Chapter 10: Clash of Cores: A Fiery Roar and a Shifting Sands
The Cloud Serpent Tribe's defensive array shimmered, groaning under the relentless onslaught of Old Man Vile's Golden Core attacks. His methods were brutal, direct, each strike a concentrated burst of destructive spiritual energy aimed at a single point, trying to overwhelm the array's intricate formations through sheer force. The air around him crackled with malevolent power, a testament to his decades of ruthless cultivation. But Liam paid him no mind, his entire focus now locked on the unfolding battle between his Cosmic Fire Tiger Clone and Viper Princess Sael.
"What?!" Viper Princess Sael shrieked, her earlier arrogance instantly replaced by shock as the colossal, roaring tiger of pure flame erupted from the ground before Liam. Her eyes, usually cold and calculating, widened in genuine surprise, a flicker of something akin to fear deep within them. This was no ordinary Fire Beast Clone she had ever encountered; its aura pulsed with a raw, ancient power that made her own Golden Core energy tremble instinctively. The sheer heat emanating from the tiger was intense, making the very air around it shimmer and distort.
"You underestimate the Cloud Serpent Tribe, Viper Princess," Liam's voice, calm and resolute, cut through the tense air, carrying a quiet authority that belied his youthful appearance. "And you underestimate me." He pointed his finger at her, and the Cosmic Fire Tiger Clone, roaring like a miniature sun, charged forward. Its fiery body tore through the sand with astonishing speed, leaving a trail of scorching earth in its wake, heading straight for Viper Princess Sael.
Viper Princess Sael, despite her shock, was a Golden Core Realm cultivator forged in countless battles. Her instincts screamed danger, but her pride as a top-tier expert of the Desert Viper Clan would not allow her to retreat from a mere 'clone' created by a Foundation Establishment brat. She flicked her wrist, and her whip, crackling with emerald spiritual energy, lashed out like a venomous snake. The whip extended to impossible lengths, moving with lightning speed, aiming to coil around the Cosmic Fire Tiger Clone and extinguish its flames.
The Cosmic Fire Tiger Clone, however, was not a mindless construct. Imbued with a fragment of Liam's will, it moved with a primal intelligence. Its fiery body contorted with surprising agility, dodging the initial snap of the whip. With a mighty roar, it pounced, its incandescent claws tearing through the air, aiming for Sael's lithe form. The air around its claws shimmered with heat, threatening to melt her leather armor.
Sael reacted swiftly, her eyes narrowing. She was known for her speed and deceptive movements. She darted sideways, avoiding the direct pounce, but the sheer heat from the tiger's presence made her wince. She quickly coiled her whip, creating a defensive barrier of crackling green energy. The Fire Tiger Clone crashed into the barrier, its fiery claws tearing at the emerald shield. Spiritual energy exploded, sending ripples through the air, but Sael's defense held, albeit barely.
"Hmph! So it can block my whip! But for how long can a mere construct last?" Sael scoffed, her face a mask of determination, though a bead of sweat trickled down her temple. She channeled more Golden Core energy into her whip, trying to overpower the fiery beast.
Liam, standing at the array's perimeter, his eyes glowing faintly with blue particles, watched the battle unfold with intense focus. He could see every subtle shift in Sael's spiritual energy, every tremor in her stance, and every minute detail of his clone's diminishing fiery aura. He subtly directed the Cosmic Fire Tiger Clone, making it feint left, then strike right, forcing Sael to constantly adjust. He also kept a portion of his mind on the defensive array, sensing Old Man Vile's relentless attacks and subtly shifting the array's energy to reinforce vulnerable points. His spiritual energy was being rapidly consumed, but he gritted his teeth, pushing his limits.
The battle between the Fire Tiger Clone and Viper Princess Sael was a mesmerizing display of power. The fiery tiger roared, its body darting with surprising agility, unleashing gouts of pure flame that forced Sael to continuously evade. Sael's whip whistled through the air, striking with incredible precision, trying to find a weak point in the tiger's fiery form, or to deplete its energy source. Each clash between fire and whip sent bursts of spiritual energy rippling across the plain, making the surrounding sand rise and fall like waves.
Sael, infuriated by the construct's persistence, lunged forward with a piercing strike, her whip aiming for the tiger's fiery heart. The Cosmic Fire Tiger Clone met her attack head-on, its fiery claws clashing against the crackling whip. A deafening roar of spiritual energy erupted, and the ground trembled. The Fire Tiger Clone, having absorbed a direct, powerful Golden Core attack, shimmered violently, its flames shrinking, its form becoming increasingly unstable.
"Foolish construct!" Sael snarled, a cruel smile returning to her lips, sensing the clone weakening. "You cannot withstand the power of a Golden Core!" She channeled even more energy, preparing to deliver the final blow that would dissipate the fiery beast.
But Liam had anticipated this. Just as Sael was about to strike the decisive blow, Liam made his move. He knew his Cosmic Fire Tiger Clone was nearing its limit, but he had one last trick. He channeled a sudden, massive surge of his remaining Foundation Establishment energy into the Fire Tiger Clone, sacrificing a significant portion of his own strength.
The Cosmic Fire Tiger Clone, instead of dissipating, suddenly flared with a terrifying, blinding brilliance. Its body expanded momentarily, becoming twice its original size, and its roar intensified, transforming into a desperate, furious bellow. It lunged at Sael with a final, suicidal charge.
