The Undying Beast

 The atmosphere within the canyon was suffocating.

The humanoid beast in crimson armor moved like death incarnate, every thrust of its spear precise, lethal, imbued with corrosive darkness that sought to devour all.

Dustin unleashed his movement technique to the extreme, sword-light weaving like a dragon through the storm of spear-shadows, parrying and searching for a weakness.

This can’t go on, Dustin thought sharply.

This third form of the beast not only surpassed the previous in strength and speed, but its combat skills were near flawless. Worse yet, its energy seemed inexhaustible.

To defend endlessly was certain defeat. He had to find the key to end it in one strike.

Feigning weakness, Dustin let a subtle flaw show in his footwork. While dodging a vicious side-thrust, he faltered ever so slightly.

The beast’s scarlet flames flared. It would not let such a chance slip. The dark spear lunged like a venomous dragon, its speed spiking as it aimed straight for Dustin’s exposed waist.

At the instant before impact, Dustin’s eyes gleamed.

“Now!”

Instead of evading, he poured all his power into his left palm. A deep azure light surged forth, faintly forming a Taiji pattern, and struck directly against the incoming spearhead.

“Xuanqing Returning Palm!”

Wummm—!

The sound that rang out was not of metal on metal, but of energy being forcibly drawn in and neutralized.

Infused with the very essence of his Xuanqing true qi, Dustin’s palm did not clash head-on. Rather, it unraveled and redirected the violent darkness, binding the strike in that instant.

The spear’s momentum faltered.

It was only for a heartbeat—but for a cultivator of Dustin’s level, that was enough.

His right hand sword moved.

No longer the swift strokes of before, this strike seemed slow—yet it drew the breath of the entire canyon into its rhythm.

The sword shone with dazzling azure brilliance, runes flowing and fading across its light. From it emanated a vast, primordial intent, as though birthed at the dawn of heaven and earth. The suffocating darkness and death shrouding the canyon were swept back.

“One Sword Beyond Worlds!”

Dustin’s voice was low and steady. With the final word, he thrust his sword forward.

The sword did not move fast, but escape was impossible. It locked not upon space, but upon time and causality itself.

The humanoid beast sensed the mortal threat. It tried to pull its spear back, but Dustin’s palm held it for that vital instant.

It shrieked—a piercing, metallic screech unlike man or beast. Its crimson armor blazed, gathering its greatest defense. The flames beneath its helm writhed violently.

But all resistance crumbled before One Sword Beyond Worlds.

The blade pierced silently through the hastily-raised layers of dark barriers, striking dead-center upon the armored chest.

There was no deafening explosion, no storm of gore.

Time seemed to freeze.

Then, from the sword’s point of contact, fine azure cracks spread like a web across its entire body.

Its crimson armor, once indestructible, and the body beneath, disintegrated inch by inch.

The dark spear in its hand dissolved first, breaking into tendrils of smoke. Its arm, torso, helm—all collapsed. In less than a single breath, the beast’s entire form crumbled into drifting motes of crimson light and fine dust. The twin flames in its helm flickered out.

The oppressive aura vanished.

Only Dustin remained, sword in hand, his breathing slightly uneven.

Silence stretched for several seconds.

“We won! Mister Dustin won!” The onlookers erupted in joy.

Margaret exhaled deeply, finally allowing her nerves to relax.

But before the cheers had fully subsided, the unexpected struck.

The remnants of crimson light and dust that lingered in the canyon did not fade as ordinary energy should. Instead, drawn by some invisible force, they drifted back toward the place where the beast had perished.

Slow at first, like trickling streams—then faster, until they swirled into a crimson vortex.

At its core, a deeper darkness condensed. Faint shards of armor and strands of energy patterns could be seen knitting themselves anew.

“What… what is this?!” a guard’s smile froze in horror.

“It… it isn’t dead? It’s reforming?!” Green Bamboo’s voice trembled.

Margaret’s face turned pale. The heart she had just lowered rose once more to her throat.

Dustin’s brows knitted tightly. His gaze sharpened like a blade, locked onto the swirling core.

He could sense it clearly—the same origin of power, yet now more stubborn, more refined. From the scattered dust, vitality and hatred were regathering.

“As expected, it’s not that simple,” Dustin said coldly.

Without hesitation, his sword flicked. A sharp streak of azure light slashed straight at the vortex’s core.

Shhh!

The sword-qi struck true, scattering the newly-condensed energy once again.

But within moments, to his dismay, the scattered dust and motes began reassembling—faster than before.

At the vortex’s heart, the black core endured, like an indelible brand.

Dustin’s eyes narrowed, and he struck again.

This time, he unleashed greater intent. His sword-qi wove into a net, enveloping and shredding the entire region. The crimson energy shattered into fragments finer than dust.

Yet still…

Within mere breaths, the fragments flowed back together, like rivers returning to the sea.

The vortex reformed—smaller, dimmer than before, yet the undying will within had not waned.

Again and again, Dustin struck. He shattered it with sword-light, crushed it with spirit, even assaulted its core will with his divine sense. But no matter how many times he destroyed it, the beast reformed.

It was as if its existence transcended physical annihilation—so long as even a trace of energy remained, it would revive.

Watching the crimson energy break and reform under his sword again and again, Dustin’s frown deepened. For the first time, his eyes revealed grave concern and contemplation.

This beast’s undying nature far exceeded his expectations.

Hidden within it was surely a deeper secret of Penglai Island—perhaps even a law of existence he had yet to comprehend. - Marinien