Ashen Veil Ruins towered at the horizon, jagged spires thrusting into the ashen firmaments. The land was dead around the ruins, heavy with residual qi from battles long forgotten. Above, the dark clouds churned in an endless witch's dance, bursts of chaotic energy occasionally lighting up the desolate landscape in flickers of eerie light.
Lin Feng led his group up the rocky terrain, his senses heightened as they approached the ruins. Behind him trailed Jiang Yue, Zhao Qing, Yan Wei, and a handful of Inner Disciples chosen for the mission.
They walked in tense silence, the weight of every step loaded with uncertainty. The chaotic qi in the air disrupted their techniques, forcing them to rely on their instincts and physical prowess.
"This place is unnatural," Zhao Qing muttered, his hand resting on the hilt of his blade.
“It’s dangerous,” Yan Wei added, his sharp eyes scanning the crumbling structures ahead. “And we’re not alone.”
Lin Feng didn’t respond. He had sensed it too—the faint traces of movement in the distance, shadows flitting between the ruins. Rogue cultivators were here, as he had anticipated.
Jiang Yue's cold voice finally broke the silence. "Are you leading us into a trap, Lin Feng? Or are we simply the bait?"
Lin Feng looked over his shoulder, his tone even yet laced with steel. "If you think I'm leading poorly, Jiang Yue, you're welcome to take point. Though I doubt you'd survive the first ambush."
Her glare could have cut stone, but she said nothing. The tension between them was palpable, mirrored by the unease among the disciples.
---
As they entered the ruins, the air grew heavier, the remnants of ancient formations crackling faintly. Massive stone pillars jutted from the ground, etched with runes that pulsed intermittently, as though alive.
Yan Wei knelt near one of the pillars, peering at the runes. "These are not standard forms of defense. They're reactive-meant to attack anyone who gets in. "
"Then we are careful," Lin Feng replied. "Keep your qi suppressed. The formation will trigger once it feels major energy fluctuations."
The group moved cautiously, but the ruins seemed alive, shifting and twisting as they ventured deeper. Shadows danced on the edges of their vision, and faint whispers filled the air, growing louder the closer they came to the heart of the ruins.
At one point, a low growl echoed through the ruins and a huge Chaos Beast lunged from the shadows. The creature was a warped amalgamation of claws, fangs, and sinewy muscles, its body radiating corrupted qi.
The disciples scrambled into defensive positions. Zhao Qing charged forward, his blade gleaming as he slashed at the beast's limbs. Yan Wei flanked it, using precise strikes to exploit its weaknesses.
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Lin Feng lagged behind, watching. When the beast retreated to release a chaotic explosion of energy, Lin Feng entered, his Shadow Phantoms appearing to cut through the attack. The beast's defenses failed to hold up to them, and Zhao Qing ended its life, the body falling into a heap of corrupted flesh.
"Beasts and traps," Zhao Qing grumbled, cleaning his blade. "Nice mix."
"And we haven't reached the fragment yet," Lin Feng said quietly, his eyes on the darkness deeper ahead.
---
The group slowly approached the vicinity of the fragment until the slightest presence of rogue cultivators could be made out unmistakably. Lin Feng raised his hand, and the whole group came to a stop.
"They're waiting for us up ahead," he said. "Spread out, but within range."
Jiang Yue sneered, "Afraid to fight them head-on, Lin Feng?"
He didn't pay any heed to her and looked at the few silhouettes that now emerged from behind the darkness. A group of rogue cultivators stepped forward, their leader a broadly built man with a cold smile. Lei Jin, a lieutenant of the Eclipse Sovereign, was full of confidence as his qi flared, causing air distortions around him.
"Well, well," Lei Jin said, his voice carrying across the ruins. "The Black Lotus Sect sends its rising star. How considerate of you to deliver yourselves to me."
Lin Feng stepped forward, his tone calm. "If you surrender now, Lei Jin, I might let you leave with your life."
Lei Jin laughed, his aura surging. "Bold words, but let's see if your strength matches them.
The battle erupted.
Lei Jin’s technique was devastating. He unleashed waves of disruptive energy that scattered the disciples’ formations, leaving them vulnerable to the rogues’ relentless attacks.
Jiang Yue clashed with one of Lei Jin's lieutenants, her strikes sure but lacking the raw power to overwhelm her opponent. Zhao Qing and Yan Wei fought side by side, holding their own, but slowly being pushed back.
Lin Feng watched the battlefield, his mind racing. He activated his Thousand Veil Technique, creating illusory doubles that confused the rogues and allowed his disciples to regroup.
The moment Lei Jin turned his gaze on Lin Feng, the rogue leader launched a surge of energy right towards him. Lin Feng leaped and riposted with Celestial Shadow Veil: his Shadow Phantoms shrouded in shining streaks of light that dispelled Lei Jin's attack.
"You think a few tricks will save you?" Lei Jin growled, pouncing on him.
Lin Feng's phantoms surged to meet him, their strikes precise and relentless. The overconfidence of Lei Jin faltered as Lin Feng used the chaotic terrain to isolate him, using the traps on the ruins to weaken the rogue leader.
A final strike by Lin Feng's phantoms finally overwhelmed Lei Jin into forced retreat. The rest of the rogues, seeing the defeat of their leader, fled into the shadows.
---
The group pressed on and finally came to the place where the fragment rested. A big chamber stood before them, with a crystalline pedestal right in the middle. The fragment hovered above it, its golden light stretching long shadows across the room.
The moment Lin Feng stepped into the chamber, the Shadow Sentinel kicked in. The guardian of the darkness emerged, its form an eddy of shadow and celestial energy.
The Sentinel counterattacked fiercely; its blows held energy to make even Lin Feng's Shadow Phantoms suffer. Lin Feng began to use Celestial Shadow Veil, but again the Sentinel's skills echoed his own. He had to move at breakneck speed.
As Lin Feng confronted the Sentinel, Jiang Yue started hers. She flew to the shard, her intention apparent.
Lin Feng intercepted her, their strikes clashing in a burst of qi. "You betray the sect for power?" he demanded.
"And you don't?" she shot back, her eyes ablaze.
Their battle was brief but intense, Lin Feng using the Sentinel's attacks to force Jiang Yue back. With her exposed, Lin Feng claimed the fragment, merging its energy with the Seal of Calamity.
The power of the fragment surged through him, and the chamber fell silent.
---
The group emerged from the ruins, battered but victorious. The disciples said nothing. Their eyes darted back and forth, uneasy, between Lin Feng and Jiang Yue. The tension was palpable.
Lin Feng found a jade slip among Lei Jin's things; the message it bore was chilling:
> "The Black Lotus Sect will inevitably fall. The heavens are blind, and their pawns will fall to their knees before me."
That night, as Lin Feng meditated, the Seal's whispers grew louder. It showed him visions of a shattered sect, a burning sky, and himself wielding the fully restored Celestial Conduit.
"You come one step closer, Lin Feng," the Seal whispered. "But from here, the path ahead is nothing but darkness. Are you prepared to walk this path?"
Lin Feng opened his eyes, and his eyes shone with determinism. "Be it darkness or light, I will surely tread to the very end."
And with that, the Seal pulsated ominously, its light permeating the entire room.