MARD Chapter 25 The Breaking Point (Patreon)

The air screamed.

Blue light flooded the ruined hall as Mayor Shuren thrust both palms forward, his qi spiraling into a roaring vortex. The ground cracked, the walls buckled, and every shattered window blew outward as the Crushing Pulse: Second Form exploded from his hands, a monstrous tide of energy that devoured everything in its path.

The very atmosphere warped under the pressure.

“Wu Ying! Now!” Mei’s voice rang through the chaos, her golden aura blazing beside her.

“Together!” Wu Ying shouted back.

Both cultivators planted their feet, their qi flaring in tandem, their auras intertwining like twin flames. Mei’s staff glowed brightly, while Wu Ying’s sword gleamed like polished jade.

The moment the wave hit, the hall detonated in light and sound.

BOOOOOM!

The explosion swallowed the room whole. Stone pillars shattered. The floor ripped apart. Dust, fire, and debris filled the air as the girls screamed from the impact.

Wu Ying’s blade and Mei’s staff met the torrent head-on, her arms trembling violently from the force.}.

“Hold it—!” Wu Ying hissed through clenched teeth, veins bulging along her forearms. “Don’t let it through!”

“I’m—trying!” Mei cried, as her staff started to crack, fracturing like glass.

The Crushing Wave roared, tearing through everything in front of it. The combined defense of the two cultivators held for three agonizing seconds and then shattered.

The resulting blast threw them both through the air.

Wu Ying slammed into a cracked wall, her sword clattering from her hand, while Mei crashed onto the broken marble floor with a scream. Their glowing auras flickered wildly, then dimmed.

The borrowed strength from Issei’s Boosts evaporated like smoke.

Issei’s heart stopped. “YING! MEI!”

“Boost!”

He rushed forward, but the sheer heat from the lingering wave forced him to shield his face. The emerald gem of the Boosted Gear pulsed erratically as he skidded to his knees beside them.

Wu Ying coughed, blood splattering the floor as she tried to rise. Her body shook violently. “D-damn it…”

Mei’s lips trembled as she tried to prop herself up, only for her legs to collapse beneath her. “I… can’t move…”

The two girls lay battered and smoking from the blast, their qi nearly depleted.

Shuren straightened slowly from across the hall, his robe torn and his right sleeve burned away, but his grin remained, cruel and triumphant. His left hand crackled faintly with blue light, a faint tremor revealing how much the technique had drained even him.

He exhaled slowly. “Persistent little pests…” He stepped forward, the sound of his boots echoing through the ruined chamber. Each step sent cracks spiderwebbing further across the shattered marble.

“You should have stayed down when you had the chance.”

Issei stood, his eyes darkening, fury simmering in his chest.

Wu Lan shouted from behind him, loosing another arrow that Shuren casually batted aside with his qi. “Issei! Don’t—!”

But he was already moving.

The red light flared violently from his gauntlet. Energy surged through his veins, his muscles tensing as a red aura coiled around his arm.

Shuren’s smirk returned. “So you still think that you can fight me, boy? You don’t know when to die.”

Issei didn’t respond. He simply dropped into a stance, his jaw tightening as he steadied his breath. The Boosted Gear pulsed once more, louder, faster.

“BOOST!”

Each pulse echoed like a heartbeat, shaking the fractured walls. Dust swirled around him as his aura thickened, feeding off his rage and desperation.

Shuren scoffed. “You think that glowing toy of yours can saveyou?”

“It doesn’t have to,” Issei growled, his eyes burning into a green color. “It just has to put you down.”

With a burst of speed, he charged.

The two collided in the center of the hall — red and blue qi clashing violently, painting the room in blinding flashes. Issei’s fist met Shuren’s forearm, and the resulting shockwave blew apart what remained of the ceiling.

Another surge. The emerald jewel on his gauntlet flared, doubling his strength again. He ducked under a backhand strike and countered with a roaring uppercut that sent Shuren staggering a step backward.

The mayor’s eyes widened in momentary surprise. “What—?”

“Boost!”

A fourth pulse and this time, Issei didn’t hesitate. He grabbed Shuren by the collar and slammed him into the nearest wall, the impact splitting it in half. “You hurt them,” Issei snarled. “You don’t get to walk away from that!”

Shuren’s aura flared again, and he caught Issei’s next punch mid-swing. “You’re stronger than before,” he admitted, his smirk returning. “But strength means nothing without control.”

