Chapter Fourteen of the Dragon Kingdom: Dawn in the Darkness — The Sacred Thunder of Light

Their combined assault was nothing short of textbook-perfect, their moves harmonizing like a beautiful symphony—melodic and brisk, with sword qi cutting across and blade flashes shimmering. Each clash stirred up a tempest of awe, overwhelming the eyes.

Their figures danced gracefully on the battlefield, sometimes rushing like the wind, other times still as a mountain. Their movements were elegant and nimble; every turn and leap brimmed with both strength and beauty.

With unwavering focus, a single strike from their combined attack carried a power and aesthetic that not only amazed but also inspired reverence.

At that moment, they seemed to have transcended human limits, becoming invincible beings.

Ailu stood on the battlefield, eyes flickering with puzzlement. Reflecting on the ongoing duel against this unbeatable duo, a deep contemplation arose in her heart.

“Damn it, this is truly troublesome. With Ye Heng’s light attribute power enhancing her, my little sister’s Red Thunder has mutated, fundamentally transforming from red thunder into golden thunder of holy light attribute,” Ailu muttered.

“No, it’s not just that. What’s strange is that throughout the entire process, my little sister has been the one attacking me continuously, while Ye Heng took the brunt of the damage on the side. Shouldn't the Martial God Fusion Skill require both parties to coordinate, accumulating and unleashing power together? Could this really not be a Martial God Fusion Skill?”

“If it’s not, then how can their synergy be so perfect? Even their ordinary slashes are four times more powerful than any we’ve seen before!”

She gripped her sword’s hilt tightly, her fingertips whitening from the strain. In her mind played a vivid battle scene: Ye Heng and Aixi weaving through the fantasy stage, their sword shadows entwined like the brightest twin stars in the night sky, perfectly echoing each other. Every move was synchronized as if forged through countless trials and meldings, reaching an impeccable harmony.

Ailu’s gaze flickered with indomitable fire, a steadfastness born from deep within. She knew that brute force alone was futile against such an almost mythical pair.

The key lay in discerning the subtle shifts beneath their fluid coordination, seeking any possible flaw.

Thus, she began constructing a silent contest within her soul, gradually simulating the encounter with this legendary duo. Every hypothesis was carefully considered, every strategy honed sharp, all in pursuit of a breakthrough at that decisive moment.

“One softness, one hardness, yin and yang, shifting from soft to hard, hard to soft, unyielding to myriad techniques, moving like a thunderclap.”

“If this truly isn’t Martial God Fusion Skill, how could it be so alike?”

“Could it be that in this world, there exists a fusion technique rivaling Martial God Fusion Skill?”

Suddenly, an image flashed through Ailu’s mind like lightning—Ye Heng, in every seamless joint attack, always stepping up at the critical moment to absorb fatal damage. Her brows furrowed slightly, as if parting a veil of mist to glimpse the contours of truth.

“Could it be… that Ye Heng’s every injury taken was to build a solid shield for my little sister, allowing her to unleash her full offensive power without worry?” Ailu’s heart rippled, clarity dawning. “If so, their Martial God Fusion Skill isn’t a mere fierce offense but a clever blend of attack and defense, achieving the pinnacle of balanced warfare.”

“Is this… the legendary perfect combination technique?”

“It seems only by employing delay tactics can I find a sliver of opportunity,” she murmured, already formulating a plan. After all, most perfect fusion techniques harbor unknown secrets and limitations—perhaps, this was the chance for a counterattack.

Aixi charged again, but this time her stance betrayed something unusual; her swordplay lacked intent to clash or parry.

“What…” Ailu’s suspicion flared, and in an instant, she transformed into a streak of light, swiftly retreating to create about ten meters of open space between herself and the pair. Her eyes burned like torches, fixated on every subtle move on the battlefield. Her figure moved fluidly, like the most elusive star in the night sky, constantly shifting position, deftly dodging while keenly seeking that fleeting perfect opening.

