Xiao Chen stood before the altar, the blade of his sword trembling slightly. Yan Yao's words had pierced his heart like a sharp dagger. The truth about his parents' death—how it was closely tied to the Long Night Palace—was a dark secret hidden deep within. Their betrayal and sacrifice had become a buried secret. Xiao Chen could hardly bear this truth, but he knew he could not retreat, nor could he succumb to fate.
He gripped the Star Soul Sword tightly, his gaze unwavering. "I will destroy the resurrection of the Long Night God and change all of this."
A flicker of complex emotion flashed in Yan Yao's eyes, but she didn't stop him. She spoke softly, "Do you really think you can change anything? Can you change your parents' death, or change the fate of the world?"
Xiao Chen's eyes grew sharp. "No matter what, I don't believe in fate. I only believe in my own choices."
Yan Yao sighed, closing her eyes briefly, as if making a decision. She suddenly looked up, her gaze meeting Xiao Chen's, her voice low. "Then, try it. The resurrection of the Long Night God cannot be stopped. The flow of fate has already been decided. You can resist until the end, but in the end, you will not escape the control of fate."
Xiao Chen took a deep breath and turned to look at the massive stone tablet in the center of the altar. It was engraved with ancient symbols, emitting a terrifying black glow. The seal of the Long Night God was here. Xiao Chen knew that in order to destroy the resurrection plan, he had to first destroy this seal tablet.
"Chu Yuan." Xiao Chen turned to look at the man beside him. "You go distract the guards. I'll destroy the seal."
Chu Yuan nodded without hesitation. "Don't worry. I know what to do."
As Xiao Chen prepared to destroy the seal, Chu Yuan quietly disappeared into the darkness, beginning to draw the attention of the Long Night Palace and disrupt the guards' sight. Xiao Chen wasted no time and walked directly toward the altar, Star Soul Sword in hand. The energy within him surged, and sword Qi spread like a violent storm.
The symbols on the altar began to tremble as if sensing Xiao Chen's aura. Their light flickered, and black energy began to surge. Xiao Chen took a deep breath, swung the Star Soul Sword, and the sword light became a dazzling beam, cutting directly toward the stone tablet.
Boom!
A deafening explosion sounded as the Star Soul Sword collided with the stone tablet, releasing an incredible wave of energy. Xiao Chen felt a powerful backlash that nearly sent him flying. However, his gaze remained resolute, and without hesitation, he swung his sword again.
This time, Xiao Chen unleashed all his Star Soul power, and the sword Qi roared like a thousand thunderbolts, piercing the stone tablet directly. Cracks began to appear on the surface of the stone tablet, and the black glow flickered wildly, as if it were struggling in its final moments.
"I did it!" Xiao Chen's eyes sparkled with a glimmer of hope, but soon, the cracks began to expand. A sudden tremor sounded from the bottom of the stone tablet, followed by a powerful suction force coming from deep within the tablet, pulling Xiao Chen toward it.
"What is this…" Xiao Chen was startled and struggled to break free, but he found himself powerless to resist. It was as if an immense force was pressing down on him.
Just then, a familiar voice came from behind. "Xiao Chen, don't waste your strength."
Xiao Chen turned around and saw Yan Yao standing before the altar. Her eyes still held that coldness, but there was an underlying sense of deep resignation. "Do you think destroying the seal can change fate? The resurrection of the Long Night God is unstoppable."
"Yan Yao!" Xiao Chen gritted his teeth. "Are you really willing to become a puppet of the Long Night Palace, willing to let the Long Night God resurrect and control the fate of the world?"
Yan Yao didn't answer. She slowly approached the altar and whispered, "You don't understand, Xiao Chen. After the resurrection of the Long Night God, fate will no longer be a single path. It will become diverse, and all choices will no longer be inevitable. We can create a new fate and break this endless cycle."
Xiao Chen's heart trembled violently, and the last shred of doubt was ignited within him. "Are you saying that after the resurrection of the Long Night God, fate will become unpredictable, and everyone will have the freedom of choice?"
Yan Yao nodded gently. "Yes. The true meaning of the resurrection of the Long Night God is not for it to dominate everything, but to allow the entire world to have the power of choice. Fate will no longer be governed by deities, but will be decided by each person."
Xiao Chen's mind was instantly plunged into deep confusion. He had always believed that fate was something inevitable, something that couldn't be fought against—his parents' death, everything he had gone through, seemed to prove that. But Yan Yao's words made him waver. If, after the resurrection of the Long Night God, fate was no longer predetermined but could be changed, could he use that power to exact revenge, find out the truth behind his parents' death, and change the future for himself and others?
However, Xiao Chen's rationality told him that the cost of resurrecting the Long Night God was far too great. Even if fate could be changed, its resurrection would never be a simple liberation; it could bring endless disaster and unpredictable consequences.
"No!" Xiao Chen shook his head fiercely, deciding not to dwell on it any longer. "Even if fate can be changed, the cost of resurrecting the Long Night God is too heavy. I can't risk it for my own selfish desires!"
A flicker of disappointment flashed in Yan Yao's eyes. "Xiao Chen, it seems you still don't understand. Fate is not something we can choose. The resurrection of the Long Night God is the only solution. No matter how you resist, it will eventually sweep over you like a tidal wave."
"I will not let it resurrect!" Xiao Chen's voice was filled with determination. "If resurrecting the Long Night God means letting fate take control of the world again, then I would rather destroy this plan completely!"
As his words fell, Xiao Chen's Star Soul power surged once again. He swung his sword with all his might, and sword Qi surged like a dragon, tearing through the protective layers of the seal. In an instant, the entire altar began to shake violently, the black light scattering everywhere, and the stone tablet shattered completely.
Boom—
A deafening explosion erupted as the seal on the altar shattered. In the same instant, an overwhelming power exploded from deep within, sweeping outward in all directions.
Xiao Chen felt a powerful shockwave hit him, almost knocking him off his feet, but he held onto the Star Soul Sword tightly, his gaze resolute as he faced the erupting light. At this moment, his mind was filled with only one thought—break this shackling fate and change everything.
The resurrection of the Long Night God had finally begun, revealing its true form.