The rift swallowed Lin Hao and the Verdant Lotus Sect in a deafening plunge, the void's darkness deepening as the Lotus Soul Amulet's golden lotus flame flickered like a dying ember against the endless black. Lin Hao spiraled through the air, his eyes still glowing with a faint golden light, the amulet pulsing weakly in his blood-streaked hands as the sect's cries faded into the shadows, their forms lost in the abyss. His body trembled with exhaustion, fresh blood seeping from reopened scars, but his heart blazed with fierce determination to find a path through this new realm and save his people from the Void King's grasp.
The deep void stretched into an oppressive expanse, its walls shimmering with faint, ghostly lights that pulsed like trapped souls, the air thick with a chilling mist that stung their skin and clouded their vision. Disciples tumbled helplessly, their splintered green staffs glowing dimly as they chanted with fading hope, their voices swallowed by the void's eerie silence broken only by the distant drip of unseen water. Elder Qian Yu fell beside Lin Hao, her tattered robe fluttering like a broken wing, her face etched with fear and unyielding resolve, the amulet's weak light reflecting in her eyes as shadowy tendrils coiled tighter around them.
"This deeper realm tests our spirit—we must endure," she rasped, her voice rough yet steady like a fading anchor, the golden flame's energy barely clinging as she gripped her cracked staff. She raised it with a trembling hand, a frail green shield sputtering to life with a faint, stuttering hum, struggling to repel the tendrils as the flame weakened further. "Lin Hao, awaken that flame's power—lead us to safety!" she urged, her gaze locking with his dimming golden eyes, filled with a fierce intensity that sparked a flicker of strength in his exhausted frame.
Lin Hao twisted in the fall, the golden flame sputtering as it fought to mend his torn skin, fresh blood mixing with the void's mist, the lotus blaze dimming with each shallow breath he forced out. "I'll find a way to save us," he vowed, his voice echoing faintly through the abyss, his fingers clutching the amulet as its energy waned, battling the exhaustion that threatened to pull him under. Lian Wei tumbled near him, their silver robe tattered and streaked with grime, their staff glowing a dim blue that merged with the flame like a fading star, offering a fragile hope. "The Void King's trials await, and the flame is our guide—hold on, my brother, for our survival hangs by a thread!" they whispered, their voice shaky with dread, gripping his arm with a trembling hand as the darkness thickened.
The rift's walls pulsed with a rhythmic throb, shadowy tendrils lashing out like serpents, wrapping around the sect with a cold, constricting grip that dragged them deeper into the black. The fall slowed, the ground below hardening into a jagged, obsidian plain dotted with glowing crystals that cast eerie reflections, the air growing heavy with a scent like burnt metal and lost time. Rong Shen's limp form reappeared, entangled in tendrils, his singed cloak shredded, purple embers gone as the Void King's laughter boomed, a towering shadow rising from the plain's center.
Jiao Mei fought the tendrils, her sword dim with cracked magic lines, striking weakly with a tired shout that echoed faintly. The gaunt guy summoned a black-flamed spectre, its moan cutting through the silence with a hollow sound, its form flickering against the void's pull. Lin Hao raised the amulet, the golden flame flaring briefly into a struggling lotus blaze that cast a frail light, filling him with a surge of energy that fought his exhaustion, giving him resolve to face the Void King with a courage that flickered but endured.
Qian Yu's green shield wavered with a soft, dying hum, her staff trembling as the golden flame wove into her magic, creating a fragile barrier that strained against the tendrils, its edges fraying. Wei Tao rallied the disciples with a hoarse cry, their chants rising with desperate strength like a fading pulse, their green light merging with the flame to resist the darkness, their faces glowing with grim determination. Lian Wei's blue magic clashed with the spectre, ice shards flying like a weak storm across the plain, enhanced by the flame to strike with cold, fading fury that glittered briefly before vanishing.
