The two ghost-masked men, one emanating darkness and the other light, flanked Phoenix. Their expressions were hidden, but their intentions were clear as two orbs of energy, one black and one white, materialized. The entire seaside grew eerily silent, the power they radiated calming the sea and air.

"Light and Dark Lords!"

"Phoenix girl, your eyesight is impressive! I like smart people. Let's make a deal. It'll benefit both of us," the Light Lord chuckled softly.

The Dark Lord sneered, "Hand over the Phoenix Grass, or die!"

"You two arrogant bastards! Do you think I'm dead or something?" Jun Haotian scoffed, hoping to draw the girl's attention.

The Dark Lord growled, "You’re annoying. Die!"

With those words, the Dark Lord hurled the black orb towards Jun Haotian. "Dark Ghost Walk!" he commanded, and the air filled with wailing phantoms.

Phoenix immediately unleashed a purple flame. "Dragon Flame, Fire Dragon Slash!" she cried, her flames transforming into a dragon that incinerated the approaching phantoms.

"Audacious! Dark Night, Reaper's Descent!"

"Ice Seal the World!" Phoenix retaliated without hesitation, releasing a freezing aura that turned the ground to ice.

As the Dark Lord and Phoenix clashed, their terrifying energies filled the air.

Meanwhile, the Light Lord approached Jun Haotian with a sinister smile. "Kid, you’re truly irritating. You could’ve lived, but unfortunately, you saw what you shouldn't have. Now you must die!"

A white orb shot towards Jun Haotian. He was petrified, cold sweat streaming down his face. Death seemed inevitable. Instinctively, he raised his hand to block the light.

Suddenly, a divine light enveloped Jun Haotian, and reflexively, he hurled his silver carving knife. Perhaps it was the result of Yun Lao's rigorous training, the thousands of daily strikes manifesting in a moment of pure reaction. The knife's angle and speed were uncanny.

Unauthorized use of content: if you find this story on Amazon, report the violation.

The Light Lord was taken aback by Jun Haotian’s unexpected defense. As he moved to deflect the knife, he hesitated. "Saint—" he began to say, but his words were cut off. The silver knife had found its mark, embedded in his throat. To his last breath, he couldn’t comprehend his fate.

Phoenix, mid-battle, caught a glimpse of the event. She saw the Light Lord preparing to deflect the knife, but an unforeseen pause in the knife's flight led to his demise.

The Dark Lord scoffed, "Useless!"

He pressed his attack on Phoenix with renewed ferocity. In a blur, he appeared before Jun Haotian. "Kid, die now!"

Jun Haotian's heart sank. He couldn’t comprehend their powers. They weren’t using martial arts; it seemed like magic.

Instinctively, he raised his hands to block the Dark Lord's attack. The black light enveloped him, but it had no effect. The Dark Lord was shocked. "A Saint Nullifier? Impossible!"

In that brief moment of surprise, Phoenix seized the opportunity. "Phoenix Dance, Nirvana Strike!" she shouted, becoming a blaze of fire as she charged.

"Foolish!" the Dark Lord snarled.

Their powers collided, sweat dripping from both their brows.

As Jun Haotian watched the explosive confrontation, his head throbbed. With a roar, he vanished and reappeared behind the Dark Lord. His silver knife struck true, piercing the Dark Lord’s spine. Phoenix’s fire then consumed him, reducing him to ashes. Phoenix collapsed from exhaustion.

Jun Haotian stood in shock, his hands trembling. Killing was a far cry from reading about it in novels. As he stood there, a familiar voice broke his daze.

"Haotian, focus! Sit and concentrate!" Yun Tianji commanded.

Trusting him implicitly, Jun Haotian sat on the sand and focused. He felt his blood boil, seeing his once dormant meridians. The pain in his head intensified, sweat pouring from him.

Yun Tianji, holding a bamboo staff and a compass, watched cautiously. Behind him, a well-dressed elder asked, "Master, is Haotian awakening?"

Yun Tianji nodded and smiled. "Yes. I’m curious about his innate ability score."

The elder, Jun Tianzhan, knew the significance of time, space, and nullifying powers. He was eager but also anxious.

"The more abilities he awakens, the more his innate score will be divided. Even a genius…," the elder murmured.

"Ahhh!" Jun Haotian screamed, the sea surged, and the moon dimmed. The coast trembled.

Yun Tianji checked his compass and donned peculiar glasses. "Ten."

"Fifteen."

"Twenty."

Yun Tianji’s count continued, the elder’s anxiety growing.

"Ninety."

"One hundred."

"One hundred eighty."

Yun Tianji was amazed, his excitement palpable. "Two hundred seventy, two hundred seventy-five, two hundred eighty, two hundred eighty-one, two hundred eighty-two, two hundred eighty-three, two hundred eighty-four!"

Finally, he exhaled and turned to the elder, speechless. "Innate ability score of 284… this is insane."

Jun Tianzhan was equally astounded. The numbers were unprecedented, promising a future of unparalleled power.