the brunt of the attack. But the force of Elder Lu's blow was immense. Though the armor held initially, cracks began to spread rapidly across its surface. Stones splintered, and bits of leaves and rock fell away, revealing his vulnerable form beneath.
Elder Lu's expression shifted from irritation to surprise as he watched the armor crack but still hold up against his powerful strike. "So, you managed to withstand one of my attacks," he muttered, narrowing his eyes at Zhìxué. For a brief moment, he looked almost impressed. But then, as more of the armor shattered and crumbled away, his surprise melted into mocking laughter. "So that's all it took to shatter your little defenses?" he sneered. "I was almost fooled into thinking you had real strength. But now… I see it's just cheap materials. A stone suit? Pathetic."
Xing'er's voice broke through, unwavering despite the damage. "Master, this armor was crafted from basic elements—it was always intended as a temporary defense. They've exposed our limitations, and now we must change our approach."
Zhìxué clenched his fists, feeling the last fragments of the armor fall away. The elder's laughter echoed around him, but he kept his focus steady. "Xing'er," he whispered, "it's time for the next move."
Zhìxué braced himself, feeling a sudden surge of energy building in his leg. The Neutron Star shard embedded in him pulsed, then separated from his body, rising into the air with a radiant glow. He watched in awe, wide-eyed, as the shard began to twist and expand, pulling the very fabric of space around it to form an immense, shimmering dragon—a celestial being of pure, cosmic energy. Its scales sparkled like stars, and its colossal body stretched across the entire expanse of Samut Cher, casting an ethereal light over the forest below.
In that awe-inspiring moment, another shard—Xing'er's Neutron Star core—merged into the celestial dragon, empowering it with an intense, unified glow. The AI's voice vanished as her essence merged with the creature, leaving Zhìxué unsupported. As the shard left his leg, his strength drained, and he collapsed to the ground, his lower body numb. Yet, despite his weakness, he could only stare, spellbound by the majestic creature before him, as if the heavens themselves had split open to unleash this guardian.
The dark cultivators froze, faces twisted with fear and disbelief. One of them stumbled backward, muttering in shock, "A... a celestial dragon? How can this even be real?"
Another, just as shaken, whispered, "This… this is beyond what we were told. Nothing in our training could have prepared us for this."
Elder Lu's face contorted with anger, but his eyes betrayed fear. Refusing to back down, he barked, "Prepare the forbidden technique! Evil Shadow Arrow—now!"
Pale and trembling, the cultivators rallied, channeling their dark qi into Elder Lu, who drew it all together, forming a massive black arrow that crackled with dark flames. He raised his blade, his voice filled with desperation. "Illusion or not, you will perish by my hand!"
The air around them warped as the dark arrow took shape, distorting reality itself with its force. The pressure from the growing energy made Zhìxué's pulse race; even watching from the ground, he felt the cold grip of fear as the arrow surged forward, aimed directly at the dragon.
But the celestial dragon turned its gaze toward the incoming threat, eyes blazing like galaxies. With an earth-shattering roar, it released a torrent of moss-green flames that formed a glowing chain. The flaming chain shot forward, intercepting the black arrow mid-flight. The two forces clashed in a brilliant explosion, but the dragon's chain tightened around the dark energy, crushing it until it disintegrated into ashes that vanished in the night.
Zhìxué, lying on the ground, felt the lingering shockwaves from the impact ripple through his body, but the dragon extended one massive claw, forming a protective shield of cosmic flame around him. The shield absorbed the brunt of the force, leaving him unharmed, though his heart continued to race in awe and terror.
As the celestial flames faded, Elder Lu and his men stood paralyzed, their faces pale as the dragon's fierce gaze bore down on them. With another roar, it summoned chains of green fire that lashed out, wrapping around each of the dark cultivators with a searing brilliance.
"No! Please… mercy!" one of them cried out, his voice breaking.
Elder Lu, struggling against the cosmic bonds, spat in defiance. "This is just a trick—I will not —"
The chains tightened, and with a final, merciless blaze, the dragon's flames turned them to ash, their last screams lost in the crackling fire.
Zhìxué lay speechless, his heart pounding as he tried to process the overwhelming force he had just witnessed. This is beyond anything I ever imagined, he thought, as his mind raced to grasp the dragon's power.
"Xing'er!" he called out weakly. "Are you there?" But only silence answered him. With Xing'er's core now part of the celestial dragon, her voice had disappeared.