The air crackled with tension as Tianwu's divine power surged through him. The very earth beneath his feet groaned, trembling under the intensity of the energy he unleashed. His body burned with the fierce heat of his godlike strength, and for a moment, it felt as though everything in the world had come to a standstill. This was the moment he had been waiting for—the moment he would take control of his own fate and end the manipulation of Nian.
But as the light around Tianwu flared brighter, Nian's face remained eerily calm, as if he had been expecting this very reaction. His silver hair whipped in the wind, and his cold eyes fixed on Tianwu with a look of faint amusement.
"You really think this will stop me, Tianwu?" Nian's voice was smooth, almost mocking, but there was an edge of something more—something darker, more insidious.
Tianwu's power surged forward, a wave of energy that should have obliterated Nian, but to his shock, Nian simply raised a hand, the air around him rippling with dark energy. A barrier materialized between them—black and shimmering like a mirror, absorbing the force of Tianwu's attack. The sheer power behind the barrier was enough to send a shockwave through the surrounding mountains, but it held firm, and Tianwu's energy dissipated against it.
Tianwu stood frozen for a moment, stunned. This is impossible.
His heart raced as he tried to push forward, attempting to break through the barrier with everything he had, but it was like hitting a wall of solid stone. Nian's eyes glinted with amusement as the dark barrier slowly dissipated, and he stepped forward, unfazed by the massive display of power Tianwu had just unleashed.
"You were always too impulsive," Nian said softly, his voice laced with a hint of sadness, though it felt more like a cruel mockery. "You never learned how to control it. You were always so eager to fight, to prove yourself. But now, you see the truth, don't you?"
Tianwu gritted his teeth, fists clenching. "What truth?"
"That you're just a shadow of what you used to be," Nian replied, his eyes narrowing. "You're not the god you once were, Tianwu. And no amount of power can bring that back."
Tianwu felt the weight of Nian's words like a physical blow. It wasn't just an insult—it was a wound that cut deeper than anything Nian had said before. I've been fooling myself, haven't I? Tianwu thought bitterly. I'm not the god I once was...
The realization hit him like a crashing wave. The god he had been, the being of immense power, no longer existed within him. He was just a man now—vulnerable, uncertain, and fallible. Even his divine power, which he had hoped would be enough to defeat Nian, was no match for the dark force that Nian wielded.
But it wasn't just the power. It was the truth of his own self-doubt, the guilt that had haunted him since his fall from grace. It had clouded his mind, weakened his resolve, and made him doubt everything he had once known to be true.
Nian saw the flicker of hesitation in Tianwu's eyes, and his smile widened. "You see? You are mine, Tianwu. You always have been."
Tianwu's legs trembled, the weight of the words and the reality of the situation pressing down on him. It was true, in a way. Nian had always known how to manipulate him, how to exploit his weaknesses, and now Tianwu was starting to understand the depth of that control.
But just as Tianwu was about to give in to despair, something unexpected happened.
A sharp cry broke through the heavy atmosphere.
"Master Tianwu!"
Yuren, rushing forward with a fierce determination, launched himself at Nian with the speed of a striking serpent. His sword gleamed in the moonlight, aimed straight at Nian's heart.
But Nian, in one swift movement, reached out, his hand catching the blade before it could strike. A twisted smirk crossed his face as he held the sword in his grasp, his fingers tightening around the hilt with an unnatural strength. Yuren struggled, trying to pull his sword free, but it was as though Nian's grip had turned the very air into chains.
"Yuren!" Tianwu shouted, his voice filled with desperation. "Get back!"
But it was too late. In one swift motion, Nian twisted Yuren's sword from his hands and shoved him backward, sending him crashing to the ground with a violent thud. The sight made Tianwu's heart lurch, but before he could react, Nian was already advancing on him.
"Do you see, Tianwu?" Nian said softly, stepping closer with each word. "You're too weak. And now your precious Yuren is paying the price for your failure."
Tianwu felt a rush of anger—the familiar fire that had always burned within him—but it was quickly overshadowed by the crushing reality that they were losing. Yuren lay on the ground, unconscious but alive, and the fear that gripped Tianwu's chest made it hard to think clearly.
Then, something strange happened.
A sudden wind swept through the valley, swirling around Tianwu and Nian. For a moment, everything seemed to slow—time itself appeared to stretch, as though the world had stopped turning.
Tianwu's eyes narrowed as he looked up. The wind carried with it a strange energy, an ancient presence that seemed to speak to him on some level deeper than words. The divine essence within him stirred, responding to the call. It wasn't a force of destruction; it was something more... primordial.
Nian seemed to feel it too. His eyes flickered in surprise, and for the first time, a hint of uncertainty crossed his face.
"What is this?" Nian's voice was filled with a rare sense of apprehension.
Tianwu's pulse quickened. The sensation grew stronger, and it became clear to him in that moment. The winds, the energy—they were a call from his past. From the god he had once been. It wasn't just a fragment of his old power. It was the very essence of his divine nature, reaching out to him from beyond the veil of time.
Without thinking, Tianwu reached deep within himself, tapping into this hidden force. The ground trembled beneath him, and the air shimmered with energy as the power that had long been dormant began to rise again.
But there was a twist—something that Tianwu hadn't anticipated.
Just as the power reached its peak, something within the energy snapped. The force he had called upon was not a return to his former self. It was something... different. Darker. More dangerous. It surged out of him like a flood, but instead of being in control, Tianwu felt it consuming him. The power wasn't his anymore.
It was Nian's.
In an instant, the winds turned, and the energy reversed. Tianwu's body was thrown back as if struck by an invisible force. The ground cracked beneath him, and he felt his strength drain away in an instant. He gasped, struggling to stay conscious.
Nian, with a cruel smile, stood untouched, his eyes alight with triumph. "Did you really think you could defeat me? You were always mine, Tianwu. And now, you will never escape."
Tianwu's vision blurred as he lay on the cold earth, the reality of his defeat sinking in. His body ached, his mind swirling with confusion, and the crushing weight of his failure pressed down on him.
But there was something else—a sense of loss deeper than any wound. As the world around him faded, he heard a whisper, soft but clear in his mind.
This isn't the end, Tianwu. You will rise again. You must.
The voice was faint, almost like a dream, but it carried the weight of something ancient. And in that moment, Tianwu knew one thing for certain.
The battle was far from over.
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To be continued...
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