The chamber fell into an eerie silence after the woman's departure. The last remnants of her ethereal presence flickered and faded, leaving behind only a thick, suffocating quiet. Lin Ze stood frozen, his thoughts swirling like a storm. The woman—one of the original rulers of Blood-Tide—had warned them, but her cryptic words did little to explain what was truly at stake.
Yue Qing'er stood beside him, her expression tense, her hand still gripping her dagger. The air around them felt heavier now, as though the entire city was holding its breath, waiting for something to happen.
"Lin Ze…" Yue Qing'er's voice was quiet, almost hesitant. "What did she mean? About the price we'll pay?"
Lin Ze shook his head, unable to answer her. He didn't have a clear answer himself. The woman's words had been ominous, but they didn't provide clarity. They only deepened the mystery, and the uncertainty gnawed at his resolve.
"I don't know," Lin Ze muttered. "But we can't stop now. If we do, all of this—the Forgotten Ones, the power they seek—will consume everything."
Yue Qing'er's gaze softened, though doubt still lingered in her eyes. "But what if there's more to this than we understand? What if… we're being used?"
Lin Ze turned toward her, his eyes serious. "I've always believed that I could control my own fate. The system, the powers I've gained—they're mine. We're in this together, and I won't let anything happen to you. Whatever price we have to pay, we'll face it together."
She met his gaze for a long moment, her sharp eyes searching his face for any hint of weakness. Then, finally, she nodded. "I trust you, Lin Ze. Let's finish this."
The determination in her voice gave him a renewed sense of purpose. He couldn't afford to let doubts cloud his judgment now. They had already come too far, and there was too much at stake. The Forgotten Ones, the ancient pacts, and the dark forces within the city—they all tied back to the same sinister truth. And Lin Ze would unravel it, no matter the cost.
With a deep breath, he turned toward the closed door behind them. The heavy stone was still sealed shut, its surface faintly glowing with the remnants of the energy that had erupted when the woman vanished. He placed his hand on the door once more, willing the power within him to react, to break the seal and reveal what lay beyond.
But before he could do so, a low rumble shook the ground beneath them. It started as a tremor, faint but growing, until the very walls of the chamber began to groan, as if the entire structure was waking from a long slumber.
"Lin Ze," Yue Qing'er whispered, her voice laced with panic. "What's happening?"
The tremors intensified, and a deep, guttural growl reverberated through the air. The ground beneath them cracked open, and from the fissures, dark tendrils of energy began to rise. Shadows twisted and coiled around the room, forming grotesque shapes—forms that seemed to pulse with malevolent intent.
"Get ready!" Lin Ze shouted, instinctively drawing his sword as the tendrils surged toward them.
But before they could react, the shadows solidified, taking the form of monstrous creatures—tall, skeletal beings with glowing red eyes and jagged, obsidian claws. They were the remnants of the Forgotten Ones, their bodies composed of darkness and hatred, their presence suffocating and malevolent.
The leader, the one who had spoken to Lin Ze earlier, emerged from the depths of the shadows, its form towering above the rest. It let out a terrible screech that reverberated through the chamber, the sound like nails scraping against stone.
"You think you can stop us?" it snarled, its voice an eerie, distorted echo. "You are nothing more than ants, scrambling for a glimpse of power you cannot comprehend."
Lin Ze's heart pounded in his chest, but he stood tall, his grip tightening around his sword. "I won't let you win. This city, this world, belongs to the living!"
The creature's eyes glowed with malice, and with a flick of its clawed hand, it sent a wave of dark energy crashing toward Lin Ze. He raised his sword just in time to deflect the blow, but the force of the impact sent him stumbling back.
Yue Qing'er didn't hesitate. She sprang into action, her dagger flashing through the air as she slashed at one of the smaller creatures. The blade cut through the shadowy form, but it barely seemed to faze it. The creatures were not entirely physical—they were bound by darkness, their very essence a manifestation of the forgotten powers that had once ruled this city.
Lin Ze gritted his teeth, summoning the Void Dragon Technique once more. The energy surged within him, enveloping his body in a storm of flame and power. His sword crackled with energy as he swung it toward the leader of the Forgotten Ones, releasing a wave of fiery destruction.
The creature howled in pain as the flames struck it, but it quickly regained its composure, its shadowy form healing before Lin Ze's eyes. It was no use. The power of these beings was beyond anything Lin Ze had encountered before.
"Your strength is meaningless," the creature mocked, its voice filled with derision. "You cannot defeat us. We are the harbingers of the end. And you are nothing but a fleeting moment."
Lin Ze's eyes blazed with determination. "I won't accept that. I will fight until the end."
Just as he prepared to launch another attack, a strange sensation washed over him—an intense feeling of dread and foreboding. He turned to look at Yue Qing'er, but she was already looking back at him, her expression mirroring his own fear.
Then, a voice echoed in the chamber, deep and resonant, reverberating through the walls like a call from the very depths of time.
"Enough."
The creatures froze, their glowing eyes flickering. The shadows that had been swirling around them dissipated, and the leader of the Forgotten Ones turned its gaze toward the source of the voice.
A figure emerged from the shadows—tall, cloaked in a dark robe, his face obscured by a hood. He walked slowly toward them, the very air around him crackling with power. His presence was unlike anything Lin Ze had ever felt before—ancient, unfathomable, and overwhelming.
"You…" the creature growled, its voice shaking with fear. "You are… him."
The figure lifted his hood, revealing a face that was both familiar and alien. His features were sharp, his eyes glowing with an eerie, unsettling light.
"I am the Master," the figure said, his voice calm and commanding. "And I am the one who holds the key to your destruction."
Lin Ze's mind reeled as he looked at the man before him. The Master was an enigma—someone who had remained hidden in the shadows for centuries, a figure whose name was whispered in fear and reverence. But why was he here? Why had he come now?
The leader of the Forgotten Ones snarled, its form flickering in and out of existence. "You cannot control us, Master! The pact is sealed! We will bring about the end!"
The Master's gaze narrowed, and with a simple gesture, the creatures fell silent, their bodies trembling. "You misunderstand," he said, his tone cold and dispassionate. "The pact was never meant to be kept. The price was too high, even for you."
Lin Ze's heart raced. "What are you talking about? What price?"
The Master's eyes flicked toward Lin Ze, his expression unreadable. "You are a child of the Void, are you not? Then you should understand that nothing comes without consequence. The Forgotten Ones are but a small part of a much larger scheme. A scheme that I have orchestrated from the very beginning."
The words hit Lin Ze like a blow to the chest. The Master was behind all of this? The creatures, the pact, the power—the city itself—it was all part of his plan?
Yue Qing'er stepped forward, her voice defiant. "What do you want from us? Why are you doing this?"
The Master's lips curled into a thin smile. "What I want, child, is the same thing you do. Control. Power. And the ultimate ascendancy."
A chilling silence followed his words, the implications of his statement hanging heavy in the air.
Lin Ze felt his blood run cold. The Master wasn't just a ruler—he was the architect of the very darkness that had plagued Blood-Tide. And now, he was ready to claim his final victory.
End of Chapter 16