SUPREME ARCH-MAGUS

"Run! Everyone leave the groups! Run away!"

The air was filled with panicked shouts as thunderclaps echoed nonstop, lightning strikes mercilessly targeting the large clusters of disciples.

The sky seemed to have a vendetta, each bolt of lightning seeking out the large groups. With each strike, cries of pain and terror rang out as lives were lost in an instant.

The scene devolved into chaos. Disciples from the big sects and prime families hurriedly pulled out their treasured artifacts, forming protective barriers against the relentless assault of lightning.

But the low sect members ran alone in different directions to avoid the lightening strikes.

"Supreme Mana Stones!"

Suddenly, a low rank sect disciple shouted, his voice reaching all surrounding disciples as he held up a glowing stone he had plucked from the muddy ground.

Immediately, attention shifted. Disciples who had been fleeing for their lives now turned their eyes to the ground.

"God… so many!"

"The forest floor is covered with them!"

Disciples exclaimed excitedly, the glint of countless mana stones shimmering beneath the mud becoming apparent. The lower-rank sects and scattered disciples scrambled to gather the precious stones, their original mission momentarily forgotten.

Meanwhile, the big sects and prime families remained focused, their leaders barking orders.

"Move into formation… Make a perimeter! Keep moving, and don't lose sight of our members!" commanded a stern voice from the Heavenly Sword Family.

"Disregard the mana stones! Maintain formation and gather intelligence of our surroundings!" another shouted, this time from the Azure Flame family.

"Ahhh!"

Suddenly, a loud cry of a low rank sect disciples came from the deep parts of forest. Soon, the cries came from different directions.

"Help… Someone, save me…"

"Ahh… Snake… Snake…"

"No… No… don't kill me… please… Ahhh…"

The dying cries of the scattered disciples pierced the air as they encountered powerful beasts lurking in the forest.

It soon became apparent that the lightning strikes were the least of their worries. Among the ordinary beasts, evolved and more cunning beasts were on the hunt, targeting the isolated and vulnerable.

Meanwhile, Kent and Tata Lan, under the protection of the magical umbrella, continued their calm march forward. The rain pattered harmlessly on the umbrella's surface, and neither lightning nor beasts dared approach them. The aura emanating from the umbrella artifact seemed to repel all threats.

"Big brother, do we really ignoring all these superior mana stones?" Tata Lan asked, her voice a mix of concern and uncertainty.

Kent shook his head, his expression serious. "Don't even think about them. They are all just distractions. Our priority is the inheritance and powerful treasures."

"Big brother, this forest seem endless. By any chance are we trapped inside an illusion?" Tata Lan asked with a questioning look.

"I don't think so. The illusion revealing mirror is not showing anything. Also, our surrounding seem very real. So, you don't need to worry about illusions." Kent replied while placing back the illusion revealing mirror which he purchased in the auction.

On the other side, the chaos continued. A combined group from the Celestial Sun fire sect and Ice Castle struggled against an evolved elephant beast, its massive dark form barely visible through the torrential rain.

"Hold the line! Use the lullaby talismans to distract the beast!" Bald Lin shouted, desperation evident in his voice.

Further away, a disciple from the Eternal Monsoon sect frantically clawed at the mud, trying to gather as many mana stones as he could. "Forget the stones, you idiot! We need to regroup!" his companion yelled, dragging him to his feet just as another bolt of lightning struck nearby.

"Stay close and keep moving," Princess Maya of Demonic tree instructed her sect members, her eyes scanning the forest ahead. "Don't hesitate to use the powerful artifacts and talisman. We should be the first ones to reach the treasure palace and inheritance platform. Understood?"

"Understood," Everyone replied unanimously.

Maya's grip tightening on the handle of her staff. She is feeling anger, frustration from the previous incident where the Spear Magus belittled her in front of all the crowd. She made a vow to take revenge for this incident after reaching high ranks in cultivation.

Suddenly, a loud roar echoed from the centre of the forest, drawing everyone's attention from all directions. An enormous, serpentine beast with wings rose into sky, its eyes glowing with an eerie intelligence.

"It's an evolved Basilisk!" someone screamed, their voice tinged with panic.

"Fall back! Retreat and regroup!" leaders from the various sects shouted, trying to maintain order as the beast advanced.

"Big brother, look!" Tata Lan pointed towards the distant Basilisk.

