Lin Xian & Xiao Jin take the stage
The darkness trembled.
A single raindrop fell through the air.
And then—
Lin Xian opened his eyes.
Nirvana God's Eye: Insight.
His pupils shifted from cold silver to glowing gold, ancient sigils blooming like celestial rings.
Mo Zhen's heart lurched. "Those eyes… that's not a mortal technique…"
Mo Yue'er gasped softly, her fingers tightening around Qingluan Mingyue. "Brother Lin… your eyes…"
But the world had already changed.
Shadows unraveled. Mist parted. Every beast's movement slowed—as if the forest itself held its breath.
Before him, the battlefield unfolded with impossible clarity. Forty-five shadow beasts. Forty-five cores. Each core glowed dimly inside their chests, throats, and heads—bright as lanterns in the dark, their weaknesses naked under the golden gaze.
Lin Xian whispered, "…Found you."
He placed a hand on Shadowbane's hilt.
SHING—
The blade left its sheath. A pitch-black edge, thin and cold as winter moonlight.
Mo Zhen's breath caught. "That sword intent… sharp enough to split even the heavens."
Without looking back, Lin Xian spoke quietly to Xiao Jin. "Let's go."
Xiao Jin stepped forward. Its fur flared with electricity. Golden arcs crawled across its body like living serpents. Though it could not speak, the small divine beast roared silently—a crackle of thunder bursting from its throat.
Mo Yue'er blinked, stunned. "It's… reacting to Brother Lin's aura…" Her voice trembled. "No… they're resonating."
And then—
The world stopped.
The raindrop froze mid-air. The breeze halted mid-gust. The shadows paused mid-writhe.
Only Lin Xian moved.
His foot slid half a step—
---
Shadow Steps
He vanished.
A smear of darkness. A whisper in the wind. A figure passing through moonlight like a ghost that refused to show its shadow.
After-images blossomed around him—one, two, five, ten—each one swinging with flawless precision.
Mo Zhen gritted his teeth, trembling. "He's leaving after-images just from how fast he's moving… This young man—what is his real level of power?!"
The first beast lunged.
Lin Xian didn't raise his sword. He simply shifted his wrist.
---
First Form — Silent Edge (寂刃)
A soundless strike.
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Shadowbane curved in a crescent arc—
Pssht.
The beast's head fell off cleanly. Its core shattered in the same motion. The body collapsed into ash before it even knew it had been killed.
Lin Xian was already gone.
---
A second beast jumped at him from above. A third from behind. A fourth from underground.
All of them slowed—their roars stretched into deep echoes—like the world had turned into thick honey.
Lin Xian stepped forward once, and time resumed only for his blade.
---
Second Form — Shadow Piercing (破影)
His thrust disappeared—
—and appeared inside the beast's core.
CRACK.
The boulder behind them split open from the sheer piercing force, a thin hairline cut running straight through its massive body.
Three beasts died in the time it took the boulder to finish breaking.
---
Dozens more charged him. Their claws blurred. Their jaws snapped. Their killing intent warped the air.
But Lin Xian's golden Insight saw everything—their angles, their hesitation, the tiny flicks of muscle before they moved.
He stepped, slid, vanished, appeared.
Shadow Steps became a dance.
The forest turned into a field of drifting black petals. Every after-image swung its blade—and every swing killed.
---
Xiao Jin joined the slaughter.
Its tiny body burst into lightning.
Divine Beast Art — Lightning Pounce!
Xiao Jin leapt.
Lightning exploded outward.
BOOM—!
Every slash from its claws came with a thunderclap—cleanly splitting cores, tearing through throats. Shadow beasts were shredded in single strikes, their bodies dissolving before they touched the ground.
Another beast roared and tried to crush Xiao Jin with its massive limbs—
Second Stance — Storm Crush!
Blue arcs wrapped around Xiao Jin's claws. It spun mid-air and slammed its paw down—
KRRRSH—!
The beast's core shattered like glass. Its body caved inward, collapsing in on itself.
Lightning scattered across the ground like dancing fireflies.
---
Dozens remained.
They froze—
For a pillar of light shot down from the sky.
Divine Beast Art — Thunder's Descent!
BOOOOOM—!
A divine thunderbolt struck, engulfing an entire cluster of beasts in a brilliant explosion of blue-white light.
When the light faded, there was nothing left. Not even ash.
---
Only one beast remained.
The largest. The leader.
Its body towered over them, easily three times the size of the others—muscles pulsing with black qi, four claws sinking deep into the cracked soil, its spine arched like a demon awakening.
Its hollow, abyss-black eyes locked onto Lin Xian.
It roared.
BOOOOOM!!
The roar shattered the last lingering raindrops, turning them into vapor. Shockwaves blasted outward. Trees bent. Soil split like glass.