Blue energy exploded from his hand, sending Issei flying backward like a cannonball. He crashed through two support pillars before hitting the floor hard enough to leave a crater.

“Issei!” Wu Xiao screamed.

Wu Lan’s arrows whistled through the air, each infused with qi, striking at Shuren’s shoulders and chest but they merely bounced off his barrier. The man didn’t even glance her way.

“You’ve all caused me quite enough trouble.” His voice deepened, dripping with malice. “Time to die.”

Issei quickly jumped back and both men stood blood-stained and breathing hard, one a seasoned cultivator of terrifying discipline, the other a furious boy whose will refused to break.

Shuren’s lip curled. “Still standing?”

Issei spat red onto the shattered marble. “You hit like an old man.”

Then they moved.

Their figures blurred, each strike cracking the air like thunder. Fists met forearms, kicks collided with knees, shoulders slammed, sending shockwaves through the ruins of the hall. There was no technique left—only raw will.

Shuren’s experience showed in every motion: perfect balance, ruthless precision, every counter designed to cripple. But Issei fought with something deeper. Every punch came from the heart, driven by anger and the memory of the girls bleeding behind him.

A right hook connected with Shuren’s jaw causing him to stagger back one step. The mayor retaliated instantly, elbowing Issei across the face and following with a knee to the gut that sent the young fighter crashing through a pillar.

“Stay down!” Shuren roared, his aura flaring.

Issei exploded from the debris before the echo faded, his left arm glowing red. “Not happening!”

Their fists met mid-swing—BOOM!—the shockwave splitting the floor between them.

Pain surged through Issei’s ribs, but he ignored it. He ducked low, drove his shoulder into Shuren’s chest, and forced him backward several steps. The mayor’s elbow hammered down on his spine, yet Issei refused to fall; instead, he twisted, catching Shuren’s arm and driving a head-butt into his chin.

Blood splattered. Both men stumbled apart, panting, then lunged again.

Issei’s thoughts blurred into instinct. Every ache, every fracture in his bones disappeared beneath the fire in his veins. He could almost hear Ddraig’s growl in the back of his mind.

(Keep pushing. He’s weakening.)

“I don’t need you to tell me that!” Issei shouted aloud, swinging his gauntleted fist in a wide arc.

Shuren caught it with both hands, but the impact sent vibrations through his palms, blood seeping between his fingers. “Impossible…”

Issei grinned through the blood on his face. “What’s wrong, old man? Feeling tired?”

The mayor snarled, slamming his knee into Issei’s stomach again. The hit doubled him over, but the red aura refused to fade. Issei roared and threw himself forward, landing a punch square into Shuren’s ribs. The sound of something breaking echoed between them.

The two cultivators clashed again and again, each hit a contest of endurance, pride, and unyielding spirit. Shuren’s power dwarfed Issei’s, but the younger man’s stubbornness was monstrous; every time he was knocked down, he rose with another growl, another glare, another swing.

The mansion trembled from their brawl. Statues cracked, walls fell, the air itself seemed to quake with every collision.

Watching from afar, Wu Lan lowered her bow, eyes wide. “They’re… tearing the mansion apart.”

Wu Ying, struggling to sit up, whispered hoarsely, “That idiot… he’s fighting him alone.”

Back in the center of the battlefield, both combatants swung one final time.

Shuren’s palm met Issei’s crimson fist in a deafening explosion of light. The force hurled them in opposite directions, skidding across the broken marble. Both halted at opposite ends of the ruined hall, chests heaving, eyes locked.

Neither had won. Neither had yielded.

And yet—Issei smiled through the blood dripping down his chin. “Still think I should’ve stayed down?”

The hall trembled as Mayor Shuren staggered back, blood dripping down his chin. His fine robes were shredded and scorched, his once-composed face twisted into a mask of hatred. He stared at Issei, who stood battered and bleeding, but his eyes were still filled with determination.

“You…” Shuren hissed, voice trembling with fury. “You miserable whelp!”

His aura exploded outward, slamming against the broken walls. The mansion, already half-destroyed, groaned under the crushing pressure.

“I’ll erase you!”

Blue light surged around him like a tidal storm. The ground beneath his feet cracked even further from sheer pressure as he gathered his qi between his hands, forming a massive swirling sphere of condensed energy.

Crushing Pulse – Second Form.

