"You know, ever since this little war started, I've been more active than I have been in the last few hundred years," Aelina remarked as she descended next to the spot Cyrus had landed.
"At first, I was a little annoyed. As I've gotten older, my desire for blood and battle has waned. I'm sure you understand what I mean. We're simply too strong at our level compared to those below us. That being said, we also have more to lose. We are the cornerstones of our Sects; our death is akin to their destruction. The risks simply aren't worth the rewards." She said, walking over to Cyrus, her steps steady and measured.
"Cough… Cough…" Cyrus coughed a few times as he used his Qi to help heal the puncture wounds on his stomach. He slowly got up to climb out of the crater he was in, but he was forced to listen to Aelina's monologue as she continued.
"I, too, succumbed to that very illusion, believing that it would be unwise to take the risk. I convinced myself that I should quietly amass my forces, preparing for the day when I could eventually confront the Central Continent. With my cultivation, resources, and experience, combined with the teachings of my ancestors, I shouldn't have any trouble raising a group of supreme elites in the next thousand years or so. Ones so strong that even the Central Continent bastards can only look up to them. Even Mira, with her amazing talent, wasn't enough to disturb my plans. I thought she was too young and her cultivation too low to make a difference in the upcoming Competition." She wasn't lying when she said this.
Mira might be an insanely talented individual, but it was too risky to put all of her eggs in one basket. What if Mira died or something happened to her over the next 20 years?
Her luck was terrible, and she seemed to encounter dangerous situations quite often. It wouldn't be weird for her to die at some point between now and then.
Therefore, she couldn't put her complete faith in Mira, despite knowing her talent and strength. So, she could only stick with her original plan.
Aelina wasn't just building up her Sect's power and reputation for no reason. Sure, the resources the Branch Sects controlled were a huge help, and many talented disciples came from them.
If she were to stockpile all the extra profit they earned for many years, then, with the advancement and newfound understanding of various occupations, she'd be able to create items capable of turning geniuses into monsters.
All she had to do was quietly wait for that day to come. It was a long-term plan, but she had a long life. As long as she could ascend, the wait didn't matter.
One of her biggest regrets in life was being unable to participate in the Central Continent Competition all those years ago when she was just a young sprout. She tried to raise her cultivation as quickly as possible, not wanting to leave her fate up to somebody else.
Unfortunately, her cultivation didn't make the cut before it began, and she was unable to participate.
After they failed and her path to ascension was cut off, she knew that in order to get it back, she had to take matters into her own hands. From that day, she decided she'd become the next Sect Master and make the proper changes to the Sect so that one day, she'd be able to create monsters that had no chance of losing.
She refused to leave her fate up to chance again!
"However, watching these youngsters fight with their lives on the line against a 'seemingly' overwhelming opponent helped me break free from that illusion." Aelina unconsciously revealed a smile.
"Heroes are born in times of war, not peace. I'll never be able to break free from this cycle raising a bunch of treasures in a greenhouse." Aelina reached the edge of the crater and peered down into it to see Cyrus' enraged figure walking out of it.
He could attack, but she had no openings despite her relaxed posture. He had to take this battle with utmost sincerity if he wanted a chance at winning. Her previous attack proved to him that just a millisecond-long lapse in judgment could prove fatal.
"But, I have no need for heroes," Aelina muttered, her expression impassive as she looked into Cyrus' bloodshot eyes. "I need monsters capable of slaying said heroes."
Suddenly, she clapped her hands, her expression brightening as she stared at Cyrus with a large smile. "That's when you came into my life, Cyrus! It was you who helped me realize the error in my ways! It was your disciples' deaths that spurred my Sect's potential! And through your death, you'll become the cornerstone on which the Battle Maiden Sect's ascension is constructed!"
"SHUT UP, YOU CRAZY BITCH!" With a thunderous roar, Cyrus erupted with a torrent of blood-red Qi. His figure streaked across the battlefield like a crimson comet, a terrifying mixture of rage and killing intent. "WHAT DEATH?! WHAT ASCENSION?! JUST DIE!"
His face twisted into a menacing snarl as he bellowed, "Blood Inferno Strike!"
Instantaneously, a gigantic, fiery vortex formed around his body.
The vortex, which was as red as blood, emanated a destructive aura, twisting and devouring everything in its path. It seemed to breathe life into his words, turning his rage into a physical manifestation of destruction.
Aelina merely smiled, her eyes flickering with anticipation. Raising her spiked gauntlets, a wave of silvery metallic Qi and vibrant violet thunder began to surge around her body.
The surrounding air vibrated, creating an ominous hum as her power clashed against the onslaught of Cyrus's Blood Inferno Strike. The ground quaked beneath them, cracking and rupturing under the sheer force of their powers.
As Cyrus reached Aelina, he let out an earth-shattering roar and threw his blood-infused fist toward her. The air distorted around it, hinting at the incomparable power behind the punch.
However, Aelina's eyes gleamed with amusement. She met his attack head-on, her gauntlet-encased fist enveloped in a storm of violet thunder and metallic Qi. The power behind her punch was just as potent, if not more so, than Cyrus's.
The moment their fists collided, an explosion of raw, unrestrained power erupted. The ground beneath them caved in, forming a massive crater as the shockwave tore through the surroundings, pulverizing everything within its path. The trees were uprooted, the rocks shattered, and the lush green landscape was transformed into a barren wasteland.
Despite the tremendous force of the impact, Aelina stood firm, her figure unbudging like a divine titan. The violet thunder and metallic Qi around her spiked gauntlets rippled but did not falter. On the contrary, it seemed to grow more intense, the sparks of violet lightning dancing wildly around her.
