Curse of the Immortal Seal

‎The region where the eight clans lived had been drenched in blood for weeks. From the foothills of the mountains to the sprawling plains, hundreds of foreign warriors, humans from the outer realms, countless in number, had fallen to the clans' swords and arrows. Corpses piled up at the Xiao Clan's outposts; bloodstains marred the Li Clan's fields. The Zhang Clan held their borders, the Feng Clan guarded their valleys, yet the enemy never ceased. These eight clans, normally divided by old grudges and mutual disdain, now sensed a shared threat for the first time. Who were these humans? Why did they keep coming? Desperate for answers, the communities, led by their leaders, set out for the cave of the wise elder, Bai Yun.At the cave's entrance, the air was cold and heavy. The people of the eight clans, warriors, elders, and youths, gathered, casting wary glances at one another. Bai Yun emerged, his white beard swaying in the wind, a black raven perched on his shoulder. The bird's feathers gleamed like a harbinger of darkness. Suddenly, the raven let out a harsh cry, its voice echoing off the cave's stone walls. Bai Yun closed his eyes, as if deciphering words within the sound; his hand trembled faintly. The crowd fell silent, holding their breath. Slowly, he opened his eyes, his face pale. "Those you've slain," he said, his voice deep and unsteady, "are humans from the outer realms. They are many, tens, thousands. They've set their sights on the eight clans' lands. They mean to take it, and they will spill blood."A murmur rippled through the crowd. A man from the Xiao Clan shouted, "How many more?" A woman from the Li Clan demanded, "Why us?" An elder from the Zhang Clan muttered, trembling, "That number… it'll swallow us whole." At that moment, Chen Jian of the Chen Clan stepped forward, half-drawing his sword from its sheath. "Is there no way to defeat them?" he asked, his tone sharp yet tinged with hope. The raven cried again, and Bai Yun's hand shook once more. "So many," he whispered, then raised his voice. "Yes, there is a way," he said. "If you unite, you can resist them. But you cannot win. They are too numerous; your clans' strength isn't enough."Fear gripped the communities. A mother from the Feng Clan wailed, "We're doomed!" clutching her child to her chest. A warrior from the Wang Clan shouted, "Even if we flee, they'll find us!" Liu Wei of the Liu Clan stepped forward to calm the crowd, but his voice quivered: "Wise one, isn't there another way?" Bai Yun took a deep breath, his gaze lost in the cave's shadows. "There is a legend," he said. "A thousand years ago, the ancestors of the eight clans found an inscription. It promised immortality, but to only one clan. It's a perilous path. The eight clans must unite and perform a ritual. First, a circle must be drawn in blood, using the essence of each clan's warriors. Then, the clan leaders must step into the circle one by one, each speaking sacred words to represent their clan and channeling their qi into the inscription with precise movements. The inscription will awaken, its golden runes flaring to life, and it will choose one clan at random, granting them immortality. But there is a grave rule: once the ritual begins, no one may leave the circle. If anyone steps out, the ritual will break, the Realm of Immortals will open its gates, and a curse will descend. There can be no jealousy, malice, or greed among the leaders. Every intent must be pure."Protests erupted among the crowd. A man from the Zhao Clan yelled, "Only one clan?" A youth from the Li Clan snapped, "Why not mine?" An elder from the Xiao Clan grumbled, "That's not fair!" Bai Yun raised his hand sharply. "You have no other choice," he said, his voice cutting through the noise. "The outer realms are at your doorstep. Either unite and perform the ritual, or you all die." The crowd fell silent, fear and resignation etched on their faces. Chen Jian sheathed his sword. "Then let's do it," he said. The other leaders, reluctant, bowed their heads. Bai Yun concluded, "The inscription awaits at the mountain's peak. The choice is yours."When they reached the mountain's summit, night had cloaked everything in darkness. The champions of the eight clans gathered around a wide circle drawn in blood. Surrounding it, people from each clan, warriors, elders, and youths, watched with bated breath. At the center rose the thousand-year-old inscription, its surface shimmering with golden runes that pulsed like a heartbeat. Xiao Feng, the young leader of the Xiao Clan, stood at the circle's northern edge. Shadow qi danced at his fingertips as his eyes traced the ancient words on the stone: "Eight unite, one rises. Intent must be pure, or the curse descends." As the runes flared, a faint hum rose from the circle, the air growing thick.At each corner of the circle, a champion awaited their task. Li Mei of the Li Clan