The technique roared to life again, its destructive energy spiraling and splitting the air apart. The others, Wu Lan, Wu Xiao, Mei, Wu Ying, and even Luna froze as the monstrous power swelled, shaking the very foundation of Meihua Crossing.

Wu Lan’s eyes widened in horror. “He’s… doing it again!”

Wu Ying clenched her teeth. “No, Issei can’t block that!”

Issei then dropped to one knee, his breathing ragged. Sweat and blood mixed down his chin as the red glow threatened to fade entirely.

“Damn it…” He panted. “I’ve got nothing left.”

That was when he heard Ddraig’s deep, resonant voice rumble through his mind like thunder.

(You’re wrong, partner. You still have one last move.)

Issei blinked, his heart pounding. “What?!”

(You’ve pushed beyond your limits before. It’s time to learn something worthy of the Red Dragon Emperor.)

The world seemed to fade around him. Even the chaos and roaring of Shuren’s qi became a dull hum.

“Tell me what to do,” Issei said, his tone steady despite his exhaustion. “Hurry, or we’re dead.”

(Gather all your remaining energy into your left arm, every last drop of qi and Boost energy you have left. Then aim and release it all in one strike. A focused burst of destruction… a Dragon Shot.)

“Dragon… Shot?”

(It’ll leave you drained and empty… but it will end this fight. You’ve only got one shot, partner. Make it count.)

Issei clenched his fist, his breathing stabilizing as a sharp light returned to his eyes. “Got it.”

He rose slowly, the red jewel on his gauntlet flickering weakly… then brightened.

His aura roared to life once more, red energy swirling around his body. Cracks appeared on the floor beneath him as his qi gathered, the ground glowing red.

Shuren sneered from across the hall, his own energy sphere nearly complete. “You think you can still fight me?! Foolish child!”

Issei raised his arm, pulling back his fist. The red aura condensed, spiraling like a vortex around his left hand. The air screamed, sparks and dust whipping into a cyclone around him.

Each pulse shook the building, the crimson glow expanding with every roar.

Ddraig’s voice thundered inside his mind. (Now, Partner! Release it all!)

“EXPLOSION!”

Issei’s eyes flashed, and he thrust his arm forward. “Dragon Shot!”

A colossal beam of red energy erupted from the Boosted Gear, tearing through the air like a dragon’s roar made manifest.

At that same instant, Shuren unleashed his Crushing Wave, the blue torrent surging outward to meet it.

The two forces collided mid-air.

The resulting shock wave shook the battlefield.

A wall of red and blue energy slammed into each other, the pressure so immense that even the cultivators outside the mansion could feel the tremor. Qi burned the air, sparks and lightning bursting from the clash as the two techniques devoured everything around them.

“Come on!” Issei roared, every muscle in his body screaming in pain. The red beam flickered under the weight of Shuren’s wave, threatening to collapse.

(Push harder! Release all your anger! ) Ddraig bellowed.

The Dragon Shot flared brighter, swelling with a deep, furious roar.

Then, slowly, inch by inch, the red light began to overpower the blue.

Shuren’s eyes widened in disbelief. “No… NOOO!”

The Dragon Shot consumed the Crushing Wave, roaring forward like a living inferno. The beam struck Shuren full on, hitting his chest and engulfing him in a storm of red energy.

He screamed as his body was hurled backward, smashing through the walls of his mansion.

The attack didn’t stop there.

It tore through the estate, into the outskirts of Meihua Crossing and through the surrounding forest before detonating in a massive explosion that deafen everyone nearby.

The shockwave rippled across the land.

When the light faded, a massive hole was left that reduced the wall to rubble and ash.

For a long moment, there was silence.

Everyone, Wu Lan, Wu Xiao, Mei, Wu Ying, Luna stood frozen in awe, their eyes wide as they stared at the devastation. The heat still shimmered in the air.

“…That,” Wu Xiao whispered, her voice shaking, “was awesome.”

Wu Lan swallowed hard, lowering her bow. “He… he actually did it.”

Mei stared at the crater beyond the collapsed wall, her purple eyes trembling. “That power…”

All around them, what remained of the mayor’s subordinates began to falter. One by one, their weapons fell from their hands.

“Run,” One of them whispered, breaking the silence. “RUN!”

Panic erupted. The surviving cultivators turned and fled into the shattered streets, their will to fight completely shattered.

Issei stood alone in the middle of the hall, smoke rising from Boosted Gear that started to flicker faintly until it vanished as Issei no longer had the energy to keep it active. Issei’s breathing was shallow, each gasp ragged.

