No surrender
"It is not mere fables that I have traversed this realm under countless names. But the mortals of this world fancy calling me Wan Dao," she whispered, her words dripping with the enigmatic essence that emanated from her very being.
With the grace of a celestial dancer, she glided forward, her form dissolving into the ethereal veil that seemed to cloak her.
"Come forth," her voice thundered like a tempest, resonating from the void that surrounded them.
Xuan Yi found himself powerless to resist, his limbs propelled forward as if guided by an invisible force. He stepped towards the island, crossing the threshold of the unseen barrier, and vanished into the void.
In an instant, the frozen tableau transformed into a verdant paradise, a tapestry of emerald fields that stretched as far as the eye could behold. The very air pulsated with an untamed vitality, an untainted essence of chi that stirred his senses like a symphony of celestial harmonies.
The gentle caress of the breeze, cool and pure, seemed to cleanse the very essence of his soul, as if it possessed the power to purify the deepest recesses of his being. It was an ethereal sensation, a glimpse into a realm beyond mortal comprehension.
In the distance, humble shacks dotted the landscape, their thatched roofs standing as sentinels of a simpler existence. Further still, grandiose structures loomed like majestic giants, accentuating the opulence that thrived in this mystical realm. It was a sight that defied the bounds of imagination, a sight of wonder and awe.
Xuan Yi's throat tightened. His knees threatened to buckle under the weight of his awe, while his stomach churned with a heaviness as though a boulder was dropped within it. His mouth, parched and dry, yearned for a drop of moisture, while his eyes his eyes threatened to call out the deep wells.
"Is this the realm of immortals?" His quivering voice trembled, almost on the verge of a tearful sniffle, as unspeakable joy surged through his veins, envisioning the envy that would consume his clanmates upon learning of his extraordinary adventures.
"What realm of immortals?" Tian Wei scoffed, his hand smacking Xuan Yi's head from behind, jolting him out of his euphoric reverie.
"Uhh!" Xuan Yi's surprise was genuine, his senses jolted by the unexpected blow. He felt a pang of betrayal in the very air that surrounded him. If this was not the realm of immortals, then what was it? What place possessed such a swirling maelstrom of pure energies?
"There exist countless places, teeming with vibrant life and pulsating energies, your little Xuan clan is like a dumping site in the sight of them." Wan Dao began to explain, her demeanor calm and composed, yet her words cut through Xuan Yi's heart like a sharpened blade.
The mere notion of his esteemed Xuan Clan being reduced to a mere dumping site in the eyes of these otherworldly places was a searing pain that pierced his very core.
Wan Dao turned, her gaze piercing their souls.
"You must retrieve something for me from this place," she asserted.
Xuan Yi felt a shiver course through his entire being, an electric jolt that danced up and down his frame.
"Something that even an immortal cannot retrieve?" His confusion lingered in the air.
"It is not that I can't retrieve it, but I wish not to retrieve it myself," she replied, her words carrying a weight of purpose.
Tian Wei narrowed his eyes, sensing a hidden danger lurking beneath the calm and alluring atmosphere.
"You possess the ability to retrieve it, yet you dare not," Tian Wei interjected brashly. Was it a question of courage?
"That, in a sense, is one way to phrase it," she responded, her gaze fixed on the distant depths of the magnificent structures that adorned this place. "There lies a slumbering creature, nestled deep beneath the splendor of these structures. Its flesh, an embodiment of ice, its fur a delicate cascade of snow, and its eyes, chilling beads of darkness. Should I take a single step closer than where I stand now, this creature will awaken from its dormant state," she paused, turning to face them once more.
With careful steps, she moved past their frozen expressions, exiting the barrier and disappearing once more into the pocket of thin space.
Xuan Yi swallowed a knot of fear and terror. The presence of a creature that even an immortal dared not offend was enough to send chills down his spine. How could such a terrifying entity find its place within the mortal realm?
