The passage was tight, the air thick with dust and fear. Ling Tian's pulse hammered in his chest as they sprinted through the narrow tunnel, the sound of pursuit growing closer.
"They're right behind us," Xiao Ning'er panted, her breath coming in sharp bursts.
Ling Tian gritted his teeth, forcing his legs to move faster. "We need to get back to Glory City, now."
But the tunnel seemed endless, the walls closing in as the dark figure's voice echoed again, haunting and cold.
"You can't escape. Not this time."
A sudden crash from behind sent a chill down Ling Tian's spine. The assassins were closing in—faster than he'd expected. The air around them seemed to hum with a malevolent energy.
"We're too slow!" Xiao Ning'er hissed.
"No," Ling Tian replied, his voice steady. "We just need to fight smarter."
He gripped her hand, his mind whirring. "Hold on tight."
They reached a fork in the tunnel—a jagged split leading to two possible paths.
"Left!" Ling Tian barked, pulling her toward the narrower opening.
The sound of footsteps grew louder behind them, each one closer. They were almost there.
A blast of dark energy shattered the tunnel wall to their right, sending rocks tumbling.
"Now!" Ling Tian shouted, shoving Xiao Ning'er forward.
They dove through the opening just as a barrage of shadowy tendrils lashed out, nearly catching them.
Breathing heavily, they found themselves at the edge of a cliff, the vast expanse of forest stretching below. They had reached a dead end.
Ling Tian's mind raced. The only way down was a treacherous drop—but they didn't have a choice.
"We jump," he said, his voice resolute.
Xiao Ning'er looked at him, her eyes wide. "Are you insane?!"
He turned to face her, his gaze unwavering. "We don't have time to think. We either make this or—"
Before he could finish, the masked figure appeared on the opposite edge of the cliff, its presence like a suffocating shadow.
"You really think you can escape me, Ling Tian?" The voice was deep, menacing, and chilling. "You've only just begun to understand the true power I wield."
Ling Tian's blood ran cold. The figure's aura—it was unlike anything he had ever felt. What is this being?
"We have no choice," Xiao Ning'er said, her voice steady despite the fear in her eyes. "Let's go."
With a final glance at the approaching enemy, Ling Tian grabbed her hand and leapt off the cliff.
The fall was a blur of wind and screaming air. Ling Tian's heart raced as they plummeted toward the rocky ground below. His soul force flared around them, cushioning the impact just enough to avoid certain death.
They hit the ground hard—rolling across the earth—before coming to a halt, breathless but alive.
For a long moment, they lay there, recovering from the shock of the fall.
"We're alive," Xiao Ning'er said, panting.
Ling Tian nodded, his mind still reeling. "But barely. And they won't stop coming."
Xiao Ning'er's gaze darkened. "Who is that person?"
Ling Tian stood up, helping her to her feet. "I don't know. But we need answers. We can't run forever."
They shared a look—both determined, both unwilling to back down.
"We'll find them," Ling Tian said, his voice fierce. "And we'll end this—together."