Chapter 186
Yun Tianlu's eyes were filled with an unshakable will. In truth, his strength was far inferior to Yan Zong's.
But he knew one thing. Right now, his teacher Shi Wenwen was severely injured, and the other strong warriors of Kang City were either dead or gravely wounded.
The only one left who could stop Yan Zong—was him. So he absolutely could not retreat. He absolutely could not give up.
Faced with Yan Zong's earth-shattering attack, Yun Tianlu roared furiously, his battle power surging continuously.
The scroll in front of him erupted with countless intricate and mysterious runes, forming swirling vortexes of wind, constructing a Storm Domain before him.
A terrifying force, like a raging storm, forcefully resisted Yan Zong's attack.
It was as if two black holes were colliding, causing the space itself to collapse, drawing everything toward the center of the clash.
The sheer power at the core of the collision was enough to destroy all of Kang City!
But despite his efforts, Yun Tianlu was still forced backward step by step, feeling immense pressure.
Yan Zong's strength—was simply too overwhelming. Between them, there was a gap of more than ten levels!
Boom—!!!
Yun Tianlu's body trembled violently as the ground beneath his feet fractured continuously. His knees nearly buckled, almost being forced to the ground by the immense pressure!
But Yun Tianlu's face remained filled with determination.
"I must protect Kang City! I must protect everyone!!!" With an explosive roar, Yun Tianlu's voice was filled with boundless passion and determination.
And then—He stood up again!
"What!?" Yan Zong's eyes flashed with unconcealed disbelief.
He could clearly feel that Yun Tianlu's aura was now almost equal to his own!
"Rise!!!" Yun Tianlu let out a frantic battle cry, his entire body erupting with a bloody mist—evidence of the immense pressure he was enduring.
But instead of being crushed by it, he converted that pressure into power.
The next moment—The Storm Domain surged into the sky, releasing an earth-shattering force, completely engulfing Yan Zong!
Everyone watched the scene in stunned silence. Yun Tianlu had actually crossed a gap of over ten levels and was fighting on equal footing with Yan Zong!?
"Cough, cough… Why…?" As the smoke and dust settled, Yan Zong's face was dark and grim, his right arm covered in blood—clearly, he had suffered a significant injury from that last clash.
But what truly shocked and frustrated him was that despite being over ten levels higher than Yun Tianlu, he had failed to completely overpower him!
Yan Zong stared at his own hands, falling into self-doubt.
"I sacrificed so much to obtain this power… My battle strength has nearly reached Level 50…And you, a mere Level 32, actually managed to wound me!?"
"Because that power doesn't truly belong to you, Senior Brother Yan!" Though pushed to his limits, Yun Tianlu still stood unwaveringly before everyone.
"No!" Yan Zong's voice was filled with rage, "Power is power! As long as I can control it, then it belongs to me!"
His eyes burned with hatred as he turned his gaze toward Shi Wenwen.
"This world follows the rule of the strong! As long as I have power, isn't that enough? As for so-called 'forbidden power'—what a joke!
"Look at the high-ranking figures of the Empire—haven't they all touched upon forbidden power? Why am I the only one condemned for it!?"
Yun Tianlu shook his head seriously, "Senior Brother Yan, you're right—power is just power. Power itself is neither good nor evil."
Yan Zong's eyes brightened at those words. For so long, everyone had condemned him, rejecting him for seeking forbidden power.
Yet Yun Tianlu was the first to acknowledge him.
But then, Yun Tianlu's voice rang out again, "However, Senior Brother Yan, you made a grave mistake. While power itself has no morality, the way we use power—does.
"Think about all the people you've hurt over the years in your pursuit of power! Do you still remember your original dream?
"You should be protecting that dream—not letting it be consumed by hatred!
"True courage is not found in revenge, nor in destruction, but in facing one's mistakes and choosing to correct them!"
Yun Tianlu's words were powerful and resonant, brimming with a strength that inspired trust.
Even Yan Zong's face showed a moment of dazed hesitation. For the first time, he wondered—Had he truly been wrong all these years?
Somehow, his years of hatred and resentment seemed to gradually dissolve under Yun Tianlu's words.
Yun Tianlu saw this and softly delivered the final blow to Yan Zong's defenses.
"I've never met Senior Sister Ya'er, but I've heard them say that she was a truly gentle and kind person.
"I believe that if she cared for you, Senior Brother Yan, then you cannot be truly evil. But… do you think she would want to see you like this?"
That sentence—Shattered all of Yan Zong's emotional barriers.
"Ya'er…" Yan Zong's body trembled violently as the image of a gentle, smiling girl surfaced in his mind.
His eyes, which had long been hardened with hatred, suddenly filled with tears.
And then—Yan Zong fell to his knees.
Seeing this, a warm and sincere smile appeared on Yun Tianlu's face. Despite the danger, he stepped forward without hesitation, extending his right hand toward Yan Zong in a gesture of invitation.
His expression was as sincere as could be.
"Senior Brother Yan, I understand your pain and anger, but revenge won't solve anything. I, too, was once lost.
"But now, I've come to understand… True strength comes not from our power, but from our hearts. Come back, Senior Brother. This place will always be your home."
Yan Zong's body trembled.
Then—He suddenly swatted Yun Tianlu's hand away! His face returned to cold indifference as he cast a deep look at Yun Tianlu, then at Shi Wenwen and the others.
Without another word, he turned—And walked away. In the blink of an eye, he had vanished from sight.
Even though Yan Zong had rejected his invitation, Yun Tianlu's smile remained.
Because he knew—Yan Zong had been convinced. He would no longer seek revenge against Kang City.
And so—He had saved another soul.