Westward Street
The air was filled with swirling sand and pervasive killing intent. Jay and Ares stood tall, their fighting spirit surging as they faced Yuyuan and his guardian spirit, the Hundred-Eyed Ghost, without a hint of retreat.
The Battle Unfolds
The Hundred-Eyed Ghost struck first, its countless crimson eyes glowing with eerie light before unleashing a barrage of green fireballs. The ghostly flames emanated a bone-chilling cold as they spiraled toward Jay and Ares.
"Spectral Fire Orbs!"
The orbs twisted through the air with a haunting intelligence, honing in on their targets.
Ares scoffed, raising his massive spear high as his warlike aura surged. Golden energy coalesced around the spear, forming a colossal radiant weapon that pierced the heavens.
"Spear of Destruction!"
The golden spear shot forth like lightning, colliding head-on with the spectral fire orbs. The resulting explosion left a deep crater in the ground, with light and fire intertwining to illuminate the battlefield like daybreak.
"Foolish flames can never defy the War God!" Ares declared coldly, sweeping his spear in a wide arc as he charged toward the Hundred-Eyed Ghost.
The monstrous creature growled as it unleashed a follow-up attack, raising its enormous claw that transformed into a pitch-black shadow claw streaking toward Ares.
"Phantom Slash!"
The claw slashed through the air at lightning speed, threatening to tear everything in its path. Ares sidestepped swiftly to evade, but the claw's aftermath gouged deep scars into the ground.
At the same time, Yuyuan capitalized on the opportunity, his figure darting like a phantom toward Jay, a blade of dark energy forming in his hand, aiming directly at Jay's heart.
"Lightning Strike!" Jay shouted as the thunderous glow on his Heaven-Scorching Halberd intensified, meeting Yuyuan's assault head-on.
Boom!
Lightning and dark energy collided, sending a shockwave rippling through the battlefield, shaking the nearby ruins.
"Impressive strength," Yuyuan remarked with a slight sneer, though surprise flickered in his eyes. "But it's far from enough!"
He retreated as the Hundred-Eyed Ghost took over, its enormous hand slamming down toward Jay with overwhelming force.
"Ghost Palm!"
The massive shadow loomed over Jay, as if the heavens themselves were about to collapse.
"Don't underestimate me!" Jay roared, summoning a storm of lightning with his halberd. The Lightning Strike erupted into a thunderous tempest, shattering the Ghost Palm's oppressive force.
Encircled by the lightning storm, Jay's expression was sharp, his voice dripping with defiance. "You dare suppress me… A mere vessel for a guardian spirit?"
Jay pressed forward relentlessly, gripping his halberd tightly as he closed in on Yuyuan, his eyes burning with battle lust. "Yuyuan, is hiding behind your guardian spirit all you can do? Without the Hundred-Eyed Ghost, what are you even worth?"
Yuyuan gritted his teeth, summoning waves of dark energy to confront Jay, but the relentless strikes of the Lightning Strike shattered his defenses, forcing him to retreat step by step.
Jay and Ares' offensive was like a storm sweeping through, and Yuyuan and the Hundred-Eyed Ghost were gradually unable to resist. With each collision, the Hundred-Eyed Ghost grew more fatigued, and Yuyuan's spiritual power began to deplete.
The Hundred-Eyed Ghost roared: "Spectral Fire Orb!"
The Hundred-Eyed Ghost barely managed to spit out a fiery ghost orb, which collided head-on with Ares' Spear of Destruction, resulting in a burst of blinding light. However, this time, the ghost orb was torn apart by the golden spear shadow, and the shockwave sent the Hundred-Eyed Ghost stumbling backward.
"Useless, Yuyuan," Jay said coldly, lightning surging through his Heaven-Scorching Halberd, spiritual power coalescing into arcs of electricity.
"Lightning Strike!"
With a shout, the lightning transformed into a dazzling arc blade, striking directly at the Hundred-Eyed Ghost's chest. The Hundred-Eyed Ghost roared in pain, desperately using its massive arms to block, but it was still pushed back several meters by the force of the lightning.
"Ares, finish it!" Jay shouted.
Ares raised his spear high, spiritual energy gathering into a sea of golden light, suffused with an aura of destruction as it rushed toward the Hundred-Eyed Ghost.
"Heaven's Slay!"
The golden light descended, engulfing the Hundred-Eyed Ghost's form.
Yuyuan, in the background, exerted all his strength to summon more spiritual energy to support the Hundred-Eyed Ghost, but his body was already on the verge of collapse from exhaustion.
Jay seized the opportunity, spinning his Heaven-Scorching Halberd, turning it into a blade of intertwined lightning, aimed directly at Yuyuan.