He quickly scurried away, his feet propelling him forward, desperate to put as much distance as possible between himself and the deceitful allure of the land before his eyes.
Stumbling out of the barrier and back onto the island, he felt the icy grip and scorching heat that had emanated from the terrifying aura of the immortal Wan Dan before, had now receded.
Xuan Yi felt that he now truly understood the meaning of being caught between a rock and a hard place, trapped between an immortal and a terrifying mythical beast.
Wan Dan smiled. She was unaffected by the presence and unworried of the slumbering creature.
"It is not for my sake that this creature must remain in its dormant state. It is for your own," she stated, devoid of any trace of fear.
"We have no desire to embark on such a perilous adventure," Tian Wei's voice rang out as he emerged from the barrier.
"No, you will," she affirmed, her words leaving no room for negotiation.
Tian Wei's anger began to simmer, his once composed demeanor now steaming with wisps of rage. The depths of his eyes flared with a golden flame.
"The Mystery of Breakthrough," she continued, paying no heed to Tian Wei's imminent explosion. "It is wrongly labeled as a mere mystery, born out of ignorance. What if I were to tell you its true nature and show you that it should never fade away?"
It was an enticing reward.
The price at stake was nothing short of extraordinary. The power contained within the mystery of breakthrough seemed to flow endlessly, like an inexhaustible well, a relentless river that surged and surged, never running dry.
Xuan Yi couldn't deny that such a reward was befitting of the peril posed by the creature within the barrier. Yet, he couldn't shake off the apprehension of awakening such a beast, nor the desire to keep a safe distance from it. After all, being alive was far superior to being dead.
"I would rather remain a little weak and perfectly safe, thank you," Xuan Yi expressed with a tinge of dejection. The allure of strength was undeniable, but the value of life outweighed it.
"In that city, life flourishes, and its inhabitants live long, ascending to immortality," Wan Dao reassured, sensing Xuan Yi's hesitation. "You have nothing to worry about. There is no chance that you would awaken the beast, especially with your feeble aura."
Xuan Yi pondered her words, finding a glimmer of reason within them. If there was truly no danger, then the allure of the reward became all the more enticing. He couldn't bring himself to reject such a generous gift, so he nodded frantically, his eagerness palpable.
Tian Wei, however, remained skeptical. Why did this woman specifically need their assistance if she could enlist anyone else? Until he had all his questions answered, he couldn't fully trust her.
"No, we will not undertake this task for you," Tian Wei's voice cut through the air.
"Oh Yes you will." Wan Dao, swift as the wind, materialized before Xuan Yi in a mere blink of an eye. Her finger, charged with an unfathomable force, advanced towards his head, causing space to tremble and part in terror.
Tian Wei's body transformed, as if transmuted into solid gold, for in the presence of a true immortal, he dared not hold anything back.
The shockwave that erupted from his immortal soul breaking through the confines of his mortal shell, surged forth like a colossal tidal wave.
The sheer energy tore through space, leaving behind gaping cracks that marred the entirety of the island.
With a blur of perfection, his golden hand intercepted the finger of the immortal Wan Dao, a finger that seemed poised to rend Xuan Yi's head asunder.
The hand and finger collided, unleashing an explosion of energy that blasted outwards.
The space surrounding them shattered and splintered like fragile glass, revealing a horrifying vacuum of a cold, dark void that lasted for a mere fraction of a second before mending itself.
The impact of this unfathomable force swept outward. Its terrifying energy was felt by all living things.
The very moon itself cracked under the weight of the impact.
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I think this may have been my longest chapter yet. Let me know if you prefer longer chapters.
With this chapter, I have also crossed, the 50k words mark. 🍾
Sometimes, I go back and add a few more paragraphs before publishing the next chapter. If you ever feel that a chapter began where the last one didn't stop, you may want to reload the previous one to make sure I didn't add a few more paragraphs. However, I want to assure you that this happens rarely. Going forward, I will be sure to leave a note in the new chapter if I make any additions to a chapter after it has been published.
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