The chamber shook with the intensity of the Void Dragon's roar, its voice a cacophony of ancient fury. The dark energy it exuded was so thick that it felt like the air itself had become oppressive, suffocating, pressing in on Lin Ze. His heartbeat thundered in his chest, but his grip on his sword remained steady.
Yue Qing'er stood beside him, her expression hardening. The Void Dragon was an abomination, a monstrous being of shadow and ice, its very presence a violation of the natural order. This was no mere beast—it was a force of pure destruction, one that had been sealed away for a reason.
Lin Ze's breath came in shallow gasps as he surveyed the creature. Its massive form towered over them, its dark wings casting long, sinister shadows across the chamber. Its eyes, glowing with a predatory light, locked onto him with an intensity that sent a cold shiver through his spine.
"This thing is unreal," Lin Ze muttered under his breath. He had faced powerful enemies before, but this… this was different. The Void Dragon was a creature of legend, a force that defied the very laws of cultivation.
"We have to stop it," Yue Qing'er said, her voice grim but resolute. "But how?"
Lin Ze clenched his jaw. He didn't have the luxury of hesitation. The man who had unleashed this creature—the one who had called himself a messenger—was watching them with a cruel smile, his eyes gleaming with dark satisfaction.
"Do you feel it, boy?" the man called out. "The power of the Void Dragon. It is beyond anything you can imagine. It is chaos incarnate, and soon, it will engulf this city. Nothing can stop it now."
Lin Ze's eyes narrowed, his grip tightening around his sword. The man's words rang with truth. He could feel the raw power of the dragon, its energy surging through the air like a storm on the horizon. But Lin Ze refused to be cowed. He had faced down powerful enemies before, and this creature would be no different.
Without warning, Lin Ze surged forward, his sword blazing with the flames of his cultivation. The air around him crackled with energy as he closed the distance between him and the Void Dragon. He swung his blade with the force of a hurricane, a trail of fire cutting through the air.
The Void Dragon reacted instantly, its massive form twisting and lunging at Lin Ze with terrifying speed. Its claws, dark as night and sharp as razors, lashed out, aiming to tear him apart. Lin Ze barely managed to dodge, his body moving with the precision of a seasoned warrior. The dragon's claw missed him by inches, but the force behind it sent a shockwave through the chamber, shaking the ground beneath his feet.
The roar of the dragon shook Lin Ze's bones as it lunged again, its mouth opening wide to unleash a torrent of freezing energy. The icy breath hit Lin Ze like a wall, freezing the air around him, but he reacted just in time, raising his sword in a defensive stance.
The flames around his blade flared to life, pushing against the cold with an intensity that matched the dragon's might. The two forces collided in a burst of energy that sent shockwaves rippling through the room. The air crackled, filled with a searing heat and a biting chill that seemed to tear at the very fabric of reality.
Lin Ze's heart pounded in his chest as he fought to maintain his ground. This battle was unlike any other. The Void Dragon was an ancient creature, its power far beyond that of any cultivator. But Lin Ze had something the dragon did not—he had the Void Dragon Technique, a power that had once been sealed away for a reason.
"I'm not afraid of you!" Lin Ze shouted, his voice filled with fury. He surged forward again, his sword slicing through the air. His flames met the dragon's ice, a clash of fire and frost that lit up the room in blinding light.
The dragon recoiled, but it wasn't finished. With a shriek, it swept its wings forward, sending a gust of wind that knocked Lin Ze off his feet. He hit the ground hard, his body momentarily dazed. The Void Dragon was relentless, its massive body moving with frightening speed as it circled him, preparing for another strike.
Lin Ze pushed himself to his feet, gritting his teeth. The dragon's attacks were becoming more unpredictable, and its power seemed limitless. But Lin Ze had no intention of backing down. He could feel the energy within him growing, feeding off the battle, growing stronger with every strike. It was time to push beyond his limits.
"Yue Qing'er, stay back!" Lin Ze commanded. He could sense the danger in the air, and he didn't want her to be caught in the crossfire. The battle was escalating, and he needed to focus all his energy on defeating the dragon.
Yue Qing'er hesitated for a moment, but she nodded, stepping back into the shadows. Lin Ze was on his own now.
He closed his eyes for a brief moment, centering himself. The Void Dragon's power was immense, but he had something far more dangerous—his connection to the Void Dragon Technique. He had barely scratched the surface of its potential, but now was the time to unlock its true power.
Lin Ze focused his mind, channeling the energy within him. The flames around his sword flared brighter, the heat of his cultivation growing exponentially. The air around him began to warp, the very atmosphere trembling with the force of his power.
The Void Dragon paused, its dark eyes narrowing as it sensed the change in the air. It hissed, a sound that echoed through the chamber, but Lin Ze was already moving.
With a burst of speed, Lin Ze charged toward the dragon, his sword raised high. He poured every ounce of his energy into the strike, his flames consuming the blade. The air around him heated to unbearable levels, the very ground beneath him cracking from the intensity of his power.
"Die!" Lin Ze roared as he swung his sword down with all his might.
The dragon opened its maw, preparing to unleash another blast of icy energy, but it was too late. Lin Ze's sword crashed into the dragon's chest, the flames cutting through the dark scales like butter. The dragon let out a deafening roar, its body writhing in pain as the flames engulfed it.
The air exploded with light as the two forces collided—fire and ice, light and shadow. The dragon's roar echoed through the chamber, a sound of agony and fury, before it was drowned out by the explosion of energy.
Lin Ze was thrown backward by the force of the impact, landing hard against the stone floor. His body ached, his head spinning, but he forced himself to his feet, his eyes locked onto the dragon.
The creature was still alive, but its form was beginning to fade, its power waning. The flames around Lin Ze's sword burned brighter, and with a final surge of energy, he thrust the blade into the dragon's heart.
The dragon let out one final, chilling scream before its body shattered into fragments of shadow and ice, disintegrating into nothingness. The chamber fell into an eerie silence, the oppressive energy lifting as the dragon's presence vanished.
Lin Ze stood there, panting, his body trembling with exhaustion. The battle had taken everything he had, but he had succeeded. The Void Dragon was no more.
But the cost was high. Lin Ze's energy was drained, his body battered and bruised. The ancient power of the Void Dragon Technique had taken its toll, and he could feel the weight of it settling on him.
Yue Qing'er stepped forward cautiously, her eyes scanning the room. "You did it," she said softly. "But at what cost?"
Lin Ze didn't answer right away. He couldn't. His body was overwhelmed by the aftereffects of the battle, the energy he had expended leaving him on the brink of collapse. But one thing was clear—this victory was only the beginning. Blood-Tide City was far from done with him, and the forces behind the Void Dragon were still out there, waiting to strike.
"We've only just begun," Lin Ze whispered, his voice strained but filled with resolve. "This city… it's hiding something far darker than the Void Dragon. And I intend to find out what it is."
End of Chapter 11