Chapter Fourteen: Decline!

Yufan gripped his long sword tightly, his figure swift as the wind, charging toward the solitary spire that pierced the night sky. At the tip of the tower stood a figure draped in a black robe, seemingly merging with the darkness itself, with only a pair of cold, piercing eyes glinting in the shadows.

The long sword sliced through the air, crackling with the force of thunder, aimed directly at the robed figure atop the spire. Yet, the figure remained unfazed, calmly raising a hand as an invisible barrier formed at his fingertips. The sword’s energy collided with the shield, unleashing a deafening roar that seemed to make the very heavens tremble.

As the dust settled, Yufan had reached the spire’s peak, the tip of his sword aimed straight at the man’s throat. But just as the blade was about to strike, the figure flickered like a shadow and vanished instantly. Alarm surged through Yufan’s heart as he hastily withdrew his sword and turned—only to feel a chilling wind sweep past him. The black-robed man had already appeared behind him, palm thrust forward, wielding a boundless dark power aimed straight at Yufan’s chest.

A wave of overwhelming darkness crashed against him. Gritting his teeth, Yufan mustered every ounce of strength to cross his sword before him, trying desperately to block the fatal strike. But the robed man’s palm force was like a raging torrent, instantly shattering Yufan’s grip and sending the sword flying from his hands. The impact hurled him violently through the air.

Yufan’s body traced a harsh arc before crashing heavily against the edge of the spire. He struggled to rise, but the searing pain coursing through his body almost rendered him immobile. The black-robed man approached slowly, his voice echoing through the night with a mocking tone. “You seek to kill me for your so-called justice? Or for that so-called righteous path? Justice and righteousness in this world are but a cruel joke.”

Clenching his teeth against the agony, Yufan lifted his head, eyes burning with unwavering resolve as he stared at the figure before him. Though trapped in despair, a fierce flame of defiance blazed within his heart.

“Yes, for the justice in my heart!” he declared, each word ringing with resolute strength, as if engraving his conviction into the very fabric of existence. Struggling upright, fists clenched tightly, he seemed to gather all his remaining strength into this moment.

The black-robed man paused briefly, seemingly struck by Yufan’s determination. Yet the cold smile quickly returned, laced with scorn. “You cultivate for the sake of all living beings, for the path, but do you even grasp how deep the darkness of this world truly runs?”

His voice reverberated through the night, heavy with an indescribable oppressive force. Gazing down at Yufan, his cold eyes seemed to pierce through to his very soul, radiating an icy chill. Slowly, he extended his hand, palm gathering a swirling orb of black energy, as if ready to devour Yufan’s spirit whole.

“You, a mere practitioner of innate realm, dare speak to me? Are you not afraid of death?” The voice rumbled like thunder beside Yufan’s ear.

An invisible pressure bore down on Yufan, his body locked in place by an immense force, unable to move. Looking up, he saw the orb in the black-robed man’s palm spinning like a vortex, exuding an aura of annihilation. He knew that if this strike landed, survival would be impossible.

The words lingered in the night air like an irresistible spell. The black orb raised slightly, a caged beast roaring yet held back. Yufan felt the crushing power pressing upon him, but not a flicker of fear crossed his eyes—only unwavering determination.

Suddenly, the man’s expression shifted, a flicker of hesitation crossing his features. He stared deeply at Yufan, as if glimpsing something that stirred doubt within him. Finally, his voice softened barely perceptibly. “Go.”

With those words, the black energy dissolved instantly, as if its seal had been lifted. The pressure on Yufan’s body eased. He struggled to his feet, eyes locked on the robed figure, who turned away, his cloak billowing in the night wind, his form gradually vanishing into the darkness.

Yufan felt as though all his strength had been drained. Like a forsaken prey, he collapsed helplessly to the ground. The night wind howled past the spire, biting cold that wiped the sweat from his brow but also pierced deep into his bones. His vision blurred, ears filled with the sound of wind roaring around the tower’s peak and his own labored breaths.

Lying beneath the cold tower, pain surged like tidal waves through his body. He bit down hard to stifle any cries of suffering. Summoning his last reserves, he dragged himself into the shadow cast by the tower’s foundation, pressing his back against the unyielding stone, which offered a slight respite from the chill.

He gazed upward at the towering spire that seemed to pierce the clouds, his heart heavy with bitterness and helplessness. A mere innate realm cultivator like himself had been utterly powerless before this mysterious black-robed man, unable even to glimpse his true face.

“A cultivator of my level, yet I dare speak of the grand path of the world?” Yufan chuckled bitterly, his mocking words sounding especially desolate in the cold wind. He raised a trembling hand to his still-painful chest, feeling the stubborn heartbeat of an indomitable spirit within.

Leaning against the cold stone base, exhaustion and pain intertwined as he closed his eyes, his mind awash with countless thoughts.

His figure appeared slight and youthful in the dim light.

A cough escaped him. From within his robes, Yufan withdrew a small blue vial and took out a pill, placing it gently in his mouth. Adjusting his posture, he sat cross-legged, hands weaving the flow of energy, his body slowly absorbing the medicine.

After an hour passed, Yufan sealed his energy and spat a mouthful of blood onto the ground.

“Damn…” he cursed, wincing from the pain. It was best to leave this place, lest the man change his mind and return again.

“Hmm… since he’s gone, why not take a look inside that tower? After all, these injuries deserve some recompense.” Yufan rose slowly, brushing dust from his clothes, glancing at the several holes in the tower’s surface—they were not very large.

“This tower is strange,” he muttered, circling it carefully. “No doors, no entrances—just a mere ornament.”

Reaching out, Yufan touched the tower’s surface. A faint, dim light emanated from it, stirring the hidden powers deep within his veins.