The explosion hadn't fully faded when Lu Zhou's body slammed into the hard ground with a thud that shattered the silence. Dust rose high, blinding his sight and choking his lungs. His body was broken. His bones screamed. But more painful than the physical wounds was the figure emerging slowly through the mist.
Xuan Di.
Once named Lu Tian.
His son.
The child he left behind. The one who cried as he ran past the sect gates. The one who used to call him "Father."
Now, he stood before him as a grown man with a calm, deadly aura.
> "What do you want?" Lu Zhou's voice was hoarse, almost a groan. "Revenge?"
Xuan Di looked at him from a distance. He didn't answer right away. His eyes were like a frozen lake—still, yet unfathomably deep.
> "I want you to know... your legacy no longer means anything."
Lightning began to swirl around Xuan Di's body. His hands joined into a combat stance. The storm of energy gathered around him—not wild, but sharpened like a blade honed over a thousand days.
Without warning, he charged.
Lu Zhou lifted himself. His breath was heavy. He stomped the ground, summoning his last ounce of strength. His longsword glowed silver. He unleashed the Heaven-Sealing Slash without hesitation.
Wave met wave.
The explosion of energy split the earth. The mist was blown away. The two looked like gods battling amidst the storm.
From afar, atop a boulder, two silhouettes observed the clash.
> "That's... a fight between father and son," murmured Mo Tian, his voice tight. So Lin He shook his head slowly. "No. That's the clash of two souls separated by past mistakes."
The battle raged on. Strike after strike tore the air. Lu Zhou's attacks were precise and seasoned. But Xuan Di… he was wild. Unbound by any form. His movements were like a death dance, borrowing techniques from all corners of the world.
> "Who is your master?" Lu Zhou asked between strikes.
"Loss," Xuan Di replied. "And vengeance."
Lu Zhou faltered for a moment, almost losing his rhythm.
Then came the move—Xuan Di leapt high, forming a lightning symbol midair. Seven glowing points converged into a vortex.
Heaven's Sevenfold Flash.
Lightning crashed down like the hammers of the gods. Lu Zhou tried to shield himself. His protective aura flared brightly—but it wasn't enough.
CRACK!
The aura shattered. His sword flew from his hand.
A palm strike from Xuan Di broke through Lu Zhou's last line of defense. His body flew back, smashing against a boulder. Blood splattered from his mouth.
He didn't rise.
Silence.
Xuan Di stood amidst the rubble. His breathing was calm. There was no pride, no hatred on his face. Only emptiness.
> "You're no longer a hero in my memory," he said. "Just an old man who never truly looked back."
From the hill, Mo Tian bit his lip.
> "Xuan Di... he doesn't just want to win. He wants to be seen."
So Lin He narrowed his eyes.
> "But now that he's won... he doesn't know what to feel."
Lu Zhou coughed. Blood trickled from his lips. His hand trembled, trying to lift his body.
> "Tian…" he called weakly.
Xuan Di didn't answer. But his steps slowed.
> "Do you remember... when you were little?" Lu Zhou whispered. "You ran to me after I defeated General Han. Your robe was too big. But your smile… was larger than the world."
Xuan Di didn't turn. But his breathing grew heavier.
> "I wasn't a good father. But at that moment, I felt like a hero—because you believed in me."
Silence. The night wind swept over the battlefield.
> "So… you've won," Lu Zhou continued, voice trembling.
"But… is your heart at peace, Tian?"
The question lingered.
Xuan Di turned. For a moment, something flickered in his eyes. But only for a second. He turned away, walking into the mist.
He left his father—and a piece of himself—behind.
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