MARD Chapter 24 The Mayor’s Might

The sound of their footsteps echoed up the polished staircase, each step creaking faintly under their weight. The golden light of lanterns grew brighter the higher they climbed, until they reached a broad landing where the upper hall opened into a grand chamber.

At the center of that chamber stood a man who radiated authority and menace in equal measure.

He was tall, broad-shouldered, and wore layered robes of deep blue and silver that shimmered faintly into the fabric. His blue hair streaked with silver caught the light as he turned toward them, his sharp eyes gleaming with pride and greed.

Mayor Shuren of Meihua Crossing.

Around him stood nearly a dozen cultivators, men and women armed with swords, spears, and talismans. Their auras were weaker than those they had faced below, ranging from Second to Third Stage Fighters, but their numbers filled the room with a suffocating presence.

Wu Ying’s eyes narrowed. “He was waiting for us.”

The mayor’s lips curved into a smirk. “Indeed.” His voice was smooth, almost charming, yet carried a venomous undertone. “Thanks to a certain servant’s timely report of your intrusion, I was able to prepare… quite a warm welcome.” Shuren continued lazily, lifting a hand to gesture toward the gathered cultivators. “And I must thank my loyal guards for answering my call so quickly. You should feel honored, outsiders, rarely do I bring so many under one roof for the same purpose.”

He stepped down a few stairs from his elevated platform, his gaze sweeping across them before resting squarely on Issei’s left arm. The red glow of the Boosted Gear reflected in his eyes like a man staring at a priceless treasure.

“And to think,” Shuren said softly, “the infamous boy with the Spirit Weapon would come walking right to me. Fate can be generous sometimes.”

Issei frowned. “You people that keep calling this thing a Spirit Weapon. Why waste so much effort in taking this?”

The mayor spread his arms in mock welcome. “Why else would you be hunted? That weapon of yours, it gives you power, it raises your cultivation to even greater heights. Give it to me willingly, and I may forgive your trespassing on my land. You and your little entourage will be allowed to leave this city unharmed.” His smile widened. “A fair deal, wouldn’t you say?”

Wu Ying scoffed, her hand gripping her sword hilt. “You expect us to believe that nonsense? You’d kill us the moment we turned our backs.”

Shuren’s eyes flicked to her, his tone turning cold. “Careful, girl. Insolence can be corrected.”

“Boost!”

Issei took a step forward, the red light of the Boosted Gear pulsing brighter. “That’s not going to happen. Even if you kill me, the Boosted Gear will never belong to you. It’s not a Spirit Weapon and you wouldn’t be able to use it even if you tried.”

The mayor’s smirk didn’t fade. “We shall see.” He then snapped his fingers.

Instantly, the cultivators surrounding him spread out, forming a semicircle around the intruders.

“Kill them all,” Shuren said calmly, turning away and walking toward his grand chair at the back of the room. “And take the spirit weapon from the boy’s arm.”

His words sent a chill through the air. The cultivators were quick to charge as the floor erupted into chaos.

Issei’s body surged with power as the second Boost ignited. The ground cracked beneath his feet as he met the first wave head-on, his fist glowing like molten metal. He ducked under a sword swing, drove his elbow into a man’s stomach, then pivoted to block a staff strike with his gauntlet.

Beside him, Wu Ying was a blur of green and silver. Her fanged sword danced through the air, cutting down enemies with ruthless precision. Sparks and qi trails illuminated the hall as she parried two blades at once, spun, and slashed through another attacker’s armor.

“Tch! Too many of them!” She hissed, blocking another strike.

“You wanted a challenge!” Issei called back, slamming his fist into another cultivator.

Wu Ying smirked through the battle’s chaos. “Fair point!”

At the rear, Wu Lan stood calm and focused, her bow drawn in a steady rhythm. Arrows shimmered with condensed qi as she released them one after another—each shot precise, each impact decisive.

“Stay low!” Wu Lan shouted as one arrow whistled past Wu Ying’s shoulder, hitting a man attempting to flank her.

