CHAPTER 52: CHAPTER 52: THE POWER OF SANATAN FLAME SECT

The sky was dark, heavy with an ominous weight, as if the heavens themselves were watching the battle about to unfold. Dust rose endlessly from the scarred ground, swirling in restless currents under the oppressive silence.

On the Dark Pearl, members of the Sanatan Flame Sect stood silently, their eyes burning with curiosity and anticipation. Among them, Lin Shu’s face was pale with worry. She whispered softly, almost as if speaking to herself.

"You have to do it this time, Shaurya..."

The scene shifted.

In the midst of the battlefield, Ye Xuan hovered in the air like a dark omen, while Shaurya stood firmly on the cracked ground, his gaze locked with his enemy’s. A faint smile curved his lips, but his eyes carried a cold, merciless death stare.

Slowly, Shaurya slipped off his overcoat and tossed it aside. His disciples, watching from a distance, felt their breaths catch in awe. It was the first time they had seen their master reveal such seriousness.

Without hesitation, Shaurya rose into the air, meeting Ye Xuan head-on in the skies.

Ye Xuan cracked his knuckles, his voice filled with cold finality.

"This time, let’s end this."

Shaurya rolled his shoulders, stretching his neck with a casual motion. In an instant, his figure blurred—he appeared above Ye Xuan with a fist descending like a falling star. Ye Xuan smirked and met the strike head-on.

Their fists collided.

BOOM!

A massive white energy explosion erupted, shaking heaven and earth. From within the blinding blast, their figures emerged, locked in a violent flurry of punches and kicks. Their strikes clashed with such ferocity that sparks burst into the air, shockwaves rippling outward and trembling the battlefield itself. Rocks shattered, boulders crumbled, and entire slabs of stone turned to dust beneath the weight of their power.

Both warriors retreated, maintaining distance for a fleeting heartbeat. Then, with primal roars, they charged again.

Shaurya screamed, "Mountain Breaking Fist!"

Ye Xuan roared, "Sky Splitting Strike!"

Their fists collided once more.

BOOM!

Another energy explosion engulfed the battlefield. Ye Xuan swung toward Shaurya’s face, but Shaurya blocked with his forearm, his strength clashing against the middle of Ye Xuan’s arm, halting the strike cold. Ye Xuan’s eyes widened in surprise—then Shaurya’s fist buried into his abdomen.

Ye Xuan coughed violently. Before he could recover, Shaurya pushed him back with brute force and delivered a devastating side kick across his face. Ye Xuan’s body was flung like a ragdoll, crashing into the ground with an eruption of dust.

But from within the haze, Ye Xuan burst forth, charging with relentless fury. Shaurya dodged his fist with effortless precision and drove his knee straight into Ye Xuan’s abdomen. Blood splattered from Ye Xuan’s mouth, yet he retaliated instantly with a headbutt.

Shaurya countered with his own headbutt.

CRACK!

The impact echoed across the battlefield. Blood sprayed in the air, shockwaves rippling through Ye Xuan’s body. He staggered back, clutching his forehead as crimson streaks dripped down his face, trembling with pain. Shaurya stood unfazed, his head unyielding.

Ye Xuan roared in frustration.

"Your head... is it made of rock or what!?"

Shaurya tilted his head slightly, his tone calm and cutting.

"I have a strong brain, so my head is strong."

Ye Xuan’s anger deepened. "Are you saying I don’t have a strong brain!?"

Shaurya shrugged with mockery in his eyes.

"Yes. This is what I am saying."

Grinding his teeth, Ye Xuan clenched his fists. But then, unexpectedly, he let out a laugh.

"You’re really tough. That means I’ll just have to beat you even harder."

Shaurya smirked.

"Then hit me. But instead, you’re the one getting beaten by me."

With fury, Ye Xuan lunged, his fist flying. Shaurya caught it effortlessly, locking him in place. Shaurya threw his own punch, but Ye Xuan countered, catching it with his other hand. Their fingers intertwined, locking in a brutal test of strength.