She weaved lightly through the battlefield, leaving phantom-like afterimages behind. Sometimes vanishing from Ye Heng’s sightline, sometimes silently closing beside her little sister. Each sudden movement was accompanied by a sharp gust of wind, like an arrow racing through the forest—dazzling and impossible to track.

---

“Ha… is that all? Master must be old and blind! The efforts she poured into you were utterly wasted,” Ailu’s taunt cut through the air like a sharp blade, igniting fury in Aixi’s heart.

Aixi roared fiercely, “Ailu!”

Ailu’s lips curled into a subtle, intricate smile, as if the entire game of chess in this world had long been perfectly arranged in her mind.

“My little sister,” she spoke slowly, her voice laced with barely perceptible gentleness and sigh, “time flows on, yet your heart remains like a newly blossomed flower, unwashed by wind or rain.”

“Any Martial God Fusion Skill is built upon flawless, seamless coordination—like an impeccable brocade. Even the slightest deviation is like a carefully built sandcastle, collapsing instantly before the tide of challenges.”

“But you, at this moment, are ensnared by a deep fog of hatred and anger, your eyes clouded, your spirit dimmed.”

Finally, on that battlefield bathed in the sunset’s crimson glow, another of Ailu’s carefully laid plans quietly came to fruition, like a hidden chess piece silently fallen, stirring unseen ripples in the situation.

Yet, this dawn did not reach Aixi’s hatred-blinded eyes. She seemed trapped in a silent world, deaf and blind to all around her, reduced to a wild beast unleashing frenzied bites in a life-or-death struggle.

Each swing of Aixi’s sword tore the air with lethal force. Her silhouette stretched long in the fading light, like a wolf breaking free from its bindings, recklessly lunging forward to devour her foe directly. Yet Ailu, facing this sudden fierce assault, displayed astonishing adaptability.

Her figure flickered like a ghost, dodging with pinpoint precision, not only evading Aixi’s deadly strikes but stirring gusts of wind with each evasion, as if time itself was sliced by her speed, leaving dizzying afterimages.

Ailu’s agile movements weaved through the battlefield—sometimes a silver lightning bolt striking behind Ye Heng with lightning speed to land a critical blow; other times like a phantom silently appearing beside her little sister. Each flicker was more than spatial shifting—it was a mental shock, causing all observers to hold their breath, fearful of missing any detail.

The tension thickened; the air mixed with the scent of gunpowder and sweat. Every crisp clash of metal sounded like the tolling of fate’s bell, heralding the approaching climax.

After an hour-long duel, both sides visibly weakened. Watching this, Ailu prepared her next plan.

She moved like the wind, swiftly retreating a hundred meters. Under the moonlight, her Red Lotus Sword gleamed with a chilling glow, like a fierce flame in the dark night. She took a deep breath, eyes closed, as if gathering all the power of heaven and earth.

A breeze stirred her silver hair, painting a moving picture. When she opened her eyes again, they burned with resolve and icy coldness. Her trembling hands gripped the sword hilt—both a yearning for victory and reverence for the unknown challenge.

She whispered, “Red Lotus blooms, the night shall blaze.”

Before the words faded, a scorching energy burst from her blade’s tip, slicing through the night sky, aimed far ahead.

Yet, the seemingly impenetrable defense trembled under this strike, and it was this fleeting moment of vulnerability that Ailu seized to launch another attack.

“Red Lotus: Furious Flame Scorch.”

With a low, resolute incantation, Ailu’s sword tip erupted with unprecedented fiery light. This overwhelming energy, like a wild stallion unleashed, carried destructive force straight at Ye Heng.

In that instant, his body seemed sliced by a blazing blade, leaving a gruesome scar—a cruel mark woven from power and speed.

This strike was undoubtedly Ailu’s most powerful and deadly technique so far. Once, it was with this very move that she had swept the southern battlefield undefeated, defeating the poison master known as the Poison Duke, cementing her fame.

Witnessing this, Aixi’s eyes flickered with undeniable panic and disarray.

“Ah Heng!” she cried, swinging her long sword swiftly. A golden thunderbolt descended from the sky, crashing toward Ailu.