“I owe you one!” Wu Ying called back.

“You owe me many!” Wu Lan replied, already loosing another arrow.

On the other side of the room, Wu Xiao rode Luna into the fray, cutting through clusters of weaker cultivators. Luna’s fangs and claws flashed as she pounced, knocking several opponents down at once while Wu Xiao swung both swords in spinning arcs.

“Hyaaa! Don’t mess with us!” She yelled, her laughter mixing with the roar of battle.

Mei fought close behind, her wooden staff spinning defensively to deflect incoming strikes. Each hit she blocked sent tremors up her arms, but she held her ground, moving with surprising fluidity.

“Mei, to your left!” Wu Lan warned.

The younger girl pivoted just in time to block a descending blade, parrying it aside before Luna lunged forward and sent the attacker flying.

“Thank you!” Mei gasped, panting.

Wu Lan nodded from across the hall. “Keep your focus!”

The battle’s rhythm grew fiercer. The mayor’s guards fought desperately, but Issei and the sisters moved like a single, cohesive unit.

“Boost!”

A third pulse flared. His movements became a blur of strength and speed, his blows sending cultivators crashing into walls and pillars.

“Too weak,” He muttered under his breath as another went flying.

From his seat at the back, Mayor Shuren watched with cold detachment. His fingers drummed lazily on the armrest of his ornate chair where it showed that both his arms were armored.

“Hmph,” He murmured. “So this is the power of the so-called Spirit Weapon. Impressive… but raw. Unrefined.”

He rose slowly, his qi beginning to stir. A visible ripple of pressure rolled across the chamber, causing the remaining cultivators to falter.

Wu Ying felt it instantly. Her breath hitched. “That aura—”

Wu Lan’s eyes widened. “So this is a Sixth Stage…”

Issei straightened, his expression hardening as he stared up at the mayor. 

The mayor smiled darkly, his eyes gleaming like steel. “You’ve made quite the mess of my house… Now allow me to return the favor.”

The air in the grand hall was thick with power, the floor cracking beneath every step that Mayor Shuren took. His qi flared like a storm, distorting the air itself as his aura pressed down on everyone present. The sound of his boots striking the floor echoed with a weight that made the walls tremble. The weaker cultivators, at least those that were still standing, retreated to the edges of the hall, unable to withstand the weight of his power.

Issei cracked his knuckles, the Boosted Gear pulsing in response. “Bring it, old man.”

Then, he vanished and Issei barely had time to follow as both charged into each other as they each threw a punch that connected. When the two clashed, the sound was like thunder. But Issei was the one that felt the thunderous impact rattled through his body as Shuren’s fist collided with the Boosted Gear, sending a shockwave that shattered a nearby pillar. Issei skidded backward across the floor, his boots carving lines into the polished wood.

Issei’s eyes narrowed, meeting Shuren’s gaze. “You hit hard, old man.”

Shuren smirked, his voice low and cold. “You block well for a brat.”

Shuren’s second strike came fast, impossibly fast for someone his size. Issei barely brought up the Boosted Gear in time to block, sparks exploding as red and blue qi collided. The shockwave blew back furniture, shattered lanterns, and sent several of the mayor’s own men sprawling.

Issei skidded across the floor, boots gouging deep cracks into the polished wood. “Tch—he’s fast too!”

Behind him, Wu Lan, Wu Xiao, and Luna tried to assist, firing arrows and slashing through the openings in Shuren’s defense. But their strikes simply bounced off a shimmering aura of blue qi that surrounded him.

Shuren didn’t even turn to look. “Insects.” He lifted a hand mid-swing and unleashed a casual burst of force that sent all three crashing backward.

“Wu Lan!” Issei shouted, blocking a follow-up strike.

She coughed, pushing herself up, her bow trembling in her grip. “I’m fine!”

“Don’t get close!” Wu Ying shouted, darting forward to intercept the next blow. Her fanged sword flashed, but when it met Shuren’s forearm, it only left a faint line on his skin.