Mo Yue'er felt her chest tighten, her suppressed qi trembling violently. "Th-that one… its aura… it's equivalent to Peak Spirit Foundation…" Her voice trembled.
Mo Zhen clenched his fists, barely keeping calm. "No—stronger. And it's smarter. It's watching Lin Xian specifically."
Lin Xian simply raised his sword. Shadowbane gleamed in the dim moonlight.
"Xiao Jin."
The divine beast stepped forward, lightning sparking along its spine, fur rising like a storm about to break.
The leader beast lowered its body.
The earth cracked beneath its claws.
Then—
It charged.
Fast, heavy, and unstoppable. A black comet screaming through the forest.
---
Lin Xian moved first.
Shadow Steps ignited—but the beast was faster.
BOOM!!
Its colossal arm slammed down. Lin Xian blocked with Shadowbane but was still launched backward, sliding across the dirt, boots carving trenches.
Mo Yue'er gasped. "That… that inhuman strength! Brother Lin was forced back!"
Before he could stabilize—
WHOOOSH!!
A massive tail swept toward him.
Lin Xian's Insight flared golden—and he twisted aside by a hair's breadth. The tail struck a hill behind him—
CRRRRAAAACK!!
—splitting it in half.
Xiao Jin intercepted from the side, claws glowing.
Divine Beast Art — Lightning Pounce!
He pounced—but the king beast caught him mid-air and threw him, smashing Xiao Jin into a tree trunk so hard it exploded into splinters.
Mo Zhen's pupils shrank. "Impossible! Even a Divine Beast's physique—!"
Xiao Jin staggered, shaking off debris, eyes burning brighter with fury.
---
The beast lunged again, both arms outstretched.
Lin Xian swept his sword—
Shadow Piercing!
—but the beast crossed its arms, absorbing the strike, then countered with a downward smash.
Lin Xian blocked—
KAAA-THUUUUM!!
The ground cratered, forcing Lin Xian to one knee.
Its claws came for his skull.
Lin Xian's eyes blazed.
Silent Edge—!
He slipped just under its arm, the blade grazing its shoulder—but instead of cutting cleanly, the wound sealed with black qi.
Mo Yue'er's breath caught. "It has the power of regeneration…!"
Xiao Jin roared with crackling fury—
Divine Beast Art — Storm Crush!!
He slammed his claw into the beast's back, arcs exploding outward—but the beast didn't budge.
Its massive arm swung backward—
SMASH!
Xiao Jin was sent flying again, rolling across the ground.
"Xiao Jin!!" Mo Yue'er cried out in panic.
The beast pounced at Lin Xian, both claws descending like executioner blades.
Lin Xian crossed Shadowbane horizontally—
CLAAAAAANG!!
Sparks rained like a storm of stars.
Lin Xian's arms trembled under the sheer force. His boots sank into the earth.
The beast pressed harder.
Mo Zhen's eyes widened in disbelief. "He's… forcing Lin Xian down…!"
Lin Xian grit his teeth. Shadowbane groaned, the beast's claws inches from crushing him.
Mist, rain, shadow qi—all swirled violently around them.
Lin Xian exhaled—"…Enough."
---
Xiao Jin burst from behind the beast, lightning swallowing his entire body.
Divine Beast Art — Thunder's Descent!!
A bolt of divine thunder struck from the sky, slamming straight into the king beast's spine.
The beast roared in agony—its body stiffening.
Lin Xian seized the opening.
He gathered his qi. His golden pupils sharpened into crescent moons.
"Xiao Jin—together."
Lightning wrapped around his arm as Xiao Jin landed beside him.
The beast lunged for one final strike—
---
Third Form — Lunar Eclipse Slash (蚀月断生)
Moonlight erupted along Shadowbane. Not soft—but fierce.
The world slowed.
Again.
Rain hovered in the air. Lightning paused mid-crackle. The beast's roar stretched thin like a fading echo.
Lin Xian stepped forward—Xiao Jin surged beside him.
A single breath.
A single heartbeat.
A single killing stroke.
KRRRRRSHHHH—!!!
The crescent moon cut through the world.
The divine thunder descended with it.
The king beast's body froze.
Then—
Its head flew skyward in a perfect arc, its black crystal core shattering into radiant fragments. The enormous body collapsed a heartbeat later, splitting apart as the dark qi evaporated.
A final tremor shook the clearing.
And then—
Complete silence.
Rain finally fell again.
Xiao Jin landed beside Lin Xian, chest heaving. Lin Xian exhaled, steady but undeniably strained.
Mo Zhen stared in utter disbelief. "To think… that even under suppression—he could
still unleash such… monstrous power…"
Mo Yue'er's gaze softened, brimming with awe-struck admiration and profound respect. "Brother Lin… you won against a king beast that even a Core Formation expert would fear…"
Lin Xian wiped the blade clean and sheathed Shadowbane.
"We need to keep moving."
The night was far from done.
To be continued
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