He looked at his trembling hand, then at the massive hole where the mansion wall had been and let out a shaky breath. “I… actually did it…”

Issei swayed on his feet, exhaustion washing over him like a wave. His vision blurred, the edges of the room darkening.

“Issei!” Wu Lan called, running toward him.

He turned slightly, trying to smile, but his legs gave out beneath him.

Wu Ying and Mei rushed forward. “Issei!”

Before he could collapse completely, both girls caught him, Mei supporting his back while Wu Ying steadied his head before it could hit the shattered floor.

“Hey! Stay with us!” Wu Ying said, shaking him gently. Her voice was sharp, but her eyes trembled with worry.

Mei’s breathing was still unsteady, her body bruised, but she clung to him tightly. “Don’t move, please… you’ve done enough.”

Issei blinked weakly, forcing a tired grin. “Relax… I’m fine… just… need a nap.”

“‘Fine’?!” Wu Ying barked. “You look exhausted after that last attack!”

He chuckled faintly. “Worth it… if it means saving you guys.”

That made both girls freeze. Mei’s eyes softened, and Wu Ying’s glare faltered as her lips quivered ever so slightly before she scoffed and looked away. “Idiot… saying things like that so casually.”

Issei managed a weak laugh before coughing. He glanced at them both. “What about you two? That blast hit you hard…”

Mei shook her head quickly. “It’s nothing serious—just scratches.”

Wu Ying winced as she tried to stand, pain flashing across her face. “…Scratches, huh? Sure feels like I broke something.”

Wu Lan approached with Wu Xiao and Luna, her calm tone belying her concern. “The important thing is that everyone’s alive.”

Issei nodded slowly. “Yeah.”

The group took a few minutes to breathe, the sound of crackling wood filling the air. Outside, the cries of fleeing guards and cultivators had faded completely.

Wu Lan looked toward the gaping hole in the wall. “No one’s coming back. They must have all run with the mayor gone.”

Wu Ying exhaled, rubbing her shoulder. “Good. Hopefully they will stop attacking us.”

Wu Xiao tilted her head, scanning the destroyed hall with an odd gleam in her eyes. “Sooo… since we’re alone now…”

Wu Lan’s brow furrowed immediately. “Wu Xiao, whatever you're thinking we won’t do it.”

The younger sister grinned mischievously. “Oh, come on! Think about it—we’re in the mansion of the richest man in town. He’s dead. His men are gone. Who’s gonna stop us from… you know—‘redistributing’ his wealth?”

Issei groaned softly. “You’re unbelievable…”

Wu Ying, however, crossed her arms and smirked. “Hmph. For once, I agree with her. That bastard caused us nothing but trouble. Might as well make the trip worthwhile.”

“Ying!” Wu Lan said sternly. “You can’t seriously be agreeing to this.”

“Why not?” Wu Ying shot back. “He’s not going to need it where he’s going. And I want that Martial Skill he used. The Crushing Wave was powerful—I bet it’s hidden somewhere in here.”

Mei frowned slightly, though she couldn’t hide her curiosity. “It still feels wrong. Taking from the dead…”

Wu Xiao pouted. “The guy literally tried to murder us. If karma were real, this is just… balancing the scales.”

Issei rubbed the back of his neck, clearly torn. “I mean… she’s not wrong. He did blow up half his own house trying to kill us.”

Wu Lan pinched the bridge of her nose, sighing deeply. “You’re all impossible.”

Wu Xiao grinned. “That’s a yes from the boss, then!”

“Hey, I didn’t say—”

But she was already skipping away down one of the hallways, Luna trotting happily beside her. “Come on, Luna! Let’s find the mayor’s shiny stuff!”

Wu Ying followed with a smirk, stretching her sore shoulder. “I’ll check his study. A man like that definitely hoarded secret scrolls somewhere.”

Mei exchanged a worried glance with Wu Lan. “Should we… stop them?”

Wu Lan sighed again, shaking her head. “At this point, it’s safer to let them burn off their energy than argue.”

Issei managed a faint laugh from where he sat leaning against the broken wall. “You know… I never thought I’d see the day Wu Xiao would get excited about looting.”

Wu Lan smirked faintly. “She’s always been easy to influence.”

The group, battered and bruised but alive, slowly spread through the mansion’s ruins.

—--------------------------------------

The mayor’s mansion, once an untouchable symbol of greed, was now nothing but a treasure chest waiting to be emptied.

