The oppressive weight of the Grandmaster's aura filled the hall, pressing down on me like a mountain. The air itself seemed to solidify, crackling with unseen power. This was the might of a Heavenly Lord—a force that should have been insurmountable.
Yet, I stood firm.
The old man observed me with an unreadable expression, his eyes deep pools of wisdom and calculation. He clasped his hands behind his back, exuding the presence of an unshakable pillar.
"Mo Wuyuan," he finally said, his voice calm, almost gentle. "You have grown beyond all expectations. It seems your exile was not the end, but merely the beginning of your path."
I sneered. "Spare me the empty words, Grandmaster. If you truly believed in my worth, you would have stopped them from crippling me years ago."
His gaze did not waver. "At the time, I was in seclusion, unaware of the events that transpired. By the time I learned the truth, it was already too late."
I clenched my fist. Excuses. Always
excuses.
"Yet now you stand here, having slaughtered our disciples and elders, demanding justice with the edge of your blade," he continued. "Tell me, Wuyuan… what is it you truly seek?"
I smirked. "Retribution."
The Grandmaster sighed, shaking his head. "Then you waste your potential."
I narrowed my eyes. "What?"
He took a step forward, the weight of his presence pressing down like a tidal wave. "I do not deny that you were wronged. Nor do I deny that the sect turned its back on you. But look at what you have become—stronger than ever before. Power, greater than even our strongest elders. And yet, you squander it on revenge?"
My fingers tightened around Heaven's End. "Do not mistake my path for weakness, old man. Every step I take is toward the destruction of those who wronged me."
He nodded slowly. "And after that? What then? Once you have bathed Azure Cloud Sect in blood, what will be left for you?"
I hesitated, but only for a fraction of a second.
"You seek purpose, Wuyuan," he continued, his voice smooth, persuasive. "I can give it to you. The past cannot be undone, but the future is still yours to shape. Return to Azure Cloud Sect. Take your rightful place as the next Sect Master."
I let out a cold laugh. "You expect me to lead the very sect that cast me aside?"
"Not the sect of the past," he said, his tone unwavering. "But a new sect. One under your rule. You have already proven yourself superior. The elders are dead. Liu Tianhai is broken. The disciples tremble at the sound of your name. Lead them, Wuyuan. Forge a new legacy."
His words were honeyed, carefully crafted to tempt me. And perhaps, once upon a time, I might have considered them.
But I was no longer the naïve boy who once believed in brotherhood and honor.
I stepped forward, my demonic aura flaring.
"You mistake me for someone who cares."
The Grandmaster's expression darkened. "A shame."
He moved.
In an instant, the floor cracked beneath his feet as he surged forward, his palm striking toward my chest with the force of a falling star. I barely had time to raise my sword before the impact sent me skidding back, my boots carving deep trenches into the stone floor.
The battle had begun.
I lunged, Phantom Steps carrying me in a blur. Heaven's End slashed forward, its crimson edge humming with destructive force. The Grandmaster raised his hand, fingers forming intricate seals.
"Azure Sky Barrier."
A translucent shield manifested between us, but my sword cleaved through it like parchment. His eyes flickered with surprise as he twisted away, narrowly evading the lethal strike.
He countered with a sweeping palm, imbued with a technique I recognized—Sky Suppression Art. A vast pressure bore down on me, attempting to freeze me in place.
I activated Infernal Domain.
Darkness exploded from my form, corrupting the very air. The suppression shattered as my domain consumed the hall, its demonic presence suffocating. The Grandmaster staggered, his movements slowing under the overwhelming malice.
Yet, he did not falter.
Summoning the full force of his cultivation, he unleashed a technique I had never seen before.
"Azure Cloud Descent."
The very heavens seemed to answer his call. Ethereal clouds formed above us, their edges crackling with divine energy. From within them, blades of pure sky descended like judgment itself.
I gritted my teeth, raising my hand.
"Demonic Qi Projection!"
A monstrous claw of blood-red energy formed, slashing upward to intercept the falling blades. The clash of divine and demonic forces sent shockwaves rippling through the sect.
For a moment, it seemed as if I was gaining the upper hand.
And then—
Pain.
A sharp, searing agony tore through my side. I barely had time to register the betrayal before I staggered forward, crimson staining my robes.
Liu Tianhai.
The Sect Master had struck from behind, his sword still buried in my flesh.
I turned my head, fury igniting in my gaze. "You coward."
He smirked, wrenching his blade free. "You should have accepted the offer."
My vision swam, but I refused to falter. Instead, I drew upon the one technique Crimson Veil had taught me specifically for moments like this.
