Resurgence

*Crack!

The sound of shattering glass abruptly halted Xiao Dong's advance toward the fallen Jianyu. He retreated hastily, poised to counter whatever trick Jianyu might employ.

To his astonishment, the anticipated attack never appeared. Instead, cracks began to spiderweb across Jianyu's body.

*Tsssdt!!

Dark mist oozed from Jianyu's disintegrating form, the cracks relentlessly expanding until, with a resounding thunder, he exploded into a billowing cloud of shadows.

"Huh?" Xiao Dong, taken aback by this unexpected turn, fell silent, his gaze fixed on the enigmatic mist. "Huh... He...hehe.... HahHAHAHAHHA!!"

His laughter echoed manically, relishing the sight of his foe's pathetic demise. "Serves you right! You bloody bastard! Hahaha!"

"Ahh... No... No... Jianyu..." Xifeng muttered mindlessly on the ground, her words repeating like a broken record. Xiao Dong decided to ignore her, as he was bound by his vow... not that he expects that Xifeng would survive in her current state anyways. As he turned to leave...

████ ████!!

...A mighty roar reverberated through the caverns. Within the dark shadows, the remnants of Xin Jianyu, a sphere of multicolored wisps materialized.

The shadows advanced, seeping into every crevice of the cavern. It brought an ominous transformation to the land, devouring everything in its path, including the corpse of the beast felled prior Jianyu's arrival...

The entire cavern plunged into a deep, dark shade mirroring that of the shadowy mist. Ashen dead branches lunged forth from the cursed land, devoid of life.

The spherical wisps of myriad coloured lights amid the darkness faded as the shadows gathered and condensed back onto it's origin...

"Tsk!" Xiao Dong clicked his tongue, rushing toward the faint sphere of five-colored wisps, determined to eliminate the monstrosity.

However...

████!!

As his weapon(stick) approached the sphere, a heavy blow struck his waist, sending him hurtling into the distance.

"Argh!"

Xiao Dong prepared to retaliate, "You bastar-!" Only to realize his weapon was gone.

His eyes darted around in search of his lost weapon, only to find that the condensed shadows had taken a new form—an abomination of ash and smoke, twice his height. Its upper limbs bore an uncanny semblance to human arms, yet devoid of any humanity. The lower limbs resembled those of a beast, adorned with vicious claws. Instead of typical facial features, a vertical slit ran down its face.

█... ██...

Its throat trembled freverously as roars of thunderous clouds resonated... delivering a strangely clear message. It was...

█in Ji██yu!█

...A declaration!

With that declaration, the slit on its face opened, revealing two swirling pearls—one crimson-gold and the other bluish-silver—amid the dark abyss that constituted the creature's "eye."

████ ██ █████████

The accursed land trembled, responding to the abomination's words as if it longed for the creature's command...

The ashen branches intertwined upon themselves, forming bulbous egg-like creations.

█Bl█om█!█

Before Xiao Dong could react, the withered ashen eggs bloomed, unravelling flowers of spiny thorns—an abomination comparable to the one that birthed such monstrosities.

"Heavenly Ward of Preservation!"

Xiao Dong summoned a humanoid-shaped wooden doll, a treasured creation crafted by an ancient immortal with the intent of safeguarding its possessor from any harm.

However, despite the Heavenly Ward being designed to endure even an assault from a quasi-immortal, it withered and transformed into an ashen gray hue as the sinister "flower" continued its bloom.

"This..." Xiao Dong, stunned by the unfolding spectacle, nearly gasped. His shock intensified as he observed Yin Xifeng, who had collapsed and fallen unconscious, now enveloped in a similar ominous aura.

⋅•⋅⋅•⋅⊰⋅•⋅⋅•⋅⋅•⋅⋅•⋅∙∘☽༓☾∘∙•⋅⋅⋅•⋅⋅⊰⋅•⋅⋅•⋅⋅•⋅⋅•⋅

Xiao Dong gasped in surprise as he looked at Yin Xifeng's state. "This..." Her skin had begun to crack, and her body looked as if its life had been sucked out. "This must be a life essence stealing technique! No wonder the heavenly ward collapsed!"

Determined, Xiao Dong pulled out a spear from his storage bag. "Even if it's nowhere near my stick, this spear should be enough for a 'demonic' bastard like you!" Tightening his grip on the shaft of his spear, Xiao Dong rushed towards the 'demonic' abomination.

The corrupted cavern echoed with the clash of their energies as Xiao Dong and the abomination exchanged blows. The ashen branches that surrounded them trembled with the impact of their confrontation. The air crackled with chaotic energy as the two forces collided.

Finally, Xiao Dong saw an opening. He pushed forward, attacking the abomination with a fierce determination. However, just as his spear was about to reach its mark, a tongue-like appendage shot out from the abomination's throat – it was a trap!

"Kuh..." As the tongue pierced through him, Xiao Dong unexpectedly smiled. "You're not the only one..." His body began to fade away into motes of light, and the abomination hurriedly turned towards its back, but it was too late. "...who has tricks up his sleeves!"

With his form now apparent behind the abomination, Xiao Dong slashed at the abomination, leaving a deep wound. But what was far more dangerous was the golden lightning it emitted.

"Your resistance is futile!" Xiao Dong truly meant this when he said so. After all, this ancient spear had absorbed the heavenly tribulation lightning from his heavenly tribulation. A demonic creature such as this abomination must naturally be weak to the heaven's authority! "Let the heavenly lightning burn away your filthy existence!"

However, the tenacity of the abomination was something Xiao Dong hadn't expected. From its wound, dark roots grew, grabbing onto the spear and climbing onto it like a slithering serpents.

