The atmosphere around Mei Yun, Yue Lin, and Lan Fei shifted as two men appeared from the dense trees, their figures casting long shadows in the fading light. The air seemed to crackle with an unspoken tension. Mei Yun's instincts went on high alert, her hand instinctively resting on the hilt of her sword. She had been through many dangerous situations before, but something about these two men felt different more dangerous.
The men had cold, calculating expressions, and they walked with a slow, deliberate pace. The taller one, with dark, raven-colored hair, had a sneer on his face, while the shorter one beside him had a cocky grin. The shorter man's eyes lingered on Yue Lin and Lan Fei, a glint of interest flickering in his gaze.
"Yue Lin, Lan Fei…" the tall man began, his voice dripping with arrogance. "What a surprise to see you two here. Out hunting all alone in the Forest of Death, are we? And with company, too."
Yue Lin's expression darkened, but she didn't say anything right away. Lan Fei, on the other hand, rolled her eyes, clearly unimpressed. "What do you want, Zhen Qiu? Haven't you two caused us enough trouble?"
The man, Zhen Qiu, smirked as he stepped closer, clearly unfazed by her dismissive tone. "Trouble? We were simply showing interest. But it seems you two are as stubborn as ever. Even after all we've done for you."
Lan Fei's lips curled into a sneer. "Done for us? You've only ever been a nuisance."
Yue Lin stepped forward, her tone cold and sharp. "If you're here to pester us again, we'll make this quick. Don't think we'll tolerate your foolishness any longer."
The shorter man, Zhen Qiu's companion, let out a low chuckle. "Oh? You think you can stop us? We're not here to play nice, and neither are you, apparently. You two have been rejecting us for far too long. It's starting to get… tiresome."
Mei Yun raised an eyebrow, listening intently to the exchange. She had heard of these two before Zhen Qiu and his companion, Bai Chen. They were disciples from the Thunderstrike Sect, a rival sect to the Scarlet Moon Sect, and notorious for their arrogance. It seemed they had taken an unhealthy interest in Yue Lin and Lan Fei, and despite their repeated rejections, they hadn't given up.
"You two are really persistent," Yue Lin spat, her eyes narrowing in disgust. "We've rejected you both so many times, yet you still come back. You're worse than pests."
Zhen Qiu's smile faltered slightly at the insult, but his arrogance didn't waver. "You're right, we are persistent. But that doesn't mean we're going to back down. In fact, we'll make you regret rejecting us."
Without warning, Zhen Qiu lunged forward, aiming for the pile of beast corpses that the girls had been harvesting. His hand shot out like a snake, aiming to snatch the beast core from the bear they had just killed.
Lan Fei reacted instantly, her daggers flashing through the air to block his hand. "Don't even think about it!" she hissed.
Bai Chen grinned, stepping forward as well, his eyes narrowing with malice. "You don't want to test our patience. We could take everything you've caught here, and there's nothing you could do to stop us."
Yue Lin stepped between them, her spear raised defensively. "That's where you're wrong, Bai Chen. We've had enough of your nonsense."
Mei Yun watched the scene unfold, feeling a surge of anger at their audacity. She had come to this forest to train and grow stronger, not to deal with the persistent trouble of others. She gripped her sword tighter, prepared for the worst.
"You're not getting anything from us," Yue Lin declared, her voice firm.
Zhen Qiu's face darkened. "You really want to fight? Fine, then! You'll regret this."
With a swift movement, Zhen Qiu unleashed a burst of energy from his body. His cultivation level was at the 5th level of the Foundation Stage, a step higher than Yue Lin and Lan Fei, who were at the 4th level. The air around him rippled with power, and his aura became oppressive, pushing against the girls.
"You're outmatched," Zhen Qiu taunted. "This won't end well for you."
Yue Lin and Lan Fei exchanged a glance before nodding in unison. They weren't about to back down. They had fought together for years, and this wasn't the first time they had encountered trouble. But they needed to work together if they were going to win this fight.
"Eat this, Void Fist!" Mei Yun shouted, launching herself into the fray. Her fists crackled with violet energy, and she struck with unrelenting force, aiming at Zhen Qiu's chest. He grinned and raised his arm to block.
But the force of her punch was too much. Zhen Qiu staggered back, his expression faltering for a moment before he steadied himself. "Impressive," he sneered, rubbing his arm. "But it's not enough."
Bai Chen rushed toward Mei Yun, swinging a heavy fist in an attempt to land a blow. "Void Slash!" Mei Yun shouted, her sword slicing through the air in a powerful arc. The energy from the slash collided with Bai Chen's strike, sending him stumbling backward.
Yue Lin and Lan Fei joined the fight, their techniques a blur of precision and skill. Yue Lin jabbed her spear forward, using the "Crimson Moon Thrust," while Lan Fei dashed around with her daggers, striking from unexpected angles with her "Shadow Fang Slash."
But Zhen Qiu and Bai Chen weren't backing down. Zhen Qiu retaliated with a technique of his own. "Thunderstrike Hammer!" He slammed his fist into the ground, sending a wave of lightning energy toward the girls. The air crackled as the blast surged toward them.
"Void Steps!" Mei Yun shouted, twisting her body to dodge the incoming attack. Her feet moved with lightning speed, evading the blast as it tore through the trees. But she knew this wouldn't last forever.
"We need to finish this quickly!" Lan Fei shouted, parrying another attack from Bai Chen.
Yue Lin nodded. "We can't let them push us around like this."
Mei Yun's eyes narrowed as she prepared herself for a final strike. "I'll end you with this move Void Burst Slash!"
She concentrated all of her energy into her sword, her body glowing with violet light. With a swift, decisive movement, she slashed forward, unleashing a wave of destructive power that sent Zhen Qiu and Bai Chen flying backward. The impact of the attack left a crater in the ground, and for a moment, the forest fell silent.
But even as the dust settled, Mei Yun felt a surge of power rising within her, something uncontrollable. It was as if the very air around her was being pulled into her body, and she couldn't stop it.
"What's happening?" she gasped.
From the depths of her mind, a voice whispered a voice she had not heard in a long time. "You're not ready… Control it… Control the Void Lotus…"
Before she could react, the power within her erupted. A brilliant, blinding light flooded the clearing, and the energy cascaded out of her, overwhelming everything in its path. The trees around them were torn from the roots, and the earth cracked beneath their feet.
Mei Yun screamed in frustration. "I can't control it!"
As the light enveloped her, a shadowy figure appeared behind her, its presence immense and overwhelming. Mei Yun didn't dare look, but she could feel the figure's gaze.
"Control it," the voice echoed again. "You are not ready."
But it was too late.
The power surged once more, and everything went black.