Haiyuan gazed at the radiant light, his heart surging with indescribable excitement.
"That is our destination—the Heart of the Storm. The Wings of the Storm are hidden there."
The small boat glided silently closer, the light growing brighter until a massive, translucent wing-like structure appeared before them. The wings emitted a soft blue glow, and with each gentle flap, they resonated with the surrounding tempest.
"Is this... the Wings of the Storm?" Xiao Chong exclaimed in awe, reaching out as if to touch the mysterious entity.
Haiyuan took a deep breath and stepped forward with determination.
"Let us together embrace the Wings of the Storm that belong to us."
Just as the three were about to touch the miraculous object, a solemn voice echoed in their ears.
"Intruders, how dare you!"
In a flash of light, a man resembling a great angel materialized out of thin air. His wings were vast, their silver feathers shimmering in the faint light, and his eyes, embedded with stars, exuded an unyielding authority.
He held a spear entwined with lightning, and faint electric currents surrounded him, as if he could summon a thunderous force at any moment.
"We mean no harm. We only wish to obtain the Wings of the Storm" Haiyuan stepped forward, attempting to resolve the sudden conflict peacefully.
But the archangel's gaze pierced through their intentions, and a disdainful smile curled at the corners of his mouth.
"For countless years, countless greedy souls have sought to seize this divine gift, and all have met a tragic end. You will be no exception." The angel words carried an undeniable force, and with a slight wave of his spear, several blinding bolts of lightning coalesced in the air around him, accompanied by deafening thunder that shook their very souls.
Ziyan clenched her fists, her purple eyes flashing with resolve.
"We are not here out of greed. We are here to protect the people and the world we love. The Wings of the Storm are crucial to us!"
Xiao Chong slowly drew the longsword from his back, its blade faintly glowing with a cyan hue, a testament to his years of cultivation.
"No matter how difficult the path ahead, I, Xiao Chong, vow to see this journey through to the end." His voice was calm yet filled with power. The tip of his sword lightly touched the ground, and a gentle breeze rose, swirling around him, adding an intangible aura of strength.
As the three stood firm, an inevitable battle was about to unfold.
Haiyuan transformed into a whirlwind of azure, his speed so fast that the air howled around him. Ziyan moved like a phantom, her hands now wielding two sharp daggers enveloped in purple light.
Xiao Chong strode forward, his sword pointing skyward, the tip guiding the natural winds to converge into a storm capable of shaking the heavens and the earth.
"Then come, prove your will and strength!" The archangel spread his wings, and instantly, thunderclouds gathered, the sky seemingly torn apart as countless lightning bolts, like furious dragons, surged toward the trio, each strike carrying the power to annihilate everything in its path.
The battle was fierce. The three, relying on their tacit understanding and individual strengths, skillfully countered the relentless attacks. Lightning bolts were deflected or dissipated under their combined efforts, but the archangel's power seemed inexhaustible, each assault more ferocious than the last.
"We must find his weakness!" Xiao Chong shouted amidst the chaos, using his sword to guide the wind and form a barrier that deflected a potentially fatal strike.
"Look at his wings!" Zi Yan noticed during a dodge that whenever the Archangel used a powerful skill, his wings would momentarily dim.
"Attack his wings, maybe we can break the balance!"
Hearing this, Hai Yuan immediately adjusted his strategy. He manipulated water elements to form a solid ice shield, using it for defense while seeking an opportunity.
Just as the Archangel gathered lightning once more, Hai Yuan hurled the ice shield, striking one of the Archangel's wings with precision. The light dimmed, and the lightning's assault weakened.
"Found it!" Xiao Chong seized the moment, his long sword transforming into a green whirlwind, charging straight at the Archangel's other wing.
Wind clashed with thunder, igniting a dazzling light. Zi Yan took advantage of the chaos, weaving through the lightning, her short blade leaving trails of purple light, eventually leaving a shallow wound on the Archangel's back.
The Archangel paused, the stars in his eyes dimming slightly. "You... are indeed different..." His voice carried a hint of acknowledgment for the first time.
Xiao Chong toes lightly touched the ground as he leaped like a nimble monkey, dodging a thunderbolt that came crashing down.
"Hai Yuan, left! Zi Yan, right! Let's split his focus!" As he spoke, his sword transformed into countless illusions, each flash of the blade skillfully weakening the thunderstorm's power.
Hai Yuan took a deep breath, his ocean-blue eyes flickering. His hands quickly formed seals, and a gentle yet resilient force, like spring water, surged from his palms, contrasting sharply with the violent lightning.
"Using softness to overcome hardness is the way of my sea clan" he murmured.
The force effortlessly enveloped a raging bolt of lightning, causing it to dim and slowly dissipate.
Zi Yan lips curled into a sly smile as she darted left and right, nimbly navigating the web of lightning.
"Hide and seek isn't just a child's game." Her short blade danced, each precise cut severing the lightning's veins, gradually destabilizing the thunderstorm's power.
Seeing this, the Archangel's eyes flickered with surprise, then he sneered.
"Mere mortals, daring to challenge my authority?"
He flapped his wings, intending to use the advantage of height to deliver a fatal blow.
However, the sky suddenly became unnaturally heavy, as if an invisible hand pressed down on the heavens.
"Archangel, you've forgotten that this thunderstorm is also part of nature."
Xiao Chong voice echoed through the sky, the light from his sword suddenly intensifying, perfectly merging with the powers of Hai Yuan and Zi Yan to form a massive light barrier, forcefully blocking the Archangel's ascent.
"Unity is our greatest weapon," Hai Yuan said softly, his gaze resolute, as if he could already see the dawn of victory.
"Now!" Zi Yan shouted, her figure accelerating like a meteor, her short blade aimed straight at the Archangel's heart. Simultaneously, Xiao Chong and Hai Yuan launched their final attacks, the three forces converging into one, forming a radiant sword capable of piercing the heavens.
"Impossible..." The Archangel voice trembled as he felt an unprecedented threat.
The radiant sword pierced through the thunderstorm, shattered the Archangel's shield, and finally left a faint light mark on his chest.At that moment, the storm in the land of thunder seemed to come to a standstill.
"Remember this day, for you are not invincible" Xiao Chong stood within the radiance, his voice carrying both the joy of victory and anticipation for the future.
"You... how could you... possess such power..." The archangel knelt on the ground, a trace of unwillingness and astonishment hanging at the corner of his mouth, his eyes gleaming with disbelief.
The air around them seemed to solidify, as if even the wind refused to blow across this land touched by divine intervention.