A chilling laugh reverberated through the grand hall, echoing off blackened columns carved from ancient obsidian like the call of a ghostly specter. Every cultivator froze mid-motion, breath caught in tightened chests, senses alert. A sinister pressure seeped into the hall, a heavy aura that curdled the air itself.
The massive doors creaked open slowly, the sound like bones grinding beneath earth. Shadows spilled inward, swirling as if they were alive, hungry. From within this gloom stepped forth an imposing force—warriors whose very presence swallowed the torchlight, leaving only darkness and dread.
They strode forward in perfect synchronization, boots striking the polished stone floor like war drums in a battle hymn. Their armor was forged from darkness itself—gleaming black scales like obsidian dragons, horns protruding menacingly from helms shaped to inspire terror. Though their weapons remained sheathed, a tangible aura of killing intent radiated from them, thick enough to taste.
Kai, seated and bleeding profusely, raised an eyebrow, feigning casual disdain despite the turmoil of his internal injuries. On either side, Liu Yue and Liu Yu tensed instinctively, Yu's fingers twitching toward her sword hilt.
"This hall grows more crowded by the hour," Kai remarked dryly, "Did we forget to lock the gates, Elder Kong?"
Elder Kong's eyes narrowed, sensing the malevolent Qi coiled tightly around the newcomers, particularly their leader—a towering figure radiating power far beyond the rest. His seasoned instincts immediately screamed caution.
"Be careful, Sect Lord," Elder Kong murmured gravely. "These men carry the stench of death. The Qi that pulses through their veins is corrupted… tainted."
Before Kai could respond, the leader stepped forward, iron boots echoing like a tolling bell. He was taller than the rest, his presence suffocatingly intense. From his belt hung twin iron hooks, their edges cruelly curved like serpentine fangs. Slowly, deliberately, he removed his helmet, revealing a scarred visage twisted into a cold smile, his gaze as sharp and penetrating as steel.
"Greetings, Sect Lord of Obsidian Peak Sect," the newcomer spoke, his voice smooth yet tinged with a sinister undertone. "I am Wu Ming."
Kai studied him, noting the subtle yet absolute confidence in Wu Ming's stance. It was the look of a man who had walked unscathed through countless battles, whose very presence spoke volumes of power. Wu Ming spread his arms, mocking in his grandeur.
"I have long heard tales of your strength and valor," Wu Ming continued, his voice dripping false sincerity. "I am here simply to witness it firsthand. A friendly exchange, nothing more."
Kai leaned forward slowly, the shadows dancing across his stern expression. "Friendly? That smile says otherwise."
Wu Ming's grin broadened, showing teeth that looked more predatory than human. "Forgive my excitement, Sect Lord. It has been too long since I've tested myself against worthy adversaries."
Kai began to rise, intending to meet the challenge head-on, but Elder Kong swiftly moved to block him.
"Sect Lord, you must not. You've already suffered grave injuries from that old toad Shen's earlier attacks. And this one… his aura carries the mark of darkness far worse than Shen's arrogance."
But their whispered exchange was interrupted by the sharp, arrogant laughter of Master Shen himself.
"Oh, how touching," Master Shen sneered, stepping forward. His white robes shone resplendently under the flickering torchlight, contrasting starkly with Wu Ming's darkness. "The mighty Sect Lord hiding behind his advisors! It appears that the famous evil sect lord is a cowardly weakling after all."
Master Shen's mocking gaze swept the gathered cultivators, his contempt undisguised. "Let me educate you on how a true Central Plains master handles such rabble!"
He unsheathed his sword, its blade shimmering in brilliant light, humming with righteous Qi. "Prepare yourself, outsider!"
Master Shen's attack came swiftly, mercilessly—a blur of light and steel as he unleashed the Radiant Sky Piercer, a technique famed throughout the Central Plains for its unparalleled speed. Yet Wu Ming barely shifted his stance, raising a single hook casually to deflect the blade effortlessly.
A clash of sparks illuminated the hall, and astonished murmurs rippled through the crowd. Master Shen's arrogance wavered slightly, but his pride surged again. He pivoted gracefully, launching into Flowing Moon Cascade—a whirlwind combination of swift strikes intended to disorient opponents.
Wu Ming, however, moved with terrifying efficiency. His second hook rose like a serpent, intercepting the sword mid-swing and wrenching it aside, nearly pulling it from Master Shen's grip. The elder stumbled, momentarily exposed.
Taking advantage, Wu Ming struck, the hook slicing forward like lightning. Master Shen barely parried, forced into a desperate retreat, his confident facade cracking.
The hall watched in stunned silence as Wu Ming moved fluidly between Master Shen's strikes, his hooks an elegant dance of lethal precision. Each movement was calculated, each counterattack devastating. Metal screamed against metal as Master Shen's elegant, dignified style rapidly deteriorated into frantic desperation.
Master Shen summoned his Qi, unleashing the Heavenly Radiance Cleave—a sweeping crescent of blazing energy. Yet Wu Ming merely raised his hooks, crossing them in front of his chest and splitting the Qi apart effortlessly, scattering radiant fragments into harmless sparks.
Then, Wu Ming retaliated with ruthless brutality. He spun his hooks in intricate arcs, using momentum to amplify their deadly force. His strikes shattered defenses, cracked bones, drew blood.
Master Shen's immaculate robes became stained with crimson, his movements growing sluggish and desperate. In a final, reckless act, he channeled all remaining Qi into the Luminous Spear of Judgment—a golden lance blazing brilliantly as he hurled it directly at Wu Ming.
But Wu Ming stood unflinching, raising his hook like a shield. The spear exploded violently upon impact, engulfing the hall briefly in blinding brilliance. Yet, as smoke cleared, Wu Ming emerged unharmed, his sinister smile widening.
Before Master Shen could recover, Wu Ming advanced with a savagery unmatched. The hooks fell like guillotines, each strike calculated to break the elder's body and spirit. Master Shen fell to his knees, coughing blood, vision blurring, dignity shattered.
Wu Ming circled like a predator, contempt plain. "Is this your so-called strength, Heavenly Radiance Sect master? Pathetic."
The final blows were delivered without mercy, hooks crushing bones, tearing flesh. Master Shen collapsed at last, his pride extinguished, his body broken.
Silence suffocated the hall as Wu Ming turned his attention back toward Kai, eyes glittering with chilling amusement. "Will you now accept my invitation, Sect Lord Kai? Or must I demonstrate further how easily your heroes fall?"
Kai rose slowly, ignoring Elder Kong's frantic warnings. Fury pulsed in his veins, overpowering even the agony of his wounds.
Yet, just as Kai stepped forward, reality itself seemed to shatter.
A ripple passed through the hall, bending light and twisting sound. The solid stone beneath Kai's feet dissolved, replaced by an endless void. Time froze, stretched infinitely between heartbeats.
Kai's consciousness reeled, sensations fading as the grand hall vanished around him. The laughter of Wu Ming echoed briefly, distorted, then faded completely.
Kai stood suspended in nothingness as darkness engulfed him.