Both warriors roared as their auras erupted—Shaurya’s golden brilliance clashing against Ye Xuan’s seething darkness. Shockwaves thundered outward, shaking the entire battlefield.

High above, Elder Wan immediately activated the defensive formation around the Dark Pearl. Yet even with protection, the massive ship groaned and reeled backward under the overwhelming pressure.

Shaurya and Ye Xuan continued to push against each other, neither yielding an inch. Then a devilish grin curved across Shaurya’s lips.

Ye Xuan’s eyes narrowed, confused.

Before he could react, Shaurya yanked him forward and slammed his head into Ye Xuan’s face. Once. Twice. Thrice.

Blood gushed from Ye Xuan’s forehead as he stumbled back, screaming in rage.

"This goes against battle ethics!"

Shaurya smiled coldly.

"In my battle, I decide the ethics."

They surged at one another again, fists colliding with each other’s cheeks in a brutal exchange.

"Nice punch," Ye Xuan sneered.

Shaurya mocked him.

"Yeah. I didn’t expect that from someone like you."

They separated again, tension building. Ye Xuan roared, summoning countless massive needles of dark energy swirling around him. In response, Shaurya clapped his hands, releasing a shockwave as golden swords of energy manifested, gleaming around him like a divine arsenal.

Both raised their hands. Their energy attacks surged toward one another.

When they collided, Shaurya’s golden swords tore through Ye Xuan’s dark needles, cutting them apart. Ye Xuan’s jaw dropped in shock. With a single wave of his hand, he retaliated, unleashing a violent shockwave that shattered the remaining swords.

But before he could breathe, Shaurya appeared behind him, delivering a sharp karate chop to his neck.

Ye Xuan’s eyes widened—then he was slammed into the ground. Dust erupted in waves, but Shaurya descended like a meteor, his kick crashing down on Ye Xuan’s back.

CRACK.

A fissure spread along Ye Xuan’s spine. He screamed in agony, but Shaurya showed no mercy. Twisting his arm behind his back, Shaurya wrenched it and drove a vicious kick into the joint. Ye Xuan’s screams echoed through the battlefield, piercing like daggers.

Then—

BOOM!

Dark energy erupted violently from Ye Xuan’s body, engulfing the field in a terrifying aura. Shaurya was forced to rise higher into the sky as the ground below cracked into spiderwebs from the explosion.

Ye Xuan shot upward, fists blazing with darkness. Shaurya countered, their punches colliding, repelling them both backward. Blood sprayed from their mouths, staining the air.

Shaurya smirked.

"Seems like you can heal your body at some points."

Ye Xuan laughed through his blood.

"Yeah. I can heal my broken bones and joints. My wounds will always heal with time."

Shaurya’s gaze sharpened.

"But not your pain."

Ye Xuan grinned.

"Yeah. But who cares? As long as I can crush my enemies with this ability."

Shaurya stretched his body, his tone deadly.

"Then I just have to turn you into dust—so you cannot heal yourself."

Ye Xuan lunged again, mocking him.

"Try it, if you can."

He slammed into Shaurya with brute force. Shaurya blocked, then flipped midair, striking Ye Xuan’s jaw with both feet. Ye Xuan staggered, spitting blood, but only laughed bitterly.

"You surprise me every time."

Then, with a roar, his aura erupted with even greater fury. He launched a barrage of kicks and punches. Shaurya tried to block, but Ye Xuan gave him no room to breathe. He grabbed Shaurya’s head and smashed it against his knee—blood burst from Shaurya’s lips.

Again Ye Xuan grabbed, again Shaurya dodged—but a sudden knee caught his face mid-motion. A palm strike slammed into his abdomen, rattling the ground beneath. Dust shot up in violent plumes as Shaurya staggered. Ye Xuan’s next punch smashed him into the earth, carving a massive crater.

Blood dripped steadily from Shaurya’s lips.

