Star Journey: Destiny Returns

The night was deep, and dark clouds filled the sky, like a giant dragon winding across the horizon. Yunxuan and Yaoyue stood opposite the black-robed figure. The air around them was quiet and oppressive, as if it could be torn to pieces at any moment. The night breeze blew past, mixed with the scent of battle, and it made people shudder.

"How dare you play tricks in front of me?" The black-robed man's eyes beneath his mask were as cold as ice, filled with murderous intent. The red light on his chest flashed briefly, like an uneasy spark, hinting at the source of his power.

Yunxuan's heart was already grasping something, and he raised his hand to grip the hilt of his sword tightly, secretly exchanging a meaningful glance with Yaoyue. Though the two spoke nothing, they understood each other's thoughts. They both knew that the battle before them was inevitable, and that only by fighting could they find a chance of survival.

"Yaoyue, this attack will determine the outcome. You go to the flank to distract him, and I will be responsible for breaking through the defense line from the front." Yunxuan whispered, his tone full of determination and firmness, like a tiger ready to pounce.

Yao Yue nodded slightly, her eyes as firm and deep as the cold moon, filled with an unquestionable determination. She knew that Yun Xuan had made up his mind to fight to the bitter end, and she would be with him to the end with the same determination.

The black-robed man sneered, his eyes mingling with anger and disdain as he watched the two men's unflinching demeanor. He clasped his hands together before his chest, and a terrifying dark aura instantly condensed from his black sword. That aura was like an all-consuming vortex, madly absorbing the surrounding spiritual energy. Then, he swept his sword across, emitting a jet-black sword light that suddenly slashed towards Yunxuan.

Yun Xuan concentrated his mind and calmed his breath, channeling his inner strength into his longsword. A brilliant light burst forth from the blade's edge, seemingly illuminating the darkness. He swung his sword with all his might, its light radiating like a silver dragon, colliding with the black-robed figure's sword energy. The collision ignited a dazzling display of sparks, instantly shattering the silence of the night sky.

After this blow, Yun Xuan felt a slight numbness in his arm, and the spiritual energy within him surged like a river tide. The black-robed man's power was unfathomable, but he did not retreat. Instead, he swung his sword again, attacking the black-robed man like a storm.

Yaoyue seized the opportunity, swiftly slashing in from the flank, her silver blade striking the black-robed figure's weak spot like lightning. Each of her strikes was swift and fierce, striving to disrupt the black-robed figure's defenses and buy Yunxuan a moment to breathe. The two men coordinated seamlessly, attacking and defending with measured precision, as if engaging in a tacitly coordinated dance of murderous intent.

Yet, the black-robed figure continued to sneer. His movements were uncanny, sometimes transforming into a shadow, effortlessly dodging Yaoyue's attacks, and sometimes suddenly striking out, striking at Yunxuan with unpredictable speed. Facing his relentless onslaught, Yunxuan's figure loomed in the sword's rays, the longsword in his hand seemingly blending into the night, constantly fending off the opponent's ghostly moves.

The battle gradually reached a stalemate. The black-robed man frowned slightly, clearly having not expected the two young men before him to possess such formidable strength. However, he continued to sneer, as if hiding a more deadly trump card that he had yet to reveal.

At that moment, Yao Yue quietly approached the black-robed man's back, her gaze fixed on the red light on his chest. Her mind was already made up. She quickly struck out, her silver blade streaking towards the red light on the black-robed man's chest like a meteor.

The black-robed man seemed to have sensed this and dodged to the side. The silver blade narrowly glimpsed the red light on his chest, but it didn't actually touch the source of power. He glanced at Yao Yue with an icy gaze and sneered, "You want to hurt me? Naive!"

As soon as he finished speaking, he suddenly turned back, and a palm with a powerful spiritual energy came straight at Yaoyue. Yaoyue saw that it was not good and quickly retreated, but the opponent's power was too strong, and the wind wave brought by the palm still shook her body slightly.

At the critical moment, Yunxuan stepped forward, shielding Yaoyue behind him and enduring the palm force. His chest was filled with blood, but he resisted, not retreating a single step. His gaze remained firm, as if the ground beneath his feet was his battlefield, and he would not retreat, regardless of life or death.

Yaoyue's heart tightened, and she whispered, "Yunxuan, you're injured, you can't hold on any longer!"

Yunxuan shook his head slightly, a faint smile curling up at the corner of his mouth: "Yaoyue, we once vowed to face all difficulties together. How can we retreat now? How can we give up this determination so easily?"

Seeing the two men remain so unyielding in the fight, the black-robed man suddenly felt a surge of anger in his heart and roared, "Stubborn! Today, I will show you what despair is!"

He suddenly raised his sword, and the black sword light condensed again. The power was already oppressive to the point of being suffocating. However, Yunxuan and Yaoyue exchanged a glance, their eyes filled with fearless determination. Yunxuan gripped the hilt tightly, and the spiritual energy in his body transformed into sword energy and poured into the sword. He seemed to merge with the sword, transforming into pure power.

Yao Yue's gaze was determined. She took a deep breath and concentrated all the remaining spiritual energy in her body into her hands. She knew that this strike was a matter of life and death, and she could not afford any hesitation. The silver blade trembled slightly, as if responding to her will, and emitted a soft chime.

Just as the black-robed man was about to deliver his fatal blow, Yunxuan and Yaoyue attacked simultaneously. Their long swords and silver blades intertwined into a brilliant beam of light, piercing fiercely towards the red glow on the black-robed man's chest. A flash of astonishment flashed in the black-robed man's eyes. He had clearly not expected the two to unleash such powerful strength.

"boom--"

With a loud bang, the red light on the black-robed man's chest suddenly exploded, sending him reeling back several steps. The murderous intent in his eyes gradually gave way to fear. The fading of the red light seemed to drain the source of his strength. His breath became noticeably weaker, and a hint of panic appeared in his eyes beneath his mask.

Yunxuan and Yaoyue panted, their faces showing signs of fatigue, but their eyes remained firm. The man in black robes, seeing the situation was not good, gritted his teeth, suddenly turned around and transformed into a dark shadow, quickly fleeing into the forest and disappearing into the night.

Silence fell once again, the only sound being the rustling of leaves in the breeze. Yunxuan and Yaoyue exchanged a glance, their eyes filled with the joy of victory, yet also with a hint of lingering nervousness. Despite their victory, they both knew it was only a prelude. The unknown journey ahead was still filled with countless challenges and dangers.

"Yunxuan, where should we go next?" Yaoyue asked softly, with a hint of uneasiness in her tone.

Yunxuan took a deep breath and cast his gaze into the distance. There, the stars shone brightly, like the path to the future indicated by a star map. He smiled faintly and whispered, "Let's go. There may be more secrets waiting to be uncovered ahead, but no matter what, we must find the truth behind this 'ultimate taste.'"