The early sun bathed Spirit Fire Valley in gold, casting long rays through the drifting clouds. Mist coiled lazily around the valley ridges and faint birds song echoed in the distance.
Bai Shuo sat in silent meditation, at the edge of a tranquil lake on Spirit Fire Valley, the mist swirling around her like a veil.
She closed her eyes, focusing on the qi flowing through her meridians, trying to push past the persistent ache in her chest.
With a slow inhale,she drew in the valley's wild energy, letting it swirl around her like a vortex . Her hands moved in intricate patterns, weaving the qi into a gentle stream inside her meridians.
Cold sweat dotted her forehead as she tried hard to suppress the two unruly energies raging within.
"Bai Shuo!!"
A cold voice filled with rage rang out.
Her dark and long lashes fluttered and she snapped her eyes open as the spiraling vortex disappeared.
Her vividly red lips curled into a smirk. Her striking phoenix shaped eyes glinted in amusement when she saw the familiar figure storming towards her,his face a mask of fury.
The temperature of the Spirit Fire valley dropped drastically.
Frost crept across the ground racing to meet her toes _ only to melt. The air thickened with an icy chill. The tree around them seemed to shiver,their leaves trembling.
Bai Shuo stood tall, looking indifferent and unfazed. Her fiery red dress billowing like a blaze in the wind.
The vibrant silk hugged her curves, embroidered with delicate phoenix feathers that shimmered with each movement. Her long dark hair was partially tied up with a golden flame shaped pin while the rest flowed down her back like a cascading waterfall.
"Xuan'er, do you miss me so much that you are eager to see me?" Her amused voice rang out as if she couldn't see the anger shimmering beneath the cold exterior.
"Bai Shuo.."
Mo Xuan repeated slowly, his earlier rage settling into an eerie calm."You really disgust me."
Her smile froze on her lips and her first tightened into a ball.
She ignored the ache in her chest,her mind racing as she tried to figure out the reason for his outburst.
She relaxed her fists and stretched her lips into a beautiful and captivating smile "Why? You don't like my gift?"
"Yu'er is your sister,how could you be so cruel?"
She was stunned and her face turned cold.
She couldn't understand what he was talking about but she knew the truth couldn't be far from her so-called sister's manipulation.
That white lotus bitch,it seems like the lesson last time was not enough.
" Yu'er? You called her so affectionately but don't forget that you are my man." Her cold voice rang out assertively and domineeringly,her iris shimmering with a rich shade of amber gold.
Mo Xuan's gaze darkened.
The air dropped several degrees in an instant. His eyes glinted with murderous intent as his grip tightened on the hilt of the sword sheathed on his waist.
Bai Shuo noticed his subtle movement and her expression grew amused.
"Xuan'er, You can't be thinking of fighting me right? I must say,you are talented_ more talented than I expected but to cross three realms to challenge me? Tsk.."
She turned her back to him, lazily twirling a strand of her hair "You have to cultivate for another fifty ye…."
"Whoosh..."
Her words were cut off as she twirled around elegantly to intercept the incoming sword with her two fair,long and slender fingers.
Steel rattled as she knocked off the sword,her eyes met his _cold and narrowed and she couldn't stop her smile from growing wider.
" This is our fifty- fifth battle." She sighed
" It seems like the beating last time wasn't enough."
Bai Shuo stretched out her beautiful fair hands and with a soft hum sound,a crimson sword appeared in her hands from the void.
The air sizzled as Bai Shuo and Mo Xuan clashed, their swords meeting in a shower of sparks. The trees trembled and creaked under the pressure.
Bai Shuo's red dress whipped around her like a living flame as she clashed with Mo Xuan.
Her sword,a fiery extension of her arm slashed and carved arcs of molten red across the sky with each swing.
Across from her, Mo Xuan stood like an unmoving glacier,his expression cold. His silver white robes fluttered in the breeze and each strike of his blade exhaled mists, freezing the moisture in the air. A single step from him crystallized the grass beneath his feet.
Bai Shuo's laughter rang out exhilarated "You have formed your Golden Core_Good..good..,as expected of the man I, Bai Shou choose."
Mo Xuan's eyes turned colder,his attacks becoming frenzied,more precise and deadly. Bai Shou spunned mid air,her fire burning brighter, resolving each attack with ease.
She looked relaxed . And a little bored.
The cold man's grip tightened,a pulse of darkness surged beneath the frost on his blade and for a fleeting second,it wasn't Ice that met her fire but shadow.
Bai Shou felt her flames falter and widened her eyes in shock "Darkness? Dual element?"
She sneered "Tsk…Tsk..You really hid it well,but that's still not enough to defeat me."
"Defeat you?" Mo Xuan's cold voice rang out, his cold gaze meeting her smiling eyes "I want to kill you!"
"Heee.." She scoffed "This is our Fifty-fifth battle and you've been saying the same boring catchphrase,but to kill me , Hmph.. You are not worthy yet."
The battle escalated and her eyes grew serious as it raged on.
She was startled when she noticed her spiritual energy being drained. It seemed like his darkness element has a devouring effect.
He really hid it well.
Their blades locked mid air, vibrating from sheer force,Fire against darkness.
Although the darkness has a devouring effect,her flames burned brighter than ever_until the two opposing energies within her spiraled out of control.
Panic flitted across Bai Shuo's eyes . Her spiritual energy was disrupted and her reaction was a tad bit slower but that moment of inattentiveness was enough to determine the victor of the battle.
Then_
Silence…
The clash of swords echoed no more.
Bai Shuo stood unnaturally still,the flames around her extinguished,her crimson robes now drenched in deep scarlet blood.
Stunned,she staggered a bit and looked down,Mo Xuan's sword was buried deep in her chest, sticking out from her back, it's icy blade trembling faintly still humming with suppressed darkness.
Her eyes froze. Lips trembled.
She looked at him. He looked at her too_Frozen,perhaps because the victory was unexpected to him.His face was ashen,his lips tight.
Bai Shuo felt him pulling the sword but it was stuck,she felt her lifeforce and spiritual energy being drained and Mo Xuan's aura surging drastically.
Her lips parted slightly but no words came out,only a soft gasp as he pulled out the sword."You…..."
Her knees buckled and she collapsed.
She fell into his strong arms and wanted to struggle subconsciously but she couldn't even lift a finger,his icy cold masculine aura surrounded her.
His body was trembling slightly,maybe from excitement of finally killing her? She didn't know.
It was so painful.
She wanted to yell at him or curse him but blood flowed out of her lips intermittently.
Her eyes meet his again.
Was that shock,panic,or confusion that she saw in his eyes?She couldn't tell.
She could only see a faint figure rushing towards them from a distance.
"Master….You..You killed her."
The last thing she heard was a horrified and somewhat shrill voice before darkness swallowed her whole.