Chapter 18: The Edge of Breakthrough.
Part 1
Li Wei stood before the altar in the ruins, his breathing ragged, the Heavenly Shard pulsing in his hand like a living heart. Moonlight illuminated the moss-covered columns, while the shadows of Wang Zi and Wei Long, closing in from different sides, loomed like specters. Wei Long's Spiritual Realm aura pressed down like a storm, and Wang Zi, with his golden Iron Fist glow, looked ready to tear Li Wei apart. The System displayed: Energy: 8%. Cultivation progress: Mortal Realm, Stage 2, 25%. Task "Prove your worth to the sect within three days": 85% progress. The final day before Elder Liu's deadline had arrived, and Li Wei knew the ruins were his last chance.
"Hand over the artifact, Li Wei," Wang Zi said, his voice cold but tinged with triumph. "You've lost. Even if you escape, Wei Long will find you."
Wei Long remained silent, his drawn sword faintly glowing with spiritual energy. Li Wei gripped the shard, its warmth offering a sliver of hope. He knew fighting them was suicide, but the altar behind him could be a trump card. If he activated its mechanism, as he had before, it might reveal a spiritual stone or trigger a trap against his enemies. The System highlighted: Chance of activating the altar: 45%. Chance of survival: 15%.
"I didn't steal anything," Li Wei said, backing toward the altar. "But if you want a fight, try me. Just know, Elder Liu will hear who struck first."
Wang Zi laughed, his fists clenching. "Liu? You're nothing, Li Wei. After tonight, no one will find you."
Wei Long stepped forward, his sword rising, but Li Wei darted to the altar, channeling the shard's energy into the runes. They flared, as they had before, and the ground trembled. Wang Zi lunged, but a wave of energy from the altar threw him back, making him stumble. Wei Long paused, his eyes narrowing, assessing.
"Interesting," Wei Long murmured. "That artifact… it's tied to the temple."
Li Wei felt his energy plummet: Energy: 5%. The altar hummed, but no crack opened as it had last time. The System highlighted: More energy required for activation. He gritted his teeth, realizing he lacked the strength without reinforcement. Wang Zi rose, his face twisted with rage.
"No more tricks!" he roared, charging. His fist flew at Li Wei, who barely dodged with Wind Step. Energy dropped to 3%, and Li Wei knew a fight was inevitable.
But then a voice rang from the forest: "Wang Zi, stop!"
Lin Xue emerged from the shadows, her sword ready, with Chen Yu behind her, holding a torch. Li Wei exhaled, but their arrival only complicated things. The System highlighted: Chance of survival with allies: 25%. Recommendation: Use the altar and Lin Xue for distraction. Li Wei gripped the shard, bracing for a final push. The ruins had become an arena, and his fate was being decided now.
Part 2
Li Wei stood by the altar, clutching the Heavenly Shard, its warmth the only thing keeping him from total exhaustion. Lin Xue and Chen Yu's arrival shifted the odds, but Wei Long's aura and Wang Zi's fury made their chances slim. The temple ruins hummed with the altar's energy, but its runes only flickered faintly, demanding more power than Li Wei could give. The System showed: Energy: 3%. Cultivation progress: Mortal Realm, Stage 2, 25%. Chance of activating the altar: 40%.
Wang Zi turned to Lin Xue, his eyes narrowing. "You picked the wrong side," he growled, his fists glowing gold. "Want to die with him?"
Lin Xue raised her sword, her voice cold: "You're breaking sect rules, Wang Zi. Elder Liu will know you and your Jin Clan friend are hunting a disciple without proof."
Wei Long snorted, his sword swaying slightly. "Girl, you don't know what you're meddling with. Step aside, or the Jin Clan will remember your name."
Li Wei seized the moment, channeling his last drops of energy into the altar through the shard. The runes flared brighter, and a crack in the stone began to widen, emitting a faint glow. The System highlighted: Altar activation: 50%. Additional energy required. He sensed the spiritual stone was close, but without a boost, he wouldn't make it.
Chen Yu, trembling, raised his torch, his voice squeaky: "Hey, Wang Zi, maybe calm down? We're all from the same sect!"
Wang Zi ignored him, lunging at Lin Xue. His fist met her sword, sparks flying into the darkness. Lin Xue staggered but held her ground, her aura flaring, revealing Mortal Realm, Stage 4. Li Wei knew she couldn't hold Wang Zi long, and Wei Long was still watching, as if sizing them up.
"Chen Yu, help her!" Li Wei shouted, pouring his remaining strength into the altar. Chen Yu, pale, hurled his torch at Wang Zi, but Wang Zi swatted it away, and it landed, igniting dry grass near the columns. Fire began to spread, adding chaos.
