Li Wei and Leng Yue stood at the heart of the grand chamber, their breaths steady and calm, as the room seemed to close in around them. The towering jade pylons shimmered faintly, forming an intricate barrier that separated them from Zhou Mu. Above, the ceiling pulsed ominously, Yin tendrils slithering closer, their dark energy palpable in the air. Zhou Mu stood at the far end of the chamber, his crimson eyes glowing like embers of hatred. His sardonic grin radiated malice, a twisted satisfaction at the chaos he had unleashed.
**Hidden Quest Unlocked: **
**Objective**: Eradicate the Pagan Scourge
**Rewards:**
- 10000 EXP
- 3000 System Coins
- 100 Reputation Point
**Side Quest Unlocked: Do not allow the Horde of Evil to leave the hall **
**Side Quest Unlocked: Cleanse the Zhou Clan grounds**
Leng Yue's sharp gaze darted to the writhing tendrils that encroached upon their position. Her voice cut through the oppressive silence like a blade. "Li Wei, those things are alive... They're closing in. We need to neutralize him now—fast and decisive—before this place becomes an inescapable prison."
Li Wei's fingers tightened around the hilt of his sword. His voice was steady but cold, carrying the weight of unyielding resolve. "Neutralizing him won't be enough. If we let the Zhou clan survive this, they'll rise again like weeds in the wilderness." His words rang out with deadly intent in the air, a grim acknowledgment of what had to be done.
Leng Yue frowned, her expression a mix of frustration and urgency. "You're talking about slaughtering every living thing within the confines of this place. We don't have the time nor energy for that!" Her tone sharpened under the duress of their stalemate.
Li Wei turned his steely gaze toward her, his misty eyes hardened with conviction. "And if we leave even one of these pagans alive, it'll fester into something worse. Zhou Mu isn't just a man—he's a disease. It's not just him we destroy tonight; it's everything he's ever erected."
Zhou Mu's laughter echoed throughout the chamber, dark and mocking. The Yin tendrils coiled tighter around the room as if responding to his malice. "Ah, such arrogance! But tell me, Li Wei... can you truly uproot what you cannot even comprehend?" His voice dripped with venomous amusement as the atmosphere dimmed further, suffocating them with its oppressive weight.
Leng Yue stepped forward instinctively, her blade gleaming with a radiant blue aurora that seemed to defy the darkness around them. "Enough of your theatrics, Zhou Mu. Whatever monstrosity you've become ends here!" With a single slash of her sword, the dim hallway was illuminated by a stunning ocean-blue light that halted the advance of the Yin tendrils.
The tendrils recoiled briefly under Leng Yue's attack, but Zhou Mu's grin widened as he raised one hand and muttered an incantation in an ancient tongue. "Insolent Fools!" The jade pylons began to hum with an eerie resonance, and cracks formed along their surfaces as dark energy seeped out like venom from a wound.
Li Wei didn't hesitate to follow up Leng Yue's strike with an attack of his own. He raised his fists, their centers glowing with crimson radiance that burned like molten fire. "I'll carve through your roots and burn your legacy to ash," he declared with icy malice. "Let's see if your so-called transcendence can withstand that." With one explosive strike, a flood of red fist shadows surged forward and collided with the Yin tendrils in front of him.
The chamber rumbled furiously as Zhou Mu retaliated with a wave of dark energy that surged outward from his body like a tidal wave. The jade pylons shattered completely, releasing bursts of Yin energy that transformed into spectral apparitions clawing at Li Wei and Leng Yue.
Leng Yue pivoted gracefully, her blade slicing through two apparitions with precision while her aura shielded her from their corrosive touch. "Li Wei! We need to disrupt his connection to those tendrils—they're feeding off his power!"
"Die!" Li Wei acted sharply and leaped toward Zhou Mu with ferocious speed, evading spectral claws and bursts of dark energy as he closed the distance between them. He unleashed another barrage of crimson strikes aimed directly at Zhou Mu's chest.
"RRRGH! You cannot stop this!" Zhou Mu raised his hands to block Li Wei's assault, conjuring a barrier of pure Yin energy that absorbed each blow but cracked under Li Wei's relentless attacks. "You think brute force will save you?" Zhou Mu sneered as he unleashed another wave of spectral apparitions toward Leng Yue.
[8 Paths Six Swords - Ocean Current]
Leng Yue countered swiftly by channeling her energy into her blade once more. She slashed upward in an arc that created a shimmering wall of blue light between herself and the apparitions. The light expanded outward like ripples on water, disintegrating several apparitions instantly.
Despite their efforts, Zhou Mu remained unyielding and unleashed another surge of power that caused cracks to form along the walls and floor of the chamber. The entire structure groaned under the strain as debris began to rain down around them.
"We're running out of time!" Leng Yue shouted as she dodged falling debris while deflecting another apparition with her sword. "This power is not his own, Find the relic giving him strength and shatter it!"
Li Wei gritted his teeth and focused all his energy into a devastating strike aimed at Zhou Mu's barrier. His fists glowed brighter than ever before as he roared and unleashed a devastating punch that shattered the barrier completely. Sparks flew as the friction between the two caused the air to distort around them.
Zhou Mu staggered backward but quickly regained his footing. His crimson eyes burned brighter as he chanted another incantation that caused Yin tendrils to converge on him from all directions.
Leng Yue rushed forward to join Li Wei in attacking Zhou Mu directly before he could finish his incantation. Her blade struck true against Zhou Mu's shoulder while Li Wei landed another powerful punch against his chest.
Zhou Mu howled in pain but refused to submit as he unleashed one final burst of dark energy that sent both Li Wei and Leng Yue flying backward across the chamber.
As they struggled to rise amidst the chaos surrounding them, Zhou Mu stood tall at the center of it all—a twisted figure radiating malice and power beyond comprehension.
Li Wei glanced at Leng Yue as they prepared for one last desperate assault against their foe. "This ends now," he said firmly before charging toward Zhou Mu once more with Leng Yue by his side.