Chapter 28: Storm's Wrath · The Unfathomable Wrath of Heaven
The descent and subsequent silencing of the Phoenix Force was like throwing a block of ice into a boiling oil pot, instantly freezing the actions and thoughts of all remaining heroes. That battle, which transcended dimensions and rewrote the rules, made them acutely aware of how laughable and insignificant their so-called "final holy war" would be in the face of such power.Despair, like a cold tide, drowned the last flicker of fighting spirit that had just ignited.Yet, there are always those unwilling to give up, those who firmly believe that even facing a deity, mortals should raise their swords."Charles..." Ororo Munroe, Storm, hovered above the Xavier Institute, her body enveloped in fine electrical arcs and swirling winds. Through the psychic link, she felt the波动 (bōdòng - fluctuations) of powerlessness and warning emanating from Professor X. She had also seen the fall of Phoenix/Jean.But her eyes shone with determination. She was Ororo, the weather goddess, deputy commander of the X-Men, a beacon of hope and protection in the eyes of countless mutants. She could not retreat, especially not when Charles and Jean had fallen."Logan, Scott, take care of the Professor and Jean," her voice came through the comms, calm yet carrying an unshakable resolve. "I must go. Not for victory, but to... tell them we are still here."She didn't wait for a response. The气流 (qìliú - air currents) around her erupted violently, transforming her into a bolt of blue-white lightning that tore through the clouds, streaking towards Washington! She wasn't blindly rushing to her death; she had her own plan. She refused to believe any existence could be completely immune to the full wrath of nature! She would gather the most powerful storm she could command, using thunder, hurricanes, and torrential rain to test the limits of that heavenly might!Washington ruins. Sun Wukong had just calmed the slightly agitated气血 (qìxuè - vital energy) within him from resisting the Phoenix Force and was thinking that this world's "surprises" were endless when his brow twitched, and he looked towards the horizon.The sky in the distance rapidly darkened. Black clouds gathered and churned at a visible pace, surging forward like an ink-colored tsunami! Within the cloud layers,炽烈 (chìliè - blazing) lightning danced like golden serpents, accompanied by the滚滚 (gǔngǔn - rolling) boom of deafening thunder! A fierce wind began to howl, whipping up dust and debris from the ground. The temperature plummeted; the air hummed with the charge of electricity!"Oh? Another one?" Sun Wukong scratched his cheek, somewhat amused. "This time it's wind and thunder? This呼风唤雨 (hūfēng huànyǔ - summoning wind and rain)法术 (fǎshù - magical art) has even more声势 (shēngshì - grandeur) than what those old Dragon Kings of the Eastern Sea could muster back in the day."Storm's figure appeared at the forefront of the thunderstorm. She hovered amidst the lightning and gales, her white hair whipping wildly, her eyes blazing with dazzling electricity, like a true weather goddess!"Invader!" Her voice, amplified by the storm, echoed with a rumbling authority, full of威严 (wēiyán - majesty) and决绝 (juéjué - finality). "Your power commands respect, but you should not defile this land! Feel the wrath of nature!"She wasted no more words, raising her hands high!An unprecedented, massive lightning bolt, thick as a great tree, tore through the firmament! It carried the heavenly might to purify all evil, striking straight down at Sun Wukong's head! This lightning concentrated her full will and power!Simultaneously, two colossal tornadoes, touching the sky and the earth, formed before her! Like two狂暴 (kuángbào -狂暴) giant pythons, they scooped up everything from the ground,夹击 (jiājí - pincer attacking) Sun Wukong from left and right! The tornadoes were also laden with countless冰雹 (bīngbáo - hailstones) sharp as blades!Heavenly thunder! Hurricanes! Hailstorms!Three极致 (jízhì - ultimate) forces of nature, driven by her to their limits, launched a毁灭性 (huǐmièxìng -毁灭性)合击 (héjī - combined attack) from three directions!The spectacle was like divine punishment降临 (jiànglín -降临)! Enough to destroy a modern metropolis!Facing this浩荡天威 (hàodàng tiānwēi - vast heavenly might), Sun Wukong merely smiled, even feeling a hint of nostalgia."This thunder has great声势 (shēngshì -声势), but lacks the true intent of纯阳诛邪 (chúnyáng zhū xié - pure Yang vanquishing evil). It's杂而不精 (zá ér bù jīng - mixed and impure).""This