Wu Lan and Mei carefully gathered stacks of sealed jars and porcelain bottles. Many were filled with medicinal pills, while others held refined powders and elixirs, valuable items that must have been hoarded for years.

“His collection is impressive,” Wu Lan said quietly, her tone caught somewhere between amazement and distaste.

“Impressive,” Mei agreed softly, setting down a bottle. “But wasted on someone like him.”

Elsewhere, Wu Ying smirked as she kicked open a hidden drawer behind the mayor’s desk. Scrolls tumbled out across the floor. She knelt down, eyes gleaming with satisfaction. “Bingo.”

Issei, limping slightly, leaned against the doorway. “What did you find?”

Wu Ying held up one scroll and grinned. “The Crushing Wave manual. And not just that — several others. Techniques, ledgers, maybe even personal notes. The guy was hoarding cultivation knowledge like it was gold.”

Wu Xiao ran in with her arms full of loot — small chests, jewelry, and a few dusty talismans that jingled with every step. “And look what I found! He even had a stash of coins hidden behind a painting!!”

Issei raised an eyebrow. “You know, I’m starting to think this whole ‘villain mansion’ thing might be a pattern.”

Wu Ying laughed lightly. “Maybe the next time we visit a town, we should ask to meet the richest man first.”

“Ying,” Wu Lan sighed, shooting her a stern look.

The elder sister waved her off with a grin. “Kidding. Mostly.”

Within the next hour, they had gathered everything of value — weapons, talismans, a cultivation manual, coins of all kinds, and enough food and materials to last weeks. Even Luna seemed satisfied, carrying a large sack in her mouth filled with preserved meat and dried fruit.

Finally, as the sun began to dip low outside, the group gathered at the front gate. The once grand entrance now stood in ruin, its iron bars twisted and blackened from the earlier battle.

“Well,” Issei said, glancing back at the shattered mansion. “I think that’s everything worth taking.”

Wu Ying gave a satisfied nod. “And good riddance.”

But as they stepped through the gate, a voice shouted in the distance.

“YOU—!”

The group turned sharply.

Running up the path was a familiar face, Yao, the mayor’s arrogant son, the same young man whose bullying had started this entire chain of events. Behind him came a handful of retainers, all looking both terrified and furious.

Yao’s eyes went wide as he took in the scene, the broken estate, the gaping hole in the mansion wall, the smoke still rising from within. His face went pale.

“What… what happened here…?” he stammered.

Issei sighed, rubbing his temple. “You’re kidding me…”

The young heir’s gaze snapped toward the group, rage quickly overtaking shock. “You! You’re responsible for this, aren’t you?! What did you do to my father?!”

His followers tightened their grip on their weapons, spreading out to surround the group.

Wu Ying’s expression turned cold as she rested a hand on her sword. “You really want to know?”

Yao glared at her, though his voice trembled. “Answer me!”

Before Issei could say anything, Mei stepped forward.

Her expression was unreadable — calm, tired, but somehow heavier than before.

“Your father,” she said quietly, “got what he deserved.”

Yao’s face twisted with fury. “You—!”

He took a single step forward, but Mei’s fist moved faster than anyone could see.

A sharp crack echoed through the street, followed by a wave of qi that flattened the ground beneath her feet. In the next instant, Yao and all of his men were lying unconscious on the ground, weapons scattered, the air still buzzing with the faint residue of her power.

The group blinked in stunned silence.

Wu Xiao gawked. “W-wait, what just happened?”

Issei let out a low whistle. “Well… that’s new.”

Wu Lan’s lips parted slightly, surprise flickering across her usually calm face. “Mei…”

Mei lowered her stance, exhaling slowly. “We should go. I’m too tired to deal with idiots right now.”

For a long moment, no one said a word. Then Wu Ying burst out laughing. “Ha! I think I like this new side of you, Mei!”

Mei blushed faintly, looking away. “It’s not new. I’m just… done letting people like him push us around.”

Issei smiled softly at that, despite the exhaustion pulling at his body. “Can’t argue with that.”

Wu Xiao giggled, hopping onto Luna’s back. “So, we’re finally leaving, right? Before someone else tries to fight us?”

Wu Lan nodded. “Yes. Let’s return to the World Marble and rest. We’ve done enough damage for one day.”

As the sun sank below the horizon, the group walked away from the ruined estate, their shadows stretching long behind them, the once-feared mansion burning quietly in the distance.