Published at 24th of September 2024 8:21 am

Chapter 14: The Storm Approaches

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Wei Long could sense it before the others. A storm was gathering on the horizon, not of wind and rain but of something far more dangerous. The spiritual energy in the air had grown dense and heavy, crackling with tension. The unease that had settled over the town since the arrival of the Jade Serpent Sect was now palpable, and even those without cultivation could feel it in the pit of their stomachs.

The town, though bustling with daily life, had an underlying tension that could not be ignored. Merchants haggled, farmers tended their crops, and children played in the streets, but the air was thick with worry. The guards trained with renewed vigor under the watchful eyes of the Jade Serpent Sect’s disciples, but Wei Long noticed the subtle changes in their movements. The guards had become stronger, faster, more disciplined—but they also seemed less like men of the town and more like soldiers of the sect.

Wei Long stood near the town’s training grounds, watching as the elder from the Jade Serpent Sect observed the drills. The elder’s sharp eyes gleamed with satisfaction, though his expression remained unreadable. Wei Long’s unease deepened. He had been training hard, pushing his cultivation beyond its previous limits after his victory in the valley. He knew the storm was not just a metaphor—it was real, and it was coming.

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That night, the storm finally arrived.

It began with a low rumble in the distance, barely noticeable at first. The townspeople continued their routines, unaware of the danger creeping closer. But Wei Long felt it immediately. The spiritual energy in the air shifted violently, the balance of nature disturbed by a dark force. He rushed to the town’s walls, his instincts screaming at him to prepare.

The sky darkened unnaturally fast, black clouds swirling above the town like a vast, ominous shroud. Lightning crackled through the clouds, but it wasn’t the natural kind—this was infused with demonic energy, its eerie purple glow lighting up the night.

The town’s alarm bell rang out, cutting through the growing fear. The guards rushed to their posts, weapons drawn, but the look in their eyes betrayed their uncertainty. Even the disciples of the Jade Serpent Sect seemed shaken by the sudden appearance of the storm.

“Prepare the defenses!” shouted one of the town’s captains, his voice barely audible over the howling wind. “Get the townspeople to safety!”

Wei Long stood at the forefront, his hand resting on the hilt of his sword. His cultivation had grown stronger, but this was something else entirely. He could feel it—a monstrous presence, unlike any demonic beast he had encountered before. Whatever was coming, it was powerful. Far more powerful than the valley’s guardian beast.

As the storm raged, a figure appeared on the horizon. At first, it was barely visible through the swirling mist, but as it drew closer, its form became clear. It was a massive creature, towering above the trees. Its skin was dark and covered in jagged, rock-like scales that pulsed with dark energy. Red eyes glowed like embers in the night, and its maw opened wide, revealing rows of razor-sharp teeth. This was no ordinary demonic beast—this was a true Demon Lord.

The ground trembled beneath its feet as it approached, each step sending shockwaves through the earth. The townspeople, seeing the beast, froze in terror. The Jade Serpent Sect disciples, too, hesitated, their confidence shaken by the sheer magnitude of the creature’s power.

Wei Long’s grip on his sword tightened. He had known that the demonic beasts were growing stronger, but this… this was beyond anything he had expected. His mind raced, searching for a strategy. He couldn’t fight this thing alone—not at his current level.

Behind him, the elder of the Jade Serpent Sect stepped forward, his face set in grim determination. “This is what I warned you about,” the elder said, his voice barely audible over the roar of the storm. “The demonic forces are growing stronger. If we do not stand together, your town will be destroyed.”

Wei Long glanced back at the elder. “I’m not against unity,” he said, “but unity doesn’t mean surrendering control. We can fight together without losing ourselves.”

The elder’s expression hardened, but there was no time for debate. The Demon Lord let out a deafening roar, its massive body crashing through the outer walls of the town as if they were made of paper. Screams filled the air as the townspeople fled, and the guards rushed to engage the beast, but their weapons barely scratched its hardened scales.