wind has the form but not the essence of the '呼 (hū - exhale/call)'诀 (jué - secret) and the '巽 (xùn - wind trigram)'诀. It only has its wildness.""This ice is even more superficial; the寒气 (hánqì - cold energy) is scattered, not凝 (níng - condensed)."He neither dodged nor blocked. Instead, he stood with his hands behind his back, looking up at the sky as if欣赏 (xīnshǎng - appreciating) a long-missed fireworks display.The giant lightning bolt struck his head squarely! Electricity flashed brilliantly, turning his surroundings into a dazzling pool of lightning!Yet, when the light faded, he remained standing in the same spot, his hair not even mussed. Faint residual arcs of electricity crackled around him, which he反而 (fǎn'ér - instead)吸入了鼻中 (xī rùle bí zhōng -吸入了鼻中), let out a burp, and a wisp of green smoke emerged."Hmm... taste is alright, just a bit麻嘴 (má zuǐ - numbing to the mouth)."The two terrifying tornadoes夹击 (jiājí - pincer attacked) him. The wind and ice blades capable of shredding steel切割 (qiēgē -切割) against his body but couldn't even lift the hem of his clothes. The ice blades shattered into powder upon hitting his skin.Sun Wukong even found the wind strength insufficient. He opened his mouth and gently blew.A purer, more凝练 (níngliàn -凝练) Samadhi True Wind blew out in reverse!The two massive tornadoes, meeting this puff of immortal breath,如同遇到了克星 (rútóng yù dàole kèxīng -如同遇到了克星), were instantly吹得支离破碎 (chuī dé zhīlípòsuì -吹得支离破碎),消散于无形 (xiāosàn yú wúxíng -消散于无形)! Even the dark clouds in the sky were吹散 (chuī sàn -吹散)大半 (dàbàn -大半), revealing a stunned Storm behind them."This... how is this possible?!" Ororo stared in disbelief at the scene before her. The storm she took pride in, capable of destroying cities and extinguishing life, was truly just... "a gust of wind" in the other's eyes?Sun Wukong looked at her and shook his head. "Girl, your呼风唤雨 (hūfēng huànyǔ -呼风唤雨)神通 (shéntōng - supernatural ability) isn't practiced well enough. You have the power but not the method. Wind isn't summoned like this; thunder isn't struck like this. Should this old Sun teach you a couple of tricks?"His playful spirit arose again. Mimicking Ororo's posture, he casually gestured towards the sky—No incantation, no蓄力 (xùlì -蓄力), not even an energy波动 (bōdòng -波动).The entire sky instantly darkened! Even more厚重 (hòuzhòng -厚重) and压抑 (yāyì - oppressive) than the clouds Ororo had summoned! Within the cloud layers, instead of silver snakes dancing,虚影 (xūyǐng - phantom images) of紫霄神雷 (Zǐxiāo Shénléi - Purple Heaven Divine Thunder)凝聚 (níngjù -凝聚), radiating an aura of destruction, took form! At the same time, nine black赑风 (bì fēng - fierce wind) tornadoes touching the sky and earth悄然出现 (qiǎorán chūxiàn -悄然出现), silent yet exuding a terrifying气息 (qìxī -气息) that could销魂蚀骨 (xiāohún shígǔ -销魂蚀骨)! In the air,玄冰 (xuánbīng - profound ice) capable of freezing even Primordial Spirits began to drift down!This was the true天威 (tiānwēi - heavenly might),冰山一角 (bīngshān yījiǎo - the tip of the iceberg)! It was the great supernatural ability of immortals to呼风唤雨 (hūfēng huànyǔ -呼风唤雨) and掌握五雷 (zhǎngwò wǔ léi - master the five thunders)!The gentle breeze and electrical arcs around Ororo were instantly extinguished and消散 (xiāosàn -消散) before this true heavenly might! She felt like a leaf in a storm,渺小 (miǎoxiǎo -渺小),无助 (wúzhù - helpless), unable to even muster a thought of resistance! Her mutant abilities were completely suppressed, even beginning to反噬 (fǎnshì -反噬) her own body!Her face turned deathly pale. She fell from the sky, landing半跪在地 (bàn guì zài dì -半跪在地), gasping for breath, her eyes filled with前所未有 (qiánsuǒwèiyǒu -前所未有) fear and...敬畏 (jìngwèi -敬畏).Sun Wukong looked at her,散 (sàn - dispersed) his神通 (shéntōng -神通). The sky instantly cleared. He sighed. "Enough. You don't have a bad heart, just took the wrong path. This old Sun won't make things difficult for you. Go back, practice diligently, and don't rely on these微末伎俩 (wēimò jìliǎng -微不足道的技能) to show off anymore."Ororo lifted her head, looking at the seemingly ordinary figure, her heart filled with mixed emotions. The talent she took pride in was truly "微末伎俩 (wēimò jìliǎng -微不足道的技能)" in the other's eyes. She struggled to her feet, took a deep look at Sun Wukong, said nothing more, turned, and驾驭着 (jiàyù zhe -驾驭着) the remaining wind, flying away somewhat踉跄 (liàngqiàng -踉跄). Her pride was not shattered, but placed within a broader, more awe-inspiring perspective.Storm's heavenly might, before the true divine arts of the Dao, was child's play.