Wandao 009
As the trial neared its end, a thunderous explosion suddenly erupted from the mountainside, as deafening as a sky-shattering roar. Earth and stone tumbled, branches snapped, and the startled cries of wild beasts echoed through the valley. Xiang Chengdao sprang to his feet, face grave, his divine sense swiftly extending to scan the surrounding spiritual energy with pinpoint precision.
"Someone has trespassed into the Thunder Domain!" His voice was cold, each word sharp as a blade. "That beast aura is unnatural—it's driven by a spirit beast! Stay on alert, do not let the enemy disrupt the order of the trial!"
Wan Xiaochuan and Lin Qixian exchanged glances, their hearts shaken. Though they had yet to fully master the power of wind and thunder, this sudden threat left them with no choice but to face it head-on. Gripping their sword hilts tightly, wind and thunder true qi surged within their bodies, their forms stirring gales and crackling lightning.
"Wind and Thunder in Harmony!" Wan Xiaochuan called out sharply. His hands wove together wind and thunder, sword qi gathering rapidly at the tip of his blade. A resonant hum filled the air as lightning patterns flashed across the sword, emitting a dazzling cyan-silver glow.
Just as the two braced for battle, Wan Xiaochuan felt a faint vibration from the mysterious stone on his chest, as if it were calling out to him. A soft cyan-silver light drifted from within the stone, like strands of silver silk dancing in the wind, gradually forming the ethereal figure of a young girl—graceful, light of step, her robes fluttering. A faint lightning mark glimmered between her brows, and her clear eyes sparkled with a touch of mischief.
"Hey, we meet again, Xiaochuan. Ready this time?" Her voice flowed like a mountain spring—lively, playful, and striking straight to the heart.
Wan Xiaochuan's chest tightened, his gaze fixed on the girl before him, overcome by an indescribable stirring. She was the sword spirit born from the resonance with the mysterious stone—Ruini.
Ruini's arrival seemed to rouse the very spiritual energy of the Thunder Domain. Her presence was more than that of a sword spirit—she was a companion woven into the depths of Wan Xiaochuan's soul, a spirit bound to walk alongside him through fate's storms.
"Ruini…" Wan Xiaochuan murmured softly, his gaze tender yet resolute. "Why do you appear at this moment?"
With a bright laugh, Ruini's cyan-silver hair flowed with the wind as she stepped lightly, "Because you need me. That spirit beast aura isn't to be underestimated. Do you remember our promise? To grow stronger together, and face all the wind and thunder this world throws at us!"
Watching the scene unfold, Lin Qixian raised an eyebrow and chuckled lightly. "Xiaochuan, your sword spirit is quite the character—not as stiff and formal as ordinary artifact spirits."
Wan Xiaochuan smiled in return, but he knew clearly in his heart—they alone might not be enough to handle the enemy approaching.
The wind and thunder of the Thunder Domain grew restless. Dark clouds gathered overhead, lightning streaked across the sky, and the howl of the wind harmonized with thunder to form a symphony of battle. Now, wind and thunder were no longer part of the landscape—they had become lethal weapons poised for release.
A massive shadow burst through the forest—it was a mutated spirit beast that had escaped from the trial's forbidden zone: the Thunderfang Direwolf. Towering in size, its black fur crackled with lightning patterns. Its eyes blazed like molten lava, and the long fangs in its jaws sparked with thunderous electricity, roaring with a sound like crashing thunder.
"A Thunderfang Direwolf driven by a spirit beast!" Xiang Chengdao shouted. "It's no ordinary creature—it's a spirit beast mutated by demonic energy. Its strength is formidable. Do not take it lightly!"
Battle erupted in an instant. Wan Xiaochuan and Lin Qixian attacked in tandem, blending wind-thunder sword techniques with alchemical arts for both offense and defense. Wan Xiaochuan's sword qi became the axis of the fight, its cyan-silver lightning patterns dancing like serpents, producing shrill howls and explosive thunder—like wind and thunder entwining across the skies.
"Wind and Thunder in Harmony · Dual Heart Bond!" he roared. His sword qi surged like a violent storm, slashing fiercely at the beast's black fur.
Ruini's sword spirit form danced within the sword qi, at times turning into a streak of cyan-silver lightning, at times becoming wind blades, perfectly in sync with Wan Xiaochuan's thoughts. The fusion of the two sharpened the sword qi to an even deadlier edge.
Meanwhile, Lin Qixian continually cast alchemical talismans, condensing explosive sigils from spiritual energy to both restrain and damage the spirit beast.
"Xiaochuan, remember—unite mind and spirit. Let your qi flow without disruption!" Ruini called to him from within.
Wan Xiaochuan closed his eyes and focused, feeling the wind and thunder energy surging like tidal waves through his body. A tremor stirred in his chest, and his sword qi surged beyond its previous limits. He knew—this trial marked the beginning of his soul resonance with Ruini, and a crucial step in his journey of growth.
The Thunderfang Direwolf let out a deafening roar. Lightning burst from its body, its speed doubling as it lunged toward the pair. Wind and thunder collided—sword qi and lightning clashed, erupting in a deafening explosion.
Seizing the chance, Lin Qixian unleashed a barrage of talismans, while spirit insects swarmed from his charm pouch, surging toward the Thunderfang Direwolf in a frenzied assault.
"Xiaochuan, don't focus only on swordplay—I'll cover you!" Lin Qixian shouted.
Wan Xiaochuan adjusted his breath, letting his spiritual energy and sword qi merge, launching a fierce assault against the beast.
As the trial in the Thunder Domain neared its end, the battle raged on. The Thunderfang Direwolf's strength gradually waned. At last, under the dual assault of sword qi and talismans, it let out a final wail and collapsed.
Spiritual energy slowly returned to calm, the thunderclouds began to scatter, and sunlight pierced through the clouds, bathing the mountainside in golden light—as though washing away all shadows.
Wan Xiaochuan exhaled heavily, his gaze steady as he looked to Ruini. The girl's ethereal form nodded gently, her smile filled with encouragement.
"This is only the beginning. We still have a long road ahead of us.