Overdraw the future and become a peerless martial god

Chapter 87 Three's Company (Seeking monthly votes and favorites)
"drink!!"

Mu Yun roared angrily, ripped the sky apart with his palm, and unleashed a torrent of Yin lightning from his body, tearing the four figures into shreds. But as soon as the lightning subsided, the second group of guards arrived on the wind, their four lightning hooks clashing together to form a lightning net that slammed down upon them.

"roll--!!"

Mu Yun's fist shook the air, scattering lightning in all directions, but each strike drained his lightning power like tearing his bones apart.

The Yin lightning surged around him, but under the guidance of the "Radiant Sun Lightning Lock" in the sky, it slowly dissipated, transforming into streaks of dark lightning that converged towards the Yang Yang Lightning Ring.

The third group of guards arrived, chanting in unison. The "Blazing Sun Array Diagram" appeared beneath their feet, and a burst of blazing sun power rose from the ground, clashing with the Yin lightning surrounding Mu Yun.

"what--!!"

Mu Yun roared to the sky, his aura trembling violently. The Yin Lightning within his body seemed to be forcibly torn apart, and black lightning surged wildly from his seven orifices, as red as blood and as fiery as a shocking sight.

The fourth group of guards approached step by step, each carrying a thunder flag, leading the formation. The thunder locks seemed to have a spirit, responding to the formation flags, and the golden thunder rings suddenly accelerated their rotation, emitting a piercing shriek, frantically sucking in the yin thunder of heaven and earth.

The thunder surged back, as if thousands of thunder dragons were being dragged into the pillar of heaven with a roar. The dark thunder struggled and roared in the air, turning into clusters of pitch-black thunder flames, which were forcibly pulled into the top of the "Radiant Sun Thunder Lock," where they spun, squeezed, and melted, finally being sealed into the center of the yang thunder ring, condensing into a thunder flame vortex, shimmering with a dark golden light.

At this moment, Mu Yun's body was like cracked porcelain, cracking inch by inch, with lightning patterns leaking out, and his soul was shaking.

"You actually set up such a trap... to absorb all the lightning from me?!" He struggled and roared, trying to soar into the sky, but suddenly stopped. The entire void seemed to be filled with invisible lightning bolts, falling from the sky and rising from the ground, weaving into a dense net that locked him tightly.

The lightning bolts floated in the air, their rays stretching for thousands of feet, turning the sky as bright as day, and the entire arena trembled. At that moment, this colossal pillar hanging from the sky was no longer just a chain—it was a furnace of lightning, a cauldron of lightning that could only be formed when the heavens and earth tilted.

Mu Yun was locked in the center of the Thunder Cauldron, his Thunder Soul stripped away, and his bones extracted by ten thousand thunderbolts.

Prince Duan slowly rose, his black and gold royal robes fluttering in the wind. His gaze swept over Mu Yun, who was kneeling in disarray below, and a slight smile appeared on his lips as his voice boomed like thunder:
"The Yin Thunder has reached its peak, it only lacks the Yang Thunder to guide it."

"When Yin and Yang unite and the Way of Thunder is unified, the 'Nine Heavens Thunder Canon' will be unleashed."

With a slight twitch of his fingers, the silver-black "Radiant Thunder Lock" emitted a deep rumble, and the thunder wheel at its top slowly rotated, pressing the devoured Yin Thunder into the golden thunder core bit by bit, like a sacrifice returning to the furnace.

"You think this is a protest?"

Prince Duan sneered, his voice chilling:
"You are nothing more than a pawn, a preordained instrument to draw lightning and contribute your strength to my cause."

"boom!"

The last wisp of lightning power within Mu Yun's body was forcibly extracted. He slammed his knees heavily into the ground, his aura dissipated, and the lightning vanished.

At this moment, Chu Ning stood quietly, watching the "Radiant Sun Thunder Lock" operating high in the sky. His gaze gradually became serious, his brows furrowed slightly, and his soul seemed to tremble with the constantly rotating thunder rings.

