Li Feng's steps faltered as the pull of the mark intensified. Each step felt heavier, as if the energy around him were pushing back. Yan Wei slowed, her sharp eyes scanning the ruins ahead—a half-collapsed temple, its stones worn by centuries of neglect.

"This is different," she muttered. "The qi here isn't just dense—it's chaotic."

Li Feng nodded, his pulse quickening. The mark on his palm glowed brighter as they approached the temple's entrance. The faint hum of energy he'd felt earlier now resonated like a low drumbeat in his chest, growing stronger with each passing second.

As they stepped into the temple, the air grew colder. The walls were adorned with faded carvings of celestial figures, their hands outstretched as if weaving threads of light. At the center of the room stood an altar, its surface covered in symbols that pulsed faintly with qi.

"This place is tied to the Dao," Yan Wei said, her voice reverent. "It's old, older than most sects. If the Nexus exists, this might hold a clue to finding it."

Li Feng approached the altar, his hand hovering over the symbols. As his fingers brushed the surface, the mark on his palm flared, and his vision blurred.

Stolen from Royal Road, this story should be reported if encountered on Amazon.

Vision Sequence:

Li Feng stood in the swirling void once more, the threads of light weaving through the air like veins of molten gold. But this time, the threads converged at a single point, their glow intensifying as they twisted together into a radiant sphere.

"The Nexus lies at the heart of the threads," a voice echoed. It was deeper this time, more insistent. "A place of balance, where all paths meet. Seek it, but beware: the light calls to the darkness."

The radiant sphere flickered, and shadows began to creep along its surface, consuming the threads one by one. The void trembled, and Li Feng felt the weight of countless eyes watching him from the darkness.

"You must restore the weave," the voice continued. "Or the Dao will shatter beyond repair."

The vision dissolved, and Li Feng found himself back in the temple, his knees buckling beneath him. Yan Wei caught him before he fell, her expression tense.

"What did you see?" she asked.

"The threads—they're converging," he said, his voice shaking. "The Nexus is where they meet. But there's something else—shadows. They're consuming the light."

Yan Wei frowned, her gaze drifting to the altar. "That matches the legends. The Nexus isn't just a place of balance—it's a battleground. Whatever we face there, it won't just be trials. It'll be the source of the Dao's fracture."

Her words hung heavy in the air, but Li Feng steeled himself. "Then we need to find it. The vision showed me the way—this is part of the path."

Yan Wei nodded, her expression hardening. "Then let's move. Whatever is happening to the Dao, we're running out of time."