Lightning was still tearing across the sky, and with every flash the darkness seemed to grow deeper. The tall walls of the palace stood as if absorbing that darkness into themselves. There was moisture in the air, but along with it a strange heaviness — as if the night itself was waiting for something.
Zhiyan slowly lifted his gaze. His eyes narrowed, as if he wanted to look straight into Lixuan's soul. Then a cold, venomous smile appeared on his lips.
"Lixuan…" he said in a low yet sharp voice,
"you still don't understand. You can't do anything. Your powers are already gone."
There was so much certainty in his voice that it sounded like truth — or perhaps he himself wanted to believe it.
With that, he raised his hand. A dark, pulsating wave slipped out from between his fingers. It began sliding toward the bodies lying on the ground under control — slow, but with firm intent.
The very next moment…
one by one, they all began to move.
Their necks twisted at unnatural angles. Their eyes opened — completely — but there was no sign of life in them. Only empty darkness.
They started moving straight toward Lixuan.
Their steps were slow, but unstoppable.
Some of them turned toward the outside of the palace — where Minghzao was.
Fengli's breath caught.
"Lixuan… they're going outside…"
Fear was clear in his voice. But Lixuan seemed not to hear.
He stood perfectly still.
Then he slowly closed his eyes.
He took a deep breath.
The cold air went inside him… and slowly left.
The slight movement of his lips was barely noticeable —
and the next instant a sharp, piercing whistle echoed through the palace.
The sound was so clear as if it had cut the air in half.
And then —
everything stopped.
The air froze.
The flames of the torches stiffened mid-flicker.
Those moving toward him — stopped where they were.
Those heading outside — their steps froze mid-air.
Their bodies turned to stone. Their eyes remained open, but without even a flicker.
Zhiyan's smile slowly disappeared.
"This… is impossible…"
But he steadied himself. The sharp clang of a sword rang through the palace as he immediately attacked again.
This time his strike was aimed straight at Lixuan's neck.
But at that very moment —
black smoke began rising from near Lixuan's feet.
At first slowly… as if something beneath the ground was breathing.
Then faster… as if that breath had turned into anger.
Zhiyan paused for a moment, then ordered —
"Surround him!"
His soldiers jerked like living puppets and rushed toward Lixuan.
But Lixuan still didn't move.
The smoke had reached his waist.
The air grew heavy.
The torchlight flickered restlessly.
The first soldier, sword raised, was just a step away —
when the smoke suddenly shifted and wrapped around his legs.
In a single jerk, his body froze in mid-air.
His sword slipped from his hand and clattered to the ground.
The second soldier leapt forward —
but the smoke stretched like a long shadow and gripped his arm.
One… two… three…
within moments they were all suspended halfway in the air — as if someone had grabbed their shadows.
Only one feeling remained in the palace —
something had awakened.
And now it wasn't going to stop.
Fengli whispered in astonishment,
"This… is Lixuan's power?"
Lixuan slowly opened his eyes.
There was now a faint black glow in them — but it wasn't anger. It was something else. Something deep. Something unknown.
He raised his hand.
His voice was very soft — yet it carried command.
"Not now… stop."
And the very next moment —
all the soldiers fell to the ground like stones. Lifeless.
A silence so deep spread through the palace as if sound itself no longer existed.
Zhiyan stepped back.
This time there was no smile on his face.
"You… are not human," he said in a low but clear voice.
Lixuan didn't reply.
The smoke slowly circled around him, as if darkness itself was moving with his breath.
Zhiyan stepped back again.
This time fear was clearly visible in his eyes.
"This power…"
He hadn't even finished his words when the smoke suddenly began to spread.
At first slowly… then all at once, violently.
As if a storm had been released from its chains.
The air grew heavy.
The walls trembled.
Thin cracks appeared on the ground.
Lixuan stepped forward.
His breathing had grown fast.
The smoke was no longer just around him — it was rising up to the ceiling.
Fengli stepped back in panic.
There was only one question in his eyes — is this still the same Lixuan?
Just then Zhiyan tried to use his powers —
but suddenly his hand began to shake.
A sharp wave of smoke shot straight toward him.
He was pushed back and fell to his knees.
Pain appeared on his face for the first time.
"Not now… this isn't the time…"
He spun his sword across the ground.
A black circle formed. The air twisted.
And the next moment —
he dissolved into the smoke and vanished.
But the darkness didn't fade.
Lixuan's breaths were heavy.
The black glow still burned in his eyes.
The smoke circled around him —
as if it didn't want to let him go.
Then Fengli shouted loudly —
"Minghzao!"
Fast footsteps echoed from outside.
Minghzao ran inside.
The moment he saw Lixuan — he froze.
"Lixuan!" he shouted,
"come back to your senses!"
But the smoke grew wilder.
He called again — his voice breaking this time.
"If something happens to you… what will happen to me?"
As these words echoed in the air —
the smoke trembled for a moment.
The glow in Lixuan's eyes faltered.
His body slowly began to go limp.
He started to fall —
but Minghzao quickly caught him.
He held him in his arms, as if pulling him back from a deep abyss.
Silence spread through the palace again.
Thunder rumbled in the distant sky.
The night returned to its place.
But the darkness still hadn't ended.
As if some unknown force was still watching Lixuan.
Testing him.
Some powers don't save you first —
they test you first.
And Lixuan's trial had only just begun.