However, Ailu was prepared. With a flicker, she dodged the lethal strike and could not resist a taunt.

“This Martial God Fusion Skill is the worst I’ve ever seen—talk of balanced offense and defense, yet it’s easily broken.”

“You’ve lost.”

“Ha ha ha ha…” Ailu laughed wildly, her voice dripping with scorn and triumph, as if mocking Ye Heng and Aixi’s ineptitude. Her Red Lotus Sword spun in her hand, sparks flying like cheers heralding her victory.

---

“Oh, really?” Ye Heng’s tone held a subtle playfulness, as though savoring a secret about to be revealed. His words struck like a sudden cold wind, jolting Ailu, already uneasy, into sharp alert.

“What?” Her voice brimmed with disbelief, eyes wide, as if about to swallow Ye Heng whole into a chasm of shock. Lost in swirling thoughts moments before, she was abruptly pulled back to reality by an unseen force. When she finally realized Ye Heng had quietly enfolded her in a tight embrace, the sudden closeness caught her off guard. Her heart pounded violently, nearly leaping from her chest.

She tried to break free, but Ye Heng’s hands were like iron clamps infused with magic—unyielding, firmly restraining her in this warm, suffocating embrace. Her struggle seemed futile, like the last autumn leaf trembling helplessly in the wind. Fear rapidly clouded her usually bright eyes, filling them with helplessness and confusion.

At that moment, an indescribable force surged explosively from Ye Heng’s body, fierce as a volcanic eruption, overwhelming as a tidal wave, instantly filling the space. This power carried an ancient, mysterious aura, causing Ailu’s entire body to tremble involuntarily, as if swept away by an invisible colossal wave into an unknown abyss.

Ye Heng’s aura grew extraordinarily strong, like a waking dragon. Ailu clearly felt the oppressive weight of this power—an invisible mountain pressing down, making it nearly impossible to breathe. Sweat uncontrollably traced down her forehead and cheeks, soaking her clothes and chilling her skin with bone-deep cold.

This chill stemmed not only from evaporating sweat but also from the fear and unease rising from her soul. Ailu felt as if her spine was pierced by countless ice needles, a freezing chill shooting through her head, stiffening her body. Every cell screamed for escape. Yet before this irresistible force, all her struggles were insignificant, leaving her helplessly awaiting whatever fate awaited.

“Xier, hurry...” Ye Heng urged.

“But...” Aixi’s gaze flickered between Ye Heng and the approaching, terrifyingly blue lightning clouds. Her hands clenched into tight fists, fingertips whitening from strain, her face etched with conflict and struggle. Her long hair whipped wildly in the wind, strands plastered to her forehead, highlighting eyes filled with worry, as if each second was a fierce inner battle.

“Don’t worry about me, Xier. Trust me—I’ve studied the thunderstorm’s pattern and am confident that with my movement and Martial God power, I can avoid being struck precisely. If you don’t act now, all will be lost. I can’t hold on much longer...”

“Ah!” Ye Heng suddenly unleashed a deafening roar, like an ancient beast’s bellow, shaking the air. Even the descending lightning seemed to hesitate. In that instant, the remaining Martial God power within him ignited with his roar’s fury, bursting forth brilliant radiance. His form surged forward like a meteor tearing through the night sky, filled with resolve and indomitable will, charging toward the deadly lightning strike Aixi was conjuring.

Ye Heng’s muscles tensed with the surge of power; every inch of skin seemed coated with a faint golden glow—a sign of Martial God power overflowing and a testament to his desire for victory. His eyes held fearless resolve against the unknown and unwavering faith in triumph, as if no obstacle could shake him.

Ye Heng: “Dawn in the Darkness.”

Aixi: “Holy Thunder of Light.”

Thus, two formidable energies collided in midair, unleashing an earth-shattering explosion. Amid this fierce battle, the figures of Ye Heng and Ailu gradually blurred until they vanished together within the lightning strike as if they had never appeared. The entire battlefield fell into sudden silence, the white light swallowing all of Dragon Claw City, leaving only the streak of lightning tearing the sky and the lingering scent of gunpowder in the air.