Chapter 33 - The Jade Vessels Whisper 2

The air cracked like thunder as the jade vessel thrashed against its bindings, its chained light whipping the chamber into chaos. Each pulse of power struck like a hammer against Jiang Hao's chest, feeding the inferno already raging inside his veins.He staggered but stood firm, every muscle trembling with strain. His aura flared wildly, golden arcs burning across his skin like a second sun trapped inside him. His normally sharp, handsome features had taken on an otherworldly glow—an immortal-like beauty that would have stolen the breath of anyone who looked too long. But beneath the brilliance, his lips trembled with pain, and blood dripped freely down his chin.The backlash is worse this time. His thoughts were jagged, fragmented between agony and stubborn defiance. Seal Two… it's clawing me apart from the inside. If I keep this up, my meridians will—The vessel shrieked, drowning out thought, and a chain of golden light slammed toward Mei Ling again.Jiang Hao blurred, intercepting it with his bare palm. The impact cracked the stone beneath his feet, dust and shards erupting upward. He gritted his teeth, forcing the chain back, even as agony tore a scream from his throat.Mei Ling gasped, tears streaking down her cheeks. "You'll kill yourself! Stop, please!"He turned his head slightly, flashing her a grin even as his vision swam. "If I stop, you die. And between your pretty face and my lousy health, I'll take my health every time.""You idiot!" she cried, pounding her fists against the barrier of golden light that separated them.Lin Xueyao's jaw clenched as she slashed forward, her sword blazing with qi. She struck the chains attacking him, forcing them back for a breath of relief. Her gaze, however, never left Jiang Hao. "You can't endure this for long. If you keep releasing your seal… your foundation will collapse. You'll cripple yourself permanently."Her words stabbed deep, because Jiang Hao already knew she was right. Every moment his seal remained open, the pain multiplied, burning his body like molten steel. His blood boiled, his bones cracked under unseen pressure. His vision blurred red, and every heartbeat felt like it might burst his chest apart.The mysterious girl finally stepped closer, her laughter echoing faintly above the chaos. "How deliciously tragic. A man too powerful for the world, bound by his own strength, doomed to bleed for those who love him. Tell me, Jiang Hao, how long until you break? Until you realize that pain is your only companion?""Break?" Jiang Hao spat blood, his grin wild despite the crimson on his lips. "Lady, you clearly haven't seen me after three nights of unpaid overtime."Her laughter only deepened, a haunting melody.The vessel's glow surged brighter, and for the first time, cracks appeared along the jade surface. From within, a deeper, darker light pulsed—a presence not merely powerful but ancient and malevolent.Jiang Hao's stomach dropped. It's waking up.Seal Two screamed inside him, demanding more release, more power to match the vessel. But the backlash had already gone beyond what his body could handle. His muscles were tearing, his qi channels spasming violently, threatening to rupture.A sudden cough wracked him, spraying blood across the stone. His knees buckled, and only sheer stubbornness kept him standing.Mei Ling sobbed. "Please, stop fighting it! You're going to—"He cut her off with a glance, his golden eyes burning even through the haze of pain. "Don't cry, Ling'er. If I survive this, I'll buy you wine so sweet you'll forget this day. And if I don't…" He smirked faintly, though his body trembled with collapse. "At least I'll die looking ridiculously handsome."Lin Xueyao gritted her teeth, her knuckles white around her sword. She wanted to strike him for his recklessness, but her heart twisted too tightly.The mysterious girl whispered like a serpent, eyes glowing as the vessel's cracks widened. "Seal Two is not enough. You'll either open the third… or perish here."The chamber quaked, the jade vessel splitting further, ancient whispers flooding the room like a thousand voices chanting in unison.And Jiang Hao, caught between the vessel's awakening and his own crumbling body, realized he was standing at the very edge of life and death.The jade vessel's cracks spread like lightning, golden shards flying off in every direction. The hum had become a roar, drowning the chamber in thunderous vibrations that shook loose entire slabs of stone from the ceiling.Then, with a deafening shatter, the vessel broke.A surge of dark-golden energy exploded outward, a storm that tore through the protective runes etched into the chamber walls. The ground quaked as if the entire mountain above them were about to collapse.From the shattered remains rose not treasure, not weapon, but a mass of writhing light, its form shifting like a stormcloud, eyes and mouths flickering within. Each whisper it had hissed before now became a chorus of commands, sharp and overwhelming."Release… release… unseal… unleash…"The pressure was so immense that Mei Ling collapsed to her knees, coughing blood, her small body trembling violently. Lin Xueyao braced herself with her sword driven into the floor, her teeth clenched as she fought just to remain upright.Only Jiang Hao stood in the center of it, bathed in the storm, every muscle of his body straining against the unbearable weight. Blood streaked down his arms and chest, his robes torn, his breathing ragged. Seal Two was already pushing him beyond his body's limit—yet this new presence was demanding even more.The storm clawed into his soul, dragging at the seals within him. He could feel the Third Seal trembling, its chains rattling against his will, desperate to break open."No…" he hissed, clutching his chest, his knees nearly buckling. "Seal Three stays shut."But the mass of writhing energy pressed harder, its whispers digging into his skull like nails."Unseal me… become more… or perish…"Pain lanced through him, sharp enough to make him scream, but he still grinned through gritted teeth. "You think you can order me around? I don't even take orders from my Sect Master. Why would I take them from some… moldy glowstick?"The storm shrieked, fury shaking the entire chamber.Lin Xueyao's voice broke through the chaos, sharp and desperate. "Jiang Hao! If you release Seal Three, you won't survive the backlash!"Mei Ling sobbed, dragging herself closer despite the energy ripping her flesh. "Please, Senior Brother, don't—don't sacrifice yourself like this!"Jiang Hao swayed on his feet, his golden eyes burning like twin suns. Every heartbeat felt like his last, but he still forced his lips into that maddening smirk."Sacrifice? No. I promised myself a peaceful nine-to-five life, and I don't break my promises. Not for demons, not for heavens, not even for you, ugly bastard."He thrust both palms forward, qi surging violently from within him. Seal Two screamed in protest, his meridians tearing under the strain, but he poured everything into containing the storm, holding the writhing energy back from his companions.The chamber lit up like dawn. The storm slammed into his barrier, shredding his flesh, making blood spray from his mouth in torrents. His bones cracked audibly under the pressure. The backlash was so severe his vision went white, his knees crashing to the floor.Still, he roared, defiance splitting the chaos. "If you want my Seal… then you'll have to drag it from me!"The storm writhed, furious, pressing harder—but his companions watched in awe as, inch by inch, Jiang Hao forced it back.Mei Ling's tears fell freely. Lin Xueyao's sword hand trembled. The mysterious girl smiled wider, her eyes gleaming with delight.And in that moment—bleeding, breaking, barely clinging to consciousness—Jiang Hao looked like a man who could defy gods themselves.