stood in the south, her flames at the ready, red hair billowing in the wind. Zhang Tao, the steadfast leader of the Zhang Clan, stood in the west, earth qi gathering in his palms. Feng Xiu of the Feng Clan waited gracefully in the east, wind qi swirling faintly around her. Xiao Feng stole a glance at Zhang Tao. His stern yet warm eyes stirred a quiet peace in his heart. "I'll protect you," he'd thought before the ritual, though he'd never said it aloud. Beyond the circle, the Xiao Clan's people looked to their leader with trust.The ritual began. Xiao Feng stepped into the circle first, speaking the sacred words of the Xiao Clan: "By the shadows of our ancestors, I offer our will." He poured his shadow qi into the runes; a black mist filled the circle. Li Mei followed, her voice sharp: "By the flames of our lineage, I bind our fate." She opened her hands, and flames licked the circle's edges, the heat searing the air. Zhang Tao spoke next, his tone steady: "By the earth of our roots, I shield our legacy." He shook the ground, carving a protective seal around the blood circle as stones rose from the earth. Chen Jian lifted his sword, declaring, "By the steel of our honor, I carve our path." His qi traced a line of light above the inscription. Wang Shu infused jade poison into talismans, whispering, "By the venom of our resolve, I mark our strength." Liu Wei summoned nature qi, vines wrapping the circle as he said, "By the life of our lands, I nurture our hope." Feng Xiu raised her hands, her voice soft: "By the winds of our spirit, I lift our dreams." Wind churned into a storm within the circle. Zhao Hu stepped up last, his tone bitter: "By the darkness of our ambition, I claim our right." He released dark qi into the center, his eyes glinting with ambition.The inscription's runes blazed suddenly. Clouds gathered overhead, a rumble filling the sky. Golden light burst from the stone, swirling around Feng Xiu. The wind turned her into the eye of a storm, and a golden seal appeared on her chest: "The Sixth Clan is Chosen." Her eyes widened in shock, her breath catching. Zhang Tao smiled softly. "Fate has found you," he whispered. But Li Mei narrowed her eyes, clenching her teeth. "Immortality given to a woman?" she hissed, then raised her voice, "When I'm a young girl myself!" Wang Shu frowned. "Is this random?" he muttered. Zhao Hu's face darkened with rage; beyond the circle, the Zhao Clan's people whispered, sensing his fury."Confirm it," Liu Wei said, his voice calm but tense. One by one, the clan leaders pressed their hands into the blood circle. Xiao Feng touched the blood, thinking, "For my clan, if not for peace." Li Mei did so reluctantly, Chen Jian with honor. Feng Xiu completed her seal gracefully, her eyes lingering on Zhang Tao. Then it was Zhao Hu's turn. "Why her?" he roared, his voice echoing through the circle. "Immortality for a woman? Is my blood worth nothing?" He yanked his hand back, blood splattering across the stones, and stepped out of the circle, breaking the sacred rule.In that instant, the sky tore open with a crimson rift. The circle shuddered, the inscription's light dimmed. Shadows from the Realm of Immortals, not flesh, but pure chaos, poured into the circle. Xiao Feng drew his sword, but the shadows were too fast. Zhang Tao lunged forward. "Feng Xiu, get back!" he shouted, summoning his Rock Wall; his body turned to stone. But a shadow's claw ripped through his chest. Blood sprayed across the circle, and Zhang Tao crumpled.Xiao Feng froze, then screamed, "My love, no!" He dropped to his knees, clutching Zhang Tao's lifeless hand, tears flooding his eyes. Feng Xiu collapsed beside him, sobbing, "Zhang Tao!" Li Mei stumbled back, stunned. "My love?" she murmured. Chen Jian furrowed his brow. "Were they… in love?" Beyond the circle, the crowd whispered in shock; the Zhang Clan's people began to wail at their leader's death.Wang Shu turned to Zhao Hu. "This is your doing!" he yelled, hurling a poison talisman. Li Mei unleashed her flames at him. "You've ruined us!" she cried. But Zhao Hu had already slipped out of the circle, vanishing into the darkness. At that moment, the shadows spilled beyond the circle, and panic erupted. Xiao Clan warriors drew their swords, Li Clan members summoned flames to defend themselves, but most screamed and fled down the mountain. Feng Clan members rushed to shield Feng Xiu, but the shadows of the Immortals were everywhere.The shadows withdrew, leaving Zhang Tao's body in the circle. Xiao Feng clenched his teeth, eyes wet with tears. "He was our strongest defense… If they can kill him, what are we?" The clan leaders exchanged glances as the rumbling from the sky grew louder. Beyond the circle, the communities had scattered, their screams echoing through the mountain. Xiao Feng tightened his fists. "Whoever caused this curse, I'll find you." The ritual had shattered, and the curse had begun.