This time, it was Li himself—hardened from Atramenth—who struggled to hold back a scream as Master Xing's blood dripped faster now, nearly pouring through the cracks in the straw mats covering the basement ceiling. The other disciples looked at Li; they knew the bond between him and their fallen master was strong.
With a surge of rage, Li jerked upward, nearly splitting the straw board. Master Xing's body slumped to the side as Li seized his spear and drove it into a soldier. To his surprise, a bright blue flame ignited on his leading hand during the motion though it didn't feel hot at all.
The soldiers felt predictable now. Tuning out the chaos, Li went on a rampage. First with his fists, then launching into the air with a kick—because even strong armor can't stop the impact of raw force.
A spear pierced straight through another soldier's helmet, and Li twisted it before yanking it back out.
A blast of energy burned his shoulder, but he raised a crossbow in his other hand and fired an arrow directly into a soldier's helmet. Then, grabbing the soldier's own flamethrower, he turned it on him—igniting screams from the young man.
Amid the burning bodies, the situation outside spiraled into disaster. Across the campus was a sight so horrific that Li nearly dropped in shock. Heaving and panting, he watched in horror as a new legion emerged. There weren't just 45 soldiers—this had only been the first wave.
The Headmaster was now surrounded. His system wasn't as powerful as that of the Karabaw, and with the Covenant offering no support, he fought alone. Eventually, overwhelmed by numbers, he was gunned down. A small, vibrant petal formed—his system's host had died and his system would manifest in someone who would practice for thousands of years.
From the smoke emerged the white-haired man. Fire licked at Li's skin, though it had not yet consumed the campus. Blood streamed down the man's face, hair now mingled with red but he had survived. The Headmaster had not.
The broadcast crew had arrived. The remaining masters stood frozen, then were forced to their knees at gunpoint—to be executed live, for the entire universe to witness. The Covenant wanted them dead. The Anti-Covenant wanted them dead. The universe wanted them dead.
Li felt anger rise in him—but exhaustion held him back. Soon, he would be spotted. He ducked down, dragging one of the dead soldiers' bodies with him. Hastily, he stripped the armor and weapons, then lay flat on the ground, the heat and sweat overwhelming.
Shouts rang out. Someone ran in—then more, surrounding him. Guns were aimed at his head—until a great burst shook the campus, catching even the Anti-Covenant soldiers off guard.
The white-haired man outside shouted and pointed—and the soldiers who had their guns trained on Li turned and ran.
The other disciples stationed with Li ran out, dragging him by the arms to witness it too. A wave of energy now blanketed the campus—so immense it couldn't be ignored.
An entire section of the fire; miles of raging forest was simply gone, extinguished in an instant.
Above them, the moon gleamed casting its cold white light over the red-glowing ruins. A cool breeze swept through the campus blowing back Master Zhang's long hair and cooling the faces of the masters.
Everyone froze.
The soldiers stood still, their weapons lowering unconsciously, gazes lifted to the sky.
A single unburnt tree stood strong in the distance, a striking figure standing with determination.
At first, Li could barely make it out. But then the figure turned slightly, the moon catching half its face. His breath caught.
Completely transformed yet unmistakable. It was the Imbecile.
A youthful, handsome face gleamed in the moonlight, behind it; centuries of silent torment. A faint smile tugged at his lips. His eyes piercing and beautiful locked onto the Masters below.
He was strong now. Li's skin prickled at the sight of him. Around him, the disciples gasped aloud. Then, slowly, the figure drew his hands back. He chuckled.
And behind him—the moon moved.
It tore across the sky toward the campus of Wisdom Bank with unimaginable speed just as a cloud of cold darkness engulfed Li. He finally understood. It was the boy from the Paduk's story.