As Ye Xuan descended for another finishing blow, Shaurya’s Crimson Barrier flared to life. Ye Xuan was too close—he was struck head-on, repelled backward.

Shaurya landed on his feet, countering with a brutal uppercut to Ye Xuan’s jaw, sending him flying upward. Seizing his leg midair, Shaurya hurled him down into the crater.

Floating above, Shaurya summoned countless glowing spiritual orbs. With a flick of his hand, they rained down on Ye Xuan.

BOOM!

The explosion deepened the crater, obliterating everything within.

Yet Ye Xuan emerged again, lunging at Shaurya. Shaurya spun to dodge, but Ye Xuan retaliated with a sudden back kick, his heel slamming into Shaurya’s abdomen. Shaurya coughed blood. Ye Xuan followed, raising his leg high and crashing it down onto Shaurya’s head, smashing him into the earth.

He drove his fist into the ground where Shaurya lay. BOOM! Dust and shockwaves billowed outward.

When the smoke cleared, Shaurya stood unshaken, gripping Ye Xuan’s fist with a deathly calm. His cold gaze froze Ye Xuan in place.

Ye Xuan stumbled back, shocked. Shaurya vanished, reappearing behind him in the blink of an eye. Ye Xuan spun, swinging—but Shaurya vanished again.

Too late.

Shaurya’s fist smashed into his cheek, sending him flying into a mountain. The peak trembled, cracks spreading in spiderwebs across its surface.

Then, like a golden missile, Shaurya streaked forward, sonic booms echoing in his wake. His fist collided with Ye Xuan’s cheek once again—BOOM! The explosion shattered the mountain’s peak, shockwaves rippling like waves of destruction.

Without pause, Shaurya’s foot, wrapped in pink aura, drove into Ye Xuan’s abdomen.

"Bizarre Kick!"

Ye Xuan’s body was hurled through mountain after mountain until one collapsed entirely, burying him in rubble. For a moment, silence ruled. Then, coughing blood, Ye Xuan staggered out, forcing himself into the sky.

His breathing was ragged. His body trembled. Yet his eyes still burned with defiance.

"Is this what you’ve got? Sorry to disappoint you, but you can’t defeat me that easily."

Shaurya floated calmly, hands in his pockets, a faint smile tugging his lips.

"You heal your injuries very quickly."

Ye Xuan smirked.

"I will use everything. Even if I die here, I will not die alone."

He roared.

"YAAAAAAA!"

Dark aura erupted from his body like a volcanic eruption. His form glowed with violent energy as shockwaves raged across the battlefield. The ground shook violently.

Shaurya’s eyes widened.

Behind Ye Xuan, a colossal dark-purple spiritual body materialized, towering like a queen of shadows. Its size rivaled the Burj Khalifa, dwarfing everything beneath its overwhelming presence. The aura it released was suffocating, crushing, making the battlefield quake in fear.

A system window flickered before Shaurya’s eyes:

"Gravity Pressure has increased. 40 times more than usual."

Ye Xuan’s aura burned brighter than ever as he raised his gaze.

"Without wasting time... let’s finish this battle. Now!"

Shaurya inhaled deeply, then exhaled slowly, his eyes never leaving the towering spiritual queen behind Ye Xuan.

A wide smile spread across his face.

"This is called... interesting."

The battlefield was silent, trembling under the fading echo of devastation.

Ye Xuan, with a grave and unyielding expression, looked at Shaurya. His voice was deep, carrying the weight of centuries.

"Shaurya, you are a great warrior—the strongest opponent I have ever faced in my entire lifetime of 284 years. But... you can’t win against the power of demons. The power of darkness is the real power."

Shaurya listened calmly, his fist clenched but his smile never fading. His golden pupils gleamed as he answered.

"Power of darkness? I don’t know what that is. Sorry to disappoint you, but for me, there is a different path of power—greater than the power of darkness."

His aura flared violently. Golden light erupted around him like a volcano about to shatter the heavens. He lowered his head, his voice steady yet filled with emotion.