"Lightning Strike!"
Thunder exploded, and the powerful shockwave nearly immobilized Yuyuan.
At the critical moment, the Hundred-Eyed Ghost suddenly roared, its massive body blocking Yuyuan, taking the full brunt of the impact.
The Sacrifice of the Hundred-Eyed Ghost
"Boom!"
The thunder consumed the Hundred-Eyed Ghost, and its massive body began to break apart, turning into scattered spiritual light that dispersed in the air.
"Hundred-Eyed Ghost!" Yuyuan cried out, his eyes filled with rage and sorrow.
He had never expected that his guardian spirit would sacrifice its life to protect him.
The Hundred-Eyed Ghost turned its head to glance at Yuyuan, its eyes filled with reluctance and apology, before completely dissolving into nothingness and disappearing from the battlefield.
Yuyuan collapsed to his knees, his spiritual power almost completely drained, his face ashen. He looked up at Jay and Ares as they approached step by step, his body trembling, but he had no strength to fight back.
"Yuyuan, you've lost," Jay said coldly, his Heaven-Scorching Halberd pointed at his throat, his gaze as icy as frost.
Yuyuan gritted his teeth, his eyes filled with resentment, but in the end, he could only lower his head in silence.
Ares spoke coldly, "This is the price of your arrogance."
Jay slowly retracted his Heaven-Scorching Halberd and turned to leave. Ares' figure transformed into spiritual light and returned to his body.
With the final strike, Yuyuan's body completely collapsed under the powerful impact, and his soul dissipated into the air. The sacrifice of the Hundred-Eyed Ghost did not save Yuyuan, but instead marked the end of this battle. Jay's Heaven-Scorching Halberd, with the lingering power of thunder, pierced Yuyuan's chest until his spiritual energy vanished completely.
"The battle is over," Jay murmured softly as he withdrew his halberd.
The remnants of embers and flames gradually calmed down, and the surroundings returned to tranquility.
On the battlefield, only Jay stood alone, staring at the fallen Yuyuan, his heart undisturbed by any emotional turmoil.
Yuyuan and his Hundred-Eyed Ghost ultimately could not escape the fate of death. Jay was not surprised. If you treat him well, he would return tenfold. But if you provoke him or try to bring about his demise, well, then it would be a matter of seeing who was stronger.
As night fell, the setting sun dipped below the horizon, and the night sky quietly descended. The streets of Xiyuan gradually became silent, with only the breeze stirring the shattered remnants of buildings. Jay looked around and decided to rest here for the time being, to recover and prepare for the journey ahead.
The Night's Tranquility
Night had fully descended, and the hustle and bustle of Xiyuan Street had faded away, leaving the surroundings serene and deep. Jay stepped out of the small cabin, surveying the area.
The streetlights cast a dim, warm glow, and the occasional call of night birds broke the silence.
Although Xiyuan Street appeared to be somewhat dilapidated, it still held a natural tranquility and beauty.
The moonlight spilled from behind the clouds, gently touching Jay's body, bringing with it a cool, ethereal atmosphere.
He looked up toward the distance, his gaze fixed on a hill near Xiyuan Street.
The hilltop appeared open and spacious, away from the street's noise, seeming like a perfect place to rest and reflect.
The Quiet of the Hilltop
Jay decided to head there, seeking a quiet space to adjust and recover. He walked along the rugged path up the hill, his footsteps echoing, accompanied only by the occasional whisper of the wind.
Upon reaching the top, he found that, true to his expectation, there were no other disturbances.
The view was expansive, offering a clear view of the nightscape of Xiyuan Street below. In the distance, the streetlights sparkled like stars scattered across a dark canvas.
The wind at the hilltop was gentle, carrying with it a fresh earthy scent and a hint of the fragrance of plants. Jay took a deep breath, relishing the rare peace.
He found a flat spot to sit, surrounded by scattered stones and wild grass.
The area was otherwise open and undisturbed. The distant mountains were faintly visible in the moonlight, deep and mysterious.
Meditation and Reflection
Leaning against a large stone, Jay closed his eyes and slowly immersed his consciousness in the depths of his spiritual power.
He began to channel his energy, using his spiritual power to restore the strength he had spent.
With each moment of meditation, he could feel his body gradually recovering, the spiritual energy slowly gathering, and the fatigue receding.
As his body regained some of its strength, Jay stood up, gazing at the valley below.
The night sky was filled with brilliant stars, and the moonlight was cool and distant, as if it were telling endless secrets.
"Tomorrow, perhaps, will be a new beginning," he whispered with a faint smile, his eyes shining with unwavering determination.