Chapter 65: The Rising Fragment
The expedition pressed deeper, abandoning the labyrinthine passages of the outer chambers for a single, colossal pathway that descended into the Black Tomb's heart. The air here was not merely thick; it was saturated with the sulfurous scent of demonic energy and a growing, ominous pulse that resonated deep within their bones, like the slow, relentless drumbeat of a primordial heart. The source of this menace was near.
Lin Xuan led the charge, his heart burning with an almost manic intensity. The time for caution was passing; the only path now was one of absolute, relentless action. Despite the oppressive demonic qi, the strength of his 9th Layer Qi Transformation surged like a storm, a tempest contained within a human vessel. He was a blur of crimson and shadow, his Celestial Unity Crest guiding his steps as he unleashed the Severed Crimson Unity Slash.
The pattern is gone, Lin Xuan realized, his mind hyper-focused as he fought. The simple, repetitive nature of the demonic shades was evolving, their attacks becoming coordinated, their dark qi tendrils moving with a predatory intelligence. This was the influence of the entity within.
Whoosh! The crimson arc of his slash tore through the air with a resonant hum, a clean, devastating line that cleave a cluster of charging shades in two. Their ethereal forms dissipated in bursts of acrid smoke, yet more emerged from the cracked, inscription-adorned walls. "Clear the path—stay sharp!" he shouted, his voice rough with exertion, the edge of his robes singed as a near-miss tendril scorched the air.
He engaged a larger cluster, their shadows twisting and their dark qi lashing out with renewed ferocity. He ducked, countered with a precise qi burst that shattered two more, but a third, quicker than its brethren, lunged, its claws grazing his shoulder. The impact was minimal thanks to his Jade Aegis, but the sensation of that vile qi was a physical violation. He struck again, his energy shattering the shade, the ground trembling as it vanished.
Suddenly, the oppressive qi pulse intensified, washing over them like a toxic tide. Liu Yue gasped, a visible shiver running through her frame, but a moment later, her moonlight eyes flew open, blazing with a fierce, cold light. The strain of the combat, the overwhelming demonic aura, and the desperate need to protect her Senior Brother converged, forcing a sudden, explosive breakthrough.
Liu Yue had reached the Half-step Profound Heavenly Realm.
Her Frost Phoenix Cry surged, no longer a mere layer of mist, but a swirling, miniature blizzard of chilling, crystallized qi. Her snowflake mark blazed, emitting a light so cold it seemed to absorb all warmth from the air. She moved with a new authority, the icy mist freezing a massive, hulking shade mid-lunge, its roaring form silenced in a crystalline shroud. "Back, all of you!" she commanded, her voice ringing with a fresh, resonating power, her new strength a defiant shield.
Seeing her breakthrough, Liu Yang roared with renewed vigor. The weight of his own heritage felt lighter, fueled by the sheer desperation of the fight and the inspiration of his Elder Sister's sudden ascension. His cultivation, already pushed by the previous chapter's challenges, now solidified and stabilized, advancing to the 9th Layer Qi Gathering. His blood-forged glaive became an extension of his will, a crimson flash that cleaved through tendrils with a fierce, protective focus.
"We'll hold the flank, Elder Sister!" he shouted, his young face set with determination, the rhythmic strike of his glaive creating a cascade of spraying ichor.
The epicenter of the chamber was now visible: a vast, subterranean sanctum. And there, floating amidst a nexus of pulsing, churning demonic qi, was Qorath's fragment. It was not yet a complete being, but a terrifying, crystalline entity—a jagged, black-and-crimson shard of an ancient deity, pulsating with a dark, sentient fury.
Boom! The fragment unleashed a barrage of qi tendrils, striking the ground in a devastating display of power. Lin Xuan gritted his teeth, the force of the assault shaking his core. We're too weak to fight it head-on. We need a seal, a stall.
He glanced back. Bai Ningxue had joined them from the entrance, her presence a welcome shift in the oppressive atmosphere. Bai Ningxue, still at the stabilizing 1st Layer Profound Heavenly Realm, stood at the edge of the sanctum. Her spirit was not one of combat, but of protection and balance. She channeled her resolve with quiet intensity, her Thousand Lotus Seal Art weaving a delicate lattice of shimmering, translucent seals along the sanctum's perimeter.
Whoosh! A massive, exploratory tendril from the fragment lashed out to test her defenses. Pop! Her seals absorbed the impact with a soft sound, the demonic energy dissipating harmlessly into the delicate lattice.
"This will slow its reach, Lin Xuan," she called out, her tone steady, even though her hands moved with a fluid, taxed grace. "But the pulse is accelerating. It is gaining strength faster than I can seal it. You need a way to sever its connection to the tomb's core."
The confrontation dragged on, a desperate, drawn-out battle for survival against a rising, ancient evil. The air grew even thicker, the sulfurous stench overwhelming, the labored gasps of the combatants echoing in the vast chamber. The ground trembled relentlessly, a constant reminder of the titanic power they faced.
Though the tendrils thinned under their concerted attacks, the fragment's dark pulse grew stronger, a relentless, menacing drumbeat that chipped away at their resolve. Lin Xuan slumped against a wall during a momentary lull, his breath coming in ragged bursts, his body aching from the sheer effort of holding the line. His mind, however, was already racing toward the next, necessary gamble.
"We've held it back," he rasped, his voice hoarse but carrying a flicker of grim hope. "For now. But Bai Ningxue is right. A simple defense won't work. We need a way to sever its connection to the Tomb's demonic qi... A desperate sacrifice."
Liu Yue approached, her own breath uneven, the frost melting from her raven hair. She offered him a tired, yet warm smile, her new power lending a fragile confidence to her eyes. "We'll stand firm, Senior Brother. Whatever comes next, we face it together. Always." She gently squeezed his arm, a silent reassurance that their unity was their true, enduring strength.
Liu Yang, wiping corrosive ichor from the blade of his glaive, grinned weakly through his exhaustion. "Yeah, we've got this! We're the Dawnriver team, right?"
The small, victorious moment of camaraderie was a necessary respite. Later, back in the rudimentary tent near the surface, the clink of armor adjustments and the soft murmur of tactical whispers filled the air. Qorath's fragment was a chilling prelude to a battle they were not yet strong enough to win. Their unity was their only shield, but Lin Xuan knew that a shield alone would not be enough. He needed to find the way to use the only power he had that could sever a god's link: the Severed Unity Body and its most dangerous application.