Shuren’s lips curled in a faint smirk. “A Fourth Stage fighter dares to strike me?”

With a casual motion, he flicked his arm, and the force of his qi alone sent Wu Ying flying backward. She twisted midair and landed hard beside Issei, coughing as the floor splintered under her.

“Ying!” Wu Lan’s voice called from the back. She tried again and fired several arrows in rapid succession, each one shimmering with condensed qi. The projectiles streaked through the air but they simply stopped mid-flight, suspended by a foot from Shuren’s body before clattering uselessly to the ground.

“Do you truly think pebbles can wound a mountain?” Shuren said coldly, his qi rippling outward.

Wu Xiao, atop Luna, shouted, “Then try this!” as she leapt from the wolf’s back, twin blades swinging down in a crossing slash aimed at his shoulder.

“Annoying.” Shuren didn’t even flinch. His arm moved once—swift as a whip—and the resulting shockwave blasted both Wu Xiao and Luna across the hall. Luna crashed into a broken pillar, growling in pain as she shielded her rider.

“Xiao!” Wu Lan cried, running to their side.

“Stay back!” Issei shouted, as he intercepted Shuren’s next strike. Their fists met again, the impact shaking the entire building.

For a fleeting moment, Issei held his ground—until Shuren’s eyes narrowed and he pushed harder. The immense force sent Issei sliding backward several meters, his boots tearing grooves into the floor.

“Boost!”

The fourth surge erupted through Issei’s body, his muscles tightening as power coursed through him like fire. His next punch landed solidly, forcing Shuren to raise his arm to block. The resulting collision sent a burst of red and blue light across the chamber.

“Not bad,” The mayor said, his tone calm, almost mocking. “You can withstand a few blows. Impressive—for an insect.”

Issei’s teeth ground together as he launched forward again, determined not to give ground.

From the side, Wu Ying darted back in, her sword a blur of green qi as she aimed for his chest. But even her fastest strikes bounced harmlessly off his reinforced body and then the mayor caught her blade between two fingers. “Still too weak.”

“Damn it!” She cursed, twisting away but with a flick, he sent her flying. She tumbled across the floor, her sword clattering beside her.

“Ying!” Mei shouted, rushing forward. She swung her wooden staff, managing to deflect a downward strike aimed for Wu Ying’s chest. The impact jolted her entire body, pain shooting through her arms.

Still, she held her ground.

Shuren raised a brow. “Interesting. A Fifth Stage Fighter. You’ve got some spirit.”

Mei gritted her teeth, sweat dripping from her chin. “You’ll… regret underestimating us!” Her staff glowed faintly as she gathered her qi—

But then the mayor’s hand glowed faintly blue, and before anyone could react, he thrust it forward.

A wave of crushing force exploded from his palm, the air rippling violently as the Martial Skill: Crushing Wave activated.

“Everyone, back!” Issei roared as he charged in front of the girls.

He then raised his gauntlet just in time as the technique slammed into him. The floor erupted beneath his feet, shards of wood and debris exploding outward. The Boosted Gear absorbed most of the impact, but even then, the pressure was overwhelming.

When the dust cleared, Everyone was pushed back with Issei on one knee, the floor beneath him cracked and the building around him completely destroyed. His arm trembled from the sheer force of the blow. “Damn… that was close.”

Wu Ying slammed her fist against the ground in frustration. “We can’t even scratch him like this…”

“Ddraig,” He muttered under his breath, “this guy’s no joke.”

(Indeed,) The dragon’s deep voice rumbled from within. (He fights like a seasoned warlord. If not for the Gear’s durability, that attack would’ve shattered your bones.)

Wu Ying growled, wiping blood from her lip as she got up. Around her, Wu Lan and Mei were helping Wu Xiao and Luna back to their feet.

“Everyone still alive?” Issei called out.

“Owww!” Wu Xiao groaned. “He hits really hard!”

“Then we’ll have to find another way to fight him!” Wu Ying said firmly, turning back to Issei. Her sword still trembled in her grip, but her eyes burned with determination. She took a step closer. “Issei… transfer your Boosts to me.”