"What?!" Sael gasped, her eyes widening in genuine terror. She hadn't expected such a sudden resurgence, such a powerful counterattack. She tried to retreat, but it was too late.
The Cosmic Fire Tiger Clone, a burning meteor of pure elemental fury, crashed into Viper Princess Sael with devastating force. 'BOOOM!' A searing explosion of fire and spiritual energy erupted, engulfing Sael completely. Her shriek of pain was cut short as the fiery blast consumed her. The intense heat turned the sand beneath her into glass, and a deep, charred crater formed.
When the flames subsided, Viper Princess Sael was found lying unconscious at the bottom of the smoking crater, her elegant leather armor scorched and ripped, her beautiful face streaked with soot, and her body covered in severe burns. Her Golden Core energy was wildly unstable, clearly indicating a profound injury. The Cosmic Fire Tiger Clone, having expended its entire energy in that final, devastating blow, flickered once, then dissipated into thin air.
A stunned silence fell over the plain, replacing the roar of battle. All the Desert Viper Clan cultivators stared at the smoking crater and their unconscious Viper Princess. Their faces, once arrogant, were now filled with disbelief and a chilling dread. They hadn't expected such a result. A mere Foundation Establishment brat had defeated one of their Golden Core experts!
Old Man Vile, who had been relentlessly attacking the defensive array, suddenly froze. His ancient, calculating eyes widened, disbelief and fury contorting his face. He stared at the unconscious Sael, then at the calmly standing Liam, who was panting, his face pale, his body trembling with exhaustion. His spiritual energy was nearly depleted, but his eyes held an unyielding resolve.
"Sael!" Old Man Vile roared, his voice laced with unbridled rage and a chilling killing intent that descended upon Liam like a physical weight. "You... you crippled my Viper Princess! You will pay for this with your life!" His gaze was now solely fixed on Liam, the defensive array momentarily forgotten.
Liam felt the overwhelming pressure of a Golden Core Realm expert's full killing intent. It was far more potent than anything he had experienced before, even from the Heavenly Tribulation Realm Behemoth (whose focus was not solely on him). His spiritual sea churned violently, and his newly built Foundation Establishment was strained to its limits. He coughed, a thin trickle of blood seeping from his lips, his body instinctively recoiling from the sheer malevolence. He had expended almost all his energy in the final attack.
The Cloud Serpent Tribe members, watching from behind the array, gasped in renewed terror. They had cheered Liam's victory, but now a true Golden Core expert, enraged and unhindered, was coming for him. Elder Kai, despite his pain, tried to move forward, but he knew he was too weak.
Old Man Vile wasted no time. He channeled his profound Golden Core energy, and his right fist, crackling with dark spiritual essence, lunged towards Liam with terrifying speed. This was a direct, lethal strike, aimed at annihilating the young boy who had dared to challenge his clan's authority.
Liam's eyes, though tired, blazed with a fierce determination. He knew he was out of energy. He couldn't create another clone, couldn't summon another 'Cosmic Blast.' His 'Celestial Wind Arts' might allow him to evade for a few seconds, but Old Man Vile's experience and pure power were overwhelming. This was the true test. He had to think, to survive. He activated the subtle perception of his star-mark, trying to find a solution, a weakness, anything. But the overwhelming power of the Golden Core was absolute.
He braced himself, summoning every last ounce of his willpower, preparing for the unavoidable impact. The immense Golden Core energy surged forward, ready to crush him.
Just as Old Man Vile's fist, imbued with destructive power, was mere inches from Liam's face, a sudden, blinding flash of pure, primordial energy erupted from deep within the Forbidden Sands, miles away. The light was so intense that it momentarily eclipsed the morning suns, making the entire sky tremble.
Everyone, from Old Man Vile to the lowest Desert Viper cultivator, to the trembling Cloud Serpent Tribe members, froze. Their eyes widened, staring at the distant, cosmic phenomenon. The sheer power radiating from it was immense, far surpassing any Golden Core, even reaching beyond the Heavenly Tribulation Realm. It was a power that felt... ancient, primal, and terrifyingly familiar to Liam's cosmic senses.
Old Man Vile's fist, frozen in mid-air, slowly retracted. His cold, calculating eyes narrowed, losing their fury and gaining a deep, primal fear. "What... what was that?" he whispered, his voice trembling. He looked at Liam, then at the distant, shimmering light. His instincts screamed danger. This was not a force he could comprehend, let alone challenge.
He let out a frustrated roar, his anger redirected from Liam to the unknown phenomenon. "Desert Viper Clan! Retreat! Immediately! We will return for this land, but not today!" He swiftly gathered his bewildered cultivators, abandoning the unconscious Viper Princess Sael and his defeated forces. Within moments, the entire Desert Viper Clan vanished into the vastness of the Forbidden Sands, their presence receding like a nightmare.
Liam stood there, panting, his body shaking, his eyes fixed on the distant, beautiful yet terrifying light. He had been saved, not by his own power, but by an unknown cosmic force. He could feel it; it was connected to the Sanctum, to the Star Emperor's legacy. A new mystery, a new challenge, had just appeared on his horizon. His journey was far from over.