Chapter 63: Descent into Decay
The outskirts of the structure known only as the Black Tomb materialized not from the ground, but seemed to emerge from a perpetual, spectral mist, a wound carved deep into the living earth. The atmosphere was stifling; the air was thick, heavy, and tasted of an overwhelming, ancient decay, permeated by the faint, unsettling pulse of demonic qi seeping from every cracked stone and twisted, necrotic vine. The early morning light, struggling to penetrate the gloom, cast an eerie, sickly pallor over the rugged terrain. The ground itself, cold and strangely yielding, trembled faintly as minor demonic entities—shadowy wraiths with glowing red eyes and claws of pure shadow—stirred from the depths, their movements marked by the sickening sound of their claws scraping against the rock.
This was the final battleground.
Lin Xuan, his crimson eyes blazing with a potent blend of strategic leadership and raw, primal intent, led the small, elite scout team into this foreboding expanse. The full, anchoring power of his 9th Layer Qi Transformation was a steady, warm force against the chilling spiritual miasma of the Tomb. The Celestial Unity Crest on his back pulsed with a quiet, persistent rhythm, guiding him through the labyrinth of decaying energy.
"Stay sharp—this place holds secrets beyond our imagining," he instructed, his voice low, swallowed almost instantly by the oppressive air.
The wraiths did not wait for an invitation. They surged forward, their dark qi lashing out in tendrils that whipped through the air, forcing Lin Xuan to rely on pure instinct and the refined footwork of his martial arts. He countered with a devastating, precise qi burst, channeling energy refined by his Crimson Blood Crystallization Art. The red-tinged energy, sharp as a thousand blades, dissipated one wraith instantly in a cloud of noxious smoke. But the spiritual attack was relentless; a second entity lunged, its shadow-claws grazing his arm before he could strike again. The raw impact shuddered through his body, and the ground cracked beneath his feet as the wraith vanished into the ether.
Behind him, holding the vital perimeter—the fragile boundary between sanity and the Tomb's decay—were Liu Yue and Liu Yang.
Liu Yue, her cultivation having reached the formidable 9th Layer Qi Transformation, stood as a pillar of ice and resolve. Her Icy Skin and snowflake mark glowed, the frost-tinged aura repelling the surrounding demonic energy. She employed the Frost Phoenix Cry, not in broad sweeps, but in focused, strategic cones, instantly freezing the wraith tendrils into brittle, useless shards before they could cross the line.
Liu Yang, his 6th Layer Qi Gathering power now steady and reliable, fought with the grim efficiency of a veteran, his blood-forged glaive flashing constantly. The great weapon—heavy, demanding, and intimately connected to his identity—became a blur as he cleaved through the continuous assault of the shadowy ichor.
"Reinforce the line, Elder Sister—the qi's relentless!" Liu Yang shouted, his young face set with an unbreakable determination. The glaive's weight was no longer a burden, but the grounding force that kept him anchored against the spiritual chaos.
Meanwhile, back in the primary command center, a moment of profound transformation was occurring. In the high council, Ji Yunjing, whose command had been tempered in the crucible of war, finally achieved a spiritual breakthrough, advancing to the 5th Layer Profound Heavenly Realm. His authority was no longer just political; it was physically and spiritually absolute.
Recognizing the existential threat, he commissioned a full, highly organized tomb expedition. His silk robes rustled as he moved to a massive map, tracing the site with a finger. "We need to understand this threat—assemble the team," he ordered, his voice firm, echoing with a new, resonant depth that commanded instant compliance. His brow was deeply furrowed, the weight of rulership now compounded by the terror of the Black Tomb.
Simultaneously, the last member of the core team, Bai Ningxue, also achieved a breakthrough in the face of this unparalleled crisis, advancing from the peak of Qi Transformation to the 1st Layer Profound Heavenly Realm. The new level of spiritual comprehension was instantly apparent. Her aura, serene yet now intensely potent, focused entirely on the area surrounding the Tomb's nascent entrance. Using her Thousand Lotus Seal Art, she wove a massive, powerful network of seals—now infused with the profound comprehension of a Heavenly Realm cultivator—to stabilize the entire perimeter and the entrance itself.
"This will hold the qi—proceed with care," she said, her tone calm, resolute, and utterly focused, her steady hands buying the core team the necessary time for the dangerous, final preparation.
The exploration stretched on, the scent of decay a constant, chilling reminder of the proximity of death. Lin Xuan sensed the ancient nexus of power within the Tomb, a terrifying, silent roar in the void of his mind. He knew the Tomb was not merely an objective; it was a calling, a challenge directly to the Demonic Sovereign's past.
"The tomb's calling—we need to act," he stated, his voice thoughtful, the gravity of the decision settling over the team.
Liu Yue, her hand brushing his arm, nodded in full, silent agreement. The fatigue was there, but so was the unyielding core of their shared fate. "We'll be ready, Senior Brother—let's face it together," she replied.
The hum of debate in the council was now a frantic symphony of strategic planning. The war against Ironfang was over, but its cessation had only unveiled a much darker, far more ancient challenge that lay coiled at the heart of the realm.