He blinked. “What?”

“If you transfer your power, hopefully I can match him and at least actually hurt him for a short while. You’ll lose your Boosts, but you can build them back up in half a minute.”

Issei hesitated, glancing at her blade, then at the towering figure of Shuren who was slowly walking toward them, cracking his knuckles. “That’s risky. If you can’t hold him by yourself before I can recover, we’re done.”

Wu Ying gave a faint, fearless smile. “It’ll work. Trust me.”

For a moment, they just stood there. Then Issei’s lips curved into a smirk. “Alright. Let’s do it.”

They raised their fists and bumped them together and the emerald jewel of the Boosted Gear began to glow.

“Transfer!”

The light from the Boosted Gear flared violently, a pulse of energy streaming from Issei’s gauntlet into Wu Ying’s fist. She gasped as the raw, dragon-infused energy coursed through her veins, making her qi roar to life.

(Good the training helped, of the 4 Boosts you gave, you were able to make a transfer of at least 70%)

Her aura burst outward in a storm of red light that shook the entire hall.

Shuren’s eyes widened slightly, his smirk fading for the first time. “What—?” His sharp blue eyes then narrowed as he studied the surge of power radiating from her. “Impossible… You were only a Fourth Stage Fighter.”

Wu Ying opened her eyes, they glowed blue. “Now then,” She said, her voice steady and fierce. “Let’s see if you can handle this.”

The aura around Wu Ying flared like wildfire, her qi surging in violent waves that cracked the floor beneath her feet. 

Shuren narrowed his eyes, his faint amusement returning. “So, the little girl thinks she can face me now? Very well. Show me what this new borrowed strength can do.”

Wu Ying’s eyes glowed brighter, her voice calm and cold. “Borrowed or not, it’s more than enough to break you.”

In the blink of an eye, she moved.

The impact of her dash shattered the tiles beneath her. Her sword blurred, each swing carrying incredible strength. Shuren raised his armored arm just in time to block as sparks and shockwaves exploded outward. The once-silent hall was now a cacophony of colliding qi and roaring wind.

Their blades and fists met again and again each strike powerful enough to send ripples through the air.

Wu Ying’s speed was unmatched now. She slipped past the mayor’s guard and landed a clean slash across his shoulder, the edge of her sword slicing through his protective qi barrier. Blood trickled down his robe.

Shuren’s expression shifted from smugness to cold irritation. “You… actually cut me.”

“Get used to it,” Wu Ying said sharply, twisting aside as his counterpunch shattered a column beside her. She retaliated with a spinning kick infused with qi, landing it square in his ribs. The man grunted, sliding back several steps before his aura flared violently, dispersing the dust around him.

The others could only watch from the edges of the hall, shielding their faces from the intense bursts of power.

Wu Lan stood behind a broken pillar, her bow drawn but her hands trembling slightly. “She’s… she’s really holding her own against him,” She whispered, disbelief coloring her voice.

Wu Xiao, clutching her swords, stared wide-eyed. “Sis looks amazing!”

“Stay back,” Issei called out, leaning against a cracked wall as his breathing steadied. “Don’t get close. One stray attack from that guy and we’re gone.”

“Boost!” His gauntlet pulsed and he regained some of the power he held before.

He looked back to the fight just in time to see Wu Ying narrowly duck under a glowing palm strike that split the air like lightning. She retaliated with a slash that sent a crescent of qi slamming into the mayor’s chest.

Shuren’s eyes glinted, and he slammed his fist into the ground. “Martial Skill: Iron Pulse!”

The floor detonated in a circular shockwave of condensed qi. Wu Ying was thrown back, but she twisted midair and landed on one knee, sliding several feet before stopping herself.

“Tch… That all you’ve got?” She taunted, forcing a grin even as her arms trembled from the force.

Shuren straightened, his qi darkening like a stormcloud. “You’ve become an annoyance.”

Their bodies clashed again. Every strike sent shockwaves through the building as the walls continued to crack, pillars crumbled, and pieces of the ceiling rained down around them.