Kent froze in his tracks and his fists clenched in sudden anger, causing Tata Lan to look at him with a confused expression.

"Big brother, what happened?" she asked, her eyes wide with concern. The Basilisk was still very far away, and she couldn't understand why Kent had stopped so abruptly.

"Shhh..." Kent placed a finger to his lips, signalling her to stay calm. He focused his senses, his eyes narrowing as he detected a faint rustling sound.

"Someone's following us," he whispered, turning around slowly.

The silence stretched on as Kent waited for the enemy to reveal themselves. Tata Lan looked around, her confusion growing. "Big brother, are you sure? I don't see anyone."

Kent ignored her, his gaze fixed on the shadows. "Stop wasting my time!" he shouted, his voice echoing through the forest.

A loud clap rang out as a figure emerged from behind a distant tree, holding a staff. "Not bad... at least you have some skill," the woman said, her voice dripping with mockery. It was Kelly, the same woman Kent had smashed in the gambling house. She removed her mask, revealing a sly smile.

"I'm not in the mood to break your bones. Leave before I change my mind," Kent replied, turning away dismissively.

But Kelly's response was swift and deadly. She sent an energy dagger flying from her staff. Kent reacted instantly, punching the dagger with his nimbus-knuckled fist, dispersing its energy harmlessly.

"But I'm definitely in the mood to bury your dead body," Kelly snarled, licking her lips in anticipation.

"As you wish..." Kent gritted his teeth, his hand moving to take out his sleeping bow. The rain continued to pour, but Kent's entire focus stayed on enemy ahead. Drawing the bow string, he knocked an arrow spell, its tip glowing with a fierce, fiery light despite the downpour.

Kelly smirked, raising her staff to unleash another spell. Before she could act, Kent released another arrow. It streaked through the rain-soaked air, its flames burning bright even in the deluge. The arrow struck the ground at Kelly's feet, exploding into a burst of fire that sent her staggering back.

"Impressive, but not enough!" Kelly shouted, waving her staff to summon a barrier of shimmering energy.

Another fiery arrow followed, this one piercing through her barrier and grazing her arm, leaving a trail of singed flesh.

Kelly winced but retaliated quickly, sending a flurry of energy blasts towards Kent. He dodged them with fluid precision, each movement deliberate and calculated.

Kelly mastered the energy element and able to hold her ground against Kent's nirvanic flames.

The fight continued for a long time as both indulged in a head to head fight. Tata Lan stood behind Kent back without taking action as Kent asked her stand down. He want to keep the feud between Ron family with him and don't want to involve Tata Lan in this.

After a long struggle, a Kent created a barrier around him and began muttering the mantra for the phoenix inheritance asthra.

With a swift motion, he drew inheritance asthra, its flames dancing wildly in the rain. He released it, and the arrow blazed through the air, rushing towards Kelly.

Kelly also used an inheritance asthra to block the incoming arrow spell. But the added layer of origin nirvanic flames to the Asthra dealt with her attack and Kent's arrow rushed forward, striking Kelly's hand that held the staff.

She used her staff in the nick of the movement to protect herself. Kent's asthra left a wide crack on Kelly's staff.

Kelly stumbled back, her eyes wide with a mix of fear and anger. "You won't defeat me that easily!" she screamed, her voice filled with desperation. She pulled a talisman from her robe and activated it, sending a wave of dark energy towards Kent.

Kent used Fire God inheritance Asthra to block, narrowly avoiding the blast. He reacted quickly and fired another arrow, this one aimed directly at Kelly's heart.

Kelly ran aside in a futile attempt to block it, but the arrow struck true, embedding itself in her shoulder and igniting her robes.

Kelly screamed in pain, her body convulsing as the nirvanic flames consumed her. Desperate, she activated another talisman. In a flash of light, she teleported away, leaving behind a trail of blood and smoke.

Kent lowered his bow, his breathing heavy but controlled. The rain continued to fall, hissing as it met the lingering flames on the ground. He turned to Tata Lan, who had watched the fight with wide eyes.

"Are you okay, big brother?" she asked, her voice trembling slightly.

"I'm fine," Kent replied, his voice steady. "Let's keep moving. We can't afford to waste any more time here."

Together, they resumed their journey into the forest, the echoes of the battle fading into the distance. Meanwhile an invisible evolved beast who is disturbed by the fight, landed on the ground from tree and began following Kent.

_

PeterPan :-)