Myth Beyond Heaven

Feng Jian's transformation was swift and unsettling. Black veins pulsed beneath his skin, his silver eyes morphing into a malevolent crimson.

The chamber echoed with a grotesque crackling sound, far different from the sharp pops of regular lightning. Dark tendrils of energy snaked from his body, intertwining with the silver lightning, corrupting its once pure form.

"You dare push me this far, boy?" Feng Jian's voice was a guttural rasp, devoid of its former arrogance but laced with a terrifying hunger. "Witness the true power of the Forbidden Lightning!"

The air crackled with an unsettling energy, the oppressive silence shattered by the incessant hiss of the corrupted lightning.

Yun Lintian felt a primal fear clawing at his insides, a warning from his very being. This wasn't just powerful lightning anymore; it was a malevolent force twisted into a weapon of destruction.

Despite the terror, Yun Lintian steeled his resolve. The white tiger behind him roared in unison, its golden aura pulsing a challenge against the encroaching darkness.

With a deep breath, Yun Lintian channeled all his remaining power. The golden lightning around him crackled with renewed intensity, fuelled by the raw determination burning in his eyes. He would defeat this madman without using his trump cards.

However, he couldn't afford to hold back any longer. Drawing upon the lessons learned from the Law of Lightning, he started focusing the golden energy, condensing it into a swirling orb of pure lightning essence.

"Roar!" The white tiger phantom roared again, seemingly urging him on. The orb solidified, forming a miniature sun emitting a blinding golden light.

This was a technique he had discovered during his training, inspired by the destructive power of the Law of Lightning – White Tiger's Sun.

Across the chamber, Feng Jian finished his transformation. His emaciated figure now bulged with unnatural power, the black veins crawling all over his body resembled writhing serpents.

The Forbidden Lightning crackled around him, forming crackling spheres of dark energy that pulsed with an ominous glow.

"Behold the power you'll never overcome!" Feng Jian raised his hand, the spheres of dark lightning gathering into a swirling vortex above him. Cracks started to appear in the chamber ceiling, unable to withstand the immense energy being unleashed.

Yun Lintian couldn't waste any time. He launched himself forward, the White Tiger's Sun blazing in his palm. The air screamed as he sliced through it, leaving a trail of scorched vapor in his wake.

Feng Jian cackled, a sound devoid of any mirth, and launched his own attack. He thrust his palm forward, sending the vortex of dark lightning surging towards Yun Lintian.

Just before the collision, Yun Lintian channeled the White Tiger God bloodline with a final burst of strength. The White Tiger's Sun expanded, morphing into a roaring golden tiger head.

BOOOOM—

A deafening explosion rocked the chamber. The golden tiger head clashed head-on with the vortex of dark lightning. Light and darkness clashed in a chaotic dance, filling the room with unbearable pressure.

The golden tiger roared, its light surging forward, pushing back the darkness inch by inch. The chamber shuddered violently, the air itself crackling with an ozone-laced hum.

The fight seemed to hang in the balance, neither attack gaining a clear upper hand.

Yun Lintian gritted his teeth, pouring every ounce of his remaining energy into the White Tiger's Sun. He knew it was now or never.

ROARRRR—

With a final, earth-shattering roar, the golden tiger head burst through the vortex of dark lightning. The corrupted energy dissipated in a burst of black smoke, leaving only the blinding light of the White Tiger's Sun.

"Arghhh!!" The golden light washed over Feng Jian, engulfing his twisted figure completely. His screams were quickly drowned out by the crackling energy. When the light finally subsided, nothing remained of Feng Jian but a pile of charred ash, swirling in the remnants of the battle's destructive force.

Yun Lintian stumbled back, collapsing onto the cracked floor. The white tiger phantom behind him shimmered and dissolved with a final, mournful whine.

However, his eyes shone with determination. He tried to challenge his limit by using only the Law of Lightning and the power of the White Tiger God bloodline. The risky approach seemed to yield a satisfying result.

"Ugh…"

Suddenly, a low, guttural moan echoed across the wasteland, tearing through the oppressive silence.

Yun Lintian raised his head slightly, a jolt of adrenaline coursing through his fatigued body.

Standing behind the dust clouds, barely recognizable beneath a cloak of swirling dark energy, was Feng Jian.

His once proud form was now a grotesque caricature. His skin, mottled and scarred, stretched taut over his emaciated frame. The black veins that had pulsed with forbidden power during their battle now marred his body permanently, like an inky spider web clinging to decaying flesh.

His once-piercing silver eyes glowed with a malevolent red light, filled with a burning hatred that seemed to sear through the scorching air.

Yun Lintian was surprised to see this scene. The Forbidden Lightning had corrupted Feng Jian, but somehow, he had survived the White Tiger's Sun attack. Albeit in a state that could only be described as pitiful.

Feng Jian let out another guttural groan, his voice dripping with venom. "You… how dare you…?"

He stumbled forward, each step leaving a trail of scorched sand in his wake. The dark energy swirling around him crackled ominously, a testament to his remaining, twisted power.

Yun Lintian maintained a calm exterior. "You should have stayed dead," he rasped, his voice barely a whisper.

Feng Jian cackled, a sound that sent shivers down Yun Lintian's spine. "Dead? You think the likes of you could kill… a God?" His voice cracked with a mix of madness and fury.

Yun Lintian's eyes narrowed. The power Feng Jian displayed earlier was undoubtedly on par with a True God he had encountered before. The forbidden art he used raised his strength to the next level.

Rumble—

All of a sudden, the ground trembled violently. The chamber, already ravaged by their fight, began to writhe and shift as if responding to a deeper power.

Sections of the wall morphed, swirling into a vortex of rock and dust. The vortex widened, revealing a dark tunnel that stretched deep into the heart of this desolate landscape.

Yun Lintian and Feng Jian watched with a frown on their faces as the chamber reshaped itself, separating them by an impassable barrier. The opportunity for an immediate rematch was gone.

"No! I'm... not done yet!" Feng Jian let out a frustrated roar.