The cloaked figures didn't seem to hear Spark's words and continued to tighten their circle, their eyes gleaming in the dim light.
Zhao Shi swiftly moved to stand in front of Spark, his body a shield against the impending threat.
Without uttering a word, the cloaked figures suddenly lunged forward, weapons drawn. Zhao Shi stepped forward, while Spark stepped back, giving his butler room to fight.
The clash was immediate and brutal. Zhao Shi, unarmed, met the onslaught. His fists flew with precision, blocking strikes and countering with devastating force.
The first attacker swung a dagger at Zhao Shi, but he deftly sidestepped, catching the assailant's wrist and twisting it with a sickening crack. The dagger clattered to the ground as Zhao Shi delivered a powerful elbow strike to the attacker's temple, sending him collapsing.
Another cloaked figure rushed in from the side, slashing with a short sword. Zhao Shi ducked under the swing and delivered a swift uppercut to the attacker's jaw, the impact lifting the figure off his feet. Zhao Shi followed through with a spinning kick, sending the assailant crashing into two others who were advancing.
The remaining cloaked figures pressed the attack, encircling Zhao Shi with a deadly dance of blades and shadowy movements. Zhao Shi became a whirlwind, his fists and feet blurring as he blocked and countered each strike with precise, fluid motions.
A sword arced toward him, but he intercepted it with his forearm, barely leaving a mark behind. Without hesitation, he unleashed a rapid flurry of punches to the attacker's midsection, each impact driving the breath from the assailant's lungs and sending him staggering backward.
Amid the chaotic melee, Zhao Shi's keen eyes caught a glimmer of something unusual. One of the cloaked figures moved with increasing desperation, his body swelling and glowing with an unnatural light.
Zhao Shi's heart pounded as he understood the imminent danger. Reacting swiftly, he grabbed the bloating figure, his grip tight With a powerful spin, he hurled the glowing assailant high into the night sky.
The figure soared high into the air before detonating in a dazzling burst of radiance, the explosion transforming the night into a brief, blinding day. A shockwave rippled outward, the ground trembling under its force, momentarily disorienting the remaining attackers.
"Welcome to my domain," the figure said, its voice dripping with sinister amusement. "Here, you are mine."
Domain was a special technique used by arcane ascendants or those with high mastery in their attribute talents. Within a Domain, the rules of the outside world were bent to the will of its creator. It was a place where time and space could be manipulated, where the landscape could be shaped by thought alone.
In this eerie pocket dimension, only the creator and their chosen victim existed, making it a perfect setting for an ambush or a duel.
Spark's expression remained aloof, his demeanor unfazed by the ominous surroundings. He looked at the figure with mild interest. "A Domain, huh? How old-fashioned."
The figure's eyes flared. "You have been marked, Holy Scion. Your death is inevitable."
Spark smirked, a hint of amusement in his eyes. "You think this is enough to kill me?"
With a swift motion, the figure raised his hand, summoning dark chains from the void. They flew around Spark, binding his arms and legs separately, the cold metal digging tightening around Spark. "This is my realm. Here, I am the master. You will fall."
But as he prepared to tighten his grip, the figure suddenly froze. An unsettling sensation crept over him, like a chill running down his spine. His concentration wavered, and he felt an intrusion within his Domain.
"Impossible," he whispered, his voice barely audible over the howling winds of the desolate landscape. Turning slowly, the figure's eyes widened in shock.
Standing behind him was Zhao Shi, his presence a stark contrast to the oppressive gloom of the Domain. His sleeves were torn, and his hands were stained with fresh blood—clearly not his own.
"How...?" The dark figure's voice trembled, unable to comprehend how someone had breached his Domain.
"Young master, forgive me for being late."