The moon hung high in the sky, casting a pale glow over the empty clearing. The wind rustled through the trees, whispering secrets to those who would listen. Yet, the silence of the night was almost suffocating, as if the world had come to a standstill, awaiting the inevitable clash between two powerful forces. Vạn Thiên Phong stood at the center, his eyes locked onto the dark horizon, sensing the shift in the air. The ground beneath his feet trembled with every heartbeat, and his mind raced, searching for the source of the danger that loomed.
He had faced countless adversaries, but there was something different about this one. Something far more dangerous. Vạn Thiên Phong had always been the one in control, the one who dictated the terms of every battle. But tonight, for the first time in years, he couldn't shake the feeling that he was being watched. That someone was coming for him.
Then, as if on cue, a voice broke through the silence, low and mocking. "So, the great villain has finally decided to show himself."
Vạn Thiên Phong's body stiffened, and his eyes immediately narrowed. He recognized that voice. He had heard it too many times before. It was a voice that sent chills down his spine, a voice that echoed in the deepest recesses of his mind.
The shadows parted, and a figure stepped into the moonlight. The moment Vạn Thiên Phong saw her, his heart skipped a beat. Bạch Tiêu Nhiên.
Her presence was overwhelming. Her dark, flowing hair framed a face that could rival any goddess, but it wasn't her beauty that captured his attention. It was the aura of power that radiated from her, an energy that resonated with his own. They were equals, in every sense of the word.
She stood there, her gaze fixed on him, unwavering and cold. Her lips curled into a smile, but it wasn't a smile of amusement. It was the kind of smile that spelled death, the kind of smile that could erase entire kingdoms from existence.
"You…" Vạn Thiên Phong's voice caught in his throat, but he quickly regained his composure. "What are you doing here?"
Bạch Tiêu Nhiên took a slow step forward, her movements graceful and calculated, as if every action was carefully planned. Her eyes glinted with malice, a flicker of something dark dancing behind them.
"I've come to take what's mine," she said, her voice smooth and deliberate, each word laced with authority. "You've caused enough chaos, Vạn Thiên Phong. It's time for you to face the consequences of your actions."
A chill ran down his spine, but he refused to show any sign of weakness. Vạn Thiên Phong's lips curled into a sneer. "You think you can stop me?" he scoffed. "I have destroyed everything that stood in my way. I have conquered realms. You are no different. Just another pawn on the chessboard."
Bạch Tiêu Nhiên's expression remained unchanged. If anything, it only grew colder, more menacing. "You've underestimated me," she said, her tone no longer just a threat but a promise. "And that will be your undoing."
There was a long, tense silence between them, the weight of their words hanging in the air like a storm waiting to break. The power crackling around them grew stronger, more intense with each passing second. Vạn Thiên Phong's eyes flashed with rage, but he masked it quickly. Anger was a weakness he could not afford.
"You've always been an obstacle in my path," he said, his voice low and threatening, each word dripping with venom. "But now, you will pay the price for standing in my way."
Bạch Tiêu Nhiên didn't flinch. Her expression remained stoic as ever, though a glimmer of something darker passed through her eyes. "I'm not afraid of you," she replied, her voice unwavering. "And I'm not here to play your games. This ends tonight."
For a moment, time seemed to slow, as if the world itself was holding its breath. Then, without warning, the silence shattered. Vạn Thiên Phong moved first, his hand sweeping through the air as a surge of dark energy exploded from his palm. The ground beneath him cracked and split as his power erupted, aiming straight for Bạch Tiêu Nhiên.
But she was faster. With a fluid motion, she dodged to the side, her body almost a blur as she evaded his attack. The air crackled with energy as she summoned her own power, a dark, ethereal force that seemed to warp the very fabric of reality around them.
"You're still too slow," she taunted, her voice laced with amusement. "I've trained for this moment my entire life. You don't even know what you're up against."
Vạn Thiên Phong gritted his teeth and lunged forward, his sword drawn in a flash of steel. The blade gleamed under the moonlight, its edge sharp enough to cut through the heavens themselves. He swung it with lethal precision, but once again, Bạch Tiêu Nhiên danced away, her movements like water—graceful, unpredictable, and impossible to catch.
She raised her hand, and a wave of black energy surged forth, crashing into Vạn Thiên Phong with a force that sent him stumbling back. His footing faltered, but he quickly regained his balance, his eyes blazing with fury.
"You think you can defeat me?" he growled, his body crackling with power as he readied himself for another strike. "I will destroy you, just like I've destroyed everyone else who dared challenge me."
Bạch Tiêu Nhiên's eyes narrowed, her lips curling into a smirk. "You don't understand," she said, her voice low and dangerous. "You've already lost."
The ground trembled beneath them as the two forces collided once more. Energy crackled and exploded around them, sending shockwaves through the forest. The very air seemed to shimmer with the intensity of their battle, as if the universe itself was caught between the clash of their powers.
Each blow from Vạn Thiên Phong was met with a swift counter from Bạch Tiêu Nhiên, her skill and precision unmatched. The fight seemed to last an eternity, neither willing to yield an inch. But despite his power, despite his strength, Vạn Thiên Phong began to feel something he had never felt before.
Doubt.
For the first time in his life, he questioned whether he could truly win. This was no ordinary opponent. Bạch Tiêu Nhiên was not just another warrior to be crushed beneath his heel. She was his equal, and perhaps even his superior.
"You're weakening," she said, her voice cutting through his thoughts like a knife. "Your arrogance is your greatest flaw. You cannot defeat me, Vạn Thiên Phong. This is the end."
Vạn Thiên Phong felt a surge of rage flood through him. "I will not be defeated!" he screamed, his power flaring in a final, desperate attempt to break free of her grasp.
But as his energy exploded outward, Bạch Tiêu Nhiên raised her hand, her expression calm and unyielding. "No," she whispered, almost tenderly. "This is your end."
The final wave of energy that erupted from her was unlike anything he had ever encountered. It was pure, raw, unrelenting. And for the first time in his life, Vạn Thiên Phong felt the weight of his own mortality.
As the darkness closed in around him, his last thought was a bitter realization.
He had underestimated her.
[end of chapter 18]