The others could only keep watching in awe as Wu Ying and the mayor fought like titans, their movements too fast for the eye to follow.

Wu Lan’s voice came in a low whisper. “She’s fighting evenly with him… but that new strength won’t last forever.”

Wu Xiao gripped her swords tightly. “We have to do something. We can’t just watch!”

But before either could move, Mei stepped forward. Her staff was clenched tightly in both hands, her eyes wide but resolute. “I can help her.”

Issei, still recovering, turned sharply toward her. “Mei—”

She met his gaze, her voice trembling but firm. “I’m a Fifth Stage Fighter. I can hurt him. If I help Ying, we might be able to beat him.”

For a moment, silence fell between them as the sounds of battle echoed across the hall. Then Issei exhaled and gave a short, determined nod.

“Boost!”

“You’re right,” He said, lifting his left arm as the Boosted Gear pulsed with another red light. “And I’ve got two Boosts stored. With them, you’ll be able to fight him evenly.”

Mei’s eyes widened. “You mean… you’ll transfer them to me?”

He nodded. “Yeah. Ying’s already carrying Three Boosts. With two more on you, you’ll both be near his level. Just make them count.”

Mei hesitated, her fingers tightening around her staff. “Issei… what if it doesn’t work?”

He smiled faintly. “Then I’ll hit him again until it does. Now come on.”

She nodded quickly, stepping up beside him.

They raised their fists, touching knuckles.

“Transfer!”

A brilliant green glow erupted between them as the energy surged from the Boosted Gear into Mei’s body. The light enveloped her form, her long hair fluttering as her qi roared to life around her. The floor beneath her cracked from the sudden pressure as her aura skyrocketed.

Her wooden staff pulsed with light, reinforced by her enhanced qi. The timid girl who once hid behind the others now radiated more raw, unrestrained power.

Issei stepped back, smirking despite the fatigue. “Go show him what you can do.”

Mei looked at him once, then turned toward the raging battle where Wu Ying and Shuren’s auras collided again. Her heart pounded in her chest, fear still present — but it was drowned out by something stronger. Determination.

Wu Ying caught sight of her approaching and smirked through the haze of battle. “Finally decided to join the fun?”

Mei spun her staff once, her new aura blazing bright gold mixed with faint red. “Let’s take him down together.”

Shuren looked between them, his expression twisting into disgust. “Two little girls against me? How quaint.”

Wu Ying’s grin sharpened. “Two little girls who are about to kick your ass.”

They charged together.

Wu Ying’s sword and Mei’s staff struck in perfect rhythm, green and gold light intertwining as their attacks met the mayor’s defense in a blinding explosion of power. The shockwave blew out what remained of the mansion’s windows, scattering debris like a hurricane.

From the sidelines, Issei, Wu Lan, and Wu Xiao watched in awe as the two girls fought side by side.

Mayor Shuren, forced on the defensive for the first time, raised both arms to block their coordinated assault. Every hit cracked the air, splintering what remained of the grand chamber’s pillars.

“Hah!” Wu Ying shouted as she spun low, slashing across his leg.

Mei followed a heartbeat later, her staff striking upward into his ribs. The blow connected with a sound like thunder, forcing Shuren to stumble a step back.

The man’s teeth clenched, fury twisting across his face. “You dare—!”

Before he could retaliate, Wu Ying’s sword arced downward, meeting Mei’s staff in a synchronized strike that sent a blast of qi into Shuren’s chest. The impact sent him sliding across the floor, smashing through a half-toppled column.

Dust and debris filled the air, but both girls stood tall, their breathing heavy, their auras burning.

From across the hall, Wu Lan’s voice rang out in disbelief. “They’re pushing him back!”

Wu Xiao clenched her fists, her face glowing with excitement. “Sis and Mei are winning! Luna, do you see that?!”

The silver wolf growled in approval, her golden eyes gleaming.

But Shuren’s low laugh broke through the dust. He stepped out from the rubble, the air shimmering around him as his qi surged once more. “Winning? You children think this is victory?”

