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038 - Incurring Heaven's Wrath
🕑 Added 2024-07-19 20:05:20 +0000 UTCQin Yun was still mulling over what his new project lacked as dark thunderclouds gathered overhead. A foreboding sense of oppression hung over Jin City as its inhabitants remained indoors, fearfully looking overhead, waiting for the incoming calamity. It had only been less than a month since the last time such a catastrophe occurred. Some couldn't help but wonder if the Heavens had cursed them for their arrogance.
Yun Jingfei frowned, wondering what was the cause of it. Somehow, she had an inkling. She couldn't help but think of her husband, who had locked himself away in his workshop for over a week. Next to her, Feng Xia couldn't help but tremble as dread overcame her heart. She clutched Yun Jingfei's sleeve, refusing to let go, knowing such actions were futile. Still, it only slightly alleviated her fears.
Unlike humans, spirits were born from the world's providence and held much reverence for it. It was ingrained deep into their psyche. As such, the thought of resisting Heaven's Judgment was nothing but sacrilegious. Feng Xia could only barely resist the urge to fall to her knees.
Yet, Qin Yun was oblivious to it all. His project was so close to completion, but he couldn't find the way forward. Everything he tried resulted in failure. He knew only a single piece was missing in this puzzle, yet he couldn't find it. As he considered giving up, a thunderbolt fell for the first time.
A flash of light illuminated the dark sky, blinding all of Jin City as thunder erupted, shaking the earth. The bolt fell from high in the sky, aiming straight for Qin Yun’s workshop. If nothing was there to interrupt its charge, it would have been vaporized on the spot.
Fortunately, the formation surrounding the courtyard sprang into action as it detected the incoming destruction. Nodes located beneath the ground rose as they lit as if incandescent flames, resisting the incoming storm. Lines of light bridged the nodes, forming an obscure and intricate pattern. Qi flowed within those lines, engaging the strength of the earth beneath, creating a dome of light above Qin Yun's courtyard.
The lightning bolt collided with the dome, making it flicker as it desperately tried to disperse heaven's might. Soon after, the bolt of lightning faded from existence as only a much dimmer dome of light remained. It flickered as it siphoned the Qi located within the ground. Unfortunately, the tribulation overhead was relentless. Lightning fell without end.
As the sound of thunder drowned out the world, the formation cracked, and the ground on the small hill where Qin Yun's residence stood split into countless large pieces. Without any Qi flow to sustain its might, the dome overhead flickered, then shattered soon after as shards of light disintegrated into the atmosphere.
Finally hearing the commotion, Qin Yun rushed outside with the black crystal in hand. Now naked before the heavens, the ground of their courtyard rumbled as the heavens' oppression crushed everything beneath. Yun Jingfei and Feng Xia fell to their knees, unable to raise their heads. Sweat poured out of their pores as dread of the world's might took root in their heart. Yet, Yun Jingfei's gaze was unyielding as she struggled to rise. Unfortunately, the world was too ruthless to allow an ant like her to gaze upon it.
Qin Yun, too, felt the oppression, yet he remained steadfast, pondering the reason for this sudden punishment. He didn't have much to ponder as the reason was evident. Only the black crystal in his hand was worthy of divine wrath. While Qin Yun considered getting rid of it to alleviate some of the world's ire, he also knew that doing so wouldn't change anything. The sin had already been done, and his punishment was due.
Qin Yun remained stationary, facing the thunder head-on. While the heavens' were overbearing in their spectacle, Qin Yun knew it was only a show to display its might. If it was true heavenly punishment, his courtyard's formation would have never resisted even a single bolt of lightning. This was more akin to making a statement than anything else as if demanding a cessation of all this foolishness.
Unfortunately, Qin Yun’s mind was made up long ago. This project was his only remaining chance to reach the peak he had set as his goal. While he wasn’t sure if it was enough, he wouldn't give up simply because the world had told him so.
As if knowing his mind, the sky rumbled again as lightning arced on the clouds, giving him one last warning. Yet, Qin Yun's gaze overhead said all that needed to be said. Lightning fell once again, seeking its retribution.
Qin Yun had no thoughts of avoiding it. In fact, there was nothing he could do to prevent it. Not even an immortal was a match for Heaven's Might. Qin Yun could only hope that his body could resist it and that the Heavens would show mercy. Although he knew that holding such hopes was foolish, there was nothing else he could do.
That was wrong, however. There was something he could do. He held the black crystal overhead and slashed at the incoming lightning bolt. It was akin to trying to slash a bullet mid-flight, yet Qin Yun succeeded in this endeavour.
The tip of the black crystal made contact with the bolt, diverting it only slightly enough that it fell less than a metre next to him. An explosion occurred as the bolt reached the ground, creating a deep crater and scorching it black. While Qin Yun knew he wouldn’t succumb to this degree of might, he still would have been left with various injuries.
Unfortunately, while his daredevil idea worked, a portion of heaven's lightning remained on the crystal and then flowed to his hand. As lightning flowed to his skin, Qin Yun could feel that foreign energy dig deep into his flesh, scorching it from the inside out. He resisted the urge to scream as it dug within his bones.
