The valley held its breath.
For a single suspended heartbeat the roar of battle dimd to a thin hum — wind in cracked stone, distant howls, the whisper of ash.
Above them, the secret realm's ceiling trembled as if listening.
Shaurya's smile still hung at one corner of his mouth. Lorgann's molten eyes flared.
Shadow Blade An Ning stood infront of them. His long hair whipped in the heated wind, eyes locked onto Shaurya with razor-sharp focus.
The entire valley fell silent.
Lorgann's molten jaws opened, glowing brighter.
Molten cracks ran across the dragon's obsidian scales, glowing like rivers of magma. Heat rolled out in heavy waves, bending the air. The stone beneath it's claws lted in shallow puddles.
Shaurya stood before him, golden aura flickering.
His right arm bled. His ribs scread. His vision pulsed at the edges.
But he stood.
Across from them—
Shadow Blade An Ning looked almost bored.
Arms at his sides. Shoulders relaxed.
But the black aura around him coiled upward like smoke rising from a dying star.
His grey eyes sharpened.
No one moved.
The entire realm went dead silent.
Then—
A single spark of energy popped between them.
And the world broke.
BOOOOOOOM—!!
All three vanished.
The ground where they stood blew open in a violent shockwave.
Stone shattered into flying shards. Dust blasted into a do around them.
The first clash happened too fast for the human eye.
Shaurya appeared in front of An Ning—golden streak ripping through the air.
Lorgann lunged from the right—molten jaws opening wide.
An Ning didn't dodge.
He stepped forward.
Just one step.
And the world tilted.
Shaurya's punch shot out—Bizarre Fist glowing pink and gold—and An Ning parried with a flick of his wrist.
CRAAAACK—!!
Shockwaves erupted.
Shaurya skidded backward, boots carving trenches.
Lorgann snapped his jaws closed—molten fangs tearing the air.
An Ning t the bite with an open palm.
SLAAAAAM—!!
A ripple of shadow burst outward.
Lorgann was shoved back several ters, claws slicing through stone to regain grip.
The ancient master clicked his tongue.
"Stronger… but still sloppy."
Shaurya darted in again—Aerial Steps flashing beneath his boots.
He lunged with a rapid combination—
Right hook.
Elbow strike.
Knee lift.
Spinning backfist.
An Ning dodged each one by shifting inches at a ti, posture completely relaxed.
Then—
He chopped his hand downward.
THUD—!
Shaurya's guard cracked. His feet buckled.
Before he could reset—
An Ning's knee hit his abdon.
BHOOM—!!
Air left Shaurya's lungs. Blood flew from his mouth.
Lorgann roared.
A wave of molten breath fired toward An Ning—lava and spiritual fire rging together.
An Ning extended two fingers.
Just two.
A black line cut through the breath attack, splitting it in half.
The molten beam parted cleanly around him, exploding behind like a volcano eruption.
Shaurya leapt back, wiping blood from his chin.
"Lorgann!"
The dragon understood.
Lorgann inhaled deeply, molten energy gathering in his throat—
THRRRRRRUUUUM—
His entire body glowed.
An Ning's eyes glimred.
"Oh? Interesting."
Lorgann unleashed it—
LAVA DESTRUCTION CANNON—!!
A massive beam of molten spiritual fire roared across the valley, lting stone, tearing apart the landscape in its path.
An Ning raised a single hand—
Black aura surged.
"Shadow Wall."
The shadow twisted upward, forming a do-like barrier.
The molten beam slamd into it—
BOOOOOMMMMM—!!!!
The explosion shook the entire realm.
The ground cracked.
Cliffs collapsed.
Wind pressure blasted outward like a hurricane.
Inside the protective formation, disciples scread—
"THAT POWER—!!"
"Lorgann is insane!!"
"The barrier would have shattered if Master didn't reinforce it—!!"
Lin Shu pressed a hand to the do.
"Shaurya…"
As the explosion faded—
Shaurya was already behind An Ning.
Golden aura surged behind him like wings.
His fist drew back—
"DRAGON FIST—!"
He thrust forward, golden dragon-shaped energy spiraling around his arm—
But An Ning had already moved.
He appeared behind Shaurya.
His hand tapped Shaurya's spine.
Not punched.
Tapped.
"Fall."
KAAAAA-THOOOOM!!
A shockwave blasted from Shaurya's back.
He slamd face-first into the ground, carving a crater.
Blood sprayed from his nose and mouth.
Lorgann roared furiously and struck with his tail—
WHIP-CRACK—!!
An Ning caught the tail with one hand.
Holding back the entire weight of a primordial dragon.
He swung—
BOOOOOM—!!
Lorgann's massive body smashed into the far cliff, pulverizing it into a shower of stone dust.
The dragon shook off rubble, molten cracks burning brighter.
It charged again.
Shaurya rose, coughing blood.
An Ning turned his head slightly.
"You two move well together… but your coordination is still lacking."
He vanished.
Shaurya's eyes widened.
He couldn't see him.
Not even with Divine Form active.
