The air was thick with tension as Li Jue and Li Feng stood at the entrance of the Sect of Eternal Clarity. The towering gates loomed before them, their intricate carvings depicting tales of divine blessings and eternal wisdom. Li Jue's grip on his sword tightened, his eyes blazing with unrelenting fury.
"Are you ready?" Li Feng asked, her voice calm but charged with anticipation.
"With you beside me? Always," Li Jue replied, glancing at her with a rare softness that quickly hardened as his gaze returned to the gates. "Shen Wu has nowhere left to run."
Li Feng stepped forward, her aura flaring as she raised her hand. A shimmering lotus-shaped formation materialized around her fingers before crashing into the gates. The structure groaned and buckled under the force, collapsing in a thunderous roar.
The first wave of disciples emerged, their faces a mixture of fear and defiance.
"Halt! You dare trespass—"
Li Jue silenced the speaker with a flick of his sword, the air around him vibrating with unleashed power. "Spare us the speeches. We're here for Shen Wu. Stand aside, and you may yet live."
The disciples hesitated, but their loyalty to Shen Wu outweighed their survival instincts. They charged.
"Fools," Li Feng muttered, stepping beside Li Jue. "Shall we?"
"Together," he said, a wicked grin forming as they moved as one.
Li Feng's Lotus Dance technique turned the battlefield into a storm of petals, each blade-sharp and slicing through the attackers with precision. Li Jue followed, his Forbidden Art erupting in waves of dark energy that crushed any resistance in their path.
"You think this is all he has?" Li Feng asked, her tone laced with disdain as another wave of disciples fell before them.
"No," Li Jue replied, wiping blood from his blade. "Shen Wu's too clever. These pawns are stalling us."
"Then let's give him something to think about," Li Feng said, her eyes narrowing. She raised her arms, and the ground beneath them trembled. Roots erupted from the earth, entangling their enemies and dragging them down into the soil.
The battlefield was silent for a moment, the only sounds their labored breathing and the distant hum of the Sect's defensive formations.
"Impressive," Li Jue murmured, stepping closer to her. His hand brushed against hers, a fleeting moment of intimacy amidst the chaos.
"You're not too bad yourself," she teased, her lips curving into a smirk.
Their moment was interrupted as a massive burst of light exploded from the inner sanctum of the Sect. A voice boomed, dripping with arrogance.
"Li Jue. Li Feng. You think you can storm my domain and leave unscathed?"
"Shen Wu," Li Jue growled, his aura flaring once more.
"Finally," Li Feng said, her tone icy. "I was starting to think he'd keep hiding behind his puppets."
The gates to the inner sanctum opened, revealing a cadre of elite cultivators. Shen Wu's figure stood behind them, shrouded in golden light.
"Leave the small fry to me," Li Feng said, stepping forward.
"Don't take all the fun," Li Jue replied, his grin returning.
The elites attacked in a synchronized assault, their techniques blending in a dazzling display of power. But it wasn't enough. Li Feng danced through their ranks, her blades and petals cutting through their defenses. Li Jue followed, his dark energy consuming those who dared to get too close.
"You'll regret challenging me!" one elite shouted, launching a barrage of fiery projectiles at Li Jue.
Li Jue deflected them with ease, his laugh dark and taunting. "You'll have to do better than that."
Meanwhile, Li Feng engaged a pair of dual cultivators, their combined energy forming a barrier against her assault.
"Interesting," she murmured, her tone almost amused. "But not enough."
With a single command, her lotus formation expanded, its petals glowing with an intense light. The barrier shattered, and the cultivators fell to their knees, defeated.
Li Jue approached her, the battlefield littered with bodies. "I think that's the last of them."
"Not quite," Shen Wu's voice echoed, his form stepping forward. "You've made it this far, but you'll find me far less forgiving than my disciples."
Li Jue smirked, raising his sword. "We'll see about that."
"Together," Li Feng reminded him, her voice steady and resolute.
"Always," Li Jue replied, his hand brushing hers for the briefest moment.
Shen Wu's aura flared, and the air around them crackled with divine energy. The true battle was about to begin.