Chapter no.40 In the Mist

The wind howled through the debris of the broken-down lighthouse as Lan Yue stood, her sword at the ready. The sun was up in the sky, casting a warm yellow glow over the remains of the cliff. In the distance, a flock of birds could be seen flying away from the destruction, their silhouettes stark against the yellow sky. The sound of waves crashing against the rocks below the cliff was soothing yet ominous background noise.

As she scanned the horizon, Lan Yue couldn't shake the feeling that something was coming.

Without warning, the ground beneath her feet began to shake. Lan Yue braced herself as a Zhongli in his ethereal Ashura armor punched out.

Lan Yue responded with a slash attack and swung her sword with all her might as the two attacks canceled each other.

Lan Yue swung her sword wildly, but Zhongli easily dodged the attack as he began to toy with Lan Yue who looked like a novice in the art of swordsmanship but her footwork and speed were quite impressive; Zhongli could tell that this was maybe Lan Yue's first time using a sword but that weapon increased her strength to such an extent that a beginning Affinity Realm was able to contend with an Earthly Yuan Realm.

Zhongli dodged Lan Yue's attacks and struck back with quick jabs and punches.

Lan Yue was no match for Zhongli's speed, power, and skill. She was quickly knocked to the ground, her sword flying out of her hand but she was not ready to give up yet. She scrambled to her feet and lunged for her sword. Zhongli let out a chuckle as he watched her struggle.

Fury erupted from Lan Yue as she swung her sword with all her might as released a giant wave of energy Zhongli scoffed at her as he sensed the attribute of the attack which was completely countered by the metal-attributed Qi in his Ashura armor.

Zhongli struck back with a powerful punch that sent Lan Yue flying.

Blood seeped out of Lan Yue's orifices as she was on the brink of defeat, but she refused to give up and die.

She got back to her feet and lunged at Zhongli with her sword. Zhongli, surprised by her persistence, blocked the sword with his bare hands.

Lan Yue realized that she had an opening and she took it. She swung her sword with all her might towards his chest, her sword flashing in the sunlight as she struck Zhongli releasing a giant wave of spiritual Qi.

As the wave of spiritual Qi reached its peak, debris and rocks from the cliff surrounding them began to disintegrate, sending fragments flying everywhere. A thick dust cloud formed, obscuring the view of Lan Yue.

" Zhongli, wrap it up; she is the killer." Lan Lai shouted from the other side causing Lan Yue to glance at her in confusion as she felt her heart pounding as the dust cloud began to settle. She knew that this man was still a formidable enemy, and she was unsure of what to expect. But what she saw next left him reeling in shock.

Zhongli stood unmoved, his massive form unscathed by her attack. His eyes blazed with a fierce red light, and Lan Yue was struck with an undescribable fear as she realized that her attack had not affected the demon.

Zhongli's hand suddenly disappeared and before Lan Yue could even process anything, his fist crashed into her face and instantly pulverized it, sending blood, bone, and chunks flying everywhere. The bright red flesh and blood were splattered across the ground, creating a mess while Zhongli was covered in bits of blood, flesh, and bone fragments sticking to his clothes, hair, and skin.

Zhongli was only toying with Lan Yue under Lin Lai's orders.

Even with his increase in power, Zhongli decided it was better to follow Lin Lai as she had a much better understanding of the Murim world and cultivation than him plus he knew that she had caught on to his monstrous increase in power and she was trying to get him under her control. For now, he wouldn't do anything to destroy this give-and-take relationship they had as he knew that without proper martial techniques, any increase in power would be meaningless if he didn't have a way to utilize said power in the maximum way possible.

Lin Lai stood tall and proud above the slab of concrete blocks, her eyes fixed upon Zhongli whose body was covered in blood, the headless corpse of Lan Yue lying at his feet.

As she gazed upon the ring in her hand, Lin Lai's grip tightened as she crushed the ring, and as she did, a giant Dao symbol appeared in her hand.

The symbol was made of pure Spiritual Qi, and it glowed with a fierce light. As Lin Lai looked upon it, she felt a surge of power coursing through her body.