Wei Long leaped into action. Drawing on the spiritual energy he had cultivated from the valley, he charged toward the Demon Lord, his sword glowing with a brilliant light. He slashed at the creature’s legs, aiming for its joints, but the beast’s scales deflected his strikes. It swiped at him with a massive claw, and Wei Long barely managed to dodge, the wind from the attack knocking him off balance.

As he regained his footing, Wei Long realized that brute force alone wouldn’t be enough. This Demon Lord was too strong, its power overwhelming. He needed to find a weakness, something that could turn the tide of the battle.

The elder of the Jade Serpent Sect joined the fight, his hands weaving complex sigils in the air as he summoned spiritual energy. A blast of pure energy shot from his palms, striking the Demon Lord in the chest. The creature staggered, but it quickly recovered, its glowing eyes locking onto the elder with a burning hatred.

“This thing is too powerful for one of us alone,” the elder shouted to Wei Long. “We must combine our strength!”

Wei Long hesitated. The elder was right. This wasn’t a fight he could win alone. Reluctantly, he nodded. “Fine. But this doesn’t mean I’m giving in to the sect’s control.”

The elder smirked slightly. “We’ll discuss that later. For now, focus on the battle.”

Together, Wei Long and the elder launched a coordinated assault. The elder’s powerful spells bombarded the Demon Lord from a distance, while Wei Long used his enhanced agility to strike at the beast’s weak points. They worked in tandem, their attacks complementing each other, and slowly but surely, the Demon Lord began to weaken.

But the beast was far from finished.

With a roar of fury, the Demon Lord unleashed a wave of dark energy, sending both Wei Long and the elder flying backward. Wei Long hit the ground hard, his body aching from the impact. He could feel the demonic energy seeping into his core, threatening to corrupt his cultivation. Gritting his teeth, he forced the energy out, refusing to let it take hold.

The elder was struggling as well, his face pale as he fought to maintain control over his spiritual energy. The Demon Lord was far stronger than either of them had anticipated, and the storm only seemed to fuel its power.

Wei Long’s mind raced. They couldn’t defeat the Demon Lord by conventional means. There had to be another way—something they were missing. He reached out with his senses, searching for anything that could give them an advantage.

Then he felt it.

Beneath the town, deep within the earth, was a reservoir of spiritual energy. It was ancient and powerful, a force that had been lying dormant for centuries. Wei Long realized that this energy was the key to defeating the Demon Lord. But accessing it would be dangerous—there was no telling what might happen if he tapped into such raw power.

With no other choice, Wei Long closed his eyes and focused. He reached deep into the earth, drawing on the hidden energy. Slowly, he felt it respond, flowing into him like a tidal wave. His body surged with power, his cultivation soaring to new heights as the ancient energy infused his core.

The Demon Lord snarled, sensing the shift in Wei Long’s strength. It charged at him, but this time, Wei Long was ready. With a roar of his own, he unleashed the full force of the spiritual energy he had gathered. A massive shockwave of light erupted from his body, slamming into the Demon Lord and stopping it in its tracks.

The beast howled in pain as the light burned through its dark energy, its massive form beginning to disintegrate. With one final, ear-splitting roar, the Demon Lord collapsed, its body dissolving into nothingness as the storm above the town finally began to dissipate.

Wei Long stood in the aftermath, breathing heavily, the power of the earth still pulsing within him. He had won—but at a cost. The energy he had drawn upon was dangerous, uncontrollable. He could feel its lingering presence in his core, a reminder of the risk he had taken.

As the townspeople began to emerge from their hiding places, the elder of the Jade Serpent Sect approached him. “You saved the town,” the elder said, his tone grudgingly respectful. “But that power… it is not something you can control.”

Wei Long nodded. “I know. But I’ll find a way. The town’s future depends on it.”

The elder looked at him for a long moment before nodding. “Perhaps you’re right. But be careful, Wei Long. Power like that always comes with a price.”

As the elder walked away, Wei Long turned his gaze to the horizon. The storm had passed, but the winds of change were still blowing.

And this was only the beginning.

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