The Forbidden Library's air thickened with tension as the clash between Zhao Tian and Wang Lei erupted. Liu Qingyun's eyes narrowed as she unsheathed her sword, but Zhao Tian held up a hand. "Stay back. This is my fight."
Wang Lei's eyes gleamed with malice. "So, you want to play hero, huh? Fine. Let's see if your little tricks can save you."
With a sharp motion, he charged forward, the air around his sword crackling with spiritual energy. His swordplay was graceful, his strikes precise and deadly.
Scene 1: The First Clash
Zhao Tian quickly activated his shield generator, deflecting the first strike with ease. "Is that all you've got?" he taunted.
Wang Lei growled, his eyes flashing with fury. "Don't get cocky, Zhao Tian." He spun in a blur of motion, striking again.
Zhao Tian dodged, using his movement boots to enhance his agility. He retaliated with a barrage of spiritual bolts from his crossbow, forcing Wang Lei to block with his sword.
"You're just a technician, Zhao Tian!" Wang Lei snarled, slicing through the bolts with a single swing. "You can't match me in combat!"
Zhao Tian smirked. "I never needed to match you. I just need to outsmart you."
He quickly activated his smoke bomb, filling the air with a dense cloud of black mist. Wang Lei's eyes widened. "You coward!" he shouted, swinging his sword wildly, but hitting nothing but air.
Zhao Tian moved through the smoke like a shadow, using his energy-enhanced gauntlets to strike from behind. He landed a solid punch on Wang Lei's back, sending him stumbling forward.
Scene 2: The Turning Point
Wang Lei's anger flared, his aura expanding to Qi Gathering Stage 9. The spiritual pressure in the room intensified, causing the shelves to shake as if the very library itself was responding to his rage.
"Enough of this!" Wang Lei bellowed, his voice carrying an undeniable authority. With a single thrust of his sword, a powerful shockwave erupted, blasting through the smoke.
Zhao Tian gritted his teeth and raised his shield, but the force of the shockwave knocked him backward, slamming him into a bookshelf. His shield flickered dangerously, the energy expending itself in the explosion.
Liu Qingyun leapt forward to help, but Zhao Tian waved her off. "Stay back! I can still handle this!"
Despite the setback, Zhao Tian's mind raced. He had to outmaneuver Wang Lei before he reached his full potential.
Scene 3: The Counterattack
Zhao Tian's eyes gleamed as he activated his holographic decoy device, creating multiple illusory copies of himself. The real Zhao Tian, hidden in the confusion, darted behind Wang Lei.
"You can't fool me with your tricks!" Wang Lei shouted, swinging his sword at the illusions. But each one shattered like glass, leaving no trace.
The real Zhao Tian struck from behind, his energy-enhanced gauntlets landing a decisive blow to Wang Lei's side. Wang Lei grunted in pain but spun around, his sword flashing toward Zhao Tian's neck.
Zhao Tian's heart raced. He activated his energy blade, a retractable sword hidden within his gauntlet, and parried the strike with a burst of strength. The two blades clashed with a deafening noise, the impact shaking the ground beneath them.
For a moment, the two stood locked in a stalemate, their auras clashing like thunder. But Zhao Tian could feel the sweat beading on his forehead. He was starting to tire. Wang Lei, on the other hand, was just getting started.
Scene 4: Liu Qingyun's Intervention
Just as Zhao Tian's strength began to wane, Liu Qingyun dashed forward, her sword flashing. "Zhao Tian, I'm stepping in!"
Wang Lei, distracted by her sudden movement, tried to parry her sword, but Liu Qingyun's speed was too much for him. She slashed through his defenses, drawing blood.
"Damn it!" Wang Lei cursed, stumbling back. "You're all the same—weaklings who rely on tricks and distractions!"
Liu Qingyun stepped forward, her eyes steely. "If you think you can intimidate us, you're wrong. We don't need to play by your rules to defeat you."
Zhao Tian recovered quickly, his breath steadying as he joined her. "This fight is over, Wang Lei. We're not here to prove anything to you."
Wang Lei snarled, his aura flaring in one final desperate attempt to overwhelm them. "I won't lose to you! Not after everything I've sacrificed!"
He surged forward with all his might, his sword crackling with violent energy.
Scene 5: The Final Strike
Zhao Tian's eyes narrowed. This was it. He'd been waiting for this moment. With his energy blade in hand, he charged forward as well, his movements fluid and precise. At the same time, Liu Qingyun lunged at Wang Lei from the other side, her sword aiming for his weak point.
The two forces collided in a dazzling explosion of light and energy. Zhao Tian's energy blade found its mark, cutting through Wang Lei's defenses and landing a deep gash across his chest. At the same moment, Liu Qingyun's sword stabbed into his side, piercing his ribcage.
Wang Lei's eyes widened in shock, blood spilling from his mouth as he crumpled to the floor.
"You… You…" He gasped, looking up at Zhao Tian with hatred in his eyes. "You'll regret this…"
Liu Qingyun stepped back, her sword dripping with blood. "You had your chance, Wang Lei. It's over."
Zhao Tian stood over him, breathing heavily. "Next time, don't underestimate us."
Scene 6: Consequences of Defeat
As the sound of Wang Lei's body hitting the floor echoed through the library, the other disciples who had been silently watching the duel from the shadows stepped forward. They, too, had been loyal to Wang Lei, and his fall sent shockwaves through their ranks.
"Take him to the sect master," Liu Qingyun ordered one of the disciples, her voice unwavering.
Zhao Tian turned to her, his expression serious. "We need to be prepared for the fallout from this. He wasn't just some random disciple—he had followers, allies."
Liu Qingyun nodded. "We'll deal with them when the time comes. For now, we've won the battle, but the war is far from over."
Zhao Tian glanced down at the scroll he had taken from the Forbidden Library, the truth of the orb still haunting his thoughts. "There's more at play here. Much more. And we need to get to the bottom of it."
Ending Note for Chapter 8
The chapter ends with Zhao Tian and Liu Qingyun standing over the defeated Wang Lei, the orb still glowing in the background. The weight of the knowledge they uncovered presses on them, as they now realize that their journey is only just beginning. The fate of the Azure Sky Sect—and perhaps even the entire cultivation world—rests in their hands.