Chapter 19: The Seed of Blight
Ling Tian, with Princess Mei Ling and Lin Yue at his side, moved toward the heart of the corrupted village. The air grew heavier with a foul, sickening spiritual energy, a miasma that seemed to leach the life force from their very skin. Lin Yue, with her advanced healing abilities, created a shimmering, protective aura that shielded them from the worst of the corruption, her face a mask of intense concentration.
"The source is close," Ling Tian said, his eyes closed. He was using the Cosmic Origin Formation to feel the ebb and flow of spiritual energy, or rather, the chaotic, destructive flow of the corrupted energy. It was a vile, unnatural force, an insult to the harmonious balance of the Dao.
They arrived at the center of the village square, where the village well once stood. Now, in its place, was a pulsating, obsidian orb—the Seed of Blight. It was a malevolent artifact of immense power, a generator of spiritual corruption that was slowly turning the land into a lifeless wasteland. Dark, sinewy tendrils of spiritual energy pulsed from its surface, reaching out like phantom claws to infect everything in its path.
Standing guard over the Seed were two figures cloaked in black. Their faces were hidden, but Ling Tian could feel their cultivation—they were powerful, at the peak of the Qi Condensation stage, a level of power that far surpassed his own, at least on paper.
"So, the Imperial dogs have finally arrived," one of the cloaked figures sneered, their voice a raspy whisper that seemed to scratch at their very souls. "Your purity is a disease. We will consume it all and usher in a new era of darkness."
Ling Tian stepped forward, his aura a golden contrast to their inky blackness. "Your path is a blasphemy against the Dao. We will not allow you to corrupt this world."
The battle began. The two cloaked figures moved with a terrifying grace, their dark spiritual energy solidifying into razor-sharp claws that tore through the air. Ling Tian met their attack head-on, his movements a blur of gold and light. He used the Celestial Serpent Step to evade their attacks, and the Dragon's Roar Palm to counter. But their power was immense. They were not just strong; their spiritual energy was corrosive, and every touch of it caused a searing pain.
Princess Mei Ling, seeing that Ling Tian was being overwhelmed, acted with a strategic brilliance that belied her serene beauty. She drew her spiritual sword, a shimmering blade of imperial light, and channeled her energy into it. "Ling Tian, their power is in their unified attack! I will separate them! Lin Yue, be ready to heal him!"
Princess Mei Ling launched herself into the fray, her sword a streak of silver that cut through the darkness. She was not as powerful as Ling Tian, but her technique was flawless, her movements precise and elegant. She fought with the grace of a royal guard, a master of a refined and deadly art. She managed to separate the two cloaked figures, forcing one to fight her, giving Ling Tian the space he needed to attack.
Ling Tian, now fighting one-on-one, could finally unleash his true power. He focused his spiritual energy, not into an attack, but into a technique of profound control. He manipulated the very flow of the corrupted energy, forcing it to turn against its own master. The cloaked figure's attacks began to falter, their power turning into a chaotic mess that harmed them more than it harmed Ling Tian.
Meanwhile, Lin Yue was a pillar of light in the darkness. She stood at the edge of the battle, her hands glowing with a soft, purifying light. Ling Tian, bruised and battered by the initial attack, felt his wounds mend with every wave of her spiritual energy. Her healing was not just a restoration of health; it was a purification, a cleansing of the dark energy that was trying to corrupt him.
Finally, with a decisive move, Ling Tian struck the cloaked figure with a concentrated blast of pure, golden energy. The figure let out a piercing shriek as their spiritual core shattered, their body dissolving into a wisp of dark smoke. Princess Mei Ling, seeing her opportunity, used her elegant sword to finish off the second figure, a fatal blow that ended their reign of terror.
With the two guardians gone, the Seed of Blight was left unprotected. Ling Tian, with Lin Yue and Princess Mei Ling by his side, walked toward the pulsating orb. Ling Tian knew he couldn't destroy it with brute force; he had to cleanse it.
He took a deep breath and channeled his power. He didn't use an attack. He used a technique of profound purification, a technique from the Heavenly Dao Scroll that could turn even the most corrupted energy into a pure, harmonious form. He focused his energy into Lin Yue's healing power, amplifying it a thousandfold, turning her gentle light into a blazing, purifying fire.
A wave of brilliant, golden light erupted from Lin Yue, a torrent of pure, life-giving energy that engulfed the Seed of Blight. The orb pulsed violently, its dark tendrils flailing in a silent scream, before it finally cracked and dissolved into a shower of white, sparkling light.
The dark miasma over the village dissipated instantly. The barren land began to turn green again, the corrupted villagers, their forms now a faint, shimmering light, dissolved into the air, their souls finally at peace. The first battle against the Shadow Ascendants was a victory. Ling Tian had not only defeated his enemies but had also purified the land. He had proven that his power was not just for combat but for creation, a true embodiment of the Dao itself.