The masked man had not moved. His hand rested at his side, calm as if he had done nothing at all. The air still buzzed. Lightning coiled faintly around his fingers, whispering in sharp sparks that promised more.
Linyue turned to face him fully. Her grip on her sword tightened. Her voice was quiet but sharp. "Why?" she asked. "What do you want?"
No answer. Not a word. Only silence and that low hum of power building again.
Then she felt a warm hand brushing against hers.
Shu Mingye.
He had caught up to her without a word. Standing beside her. Not in front. Not behind. His fire energy flared faintly around them both, wrapping her lightning in warmth. Her chaotic pulse began to slow. But peace never lasted here.
CRACK—
A bolt of blue lightning slammed into the earth between them, blasting the ground apart. Dust and broken stone shot up like a wave. The force sent both of them flying back.
Linyue hit the ground and rolled. Her boots barely scraped to a stop before she was already leaping forward again. She could not pause. Could not breathe. She felt it. The masked man's spiritual energy was shifting. Wild. Cold. Deliberate. More lightning was coming.
She didn't dare look back. Instead, she drove forward, her blade swinging in fast, sharp strikes. Each slash hummed with blue light, her spiritual energy blazing brighter with every motion. Thunder rumbled in her wake, each echo carrying the weight of her anger. Dozens of glowing arcs shot from her sword, cutting through the smoky air as they streaked straight for the masked man.
This time, he moved. Calm and effortless. His feet slid across the ground like he was gliding. His loose sleeves whispered in the wind as he raised one hand and flicked it sideways—
BOOM.
A wave of raw lightning blasted out from his palm, meeting her glowing slashes midair. Sparks exploded where they collided, bright enough to sting the eyes.
Shu Mingye appeared in her line of sight. He dashed low to the ground, his sword dragging a burning trail as flames bloomed wildly in his wake. With one fluid spin, he slashed upward—WHOOSH—sending a wide fan of fire arcs screaming toward the masked man.
Fire and lightning now raged together, tearing across the battlefield like two storms locked in a deadly dance.
The masked man stopped moving. Both hands lifted.
SNAP.
A dome of lightning erupted around him, a dense swirling barrier alive with electric energy. It crackled loudly, bright tendrils snaking across its surface like trapped dragons.
Linyue's strikes hit first. Blue sparks exploded on contact. Then Shu Mingye's fire slammed into the barrier.
CRACKLE—BOOM!
The shockwave burst outward in a blinding flash. Dust and smoke surged. The ground shook beneath them. Even the demons froze, their growls quieting as they backed away from the clash of energy.
In that chaos, the masked man moved again. Too fast. Linyue didn't see it but she felt it. That sharp hum of energy shifting away from her and slicing through the air toward—
She spun around, heart pounding.
Through the fading smoke she saw him.
Shen Zhenyu. He was standing like a lone wall between her chaos family and the incoming strike. Flames rose in front of him in a shaky barrier, but it trembled under the weight of the masked man's power. His face was pale, jaw tight, sweat dripping down his temple. Behind him, Song Meiyu was pulling on He Yuying's arm, trying to drag him upright as he muttered something about his boots being cursed. Prince Lu, still catching his breath, had his sword raised and was shouting, "Protect the hairline!" at absolutely nothing.
They were not ready. None of them.
Above, the masked man's lightning split into jagged streaks. It hissed as it raced downward, aiming straight for the very people she had sworn to protect.
Linyue's stomach twisted.
Shen Zhenyu's fire would not hold. It was already cracking.
"NO!"
She didn't think. She didn't plan. Lightning surged through her legs, blasting the ground apart in a spray of stone and dirt. Her body shot forward so fast the wind burned her face. She reached out, every muscle screaming as her spiritual energy tore through her veins like wildfire. But not even that was fast enough.
The lightning hit.
Shen Zhenyu's fire shield broke with a sharp snap. The sound cut through the battlefield. He was thrown backward, crashing into the ground with a sickening thud. Blood splattered. His body didn't move. Behind him, the others were hit by the shockwave. Song Meiyu screamed as she grabbed He Yuying's arm, trying to shield him even as they were thrown aside. Prince Lu hit the ground in a tangle of silk robes, his sword flying out of his hand. Even the gate wall groaned and cracked from the force.
Linyue's breath caught in her throat. Her chest burned. Her legs didn't stop moving. She sprinted through the chaos, lightning flashing under her feet, and dropped hard to her knees beside Shen Zhenyu.
His lips were stained red. His chest barely rose. His eyes fluttered open for a second, glassy but alive. Breathing. Still breathing. But there was no time.
Her stomach dropped. She felt the heavy surge in the air. Another attack. Another strike coming. She spun around so fast the wind snapped at her hair. Her hands moved before her brain caught up. This time she didn't attack.
Lightning screamed from her fingertips, bursting outward in a sharp spiral. It formed a dome, thin but glowing bright, surrounding them in a cage of electric light. The shield pulsed with her heartbeat. Her breath came fast as sparks danced along her skin. Then—
BOOM.
The masked man's lightning slammed into her barrier. The impact rocked her entire body. Her knees nearly buckled. It felt like a mountain crushing her lungs. Her jaw clenched so tight it hurt. Sparks burst violently as cracks spiderwebbed across the shield, but she didn't fall. Her arms shook. Her eyes burned hot.
Not today. Not them.
With a sharp breath she pushed harder, lightning pouring out of her like a raging storm. The barrier flared, humming loudly as she forced it to hold with everything she had. She couldn't let it break. Not now. Not when they were all behind her.
Across the field, Shu Mingye was still fighting. His sword was pure flame cutting through in wide arcs. Every slash left streaks of fire burning in the dirt. He moved like a storm. Fast and unstoppable. The masked man did not flinch. His own barrier shimmered calmly as if none of it mattered.
Meanwhile, Linyue's barrier flickered. Another strike hit. The impact sent sharp pain shooting through her arms. Another cracks spread across the glowing surface. She gritted her teeth and pressed harder, but her legs were shaking. Her breath came ragged. She wasn't sure how much longer she could hold.
FWOOSH.
Suddenly, a ring of fire wrapped around her lightning barrier.
Shen Zhenyu was there again. Staggering. His face pale and burned. Blood still dripping from a cut on his temple. But his hand was raised high as another shield of fire flared to life around hers. Then—
"We're still alive," said a dry voice.
He Yuying strolled in casually like he wasn't almost roasted a moment ago. His own barrier flared up next, a faint orange glow. He stood beside her, still chewing on something. Probably an emergency snack from his sleeves.
"Ugh. Worst battlefield snack ever," he muttered. "Tastes like demon dust."
Song Meiyu appeared too. Her face was pale but her eyes were sharp. A deep blue barrier rose as she joined them.
"I don't care if he's your master," she said, gripping her hairpin like a weapon. "I'll stab him myself if he zaps us again."
They stood together. One by one. Stubborn and reckless as ever. And just behind them—
"EVERYONE WHO CAN STILL CRAWL, MOVE!"
Prince Lu's voice cut through the chaos. He stood near the gate. His face was red from shouting. His once-perfect robe was smeared with mud and ash.
"GET BACK BEHIND THE GATE!" he yelled again. "OR I SWEAR I'LL KICK YOU THROUGH IT MYSELF!"
Soldiers scrambled to obey. Some ran. Some limped. Others half-dragged their comrades. The ground shook from the stampede of boots.