The fight continued with frightening intensity. Jian Yi, a seasoned warrior, found himself pushed to his limits against an opponent who moved with impossible speed and wielded power far beyond anything he had ever witnessed. He recognized the unmistakable stench of demonic energy.
Meanwhile, trapped within his own mind, Li Wei struggled against the overwhelming force that had taken control. He clawed at the darkness, desperately trying to regain his body, to stop the carnage. But he was helpless, a ghost watching his own life unfold through a distorted lens.
"Who… who are you? What do you want?" Li Wei screamed in his mind, his voice a faint echo against the dominant presence of the sage.
"Silence, you weakling," the voice sneered. "You should be grateful. I am granting you power beyond your wildest dreams. I am liberating you from the shackles of your pathetic Orthodox beliefs."
"Beliefs that have guided me, that have protected me!" Li Wei retorted, anger finally breaking through his fear. "You are defiling everything I stand for!"
The sage laughed, a mocking sound that echoed through Li Wei's mind. "Defiling? No, little cultivator. I am merely… accelerating your destiny. Your potential is wasted on this sterile mountain. You are destined for greatness, for power. And I, the Shadow Sage, am here to guide you."
The Shadow Sage. The name sent a cold dread through Li Wei. He had heard whispers of such beings, ancient and powerful entities trapped between realms, seeking to influence the mortal world. Shadow Sages, particularly those aligned with the Demonic Cults, were the bane of the Orthodox Sects.
"The Demonic Cult…" Li Wei murmured, the realization hitting him like a physical blow.
"Indeed. I was once a revered strategist of the Shadowfang Cult, imprisoned for centuries. But fate, or perhaps misfortune, has brought me to you. Together, we will rise above these pathetic fools and reshape the world in our image."
Li Wei's heart sank. He was trapped. He was a vessel for a demonic strategist, and his body was being used to unleash chaos on the Hua Mountain Sect.
Back on the mountaintop, Jian Yi, his robes torn and bloodied, managed to create some distance between himself and the Demon of Heaven. He recognized the demonic energy, he knew he couldn't win.
"You are possessed by a demonic entity!" Jian Yi shouted, his voice echoing across the chasm. "I must inform the elders! The sect is in danger!"
The Demon of Heaven merely smiled, his eyes glowing with a dark, malevolent light. "You won't be informing anyone," he said softly, before dissolving into a blur of speed. He launched himself towards Jian Yi, Plum Blossom humming with dark energy.