I spread my arms, the bodies of the fallen disciples and elders trembling.
"Blood Requiem Formation."
The very corpses around us erupted with crimson mist, their remaining essence swirling into the air. The Grandmaster's eyes widened as his cultivation wavered, the stolen Blood Qi dragging him and Liu Tianhai down.
"You…!" he growled, staggering.
I smirked, wiping the blood from my lips. "You wanted me back in the sect?" I clenched my fist, the Blood Qi swirling ever tighter. "Then kneel before its new master."
The battle was far from over.
The Blood Requiem Formation surged to life, crimson mist spiraling upward from the fallen disciples and elders, their lifeless husks shriveling as their remaining essence was ripped away. The bloodlust in the air was intoxicating, the raw energy pulsating like a second heartbeat within me.
Liu Tianhai staggered, gripping his chest as his cultivation visibly waned. His breathing grew ragged, his spiritual energy no longer flowing as effortlessly as before. The Grandmaster, though visibly affected, gritted his teeth and slammed his foot down.
"Azure Purification Seal!"
A golden array flared beneath his feet, counteracting the effects of my formation. The suppression weakened slightly, but I could see it—his strength was not untouched.
"You dare use such a vile technique within these sacred grounds?" the Grandmaster spat, his voice thick with disdain.
I wiped blood from my lips, a wicked grin forming. "Sacred? The moment you cast me out, this place became nothing but a burial ground for the weak."
With a flick of my wrist, I pressed my palm forward, manipulating the Blood Qi. The swirling red mist condensed into sharp tendrils that shot toward the Grandmaster like spears.
He raised a single hand, his fingers forming a swift incantation.
"Sky-Shattering Palm!"
A translucent force erupted from his palm, obliterating the blood spears mid-air. But before he could counter, I vanished.
Phantom Steps.
I reappeared behind him in a flash, Heaven's End already descending toward his exposed back.
His eyes widened in realization—too slow.
The blade bit deep into his shoulder, dark blood spraying onto the cracked stone floor. A rare grunt of pain escaped his lips as he twisted away, his sleeve now soaked in crimson.
I had wounded the Grandmaster of Azure Cloud Sect.
But there was no time to relish the moment.
Liu Tianhai recovered, his eyes burning with fury as he roared, "You will not leave here alive!"
His sword ignited with an azure flame, its energy pulsating wildly. He lunged forward, his movements fast but erratic—a sign of his faltering cultivation. Still, he was formidable.
I met his blade with mine, the force of our clash sending shockwaves through the ruined hall. Sparks flew as our weapons ground against each other, his face twisted in frustration.
I smirked. "Having trouble, Sect Master?"
With a flick of my wrist, I disengaged and slashed upward. A shallow cut bloomed across his chest. He stumbled back, a mixture of rage and disbelief flashing in his eyes.
"Enough!"
The Grandmaster slammed his palm into the ground. A massive formation expanded outward, its golden glow illuminating the entire sect hall.
Azure Cloud Heaven-Sealing Array.
The air turned unbearably heavy. My movements slowed, my body sinking slightly under the weight of its pressure.
Tch. A suppression array.
They were trying to lock me down, to overwhelm me before I could unleash another attack.
"With your demonic arts sealed, you have no path left but surrender," the Grandmaster declared, his voice filled with finality.
I chuckled darkly. "Is that what you think?"
Raising my hand, I clenched my fingers into a tight fist. The Blood Qi around me trembled. The corpses—scattered across the battlefield—twitched.
The Grandmaster's expression darkened. "Impossible…"
Liu Tianhai took an instinctive step back.
"You thought this array would seal my demonic cultivation?" I whispered. "How naïve."
I slammed my foot down, activating the second layer of the Blood Requiem Formation.
A sacrificial burst of Blood Qi.
The corpses detonated in a violent eruption of raw energy, sending a tidal wave of crimson mist surging across the battlefield. The formation lines on the ground flickered, then shattered.
I was free.
Before the Grandmaster could react, I surged forward, appearing before him in an instant.
"Let me show you," I whispered, "what true power looks like."
Demonic Qi Projection—Crimson Devourer!
A monstrous, clawed hand formed from condensed Blood Qi erupted behind me, its grotesque fingers stretching outward before slamming down onto the Grandmaster. He barely raised his arms before the force sent him crashing through the sect hall's walls.
The very foundation of Azure Cloud Sect shook.
Liu Tianhai turned to me, his body trembling—not just from his injuries, but from fear.
I could see it in his eyes.
He knew.
This battle was already lost.
But I wasn't finished yet.