"It’s the love of my sect members."

Then he raised his head. His golden pupils sparked like burning suns.

"It’s my fury!"

His roar thundered across the battlefield. His golden aura erupted higher, piercing the heavens, and behind him appeared a colossal golden spiritual body, mirroring Shaurya’s very form. The crushing pressure of Ye Xuan’s demonic spiritual body vanished instantly, swept away as if it never existed.

Ye Xuan’s eyes widened in disbelief.

Shaurya declared, his voice shaking heaven and earth:

"This is my Spiritual Body."

The golden colossus towered behind him, a mirror of his stance, radiating overwhelming divinity.

Ye Xuan gritted his teeth and summoned his weapon. His blade gleamed with dark malevolence. Across from him, Shaurya drew the Meteorite Sword, its weight echoing eternity. Their spiritual bodies followed—each holding a sword of their own, one of darkness, one of blazing gold.

With a thunderous roar, both warriors raised their swords and swung. The heavens split as their spiritual bodies clashed, blades meeting with a force that made mountain peaks tremble. The ground split in spiderweb cracks. Shockwaves sent rivers of dust roaring across the battlefield.

Golden flames erupted in Shaurya’s eyes, his aura pushing Ye Xuan backward. Ye Xuan staggered, shocked beyond words.

Then Shaurya roared, his spiritual body surging forward, forcing Ye Xuan’s colossal form back. His stance shifted. He moved like a flash, taking his Quick Draw stance. His spiritual body mimicked, poised to strike.

"Divine Sword Art: End of Darkness!" Shaurya’s voice shook the heavens.

With lightning speed, he withdrew his sword and slashed. The Golden Spritual Body withdrawa in mimic. A blinding golden arc of destruction tore across the battlefield. Ye Xuan’s eyes widened in horror. He tried to counter, but it was too late. The golden slash devoured his spiritual body.

The world turned white.

A shockwave of annihilation spread for miles. Mountains vaporized into dust. Peaks vanished into air. In a straight line stretching two miles wide, everything was erased—leaving a clear, unnatural pathway carved by pure power.

Shaurya’s golden spiritual body flickered and vanished. Dust veiled the world, but when it cleared, Shaurya’s eyes widened in shock.

The destruction... it was beyond belief.

Ye Xuan stood heavily wounded. His arm—the one holding his sword—was gone, turned entirely into dust. Blood poured as he breathed raggedly, yet his eyes burned with hatred.

But Shaurya ignored him. Instead, he stared at the devastation before him. His lips parted in awe.

"Whoa... I did this?"

Before his amazement settled, Ye Xuan screamed. His right arm regenerated in an instant, flesh and bone reforming in black steam.

Shaurya’s eyes widened.

"Wait... what? Didn’t you say it takes time to regenerate?"

Ye Xuan’s chest heaved as he laughed bitterly.

"Idiot brat... I used my lifespan to hasten regeneration. I want you dead."

He roared, rising higher into the sky.

Shaurya tilted his head, hands on his waist, and said with calm defiance:

"If you want me dead, then kill me. Simple."

Ye Xuan’s roar shook the heavens. His hands became cloaked in crackling dark lightning, the air itself bending around him. He joined his palms, summoning a black orb between them. Space twisted; the air grew unbearably heavy.

Shaurya only smiled. He glanced down at his sect members below. His fists glowed, golden lightning wrapping around them.

Lin Shu’s eyes locked on him, heart trembling. Shaurya raised his fist toward them in silent signal.

They understood.

Wang Tian frowned.

"Is it just me, or..."

Lin Shu cut in, firm.

"No, you’re not alone. He needs us."

She turned, determination blazing in her eyes.

"Let’s do it."

All the sect members nodded. Golden energy surged in their hands, pulsing like living flames. Lin Shu floated before the Dark Pearl, her hand raised high. The energy gathered, swirling into a radiant sphere on her palm.

With a cry, she hurled it toward Shaurya.

"Finish him, Shaurya!"

