The air shook with pressure as the demonic elder's roots lashed out toward Wei Ji. The chamber trembled, dust falling like rain from the ceiling. But before the deadly black vines could strike, the heavy wooden doors at the far end of the hall burst open with a thunderous bang that echoed across the walls.

A wave of radiant blue light flooded in, cutting through the gloom. A powerful spiritual aura surged forward, sweeping away the mist and shaking the roots that crawled over the stone. A man in the sword Shandian Sect's silver-blue robes stepped through the doorway, his blade already drawn, glowing faintly with lightning energy that danced along its edge.

His sharp eyes widened as he took in the sight before him—Ren's lifeless body entangled in roots, his skin pale and shriveled, his mouth open in silent horror. Then his gaze snapped toward the demonic elder standing near the center of the room. The black mist coiling around the elder's body seemed to scream corruption.

The newcomer's spiritual power spiked instantly. "A demonic cultivator," he growled. "So you were the one who dared to touch my disciple."

The demonic elder turned his hooded face toward him, his crimson eyes glowing faintly from beneath the shadows. "Ah," he said slowly, his voice low and rich with amusement. "Another one of you righteous dogs."

He smiled faintly. "This day is getting interesting."

Wei Ji stood between them, silent for a moment. He knew the misunderstanding the instant the sword Shandian elder spoke, but he also knew that explaining it would do nothing. The demonic cultivator would never back down, and the elder's pride wouldn't let him listen.

"You have killed one of mine," the Shandian elder said coldly. "You dare to defile my sect's disciple right before my eyes? I will purify this place with your blood."

The demonic elder laughed, the sound deep and mocking. "Your disciple?" He looked at Ren's drained corpse, then back at the elder. "Then your sect breeds weaklings. He screamed for death long before my roots touched him."

Lightning flared from the sword elder's blade, striking the ground with a deafening crack. The air burned from the heat, filling the room with the sharp smell of ozone. "You talk too much, devil."

The demonic elder's smile widened. "Then come, show me the purity you speak of."

The two powers clashed.

The explosion that followed was like thunder tearing through the heavens. The entire Han family estate quivered from the shock. Roots shot upward from the ground, meeting lightning that cut through the air like a storm. Energy waves rippled outward, shattering nearby furniture and hurling shards of rock and soil across the hall.

Wei Ji raised an arm, shielding his face from the blast as the two forces collided again. The demonic elder's black roots whipped through the air, thick as serpents, cracking stone wherever they struck. Each one was filled with demonic Qi, writhing and pulsing like veins alive with blood.

The sword Shandian elder countered with fluid strikes. His sword danced like lightning itself, every movement sharp and precise, every slash leaving behind blinding trails of blue light. When the roots lunged for him, he spun, slicing through them, each motion followed by a deafening crack of thunder.

But the demonic elder only laughed, his voice echoing through the chaos. "Good, very good! A man with some fire! It's been years since I've met one who doesn't tremble when they see my roots."

The sword elder gritted his teeth and pressed forward, his aura blazing. "Silence, monster!"

Their power collided again. The air was crushed under their combined might, the sound of their clash roaring like a storm at sea.

Wei Ji took a step back, the force pushing against him even though he was not part of their battle. His green eyes flicked across the room, watching both fighters carefully. Every swing, every strike—they were both too strong, yet equally stubborn.

The demonic elder was laughing wildly now, his crimson eyes glowing brighter as he waved his arm. A thousand roots erupted from the floor and walls, twisting and curling into monstrous shapes. Each one stretched toward the sword elder, trying to pierce his defenses from every angle.

But the sword elder met them all. His sword spun in his hands, a blur of lightning and precision. Every movement was filled with fury and pride, cutting down dozens of roots in an instant. Sparks and black ichor rained through the air as the two powers devoured each other.

"You think you can overwhelm me with this filth?" the elder shouted.

"Filth?" The demonic cultivator grinned. "These roots have devoured stronger men than you. I have feasted on saints and heroes, boy. What makes you think you are any different?"

The sword elder's aura exploded outward again, shaking the ground. "Because I am of the Sword Shandian Sect, cultivator of the Heavenly Thunder Path! Our blades pierce even the darkness of hell!"

The demonic elder raised his hands. "Then let me see this heavenly thunder of yours."

The clash that followed was deafening. The lightning from the sword elder's attack split the air into blinding arcs, crashing down like divine punishment. For a brief moment, the entire chamber turned white from the brightness. But when the light faded, the demonic elder was still standing.

He laughed again, his dark robes torn in places but his body uninjured. "You call that lightning? You disappoint me."

The sword elder's eyes narrowed, veins bulging at his temples. His pride flared. "You talk like a coward hiding behind roots."

The demonic cultivator smirked. "And yet, these roots are enough to keep you from touching me."

Once again, their powers erupted. Roots surged upward from beneath the elder's feet, while lightning cascaded from the heavens conjured by his spiritual Qi. The resulting explosion sent both men flying backward, smashing into the stone walls.

Wei Ji steadied himself as the floor split beneath their impact. Smoke filled the room, dust swirling in every direction. The roots that had once covered Ren's corpse were now charred and scattered.

Through the smoke, he could see both figures struggling to rise.

The sword Shandian elder's robes were torn and burned. Blood trickled down the side of his mouth, but his grip on his sword remained firm. He pointed the blade toward the demonic elder again, his eyes burning with defiance. "You're stronger than I expected, but I won't stop until you fall."

The demonic elder straightened slowly, dark energy wrapping around him like a living cloak. His laughter had faded, replaced with cold satisfaction. "And you are more stubborn than I thought. Good. I enjoy breaking men like you."

He raised a single finger, and the roots around them began to tremble again. But before he could attack, the sword elder's aura flared one last time, and he rushed forward, their blades of Qi and energy meeting once more in a blinding collision.

When the light finally died down, both of them were breathing heavily. The room was half-destroyed, the walls cracked and the floor littered with debris. The demonic elder's mist flickered weakly, and the sword Shandian elder's lightning was dim.

They stood facing each other, both exhausted, both unwilling to yield.

The demonic elder grinned faintly. "You're not bad… for a righteous fool."

The sword elder smirked, despite the blood on his lips. "And you're not as strong as the stories say."

They stared at each other for a long moment, their pride refusing to let either side admit defeat.

Wei Ji stood between the two collapsing powers, silent and unreadable, as the last of the smoke faded and the moonlight crept through the cracks in the ceiling. The fight between light and shadow had reached its pause—not an end, only the breath before another storm.

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