"Th-this?!" The roots soon enveloped the spear whole and turned into an arm-like appendage. Its source was Xiao Dong's own weapon – 'the stick'. The appendage now grabbed onto Xiao Dong, gripping his body with the intent to crush him.

Xiao Dong, though in pain, didn't yield. Drawing upon his inner strength, he channeled more heavenly lightning into the spear, intensifying its power. The golden energy crackled, attempting to repel the dark roots that coiled around it.

The abomination, sensing the increased resistance, roared in frustration. The clash of energies reached a crescendo as the cavern trembled under the strain of their battle. In a desperate move, Xiao Dong knowing that this was a struggle that he couldn't win without any sacrifices, sent one last command to his spear.

Through his connection with the spear he had refined over the years he simply... allowed it to go beserk!

The cavern was bathed in a blinding light as the heavenly lightning surged. The abomination writhed in agony, its form convulsing under the onslaught of heavenly energy. The roots that bound Xiao Dong recoiled, unable to withstand the overwhelming force.

As the light began to fade, Xiao Dong stood, panting and battered...

The abomination, weakened and wounded, struggled to maintain a coherent form. With a determined look, Xiao Dong approached the creature, his spear at the ready for a final, decisive blow.

However...

"Brother?"

Before he could do so, a new character had intruded upon the stage.

"Xiao Dong... Explain why lady Xifeng is in her current state?!"

But, that's not all with it came yet another land mine, Xiao Xiang and Mo Suyin had entered the fray!

...

A little while into the past...

...

Amidst the tremors that shook the entire hidden realm, Xiao Xiang felt an inexplicable force pulling her towards the center of the disturbance. It was as if an unseen hand guided her steps, urging her to uncover the cause of this.

On her path towards the origin of the tremors, Xiao Xiang encountered an unexpected individual—Mo Suyin. The two shared a few words both had known each other well to easily come to an understanding and upon realizing that their goals aligned, they decided to move together.

As they reached closer to their destination they realized something, the cavern, now transformed into a dreary and abnormal seemed to not welcome their intrusion. Palpable pressure bore down upon them as they ventured deeper into the heart of the disturbance. A distant flash of light appeared ahead of them, and they rushed towards it.

As the light dimmed, revealing the unsettling scene before them, they beheld an injured Xiao Dong panting for breath. A grotesque creature, with echoes of the abyss lingering in its form, stood a few paces away from him.

"Brother..." Xiao Xiang's voice carried a hint of concern, though her attention seemed divided.

However, before she could continue, Mo Suyin spoke up, her voice calm yet filled with great fury. "Xiao Dong... Explain why Lady Xifeng is in her current state!" After all, her young lord, her benefactor, her teacher's fiancee, was in such a state!

Xiao Dong, battered and worn from the recent confrontation, felt the weight of the accusing gazes upon him. However, he was someone who had once reached immortality! There's simply no way he would let such menial things get to him!

Instead, he could even use the current situation to his advantage!

Despite the pain, he straightened himself, meeting Mo Suyin's intense gaze and Xiao Xiang's seemingly indifferent one. A pained expression soon took form upon his face.

"Mo Suyin, Xiao Xiang," he began, his voice strained but resolute, "Lady Xifeng is in this state because of the abomination that stands before you. It possesses an insidious ability to drain the life essence of its victims. I fought alongside her, but the creature's power overwhelmed us!"

Xiao Xiang's expression remained unreadable, a mix of emotions hidden beneath a stoic facade, "You... wh-"

██████████!█!

Her words were abruptly cut off by a deafening roar from the abomination, its rage apparent as day.

The cavern seemed to vibrate with the intensity of the creature's fury. Xiao Dong seized the moment, using the distraction to his advantage. "This abomination is a menace, and we need to unite against it to ensure everyone's safety!"

The abomination, now far more beast-like, dashed towards Xiao Dong while standing on all four of its limbs, a tail made of intertwined roots ending with a dark, wooden claw growing out of its back.

"Urk!" Anticipating what was to come, Xiao Dong braced for impact; however...

███████████!!

The abomination was hit with a torrent of water, its source revealed to be Xiao Xiang. Her eyes now glowed with a golden glow!

The beast, however, in absolute fury, didn't stop and instead began to formulate another attack.

████ ██ █████████.

The ashen branches once again intertwined to form buds, however...

"I won't let you!" Mo Suyin intercepted its actions, and the ashen branches soon exploded into a cloud of ashes.

████!!

The beast, in its rage, again rushed at Xiao Dong. However, once again, it was struck by a wave of water, this time golden strands of some mystic kind flowed alongside the wave, burning through the abomination's flesh. The creature convulsed in pain, with its form rapidly deteriorating.

█NO!!█M█NE█I█EMI█E!!

The abomination exploded into dark crimson-black mist, leaving behind an orb of a myriad colors and two orbs of silver and gold that revolved around it.

"Attack it now!!" Xiao Dong spat out, as he realized the eerie resemblance between the current events and the past ones.

Xiao Xiang too responded with another attack, a spear of water with golden radiance enveloping it. However unlike everyone's expectation the spear didn't pierce the orb but instead swirled around it.

█Huhu...█

The water took from as Xiao Xiang lost all control over it, "This..." everyone was left speechless at the being in front of them.

█A flawed creation, a little bush in a desert and finally... The fool, quite the company to have on my resurgence!█

The "man" in front of Xiao Xiang had a presence that simply defied all that she had ever known!

While it was definitely weaker than her teacher but... It was simply too terrifying!

█Ah... but first of all, let us rid ourselves of this pesky flea, shall we?█