Suddenly, his mind jolted, and he seemed to see the inside of the thunder. In the violently churning sea of ​​thunder, streaks of dark lightning struggled and roared, unwilling to submit.

He heard their whispers: anger, resentment, obsession, and lamentations...

"Yin thunder is not pure evil."

"Yang Lei is not absolutely right either."

"Yin is the soul, Yang is the body. If the soul has no body, it is adrift and uncertain; if the body has no soul, it is dead and without spirit."

"Only when the soul and body are united... can the true essence of thunder be awakened!"

In an instant, Chu Ning's eyes narrowed, his chest swelled, his aura suddenly changed, and a lightning pattern suddenly appeared deep in his dantian.

He slowly closed his eyes, his mind sinking into it, comprehending the Dao of Thunder Soul. Thunder is not only about destruction; thunder also possesses will.

The next moment, he opened his eyes, and a burst of silver light flashed in his pupils, as if thunder from the heavens pierced his soul.

"Prince Duan controlled thunder with his weapon and locked the sky with his power..."

Chu Ning stepped forward, his expression as cold and sharp as a blade: "And I, I control thunder with my heart."

"boom!!!"

The thunder seal in his dantian exploded with a thunderous roar, and a bolt of lightning shot into the sky from his body, condensing into a silver thunder talisman between his eyebrows. The thunderous intent surged, and his soul trembled.

In an instant, Chu Ning's aura subtly clashed with the "Radiant Sun Thunder Lock".

Despite the overwhelming force of the lightning, Chu Ning showed no intention of making a move. He simply watched quietly as Mu Yun's lightning power was stripped away and as Prince Duan approached step by step.

He felt neither sorrow nor joy, his thoughts drifting: "Whether it's Mu Yun or Prince Duan, they are both cunning and scheming individuals. The struggle between the snipe and the clam is exactly what I want."

Chu Ning calmly withdrew his gaze and looked at the pillar of lightning: "Who wins and who loses is, to me, just a change in the game. But if a person wants to truly get out of trouble, he can only rely on himself in the end."

His gaze swept over Mu Yun, who lay motionless on the ground. "This kind of method, which relies on external forces and brute force, may seem brilliant, but it's like pulling up seedlings to help them grow—it comes quickly, but goes even faster." "In the face of absolute power, even if you are a fifth-rank official, you can't withstand them sending out a hundred eighth-rank officials and ten seventh-rank officials in rotation."

"Only the thunder within oneself, drawn from within one's own heart, is the true source."

The silver talisman still hovered between his brows, seemingly responding to his thoughts, and the lightning intent became increasingly clear—neither arrogant nor violent, neither attached to external forces nor fawning on power.

"One day, I will make the thunder in this world move according to my will."

As the thunder dissipated, the members of the Heavenly Thunder Sect were all too weak to fight any longer. Sect Leader Mu Yun was pale and barely breathing, seemingly unable to speak.

Prince Duan slightly raised his eyes, his gaze sweeping across the surroundings like a knife. His voice was not loud, but it clearly reached everyone's ears: "The Heavenly Thunder Sect's treason is a serious matter. I will thoroughly investigate the whole story and will not tolerate it."

He paused, his eyes glancing at the shattered and lightning-marked Qingyun Arena, his expression slightly grave. He then spoke: "The Qingyun Arena is severely damaged and the order is in chaos. The competition will be suspended for three days starting today. The winners will be determined again after three days."

After he finished speaking, everyone responded in unison.

Prince Duan then turned to face Chu Ning, Xie Mingli, and Feng Jin. His tone carried an undeniable air of authority:

"The three of you."

He spoke slowly, his voice low yet carrying a weight that penetrated the heart.

"If we want to bring Xie Jinghong back as soon as possible."

Prince Duan slightly turned his head, his gaze sharp as if he could see through people's hearts, "After an incense stick has burned, you will all come to my residence."

He didn't say much, but his words were as firm and impactful as a mountain falling to the ground.

As soon as he finished speaking, his robes fluttered, and he turned and left. His figure appeared even more steady and unwavering in the twilight, leaving only the lingering silence and the surging emotions in the hearts of the three people.

A moment of silence.