Lin Hao channeled the amulet's power, the golden flame sputtering as he chanted the Starfall Codex with a voice that trembled like a distant whisper, his body radiating a dim light. A fragile golden flower shield bloomed, its petals shimmering faintly like stars lost in the void, the flame's power weakening to cast a trembling glow that steadied his heart. The Void King unleashed a wave of shadows that slammed into the shield with a muted crash, the impact shaking his frame, but the shield held, the flame's resilience flickering like a warrior facing an endless trial.
Rong Shen's form twitched, tendrils tightening as he groaned, the void pulling him toward the King. Jiao Mei's sword clashed against the shield with a dull thud, her moves slow and exhausted, her eyes dimming as the flame's light overwhelmed her strength. The spectre's flames faded, its form dissolving into the void, but the golden flame struggled to hold back the growing darkness that pulsed with the King's power.
The altar's remnants, now a faint glow on the plain, pulsed weakly, its magic fading like a lost echo, clinging to the air with a whisper of ancient glory. Lin Hao pushed harder with a determined growl, the golden flower standing frail, its light slicing through the shadows like a fading blade. Qian Yu's green magic boosted him with a cold surge, the flame blending into a dim wave that lit the plain, sparking courage in the sect's hearts.
Lian Wei's staff struck the tendrils, the flame amplifying the strike to push them back, leaving a shimmer of ice. The gaunt guy fell silent, his form vanishing into the void, his spirit lost. The Void King laughed, its form solidifying, dragging the plain's edges downward with a relentless force.
"You will break under my trials," it boomed, the void swirling like a hungry maw, its words a thunderous challenge. The plain cracked, shadows rising, shaking the world with tremors that threatened to bury them. Lin Hao's shield wobbled, his energy draining, but the flame flared faintly, steadying him against the King's pull.
A blue wall shot up from Lian Wei, joining Qian Yu's magic and the flame in a fragile burst, their faces glowing with effort. The void slowed, giving them a moment to breathe, their chests heaving with fear. Jiao Mei stabbed again, cutting Lin Hao's leg, but the flame's warmth failed, leaving the wound open.
Blood dripped from his leg, pain lingering, but he held on, his eyes on the amulet as the flame dimmed. He poured its power into the codex, a golden wave pushing the shadows back with a weak thud. The King staggered, its strength growing, offering a slim chance to resist.
"Stand tall and fight," Qian Yu shouted, her staff high with the flame's light. The disciples' shields flickered, their chants rising, hands clutching staffs with resolve. The plain crumbled, the void pulling harder, knocking some down.
Lian Wei's light struck the King, ice cracking its form, the flame enhancing the shards. The void voice roared, a new wave rolling with sinister strength. Lin Hao's energy faded, the amulet cooling, but the flame flared briefly, his body swaying as he fought.
He gripped the amulet, its flame pulsing weakly, light flaring with his chant. The golden flower dimmed, the void's power growing, but the flame reignited faintly. Qian Yu's array faltered, the disciples struggling, but the flame steadied them.
"Find your strength," Lian Wei urged, their voice steady, nodding to him. Qian Yu rallied with a cheer, their light flaring weakly, lifting spirits. Lin Hao sang the codex, the burst lighting the plain, pushing back the dark with a roar, their voices joining in a chorus.
The wave paused, the King stumbling with a hiss. The void pulsed, pulling harder, its edges glowing darker. The King raised its arms, shadows swirling into a massive wave, aiming to engulf them, but Lin Hao thrust the amulet forward, the flame flaring into a desperate blaze that met the wave, the plain trembling as light and shadow clashed, a portal opening with a blinding flash, hinting at escape or a deeper trap.
Lin Hao's shield broke, his energy gone, his body falling as the flame lifted him briefly, gasping. The wave and flame collided, the plain erupting with light, rocks vanishing into the portal, pelting them through smoky air. He plunged toward the portal, the amulet pulsing, the flame dimming as the void swallowed them, the King's laugh echoing, promising a new challenge or an end.
Qian Yu and Lian Wei reached out, their magic clashing with the surge, faces strained. The disciples' chants faded, shields dissolving, hands grasping as the ground gave way. The portal roared, the void pulling them through, its edges glowing with a dark promise, but the flame flickered, bathing them in a last glow as they fell, leaving their fate teetering on the edge of a new unknown.