In stark contrast, Cyrus was sent flying backward, his body leaving a long trail on the ground before he managed to stabilize himself. Blood trickled from the corner of his mouth, the crimson against his pale skin a stark reminder of the power Aelina possessed.
Ignoring the pain that racked his body, Cyrus stood tall once again, his eyes shining with defiance and determination. "Blood Torrent!" he roared, and an even larger wave of blood-red Qi gushed out from him, converging into countless crimson blades that shot toward Aelina with lethal intent.
Unfazed, Aelina waved her gauntlet-covered hand nonchalantly. A wave of deep blue water Qi burst forth, meeting the incoming blood blades. Amidst the water Qi, flashes of violet thunder zipped through, adding an extra layer of destructive power.
The blood blades collided with the water torrent, sparking a series of violent reactions. Each sword that struck the flood was instantly enveloped and crushed, turning into mere sparks before disappearing entirely.
As the blades disintegrated, Cyrus gritted his teeth. Despite his struggles, Aelina handled everything he threw at her with remarkable ease.
He knew his chances were slim, but he had no choice but to continue. His Sect's future, his disciples' lives... everything was on the line. "Blood Soul Sacrifice!" he roared, his eyes flickering with an intense crimson light.
Suddenly, a shroud of ghostly blood-red apparitions emerged from Cyrus's body. They were vague figures resembling his fallen disciples; their faces twisted in an eternal scream of torment.
He was using his own blood as a medium, calling forth the spirits of his fallen disciples and lending him their power. It was a forbidden technique only the Sect Master could use, one that risked his own life, but he had no choice.
Every ounce of power he obtained further closed the gap between him and Aelina.
Aelina's smile faltered slightly, a flicker of surprise passing over her features. "Interesting," she murmured as she readied herself, violet thunder crackling around her and water Qi pulsating in waves, ready to neutralize Cyrus's desperate move.
Cyrus' figure was now completely shrouded in the blood-red apparitions, making him seem like a demon lord commanding an army of vengeful spirits. With a deafening roar, he charged at Aelina, his fists coated in a thick layer of blood Qi.
With each punch he threw, a blood-red apparition detached itself from the shroud surrounding him and shot toward Aelina. They shrieked through the air, sounding like a chorus of vengeful spirits seeking retribution.
Aelina swiftly moved to meet his attack, her gauntlets charged with her deadly combination of metallic Qi and violet thunder. However, the impact from the spirits was stronger than she had anticipated. It forced her to take a few steps back, her face twisting in surprise as she felt a sharp pain rippling through her body.
With each spirit that struck, a small explosion erupted, leaving behind wounds on her body. The combination of physical and spiritual attacks was starting to wear her down.
Yet, Aelina was far from beaten. Shaking off the pain, she charged toward Cyrus. [Thundering River Strike.] she thought, helping to form a mental image of the technique. She released a monstrous surge of water Qi mixed with her violet thunder that coursed towards Cyrus.
The massive wave hit Cyrus, the violet thunderbolts within the wave lashing out at his protective shroud of blood-red apparitions, causing them to screech and dissipate. Cyrus roared in fury and agony as he was flung backward, his defenses crumbling under Aelina's onslaught.
Despite his desperate struggle, Cyrus was visibly weakening, his blood-sacrificed spirits dwindling in number. However, he refused to yield. Gathering his last reserves of strength, he pushed himself to his feet, ready to meet his fate head-on. "Blood of the Martyr!" he cried, his body glowing with a potent, crimson aura.
Aelina watched with a calculating eye. This was it; Cyrus had reached his limit. As the leader of the Crimson Slayer Sect, he was a formidable foe, but at their level, the tiniest disparity in strength could be as wide as the ocean. This was especially so for someone from the Unorthodox Faction.
She took a deep breath, ready to deliver the final blow.
As Cyrus made his desperate charge, Aelina focused her Qi, her gauntlets radiating with the power of her elements. She met his charge, her fists smashing into his body with the force of a mountain, punctuated by the crackling might of her violet thunder and the relentless force of her water Qi.
Cyrus' body jerked violently under the impact, his final technique crumbling under the might of Aelina's strike. His body was flung backward, landing with an explosion, creating another large crater beneath him.
Unfortunately, the vitality of someone in the Divine Sea Realm was abnormal. Even after all the sacrifices, all his forbidden techniques, and all the injuries, he was still alive.
He channeled Qi throughout his body, strengthening it so he could stand up, but before he could make another move, Aelina dashed in.
Looming over him, Aelina shook her head and sighed, "No hard feelings, Cyrus, but you'll have to go through a bit more pain before I can let you die."
After saying that, Aelina lifted her fist and smashed her spiked gauntlet into his chest.
"GAH!" He cried out, coughing up blood, but Aelina wasn't done.
With her other hand, she pounded his abdomen before removing the one in his chest and raining down punches. His agonizing screams rang out as blood flew everywhere, but Aelina didn't leave a single part of his body untouched.
It was as if she was tenderizing meat with her fists!
A few minutes later, an entity that looked like a disgusting lump of bloody meat was all that remained of him, but even that wasn't enough to kill him entirely.
With his cultivation, he'd probably last at least a few more minutes to a few hours before he bled out and died. However, even if he did live longer, he'd never recover from his injuries.
Aelina stepped away, looking at the deformed lump of meat with a satisfied look.
Grabbing the… entity by its neck(?), Aelina smiled as she carried his body back to the battleground that was finally reaching its end.
"Hold on just a little longer, Cyrus. You still have one more purpose to fulfill before you leave the world of the living."
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