Xie Mingli slowly turned her head to look at Chu Ning. Although her expression was calm, her tone contained a hint of tension that was not easily detected: "Chu Ning, the intentions of the Prince of Duan are unclear. This trip may not be a good one... Would you like to come with me?"

Feng Jin also gently raised her head, her voice carrying a stubborn earnestness: "If you're not here, I'm afraid Ming Li won't be able to handle it alone. I'm even more afraid that I... won't be able to hold on either."

Chu Ning paused for a moment, his gaze sweeping over the two of them in turn. He saw the fleeting worry in Xie Mingli's eyes, and he also saw the barely concealed emotions surging in Feng Jin's eyes.

He sighed softly, as if stamping his long-held decision.

“I won’t let you risk your life alone.” He turned to Xie Mingli, his tone firm as a vow. “You are not alone.”

As the wind rose and the clouds shifted, the sky darkened. In the instant the three locked eyes, the direction of the "Prince Duan's Mansion" was reflected in each other's eyes.

That place is both a fog and the answer.

The three of them boarded the carriage together and headed straight for the palace. The sound of horses' hooves echoed on the bluestone road, and the carriage curtains swayed gently, as if an invisible wind was stirring their respective emotions.

Chu Ning turned to look out the window. The night was deep, and the starlight was scattered. The fox-head pendant in his hand trembled slightly, its cool touch against his palm like a gentle stream flowing through his heart. He subconsciously tightened his grip, his gaze lowered, and for a moment, the image of Qing Li appeared in his eyes.

Xie Mingli sat opposite him, her expression serene, her clothes fluttering even without wind. Her hands were folded on her knees, her gaze never leaving Chu Ning's hand tightly clutching the pendant, a hint of questioning and worry flickering in her eyes. She opened her mouth, but ultimately only whispered, "That pendant… was it a gift from an old acquaintance?"

Chu Ning was slightly taken aback, but did not answer. She just smiled calmly and said, "It's just an old thing, a reminder to myself not to forget my original intention."

In a corner of the carriage, Feng Jin sat with her knees drawn up to her chest, her head gently resting against the carriage wall. She gazed at the night sky outside the window, her eyes reflecting the starlight, but also concealing an inexplicable stubbornness. She suddenly spoke, breaking the overly quiet atmosphere.

"Do you think... he's still in pain?" Her voice was soft, but it couldn't hide the heart-wrenching tenderness in her heart.

Xie Mingli looked up, her gaze softening, and said softly, "My brother will hold on."

Feng Jin's eyes were slightly red, and she nodded gently.

The carriage moved slowly through the streets and alleys, the golden tiles of the distant palace reflecting the moon, and the Prince Duan's residence was close at hand. When the wind rose, the corners of the curtains fluttered, just like the turmoil and uncertainty in their hearts.

The moment the palace gates creaked open, the Hunyuan Divine Decree in Chu Ning's arms suddenly heated up, as if thunder and fire had exploded from his heart.

Above the eaves of the Prince's mansion, the crouching beast statues all turned their heads, their stone pupils glowing with a blood-red light. Thick, black liquid slowly seeped from the cracks in the blue bricks, and an indescribable, sweet-smelling odor filled the air. The three stepped inside; each step felt like treading into the cavity of a colossal beast—slippery, heavy, and echoing like a heartbeat.

Chu Ning lowered his head and sneered, his voice deep and thunderous, "This is not a royal palace. It is clearly the esophagus of a gluttonous beast, its mouth open, ready to swallow us up and grind us up inch by inch."

The mansions of princes and nobles were protected by nine layers of restrictions and twelve locks, forbidding princes from crossing the border and forbidding civil and military officials from speaking recklessly. Every blue brick and every bracket set was imbued with the weight of court politics and bloodshed, like a furnace that swallowed the heavens, attempting to burn away all uncontrollable will.

Xie Mingli walked steadily, her black boots pounding the ground. With each step, a frost flower quietly bloomed on the floor tiles. Her face was as white as frost, her expression cold, but her gaze was sharp as a icy blade.

(End of this chapter)