The symbol began to grow, getting bigger and bigger. Lin Lai's hand was engulfed in the symbol, and it continued to grow until it was the size of a house. The symbol was now so bright that it was hard to look at, and the light it emitted was blinding.

With the symbol at its maximum size, Lin Lai pointed her hand towards Zhongli who was caught off guard when suddenly the seven Branch prison sword, it's surface covered in intricate talismans, floated in mid-air. The talismans, which had previously covered the sword, begin to detach themselves, one by one, and make their way toward Zhongli.

As the talismans reach the paralyzed Zhongli, they begin to attach themselves to his body, covering him from head to toe. The energy flowing through the talismans is intense, and Zhongli's body is bathed in bright light.

Spiritual Qi began to contort between the two as a chain formed between the sword and Zhongli.

Lin Lai looked at everything playing out in front of her and she couldn't help but smile.

With this, she now had a servant with a bloodline physique, and with his monstrous growth in strength, it was just a matter of time before they escaped this place.

Lin Lai's smile increased as she realized that she was one step closer to having her revenge against those that threw her into this hell.

.....

[ Zhongli's Mindscape ]

[ Zhongli's POV ]

Suddenly I woke up to find myself surrounded by a thick mist. I couldn't see more than a few feet in front of me. I felt disoriented and confused, not knowing where I was.

I had a clear guess that it had something to do with that sword and whatever Lin Lai had used.

I tried to move but it was hard to find my footing in the mist. I stumbled around, feeling my way through the fog, trying to find a way out. My heart was pounding in my chest as I realized that I was completely lost.

As I walked, the mist began to clear a bit, and I could make out shapes in the distance. I could see trees and bushes, but they were distorted and hard to make out. I continued, my hope growing as the shapes became clearer.

I searched for any signs of a path or a way out, but everything looked the same, the thick mist obscuring my vision. I started to feel a sense of panic rising within me, the feeling of being trapped in this endless fog was overwhelming but I kept moving, trying to stay focused and not give up.

I walked through the mist, my feet dragging through the thick fog that seemed to go on forever. The mist was cold and damp, and I could barely see a few feet in front of me. I had been wondering for what felt like hours, lost and alone in this endless sea of fog.

But then, I heard a sound that made my heart skip a beat. It was the giggle of a little girl that seemed oddly familiar. I quickened my pace, my heart racing as I followed the sound, determined to find the source of the laughter.

As I walked, the mist began to clear, and I found myself standing in front of a breathtaking garden. The garden was a sight to behold, a true paradise on earth. The flowers were in full bloom, their colors vibrant and alive. The grass was lush green, and the trees were tall and majestic. And in the center of the garden was a little girl, happily playing with butterflies.

Tears welled up in my eyes as I saw her. She was my daughter. She was just as I remembered her, with her long brown hair and sparkling brown eyes. She was laughing and smiling, and she was the most beautiful thing I had ever seen.

As I sprinted towards my daughter, tears streaming down my face, my heart felt like it would burst with the force of my emotions.

The ground beneath my feet seemed to disappear as I closed the distance between us, my only focus on the precious figure ahead. Her hair was a wild halo around her face, and her eyes were wide with shock and confusion. But as I reached her and wrapped my arms around her, lifting her off the ground in a fierce hug, I could feel her arms come around me, hugging me back with just as much force.

We stood there, clinging to each other, for what felt like an eternity. The world around us fell away, and it was as if nothing else existed but the two of us. The sound of her breathing and the beating of her heart was all I could hear, and it was the most beautiful music I had ever heard.

As we finally pulled back, I looked down into her eyes and saw my own emotions reflected in me. Relief, happiness, and love. I knew that at that moment, we were both feeling the same thing. We were home.

I never wanted to let go of her, but as I held her hand and we walked away together, I knew that we were going to be okay. We had each other and that was all that mattered.

" What's going on ?"

" Nothing sweety, Daddy is just sad that he didn't see you in so long."

" Is Daddy sad now ?"

" How can I be sad when I am with my princess?"