Climactic Finish (Part 1)

We climbed two rugged mountains, the path twisting and treacherous, before finally reaching the eerie expanse of the Misty Forest.

A thick, dark mist clung to the air, impenetrable and unrelenting, as though it had a life of its own. Locals had named it "Misty Forest" because the shroud of mist never lifted, no matter the season. The forest was infamous not only for its impenetrable gloom but also for the treasures hidden within—chief among them, the legendary Dual Bloom.

"This is where the Dual Bloom grows?" I asked, squinting into the fog. I could barely see my own hands, let alone anything further than a few steps ahead.

Ruan Yanjun led the way, his strides confident and unfaltering. The mist seemed to part subtly around him, though not enough to give me much visibility. "How can we find anything in this?" I muttered, sticking close behind him.

Ruan Yanjun glanced back at me, his sharp eyes glinting with a faint light. "Stop complaining and stay close. You wouldn't last five minutes here on your own."

I bit back a retort, knowing he was probably right. While I stumbled over roots and ducked under low branches, Ruan Yanjun moved with an almost predatory grace. His eyes, sharp and calculating, seemed unbothered by the oppressive mist, as though he could see through its veil.

We ventured deeper until the air around us grew heavier, charged with an unnatural energy. Suddenly, the mist thickened, swirling like a vortex, and from its depths emerged a creature unlike anything I had ever seen.

The guardian of the forest stood before us, a faery-like being with a striking, otherworldly appearance. Its upper half was humanlike but ethereal, with iridescent skin that shimmered in hues of green and gold. Petal-like appendages bloomed around its shoulders, resembling a collar of radiant flowers. Its lower body seemed to merge seamlessly with a massive lotus stem, its translucent tendrils rooting into the ground.

Its voice was a melody of whispers, carrying both beauty and menace.

Ruan Yanjun halted, his expression hardening. The guardian was a formidable opponent, radiating a powerful aura that seemed to ripple through the air.

I froze as he turned to look at me, his gaze assessing. My heart sank.

Is he going to make me fight this creature?

But then he sighed and shook his head. "You wouldn't last a heartbeat against this one."

Relief washed over me, but it was quickly replaced by apprehension as Ruan Yanjun stepped forward.

"Stay back," he said, his tone firm. "Watch carefully, A-Fan. You might learn something."

The guardian attacked first, its tendrils lashing out like whips of light, slicing through the air with terrifying speed. Ruan Yanjun dodged effortlessly, his movements a blur of precision and power. His bare hands were his weapons, and he used them to deflect and counter the guardian's relentless strikes.

With a swift motion, Ruan Yanjun extended his hand, and beams of concentrated energy shot from his fingertips, tearing through the tendrils with deadly accuracy. The guardian recoiled but quickly retaliated, sending a wave of glowing petals toward him. Each petal was razor-sharp, slicing through the mist with a haunting hum.

Ruan Yanjun raised his palm, gathering a swirling orb of energy that pulsed with an almost sentient intensity. With a decisive thrust, he released the orb, and it exploded mid-air, disintegrating the petals in a brilliant flash of light.

The ground trembled under the force of their clash, and I could feel the residual energy prickling against my skin. Despite the mist obscuring much of the battle, the flashes of energy and the sheer force of their movements left me in awe. I had seen Ruan Yanjun's cruelty and arrogance countless times, but watching him fight was something else entirely—a breathtaking display of strength and skill that seemed almost otherworldly.

The guardian began to falter, its movements growing sluggish. Its glow dimmed as Ruan Yanjun advanced, his energy coiling around him like a living thing.

He turned to me briefly, his expression unreadable. "A-Fan, pay attention. I'm about to show you a technique you'll need to master one day. It's called the Climactic Finish."

The name made my face heat, but I didn't have time to dwell on it as Ruan Yanjun leaped into the air, his figure cutting through the mist like a shooting star. The guardian, now weakened, was hurled upward by an unseen force. As it fell, Ruan Yanjun met it mid-air, his palm glowing with a searing light.

With a thunderous roar, he unleashed a massive wave of energy, engulfing the guardian in a radiant explosion. The blast sent ripples through the mist, clearing it momentarily and revealing the sheer devastation left in its wake.

He landed gracefully, his movements as light as a feather. For a moment, I could only stare, my mouth slightly agape. The mist slowly began to return, but the image of him standing there, calm and unscathed, was seared into my mind.

When he turned to me and smirked, I quickly averted my gaze, my face burning.

"Climactic Finish?" I muttered under my breath, struggling to keep a straight face. "Lord Ruan, does everything you name have to sound like it belongs in a bedroom?"

His chuckle was low and infuriating. "A-Fan, those words are meant for the battlefield, not the bedroom. Clearly, it's your mind that's in the gutter."

The audacity of him to twist it around and make me the one with improper thoughts left me utterly speechless.

The guardian's broken form shimmered, dissolving into wisps of spiritual essence. The mist parted again, and the glowing trails of energy began to drift in a single direction.

"The Dual Bloom lies ahead," he said, his tone casual, as though the intense battle he'd just fought was nothing more than a warm-up.

I followed silently, still trying to shake the awe I felt from watching him. Every time I thought I understood Ruan Yanjun, he managed to shatter my expectations in ways I didn't know were possible.