The Grand Rift yawned like a scar on the heavens, a mile-wide tear spewing abyssal hordes—demons with void wings, corrupted beasts howling madness. Allied sects converged: Azure Cloud, alongside Jade Serpent and Iron Fist, forming a bulwark at the Whispering Plains. Lin Feng, now a core vanguard, stood amid ten thousand, qi banners fluttering.
[System Milestone: War Mode. Quests Scale with Threat. Current: Survive First Wave, Devour 50 Abyssal Minions.]
Huo Yan commanded a flame phalanx, her phoenix fully awakened post-freedom—Layer 5, wings manifesting. Zhao led tempest berserkers, his redemption fueling a hybrid style: Azure infused with devoured wolf ferocity, Layer 4.
Lin Feng's squad: mixed cores, Xuan Fei captaining. "Strike surgically—target alphas. The Void Lord's summoning them."
Wave one: void imps, swarming like locusts. Lin Feng's Abyss Grasp extended, tendrils corrupting swathes—devouring essence en masse.
[Progress 20/50. Essence Flood: +200 Banked.]
His Storm whirled, blades siphoning souls. Nearby, a Jade Serpent disciple fell; Lin Feng devoured, gaining serpent coil technique—wrapping foes.
Zhao bellowed laughs amid chaos: "This is living!" His palm crushed an imp, but a larger fiend gored his side. Lin Feng pulled him with Tidal: "Stay alive, fool!"
Huo's inferno cleared paths, her shouts: "For our Daos!"
Mid-battle, Liang emerged—enhanced by void, Layer 10 aura. "Azure whelps! Burn!"
He targeted Huo, flames clashing in cataclysm. She held, but strained. Lin Feng flanked, Pounce carrying him atop Liang's back. Grasp latched, devouring void-taint.
Liang roared, shaking him off: "System thief! Feel the abyss!"
A void blast hurled Lin Feng, crashing through ranks. [HP 40/180. Void Corruption: -10% Qi.]
Xuan Fei dueled Liang, swords clashing in lightning-void symphony. "Traitor! For the alliance!"
Lin Feng rose, fusing corruption: [Purified. New Passive: Void Affinity—Resist Abyssal Effects.]
Rejoining, he wove Tendril with Storm—abyssal blades devouring Liang's flames. The patriarch faltered, wounds multiplying.
Huo struck the decisive: phoenix dive, talons rending heart. Liang gurgled: "The Lord... eternal..." Devoured by her, but Lin Feng siphoned remnants.
[Shared Essence: +50. Liang's Flame Claw Technique.]
Wave repelled, but rift widened. Night council: Yun Hao revealed lore—Void Lord, ancient demon sealed eons ago, stirring via Crimson betrayal.
Lin Feng's scan detected Lord's avatar forming—colossal shadow.
Second wave: elite demons. Lin Feng's squad pierced, devouring alphas for boosts. [50/50. Reward: Lord's Weakness—Devour Core.]
Zhao saved Lin Feng from a demon lord, taking a scar: "Payback."
Huo confessed mid-rest: "Love this life—free, fierce."
Lin Feng smiled, arc deepening: From loner to leader.
Dawn brought the avatar: a behemoth, tentacles lashing armies. Allied assault: Yun Hao's Nascent blast cracking shell.
Lin Feng infiltrated with Veil, Grasp to the core—a pulsating void heart. Demons swarmed; he fought through, skills symphony—Storm, Breath, Claw.
Core grasped: [Devouring... Resistance!]
Pain wracked—Lord's will crushing. Visions: endless hunger, worlds consumed. Join or perish?
"Never!" Lin Feng poured all—banked essence, affinities. Core shattered, devoured.
[System Overload: Level 3. Unlock: Essence Avatar—Summon Devoured Forms.]
Rift sealed temporarily, Lord banished. Cheers thundered.
But Zhao, wounded gravely, whispered: "Proud... brother." He stabilized, arc complete—static to dynamic.
Huo kissed Lin Feng's cheek: "Hero's due."
His thoughts: Victory tastes of devoured dreams.