The night sky burned with the embers of destruction. The once-mighty Golden Dragon Sect, a beacon of power in the Eastern Continent, had crumbled into ruins. Blood stained the sacred grounds, the lifeless bodies of elders and disciples scattered across the battlefield like broken dolls.
At the center of it all stood Xiao Lan.
His black robes billowed in the wind, his crimson eyes glowing with an eerie light. In his right hand, his Abyssal Demonbane Sword dripped with fresh blood, its dark aura pulsing with hunger. A storm of chaotic energy surrounded him, the aftershocks of his overwhelming power still shaking the heavens.
Before him, the last survivor—Grand Elder Bai Ruotian—knelt on one knee, his face pale, his golden robes torn and drenched in his own blood. His cultivation, which once touched the peak of the Saint Emperor Realm, was now in shambles. His arms trembled as he clutched his chest, trying to suppress the internal wounds caused by Xiao Lan's relentless assault.
"You… demon…" Bai Ruotian's voice was weak, filled with disbelief. "How… how did you become this powerful? You should have been dead! You should have perished in the Abyss of Eternal Night!"
Xiao Lan chuckled, his voice cold and mocking. "You keep saying should have as if the heavens dictate my fate." He lifted his sword, letting its dark energy surge. "But I am beyond fate. Beyond the heavens. And beyond the darkness itself."
Bai Ruotian gritted his teeth. He knew he was about to die. But before he could resign himself to his fate, the heavens trembled.
BOOM!
A golden rift split open in the sky, divine energy pouring down like an endless waterfall. The air itself cracked and distorted, as if unable to contain the overwhelming power descending upon the mortal realm.
From the golden rift, a figure clad in celestial armor stepped forward. His mere presence warped space, causing the clouds to twist unnaturally. His piercing golden eyes locked onto Xiao Lan, filled with disdain.
"You have gone too far, mortal." His voice boomed across the battlefield, carrying the authority of the heavens themselves. "For slaughtering an entire sacred sect, you have invoked the wrath of the Divine Heavens. The decree has been issued—Xiao Lan, you must perish."
A smirk crept onto Xiao Lan's lips. "The Divine Heavens finally noticed me? Took you long enough."
The celestial being narrowed his eyes. "Do you not understand? I am an Immortal King, a being far beyond your realm. Your arrogance is laughable."
Xiao Lan raised his sword, his aura surging with demonic and celestial energy. "Then come." His voice was calm, but his bloodthirst was undeniable. "Let me see if an Immortal King can bleed."
The Immortal King's expression darkened. "Foolish."
In the next instant, the battle between mortal defiance and divine judgment began.
To Be Continued…