The Shadow Warriors
The two Shadow Clan warriors were imposing, their forms shimmering with the dark, corrosive energy unique to their race. Their focus was entirely on fracturing the ancient energy barrier, but the sudden appearance of four Spirit Masters—three humans and one uncertain hybrid—forced them to turn their attention to the immediate threat.
"Intruders!" one warrior snarled, his voice a gravelly echo. "Leave this place, or be consumed by the shadow!"
Mo Qing, ever the rock, immediately took the lead. "We stop you here!"
The battle ignited. Mo Qing immediately summoned the full strength of his Black Mountain Giant Ape. The Ape roared, its massive body acting as an impenetrable shield, absorbing the worst of the Shadow Clan's energy blasts. It was a grinding, defensive fight, with Mo Qing focused entirely on containing the destructive power and preventing them from reaching the barrier.
Zhu Yi, true to her role, remained mobile, her delicate frame a whirlwind of focused, gentle Qì. She used her healing energy not only to mend the cuts and corrosive wounds on Mo Qing's spirit beast but also to deliver powerful Healing Shocks that temporarily staggered the Shadow Warriors.
Xiao Ru utilized her illusory arts, attempting to disrupt the enemies' vision and confuse their targeting. She was agile and clever, weaving a distracting web of visual and auditory chaos around the fierce melee.
The Destructive Release
Bai Long fought with his pure White Dragon Qì—fast, precise, and controlled. But against the combined might of the two elite Shadow Warriors, his pure Qì was insufficient to break through their defenses. He watched, frustrated, as Mo Qing's Giant Ape staggered, its massive shoulders smoking from a direct hit of dark energy.
Then, disaster struck. One of the Shadow Warriors bypassed the Ape's defense and drove a focused surge of dark power toward Xiao Ru. She cried out as the energy struck her arm, the skin instantly blistering and turning black.
Seeing Xiao Ru injured—the only person who had defended his honor and shown him kindness—shattered Bai Long's control. The rage, the protective fury, was instantaneous and absolute.
He was not going to be shackled by fear any longer.
Without hesitation, Bai Long unleashed everything.
The White Dragon Qì—the pure force of speed and loyalty—exploded outward, pushing him forward with blurring velocity. Simultaneously, the forbidden Bloodline Force—the crimson, destructive heritage—erupted, enveloping him in an aura of shocking, turbulent red and white.
It was his first unstable, uncontrolled, preliminary fusion. The raw power was overwhelming, tearing at his own body, but granting him unmatched offensive capability.
He moved faster than the Shadow Warriors could track. His foot snapped out, delivering a kick that was no longer just Qì, but a blend of Qì and corrosive bloodline energy.
The blow caught one of the Shadow Warriors squarely. The force was so immense that the warrior was hurled backward, his dark aura scattering like dust, his body slamming into the canyon wall.
Before the warrior lost consciousness, his eyes wide with a mixture of terror and recognition, he screamed one phrase that cut through the battle noise:
"That power... it's the Royal Bloodline!"
The Retreat and the Cost
The scream echoed in the narrow canyon, momentarily freezing Mo Qing and Zhu Yi. Royal Bloodline? The hybrid was not just a half-breed; he was a descendant of the Shadow Clan's ruling lineage.
Bai Long didn't hear the recognition; he was lost in the chaotic feedback loop of his unleashed power. The crimson glow intensified, threatening to pull him into a complete, mindless rampage.
It was Zhu Yi who reacted first. Her training as a healer made her uniquely equipped to deal with internal energy storms. She rushed forward, abandoning her ranged support, and slammed a high-frequency Healing Shock directly into Bai Long's chest.
The pain was excruciating, a violent cleansing force that bypassed his rage and forced his systems to recalibrate. The crimson energy violently recoiled, and Bai Long gasped, his body collapsing into a shaking, sweat-soaked exhaustion.
Seeing their comrade defeated and the sheer, volatile power of the hybrid, the remaining Shadow Warrior knew the mission was compromised. They retreated instantly, vanishing into the shadows, leaving behind only the evidence of their sabotage attempt.
The battle was won, the barrier saved. But the victory was tainted. Bai Long's identity was now undeniably tied to both the Shadow Clan and an unknown royal power, deepening the rift of suspicion between him and his companions.