Unlike when he could cut his nerves at their source to avoid feeling the pain, the world wasn't that merciful this time. The lightning prevented him from circulating any Qi, rendering him as nothing more than a mortal. Still, even if he could use his Qi, what good would that do? He had almost no Innate Qi remaining, and no matter how pure it was, how could it compare to what the world itself could offer?
As lightning flowed through his flesh, Qin Yun couldn't hold the black crystal any longer, so it fell to the ground. Yet, the Heavens wasn’t done demonstrating its ire for this heresy. Thunder fell without end, each time striking the black crystal on the ground, digging a massive hole with each bolt that fell.
Qin Yun clutched his blackened hand, sweat poured out his forehead, and the pain still assaulted him. His mind raced as he wondered why the world had reacted so strongly to this new creation of his. There was only a single answer: that foreign energy found within the crystal. It seemed the Heavens couldn't tolerate its existence.
Surprisingly, no matter how many bolts of lightning fell, nothing could mare the surface of that black crystal, almost as if it were indestructible. Yet, the world wasn't to be taken lightly. A red hue appeared on the black clouds as the golden lightning changed to a dark red. The sense of oppression that filled the world seemed to have exploded exponentially.
The girls, who were on their knees, had no choice but to prostrate themselves before heavenly might. Even the old monsters present in Jin City didn't possess the courage to look at the sky anymore, as all the city's inhabitants fell to the ground, trembling in fear. Even Qin Yun could only barely resist it, yet he, too, fell to one knee. The world's might wasn't something an individual could contend against.
Red lightning crackled on those clouds for a while longer, and then all fell in unison. Surprisingly, the black crystal still resisted its destruction, yet Qin Yun could see cracks appear on its surface. As if to show its defiance, that exotic energy flowed within the crystal as if it had a mind of its own. The two energies battled on its surface as they sought dominance. The crystal rang as the strain of their war spread over its entirety, almost like it was threatening to explode.
Qin Yun couldn't help but feel a sense of impending doom. If this struggle was left unchecked, the crystal would collapse, and the energy within would be unleashed on the world. While Qin Yun didn't know the true scope of its destruction, he could estimate it simply by looking at the lightning falling down. Nothing would be left of this city and its surroundings if it were to blow. Unfortunately, there was nothing he could do. The world simply would not let him.
Surprisingly, once the crystal reached the limit of what it could endure, heavenly might retreated, almost as if it had done its duty and only wanted to watch the end result. Qin Yun was still bewildered by the sudden reaction of the world to what he had created. Did it feel threatened by its existence?
As the world's oppression faded and Jin City's inhabitants could finally move again, Qin Yun's mind raced for a solution, yet none could be found. They were doomed to perish on this day. His only option was to smother the explosion as best he could using his own body. While he would surely perish, his wife might be able to survive the blast. He was the one responsible for this situation, after all. He should be the only one to pay the price for it.
Qin Yun steeled himself for death while cracks appeared on the crystal's surface. The crystal pulsated with a strange energy, flooding its surroundings with a sense of dread. Yet, another rushed for the black crystal before Qin Yun could commit to it.
Feng Xia stood over the pit where the black crystal was located. While she knew not the meaning of her actions, she only let her instinct take over. She knew this was dangerous and was the only one who could save them.
“Get back!” Qin Yun couldn’t help but shout. There was no trace of his usual indifference. He couldn’t let someone else pay for the mistake he had made.
“It’s fine,” Feng Xia said with a gentle smile, looking him in the eyes. “I’ll be alright. I know it.”
Then, without waiting for Qin Yun’s input, Feng Xia jumped into the hole, reaching for the black crystal. The crystal was hot to her touch, almost searing, as if the heavenly lightning had forged it further.
Yun Jingfei ran to the crater's edge, pleading for her to climb back up, yet Feng Xia only returned her a gentle smile. Yun Jingfei sought to plunge into the hole to accompany her, yet Qin Yun embraced her from behind, restraining her. While he didn't know what Feng Xia intended to do, he figured it couldn't be worse than his own desperate idea. What was the worst that could happen? Their deaths? Qin Yun scoffed; he was already prepared for such an eventually. He only wished his wife wouldn't have to follow along.
Suddenly, the black crystal cracked open, releasing a blinding light that threatened to scorch even Qin Yun's skin. Acting primarily instinctually, he embraced his wife in his arms before showing his back to the pit, trying his best to shield her from the inferno. If not for the crystal being located deep within a crater, Qin Yun had no doubts this heat wave would have prompted his courtyard to burst into flames. Yet, all that came of it was a pillar of white light that reached the sky, dispersing the black thunderclouds.
Yun Jingfei struggled within his arms, trying to reach Feng Xia. Still, Qin Yun wouldn't let her, opting to wait and see. Feng Xia didn't strike him as the self-sacrificing type. Soon after, the pillar emitted notable changes, and Qin Yun couldn't help but smile.
