Sky Star

Chapter Eighteen: Counterattack in Desperation

Faced with the taunting provocation of the dark forces’ leader, whose voice roared like that of a raging demon, Xiao Chen felt an uncontrollable fury ignite within his chest, burning with the intensity of a raging inferno. It surged to its peak, threatening to consume his very reason. Despite the overwhelming exhaustion and the searing pain from his wounds, he stood tall like an unyielding giant of steel. Under the shroud of darkness, his stance appeared even more resolute and unwavering. His eyes, ablaze with fury, locked onto the dark leader, as if he were about to tear him apart limb by limb. With a voice like a resounding bell shaking the heavens, he bellowed, “You think you can take our lives? A mere fiend like you dares to dream!”

His voice echoed through the chaotic battlefield, reverberating like a mighty war drum, shaking the very eardrums of those around him. The sheer force of his words sought to awaken the last vestiges of his comrades’ fighting spirit, dispelling the despair that loomed over them like an oppressive storm.

Ling Xue’s delicate face was equally fierce, her expression resembling that of an enraged panther. Her eyes burned with fury as she bit down hard on her lower lip, drawing beads of blood. She struggled to her feet, her frail figure trembling in the wind, yet she stood firm like a resilient bamboo, refusing to bow. In her hands, celestial energy once again took shape. Though its glow was now dim, flickering like a candle in the wind on the verge of extinction, it still exuded an unyielding determination. To her, it was the final glimmer of hope, ready to strike a fatal blow at any moment. “Even if we have to expend every last ounce of strength, we will never bow to you!” she declared. The ice shards and wind blades that formed in her hands became the embodiment of her resolve, whistling through the air toward the dark leader with a vengeance.

Yun Yi steadied his faltering figure, resembling a lighthouse standing firm against a raging storm. Though his glow had dimmed, he still guided the way for his allies. Taking a deep breath, as if drawing in all the courage of the world, he stepped forward. His gaze turned resolute, the eyes of a warrior with no path of retreat. Standing shoulder to shoulder with Xiao Chen and Ling Xue, they formed an indomitable trio, like towering mountains unshaken by the tides of darkness. “This battle decides the fate of the Celestial Domain! We have no choice but to fight with everything we have!” His voice was steady and unwavering, like an arrow piercing through the darkness, reigniting the flames of hope within the hearts of their comrades.

The dark leader, feeling thoroughly provoked, let out an earth-shattering roar that seemed to rend the sky. In an instant, his figure blurred, streaking across the night like a bolt of black lightning. He charged at the trio with the momentum of an unstoppable force, wielding a sinister sword that radiated eerie darkness. The blade resembled the scythe of the Grim Reaper, leaving behind fractures in space, gaping like abyssal maws ready to devour all in their wake. The sight alone sent shivers down the spines of those who bore witness, as if they had been cast into an apocalyptic nightmare.

Xiao Chen was the first to engage. The celestial power within him surged like a river breaching its banks, pouring into his fists as he met the dark leader’s sword head-on. Their collision resembled two meteors colliding, a battle of sheer force. He fought with everything he had, hoping to halt the enemy’s onslaught, buying precious time for his companions. Ling Xue seized the opportunity, her delicate hands weaving intricate celestial spells. The ice shards rained down like a thousand arrows, sharp enough to pierce through metal and stone. The wind blades crisscrossed midair, forming a lethal net aimed at the dark leader’s vital points. Each strike was as precise as an archer’s arrow, attempting to lighten Xiao Chen’s burden and create an opening for a decisive strike. Meanwhile, Yun Yi gritted his teeth, ignoring the weakness threatening to overtake him. He formed intricate seals with his hands, drawing upon the last reserves of his energy to execute a mysterious binding spell, seeking to shackle the raging beast that was their foe.

The trio fought in perfect harmony, functioning like a well-oiled machine. For a time, they and the dark leader were locked in a fierce deadlock. Light and darkness clashed violently, as if day and night had collided in an instant. Explosions roared like divine thunder as if gods and demons were locked in an apocalyptic struggle in the heavens. Their comrades, witnessing this spectacle, found their fighting spirits rekindled. Their previous exhaustion dissipated, replaced with renewed vigor. Battle cries erupted across the battlefield, weapons were brandished with newfound ferocity, and warriors surged forward, launching a final assault against the dark forces. They fought like blazing torches in the night, charging toward their enemy without hesitation, like fearless warriors making their last stand.

However, the dark leader was no ordinary foe. A sovereign of the abyss, his power was insurmountable. As the battle dragged on, he gradually adapted to their attack patterns. His sword strikes grew even more ruthless, sweeping through like a dragon caught in a raging storm. Each blow carried the power to obliterate everything in its path, forcing Xiao Chen and the others into a dire predicament. Xiao Chen sustained multiple wounds, his blood dyeing his garments red, like plum blossoms blooming in winter—tragic yet beautiful. His movements became sluggish, like a rusted machine struggling to function. Ling Xue’s celestial energy waned, flickering weakly like a dying candle in the wind. Yun Yi, pale as paper, barely stood upright, his body swaying as though a single gust could sweep him away.

Just as despair loomed over them, a sudden revelation struck Xiao Chen. A forgotten power—one he had sensed long ago in the Chaos Realm—began to stir within him, buried deep like a long-lost treasure. In this moment of life and death, it awakened. Closing his eyes, he blocked out all distractions, focusing entirely on drawing forth this newfound strength.

In an instant, his entire being radiated with light, akin to the rising sun piercing through the darkness. His celestial energy, once pure, now bore the hues of chaos, as if infused with an ancient, unfathomable force. He seemed reborn, rising from the depths of hell with unrelenting fury and strength. When he opened his eyes again, they gleamed with the brilliance of stars and the swirling chaos of an untamed universe, striking terror into all who beheld them.

With a thunderous roar, Xiao Chen surged forward, his new power transforming every punch and kick into world-shattering forces. Each strike landed with devastating impact, forcing agonized cries from the dark leader as he stumbled back, his once-mighty presence faltering like an ant before a titan.

Seeing this, Ling Xue’s heart surged with hope, as if rain had finally graced a parched land. She, too, ignored her injuries, gathering all her celestial energy to synchronize her attacks with Xiao Chen, their combined power multiplying exponentially. Yun Yi clenched his teeth, mustering the last of his strength to maintain the binding spell, ensuring their enemy had no means of escape.

Under their relentless assault, the dark leader’s body was riddled with wounds, his aura of malevolence fading away like dissipating mist. At last, with one final, earth-shattering punch from Xiao Chen, the dark leader’s towering form crashed to the ground, raising a cloud of dust. His body twitched a few times before falling completely still, void of life. The cursed sword slipped from his grasp, landing with a resounding clang, its sinister glow extinguished. And with it, the looming darkness finally began to dissipate.