Li Wei felt his energy drop to 1%, but the altar's crack widened, revealing a glowing spiritual stone the size of a fist. The System blared: Spiritual stone detected! Chance of extraction: 60%. He reached for it, but Wei Long moved, his sword flashing toward Li Wei's hand.
"It's mine," Wei Long said, his voice icy.
Li Wei instinctively unleashed Vortex of Heavenly Light, amplified by the shard. The swirling wave struck Wei Long, forcing him back, but Li Wei's energy hit zero: Energy: 0%. He collapsed to his knees, grasping the stone, as Wang Zi and Lin Xue clashed and the fire engulfed the ruins. Chen Yu shouted incoherently, running in circles. Li Wei knew: if he didn't extract the stone now, it was all for nothing. But Wei Long was rising, and Wang Zi shoved Lin Xue aside, heading for the altar. The moment of truth had arrived.
Part 3
Li Wei clung to the spiritual stone, his fingers trembling from exhaustion, the Heavenly Shard under his robe the only source of warmth in the night's icy chill. The altar hummed, its runes pulsing, but the fire sparked by Chen Yu's torch licked the columns, filling the ruins with smoke. Wang Zi, having thrown Lin Xue aside, strode toward Li Wei, his golden Iron Fist fists blazing. Wei Long, recovering from Vortex of Heavenly Light, raised his sword, his Spiritual Realm aura thickening the air. The System showed: Energy: 0%. Cultivation progress: Mortal Realm, Stage 2, 25%. Chance of stone extraction: 60%.
Lin Xue, panting, rose, her sword shaking but blocking Wang Zi's path to Li Wei. "Wang Zi, enough!" she shouted, her voice hoarse. "This isn't your prize!"
Wang Zi ignored her, his gaze locked on Li Wei and the spiritual stone. "Hand it over, or die," he growled, clenching his fists.
Chen Yu, in a panic, threw another rock at Wang Zi, but it went unnoticed, brushed off like a fly. Li Wei, gasping, pulled harder on the stone, feeling the altar resist. The System highlighted: Spiritual energy required to complete extraction. He gripped the Heavenly Shard, trying to draw even a spark of power, but his body refused to obey.
Wei Long stepped closer, his sword flashing toward Li Wei. But Lin Xue lunged, her attack forcing Wei Long to retreat, defending. Li Wei used the moment, channeling the shard's last flickers into the altar. The runes flared brighter, and the stone finally slipped free, nearly escaping his grasp. The System updated: Spiritual stone extracted! Task "Prove your worth to the sect": 90% progress.
But the triumph was short-lived. Wang Zi leapt, his fist aiming for Li Wei. Instinctively, Li Wei raised the spiritual stone, and a wave of energy from it threw Wang Zi back, crashing him into a column. The fire around the altar roared, and smoke stung Li Wei's eyes. He collapsed, clutching the stone and shard, his vision blurring.
Lin Xue shouted, "Li Wei, run! I'll hold them!"
But Wei Long, deflecting Lin Xue's attack, advanced on Li Wei, his sword poised to strike. Chen Yu, in desperation, threw himself at Wei Long, trying to tackle him, but was swatted away like a rag doll. Li Wei, staggering, stood, realizing escape was impossible. The System highlighted: Chance of survival: 10%. Recommendation: Use the spiritual stone for amplification.
He gripped the stone, feeling its energy flow into him, restoring strength: Energy: 10%. It was a temporary surge, enough to unleash another Vortex of Heavenly Light. He aimed the wave at Wei Long, forcing him back, but Wang Zi was rising, his face contorted with rage. The fire consumed the ruins, and Li Wei knew he had to either flee with the stone or perish here. Lin Xue, bleeding, still fought, and Li Wei knew her sacrifice couldn't be in vain.
Part 4
Li Wei clutched the spiritual stone, its energy trickling through him like a faint lifeline, restoring his strength. The Heavenly Shard under his robe pulsed in sync, amplifying the flow, but his body trembled with exhaustion. The fire devoured the ruins, smoke stung his eyes, and Lin Xue's cries as she battled Wei Long mingled with the blaze's roar. Wang Zi, rising from the blow, advanced on Li Wei, his golden fists radiating fury. Chen Yu lay to the side, groaning but alive. The System showed: Energy: 10%. Cultivation progress: Mortal Realm, Stage 2, 28%. Task "Prove your worth to the sect within three days": 95% progress.
"You're not getting away, Li Wei," Wang Zi growled, his aura surging like a storm. "The stone and artifact are mine!"
Li Wei backed toward the altar, the fire's heat scorching his skin. Lin Xue, dodging Wei Long's sword, shouted, "Li Wei, to the forest! I'm holding them!"
