The silence within the ancient temple was suffocating. Dust hung thick in the air, disturbed only by Shao Xian's measured footsteps as he walked deeper into the hollow sanctum. The carvings on the walls, remnants of a forgotten era, pulsed faintly under his touch. They were not merely decorative—each line, each curve of the script contained power, though it had long been dormant.
His gaze swept across the chamber, taking in every detail. The massive stone door before him bore inscriptions of celestial beasts, their eyes once inlaid with gemstones that had long since been plundered. Yet, the energy within the door had not faded entirely.
He raised a hand, fingers hovering just above the cold surface. The air vibrated as ancient seals responded to his presence, faint traces of divine energy flickering to life. The remnants of this place still recognized him.
Or rather, they feared him.
Shao Xian's lips curled slightly. "Time has not erased everything, it seems."
With a flick of his wrist, his qi surged forth, coiling like a serpent before lashing out against the stone barrier. The impact sent shockwaves through the chamber, shaking the very foundation of the temple. Dust and debris rained from above, but the door did not yield.
Instead, the ancient runes brightened, resisting his intrusion. A defensive mechanism left behind by those who had sealed this place.
His eyes narrowed.
Even in death, they sought to keep him out?
Foolish.
Taking a step back, he channeled his energy once more, but this time, he did not strike. Instead, he placed his palm firmly against the stone, allowing his qi to seep into the intricate formations.
The runes resisted at first, pulsing violently as if attempting to repel him. But resistance was meaningless. His energy was not something they could deny.
Slowly, the inscriptions dimmed, their radiance consumed by the overwhelming force of his will. The structure groaned in protest before, at last, the seals shattered.
A deep, resonant crack echoed through the chamber as the stone door split apart, revealing a passageway bathed in darkness. A cold, stagnant air drifted outward, carrying with it the scent of time itself.
Without hesitation, Shao Xian stepped inside.
---
The hidden chamber was unlike the temple above.
Where the outer halls had been grand yet worn by time, this place remained untouched. The walls, carved from obsidian-like stone, seemed to drink in the dim light that emanated from glowing crystals embedded within the ceiling. Symbols older than any recorded history lined the floors, shifting as though alive beneath his feet.
Shao Xian's gaze settled upon the center of the room.
An altar.
Its surface was pristine, unmarred by the passage of centuries. And upon it, encased in a swirling vortex of dark energy, lay the object of his return.
A fragment.
Not merely an artifact, but a piece of something far greater—an essence of power that had been scattered across the cosmos in an age long past.
He approached, the energy around the fragment responding instantly to his presence. The swirling darkness flared violently, as if aware of what he was.
Or rather, what he had once been.
Shao Xian reached out, his fingers brushing against the void-like aura surrounding the fragment. A sharp, piercing force lashed out, attempting to repel him, but he did not retreat.
A mere remnant of what once was could not challenge him.
With a final exertion of his will, he crushed the resistance. The swirling energy collapsed inward, surrendering as the fragment fell into his grasp.
The moment his fingers closed around it, his mind was engulfed in a storm of visions.
---
The universe burned.
A war that defied time and reality itself raged across the heavens. Titans clashed, shattering worlds with their battles. Celestial entities, beings beyond mortal comprehension, fell like dying stars.
And at the heart of it all—
A throne stood amidst the chaos.
A figure, shrouded in infinite darkness, sat upon it, unmoving. Unchallenged.
Unstoppable.
The mere presence of this being distorted existence itself, bending the fabric of reality to his will. His gaze, even hidden within the shadows, held dominion over all.
And then—
The throne cracked.
The universe trembled.
And everything was consumed by oblivion.
---
Shao Xian's eyes snapped open, the visions vanishing as abruptly as they had come. His grip on the fragment tightened.
He remembered now.
Not everything, but enough.
This was merely the first piece.
The first step toward reclaiming what had been stolen from him.
The temple, the forgotten sect that had sealed this place away—they had tried to bury the past, to erase his existence from the annals of time.
But history was not written by the weak.
It was carved by the hands of those who ruled.
And he would carve his own legend once more.
Turning away from the altar, he strode toward the exit. The air within the chamber stirred as if awakening from a long slumber.
The world had slumbered in ignorance.
But now, it would remember.
Shao Xian had returned.