A shadow flickered—
Shaurya blocked instinctively—
THUD—!!
An Ning's foot collided with his guard, sending him sliding backward across the ground.
Lorgann struck from the side—
An Ning grabbed his horn—
And flung him.
CRASH—!!
The dragon crashed into the earth again.
Shaurya lunged—
An Ning punched—
Their fists t—
KRAAAAAACK—!!!
Shaurya's entire arm trembled violently.
Pain shot through his bones.
He was being overwheld.
But he refused to fall.
He forced his body forward.
Aerial Steps burst under him—
He swung again.
An Ning deflected the punch casually.
"You're stubborn."
"You talk too much."
Shaurya stepped inside An Ning's guard, spinning into a rising knee strike—
An Ning blocked with his forearm—
But this ti—
Shaurya's knee landed.
THUD—!!
The ancient master's eyebrow rose.
"Oh?"
Shaurya ducked under An Ning's follow-up punch and launched an uppercut—
BAM—!!
An Ning's chin snapped upward slightly.
A small impact.
But enough to show—
Shaurya was adapting.
The golden aura around him pulsed harder.
Heat radiated from his body.
His stance lowered, footwork sharpening.
He rushed again.
An Ning finally sighed.
"Fine. No more warming up."
His aura spiked.
The ground shattered in a circular radius around him.
He stepped forward—
Instantly within Shaurya's guard.
He punched.
1st hit — stomach.
Shaurya's breath left his lungs.
2nd hit — ribs.
A sharp crack echoed.
3rd hit — jaw.
Blood sprayed.
4th hit — chest.
Shaurya flew upward—
An Ning appeared above him—
5th — spinning kick.
Shaurya shot downward like a falling cot.
He smashed into the ground—
KOOOOOOM—!!!
A crater expanded beneath him.
Dust exploded.
Silence.
Then—
Shaurya moved.
Slowly.
Painfully.
He pushed himself back up, dragging breath into his lungs.
An Ning folded his arms.
"You're persistent. But persistence is just decoration without power."
Lorgann lunged again—
This ti using molten claws, not brute force.
SLASH—SLASH—SLASH—!!
An Ning dodged the first two—
The third grazed his shoulder, leaving a molten trail.
He flicked the residue off with mild annoyance.
"Good. Better."
He placed his palm on Lorgann's snout—
A pulse of shadow erupted—
BOOOOM—!!
The dragon was blasted back again, sliding across the ground, claws tearing through the stone.
Shaurya rushed in, using Lorgann's attack as cover.
Bizarre Fist ignited around his hand in swirling pink energy.
He aid straight for An Ning's face—
An Ning blurred—
And appeared behind him.
"Predictable."
His palm slamd into Shaurya's spine.
Shaurya coughed blood, stumbling forward.
Lorgann intercepted with a molten beam—
An Ning side-stepped, letting the beam lt part of the battlefield behind him.
"You two have spirit. But spirit alone—"
He lifted his foot.
Black aura curled around it.
"—cannot touch Shadow Blade."
He stomped.
The entire valley shook.
Shaurya and Lorgann were thrown backward by the shockwave.
Shaurya's shoulder dislocated.
Lorgann's scales cracked open.
Lin Shu covered her mouth, trembling.
"Shaurya… please stand…"
Wang Tian clenched his fists.
Luo Chen's jaw tightened.
Elder Liya narrowed her eyes.
Everyone felt it:
Shaurya and Lorgann were being overwheld.
Badly.
An Ning exhaled.
"Last chance. Show sothing worth my attention."
Shaurya wiped blood from his chin.
He looked broken—
But his eyes were still burning.
He raised one finger at An Ning.
"Wipe… that smug… grin off your face."
An Ning smiled.
"Co try."
Shaurya glanced at Lorgann.
The dragon t his eyes.
They nodded.
Together, they surged forward—
Golden streak and molten streak intertwining like twin cots.
Lorgann roared—
Molten fire burst from beneath him—
He slamd into An Ning from the left—
Shaurya struck from the right—
Their auras rged for a mont—
GOLDEN-LAVA IMPACT—!!
An Ning crossed his arms to block.
The collision was massive—
BOOOOOOM—!!
An Ning slid backward several ters for the first ti.
Dust exploded behind him.
The valley went silent.
Every sect watched with eyes wide.
Shaurya spat blood and smiled.
"Got you."
An Ning lowered his arms.
Smoke rose from his sleeves.
He stared at Shaurya—
Then laughed softly.
"Good…"
His smile widened—
"…VERY good."
Black aura roared around him.
Shadow flas erupted from his feet.
"You two finally made take a real step."
He bent his knees slightly.
His killing intent sharpened.
His gaze turned cold.
"Now show more—if you can survive it."
Shaurya tightened his fists. Grith his teeth.
Lorgann's molten wings spread wide. Low growl let out from its mouth.
Golden aura.
Lava aura.
Shadow aura.
All three collided in the center of the valley—
Building pressure to the breaking point.
The REAL fight…
was about to start.
TO BE CONTINUED…
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