But Li Wei knew fleeing with the stone meant leaving Lin Xue and Chen Yu to die. He gripped the spiritual stone, channeling its power into Vortex of Heavenly Light. The swirling wave, amplified by the stone and shard, erupted with unprecedented force, striking Wang Zi and forcing him to stagger. Energy dropped to 5%, but the blow bought a moment. The System highlighted: "Vortex of Heavenly Light" technique: 65%.
Wei Long, shoving Lin Xue aside, turned to Li Wei, his sword flashing toward his chest. Li Wei dove aside, using the last of Wind Step. The blade grazed his robe, drawing blood from his shoulder, but he held the stone. The System blared: Chance of survival: 8%. Recommendation: Use the fire and terrain.
The fire consuming the columns sparked an idea. Li Wei darted to the burning grass, grabbing a flaming branch. He hurled it at Wang Zi, simultaneously releasing a weak Vortex of Heavenly Light. The flame and vortex merged, creating a fiery gust that forced Wang Zi to shield himself. Wei Long, however, pushed through the smoke, his sword ready to strike.
Lin Xue, swaying, threw herself at Wei Long, her sword clashing with his, giving Li Wei a moment. He bolted for the forest, clutching the spiritual stone, but Wang Zi, recovering, gave chase, his steps thundering like hammers. Li Wei spotted a narrow passage between collapsed columns—if he could lure Wang Zi there, he might gain time. The System highlighted: Chance of maneuver success: 40%.
"Chen Yu, get up!" Li Wei shouted, hoping he could aid Lin Xue. He dove into the passage, feeling Wang Zi's breath on his neck. The fire lit the ruins, and Li Wei knew the spiritual stone was his ticket to Elder Liu, but only if he survived. Lin Xue and Chen Yu were risking their lives for him, and he had to find a way to turn the fight—or their efforts would burn in these flames.
Part 5
Li Wei raced through the narrow passage between collapsed columns, clutching the spiritual stone, its faint energy sustaining his exhausted body. The Heavenly Shard under his robe hummed, but without Li Wei's strength, its power was useless. Behind him, Wang Zi barreled through, his golden Iron Fist fists shattering stones, his roars echoing in the ruins. The fire consumed grass and columns, smoke clouded his eyes, and Lin Xue's cries and the clash of her sword against Wei Long's echoed faintly. The System showed: Energy: 4%. Cultivation progress: Mortal Realm, Stage 2, 30%. Task "Prove your worth to the sect within three days": 95% progress.
Li Wei tripped on a root but caught himself, bursting into an overgrown section of the ruins. The passage narrowed, and he hoped Wang Zi's bulk would slow him. The System highlighted: Chance of maneuver success: 45%. Recommendation: Use terrain for distraction. He spotted a fire-weakened column and, summoning his last strength, rammed it with his shoulder. The stone collapsed, blocking the passage, and Wang Zi roared, his fist smashing through debris, but the delay gave Li Wei seconds.
He emerged at the forest's edge, where the ruins met dense undergrowth. The spiritual stone in his hand glowed, but his energy was fading: Energy: 2%. He knew he couldn't run long—Wang Zi and Wei Long would find him, and Lin Xue and Chen Yu might already be at their limit. He leaned against a tree, catching his breath, and gripped the stone, feeling it slowly restore: Energy: 5%.
Suddenly, the bushes parted, and Lin Xue, limping, emerged, her robe torn, her face bloodied. Chen Yu dragged behind, supporting her. Li Wei rushed to them, helping Lin Xue sit. "Wei Long…" she gasped, her voice weak. "I wounded him, but he's coming. Wang Zi… did he break through?"
Li Wei nodded, despair tightening his chest. The System highlighted: Chance of survival: 10%. Recommendation: Hide or use the stone for a breakthrough. He looked at the spiritual stone, knowing its energy could fuel cultivation, but there was no time. Wang Zi and Wei Long were too close.
"Lin Xue, Chen Yu," he said, his voice hoarse, "hide in the forest. I'll hold them off. If I don't return, take the stone to Elder Liu."
Lin Xue grabbed his arm, her eyes flashing. "You're no hero, Li Wei. We leave together, or no one leaves."
But before he could reply, Wang Zi burst from the ruins, his robe smeared with soot, his eyes blazing with rage. Behind him limped Wei Long, his sword bloodied but his aura still overwhelming. Li Wei stood, clutching the spiritual stone and shard, ready for a final stand. The System flashed: Critical moment: Chance of breakthrough to Mortal Realm, Stage 3—20%. He knew this was his only shot to defy fate—or become ash in these ruins.