Thunder Over the Mist
The clash of steel against steel shook the trees around them, sending mist and leaves swirling into the air. Elder Chen's purple qi roared like a storm, while Lin Jing's golden energy crackled with raw power.
INFINITE CRIT BARRAGE ACTIVATED
Effect: 1000 Strikes per Second; Each Hit Triggers Max Crit Damage
Lin Jing moved like lightning, his sword a blur of golden light. Every strike landed true—on Elder Chen's blade, his armor, the air around him—each impact sending shockwaves through the woods.
"How can an Outer Disciple have this much power?!" Elder Chen roared, parrying frantically as his sword began to chip and crack.
Lin Jing didn't answer—he focused on the fight, on protecting Yun Qingyan behind her golden barrier. When Elder Chen lunged forward with a devastating thrust, Lin Jing spun aside and struck back. CRIT! Weak Point Hit – Shoulder Meridian Severed
Elder Chen cried out as his purple qi flickered and died down in his right arm. He staggered back, his face twisted with pain and rage.
Meanwhile, Elder Ye had ordered the two dark-robed disciples to capture Yun Qingyan. They charged at her barrier, their fists wrapped in black qi—but the moment they touched the golden light, CRIT! Damage Reflection Triggered
They were thrown backward, crashing into trees and lying still. Elder Ye snarled and stepped forward himself, his hands glowing with green poison energy.
"You think a simple barrier can stop me?!" he hissed, slamming his palms against the golden shield.
CRIT! Energy Absorbed and Converted
Yun Qingyan's Spiritual Energy Boosted ×50
"Jing-ge!" she called out, her voice strong and clear. "I can help!"
Golden light flowed from the barrier to Lin Jing, amplifying his power even further. He felt the system respond to her support:
BOND CRIT TRIGGERED: Loved One's Support
All Stats ×200; New Skill – Dual Crit Synergy
Lin Jing turned his attention to Elder Ye, who was staring in horror as his poison energy turned golden and harmless in his hands. With a single flash of his sword, Lin Jing disarmed him, the blade flying from Elder Ye's grasp and embedding itself in a tree trunk.
"You were supposed to be my teacher," Lin Jing said, his voice cold. "How could you betray the sect—and hurt someone who trusted you?"
Elder Ye fell to his knees, his face pale with defeat. "The vault… it promises immortality… I was weak…"
Chen Hao had watched the fight unfold with growing terror. He'd thought he was the strongest disciple in the Outer Sect—had dreamed of becoming an Inner Disciple and rising to power. But now, facing Lin Jing's overwhelming strength, all he felt was fear.
"Stay away from me!" he shrieked, pulling out a small jade bottle. "I have this—Elder Chen gave it to me!"
He uncorked the bottle and drank the liquid inside. Instantly, his body swelled with dark energy, his eyes turning red as he transformed into a monstrous form—half-man, half-beast.
CORRUPTION DETECTED
System Warning: Enemy Under Forbidden Potion Effect
Temporary Power Boost ×10 – But Life Force Draining Rapidly
"Now I'll kill you!" Chen Hao roared, charging forward with claws of black steel.
Lin Jing met him without hesitation. CRIT! Purification Strike Activated
His sword glowed with pure white light as he struck Chen Hao's chest. The dark energy shattered like glass, and Chen Hao collapsed to the ground, his body shrinking back to normal as the potion's effect faded. He lay there, breathing heavily, his eyes filled with shame.
"I… I'm sorry…" he whispered, but Lin Jing had already turned back to Elder Chen, who was trying to escape into the mist.
With a single leap, Lin Jing cut off his path. Elder Chen drew a final weapon—a purple talisman that crackled with ancient power.
"If I can't have the vault, then no one will!" he shouted, tearing the talisman in two.
A massive vortex of purple energy erupted, threatening to tear apart everything in the woods. But Lin Jing was ready. He raised his sword to the sky, and golden lightning descended from the clouds above—CRIT! Heaven's Wrath Strike
The golden lightning struck the vortex dead center, and the two forces collided in a blinding flash. When the light faded, the vortex was gone, and Elder Chen lay unconscious on the ground.
Silence fell over the woods. The mist began to clear, revealing the sun shining through the trees. Yun Qingyan's barrier faded, and she ran to Lin Jing's side.
"You did it," she said, tears of relief in her eyes. "You saved us all."
As if on cue, the sound of footsteps echoed through the woods. Elder Zhang and several other Inner Sect elders emerged from the trees—they'd been drawn by the massive surge of spiritual energy.
"Lin Jing," Elder Zhang said, his voice filled with awe as he looked at the defeated enemies. "We felt the power from miles away. What happened here?"
Before Lin Jing could answer, a booming voice echoed across the mountains—one that every disciple of the Xuanwu Sect knew well.
"Let the boy speak. I wish to hear his story."
The Sect Master himself stood at the edge of the clearing, his white robes flowing like water, his eyes holding the depth of the stars.
Lin Jing knelt respectfully, Yun Qingyan beside him. "Sect Master, I have much to tell you…"
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