C87: Like Goods
"Don't be so sad, because soon, you will be just like him."
The Fire Cloud Evil God sneered, clearly enjoying the suffering he was inflicting. His malicious grin spread as he addressed Matt and the others with cold amusement.
"Asshole!"
With his eyes burning with rage, Luke Cage slammed his fist into the ground, charging straight at the Fire Cloud Evil God. His indestructible body hurtled forward like a battering ram.
Facing the oncoming force of Luke Cage, the Fire Cloud Evil God didn't flinch. Instead, a mocking smile curled on his lips. "Your invulnerability is meaningless to me," he said as he raised his hand. With a single, casual swipe, he sent Luke Cage crashing into the ground, the sheer impact tearing through the second floor of the Chinese restaurant, sending the hero crashing through a table on the first floor. "In my eyes, you're nothing more than a pest."
"Master Ye, can you do something?"
The Defenders were beginning to feel the weight of the battle. Danny raised his fist, a mix of frustration and worry in his voice as he turned to Li Ran, who stood behind him, seemingly unscathed by the chaos around them.
"Give me a little more time."
Li Ran responded quietly, his voice strained. His hands moved into a calyx shape, pressing together as if channeling a concentrated force. The air around him began to vibrate with anticipation, but it wasn't enough to ease the burden of what was to come.
"Master Ye, what are you doing?"
Danny's eyes widened as he noticed the strange posture Li Ran was assuming. His confusion mirrored that of the others, but before anyone could react, Li Ran gritted his teeth and struggled to maintain control of the growing power surging from his palms.
"Run, all of you!"
Without waiting for further questions, Li Ran shouted at Matt, Danny, and Jessica, his voice urgent. He could feel the energy coiling inside him, every fiber of his being pushing against the unbearable force. The gusts of wind around them grew intense as his power began to manifest.
"Master Ye said this is the power to turn defeat into victory!"
Matt, with his enhanced senses, could feel the overwhelming surge of energy gathering behind him. The wind howled, and suddenly, the Defenders were pushed back as if by an invisible force. Using all their strength, they gripped the ground to keep their footing.
"Fire Cloud Evil God, take this—*Turtle School Qigong*!"
With a battle cry, Li Ran unleashed a mighty blast, his hands thrust forward, launching the full force of the gathered energy. The power that surged through him wasn't the standard *Turtle School Qigong* associated with Master Roshi, but a clever ruse. Rather than channeling the famous technique directly, Li Ran used the \[Item: Wind-spraying Shell]—an item from his arsenal that created an immensely powerful gust of wind.
The gust that exploded from his palms wasn't just air—it was pure destructive force, propelled by the \[Wind-spraying Shell]. If one were to look closely, they would notice the white conch shell embedded in Li Ran's palm, constantly generating the violent winds.
Li Ran wasn't foolish enough to waste his limited use of the true *Turtle School Qigong* this early in the battle. Instead, the \[Wind-spraying Shell] acted as an adequate substitute. After all, no one in this fight knew what the real *Turtle School Qigong* looked like.
However, as the wind roared to life, Li Ran was shocked at the raw power contained within the small shell. The \[Wind-spraying Shell] wasn't just a gimmick—it packed far more destructive potential than he had anticipated.
The gust filled the entire second floor of the Chinese restaurant, tossing objects around. Shouhehui and Madame Gao staggered from the force, struggling to remain on their feet. Meanwhile, the Fire Cloud Evil God stood unfazed, the violent winds swirling around him but never moving him even an inch.
"Interesting," the Fire Cloud Evil God murmured, squinting at Li Ran. "Let's see if it's truly *Turtle School Qigong* or my Tathagata's Palm that will prevail."
With a grin, the Fire Cloud Evil God formed another seal, this time positioning one palm above his head and the other pressed to his chest. The Sanskrit chants grew louder, and a faint golden Buddha appeared behind him, its eyes filled with serene malevolence. "The third form of the Tathagata's Palm—*Buddha Moves Mountains and Rivers*!"
The tension in the air thickened as both forces, seemingly equal in their destructive might, were ready to collide.
Li Ran, finally able to release the full force of the \[Wind-spraying Shell], pushed his palms forward, the power roaring outward. In an instant, the violent force shot toward the Fire Cloud Evil God.
BOOM—
The Fire Cloud Evil God, caught in the full brunt of the attack, stumbled back. His feet slid across the floor, the force of Li Ran's blast pushing him away, causing him to roll and crash into the restaurant's shattered walls.
Li Ran's heart skipped a beat. *Had I just defeated the Fire Cloud Evil God's avatar?*
He looked down at the now-broken \[Wind-spraying Shell] in his hand, then up at the damage caused—the roof and walls of the Chinese restaurant were missing, the entire structure rattling from the aftermath. Li Ran let out a relieved breath as he checked his chakra. The Fire Cloud Evil God's presence still lingered, meaning the battle wasn't over yet.
Meanwhile, Jessica, watching the destruction unfold, was at a loss for words. She stared at the gaping hole where the roof had once been, her mouth dry with disbelief.
\[Fable from Daredevil +340]
\[Fame from Jessica Jones +525]
\[Fame from Danny +695]
After a long pause, Jessica finally spoke up. "Master Ye, since you have such a powerful move, why didn't you use it earlier? In this case..." She trailed off, but the frustration in her voice was unmistakable.
Li Ran, already weary from the exertion, couldn't help but smile weakly. He had been expecting this question, but before he could answer, his body collapsed from exhaustion. His energy depleted, he sank to the ground, biting his tongue to force out some blood, hoping to maintain control.
"Master Ye!"
Danny rushed forward, kneeling to help him. "Are you okay?!"
Li Ran let out a pained chuckle. "Immortal techniques require timing and talent. My training wasn't enough to reach Wu Tian's level. The *Turtle Qigong* I used was something he devised to seal away my power. Drawing it out like that is no easy feat, and it took everything I had."
Jessica's earlier complaints faded as she watched Li Ran struggle. A sense of guilt replaced her irritation. "I'm sorry, Master Ye. I didn't know it was like this."
Li Ran managed a weak smile. "Don't worry about it. The important thing is that the Fire Cloud Evil God has been defeated... and we can finally bring him back to Penglai for judgment."
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