He slammed his heel into the ground, cracking it beneath his feet. His aura exploded outward like a blue inferno, shaking the entire building.

Wu Ying skidded back, shielding her face. “Damn—he’s still got plenty left.”

“We can do this together!” Mei said through clenched teeth, her staff glowing brighter.

The two charged again,with every clash sent bursts of qi colliding against the mayor’s defenses, sparks scattering across the hall.

For the first time, Shuren’s movements grew less composed, his counters slower. Wu Ying’s strikes found openings in his defense as various cuts formed on his body as he started to lose blood, and Mei’s precision forced him to retreat step by step as the staff struck him.

“Impressive,” Shuren growled, parrying another slash. “But I won’t be humiliated by mere girls!”

He pushed back hard, sending a pulse of energy that forced them both to leap away. He wiped blood from his mouth, eyes blazing. “If I must kill you myself—then so be it.”

Before he could move, however, shouts echoed from the stairway.

“Help the mayor!”

“Don’t let them win!”

Dozens of cultivators, the mayor’s subordinates who had been scattered in the lower floors rushed in, weapons drawn, their auras lighting up the ruined upper hall.

Wu Ying and Mei turned sharply, their rhythm breaking.

“Tch, reinforcements,” Wu Ying hissed, bracing her sword.

Issei, watching from the side, felt his blood heat. “Oh, no you don’t.”

He slammed his fist into the wall beside him, forcing himself upright. The Boosted Gear pulsed once, crimson veins of energy coursing up his arm.

“Boost!”

His aura reignited, the red glow swirling around him like fire as his power returned.

“Lan! Xiao! Luna!” he shouted. “You have to stop them.”

Wu Lan already had an arrow drawn, her sharp eyes narrowing. “I see them.”

Wu Xiao hopped onto Luna’s back with a grin. “Finally! I was getting bored watching!”

“Let’s go!”

The moment the first wave of cultivators burst through the doorway, Issei and the others charged to meet them.

Issei’s first punch collided with a Third Stage Fighter’s chest, the man went flying into three others like bowling pins. “I don’t care who you work for—stay down!”

Wu Lan’s arrows sang through the air, each shot precise and deadly. Every time a cultivator tried to flank the group, a glowing arrow pinned their weapon or arm to the wall.

Wu Xiao, atop Luna, was a whirlwind of motion. Her twin blades flashed silver, cutting down enemy after enemy as Luna plowed through the ranks like a charging beast.

“Outta the way!” She shouted gleefully. “Can’t you see we’re busy?!”

Luna’s roar followed, scattering the weaker cultivators in terror.

Meanwhile, Issei moved as each punch crushed shields, bodies, shattered weapons, and sent shockwaves through the floor.

He blocked a sword aimed for Wu Lan, kicked another man away from Wu Xiao, and grabbed a third by the collar, slamming him into a wall.

The battle split the hall in two, Issei, Wu Lan, Wu Xiao, and Luna forming a defensive line to keep the lesser cultivators from reaching the real fight, while at the center of the chaos, Wu Ying and Mei continued their deadly dance with the mayor.

Wu Ying lunged, her blade glowing with Qi. She met Shuren’s fist mid-swing, the explosion of light sent both spinning apart.

Mei appeared from the side, swinging her staff like a falling comet. The strike caught the mayor square in the chest, driving him back several feet.

He snarled, his qi flaring violently. “Enough!”

He slammed his palms together, forming complex seals that made the very air hum. “You think you’ve seen my power? Martial Skill: Crushing Wave—Second Form!”

The room darkened as energy gathered at his hands, coalescing into a roaring sphere of blue force.

Wu Ying’s eyes widened. “Mei, brace yourself!”

Mei planted her staff into the ground, golden energy gathering around her. “I’m ready!”

The two of them stood shoulder-to-shoulder, their combined qi radiating outward as the mayor’s second Crushing Wave exploded toward them.

Finally done. Tell me what you think and if I made any mistakes.