The glowing sphere shot forward like a comet, merging into Shaurya’s body. His aura ignited. His entire form turned golden, blazing like a miniature sun. He opened his eyes—light pouring out like holy fire.

With a bright smile, Shaurya looked upward at Ye Xuan, who was nearly consumed by his own demonic power. Between Ye Xuan’s palms, the orb had grown into a swirling abyss, a miniature black hole of destruction.

Ye Xuan’s voice was thunder, filled with rage.

"To use this forbidden technique, I must burn my very lifespan! So just die, this time!"

He roared:

"Demon Abyss: Cataclysm!"

A beam of pure annihilation burst forth, dark enough to swallow stars.

Shaurya’s golden aura erupted like a tidal wave. He drew back his fist, the energy of his sect surging through his veins. His roar shook the heavens.

"This is our power! Sanatan Flame Sect: Fusion Dragon Fist!"

He punched. From his fist erupted a colossal dragon of golden energy, roaring as it tore through the sky.

The two forces collided. The impact was apocalyptic. Shockwaves spread like the end of days, carving craters and ripping the earth in spiderweb fissures.

Ye Xuan’s attack faltered, pushed back inch by inch. His eyes widened in horror.

"No... impossible..."

Shaurya roared with all his might.

"This is the end! Evil is destined to fall!"

Blood sprayed from Ye Xuan’s mouth as his own energy crumbled. His voice cracked in disbelief.

"So... this is the power of righteousness. The power of love and emotions. The power of the Sanatan Flame Sect..."

But he refused to yield. He roared, resisting, his teeth gritted.

Shaurya’s sect members roared together.

"Do it, Master!"

Lin Shu’s voice pierced through the storm.

"Do it, Shaurya!"

Shaurya closed his eyes. Visions of his sect members filled his mind. Then Lin Shu’s warm smile appeared.

He opened his eyes, roaring.

"Jai Shree Hari! HaaaYaaaaaaa!"

His aura burst like the wrath of heaven.

Ye Xuan’s eyes widened, trembling in horror.

"Evils are... surely destined to fall..."

A strange peace washed over him. He smiled faintly, closing his eyes as the golden dragon consumed him. His body disintegrated into dust.

The dragon roared upward, piercing the heavens before exploding in a sea of golden light. The battlefield was bathed in radiance. Darkness vanished.

The black sky cleared, replaced by boundless white clouds and Sunlight.

Silence fell.

On Dark Pearl. Luo Chen step forward with confusion.

"Did We.... Did We Won..?

Xiao Rui smiles and said. "Yeah... We won".

Everyone errupts with joy and laughter.

Lin Shu saw Shauraya floating in the sky. Watching the sky.

Shaurya, his body trembling, turned towards them. Smiled softly before collapsing midair.

Lin Shu and Wang Tian rushed with blinding speed. Before Shaurya could hit the ground, Lin Shu caught him. Tears welled in her eyes.

Wang Tian’s voice trembled with worry.

"Master, are you okay?"

Shaurya, pale yet smiling, chuckled.

"Yeah, yeah... I’m okay. Just got too tired."

Lin Shu hugged him tightly, trembling.

"You scared me."

Shaurya hugged her back. His voice was gentle.

"Didn’t I tell you? I will not leave you."

Lin Shu slowly helped him stand. Shaurya tried to brush it off.

"Don’t worry, I can walk."

Lin Shu glared at him, her voice sharp through tears.

"Shut up. Just accept help when you need it. It doesn’t make you weak. I’m helping you, so just shut up."

Shaurya laughed softly.

"As you say."

The others laughed, relief and joy mixing with tears.

Scene shift—

The Sanatan Flame Sect stood proudly atop the Dark Pearl, laughter echoing in the night. The battle was won. The air was filled with relief and happiness.

Shaurya stood at the front, Lin Shu supporting him. They exchanged a quiet glance and a smile.

The great battle had ended.

But the story had only just begun. Many more trials awaited.

To be continued...