The victory over the Void Lord brought a fragile peace, but it was a veneer over a deeper truth. Within Lin Feng's soul, the Shadow Master—the god behind the Devourer System—stirred with renewed vigor. His meditations in the secluded Azure Cloud grotto turned into a silent war, the Master's voice a seductive whisper: "Yield to me, and ascend beyond mortality."
[Quest: Subdue Shadow Master. Reward: True Devourer Dao.]
Lin Feng shared his burden with Huo Yan and Zhao Kun, their bond forged in battle now a lifeline. Huo's eyes flickered with resolve, her phoenix flames warming the air. "You're not a puppet, Lin Feng. We'll fight this together." Zhao, ever practical, cracked a grin: "Let's gut this god like any other demon."
Determined, they sought the Arcane Library's ancient tomes, uncovering the Shadow Master's origins. Once a devourer deity, it had been sealed by primordial cultivators, its essence fragmented into systems to sow chaos across realms. Lin Feng's system, the last and strongest, was its final gambit.
A new threat interrupted their research: remnants of the Crimson Flame Sect, led by a void-animated Liang, launched assaults on allied outposts. The trio mobilized, the system guiding them: [Side Quest: End Liang's Echo.]
The outpost was a smoldering ruin when they arrived. Liang's puppet form, twisted with void energy, laughed—a hollow sound. "The Master claims you, boy. Your power is his!"
The battle erupted with ferocity. Liang's void-phoenix clashed with Huo Yan's pure flames, their heat warping the air. Zhao's Void Cyclone pinned the puppet's movements, his tempest tearing through corrupted defenses. Lin Feng summoned his Echoes—Boar charging, Phoenix blazing, Serpent striking—overwhelming Liang's form. With a decisive Serpent Fang Strike, he pierced the puppet's core, essence flooding back.
[Devoured: Liang Echo. Gained: 120 Essence. Void Phoenix Form.]
The Shadow Master seized the moment, its presence flooding Lin Feng's mind with visions—galaxies devoured, power infinite. "Join the eternal feast," it purred. He anchored himself with Huo and Zhao's qi, their presence a bulwark. Huo's hand on his shoulder steadied him: "Stay with us, Lin Feng."
Channeling Divine Devourer Mode, he expelled the Master's shade, his will a blade against the god's influence. [Suppression Success. Dao Insight +50%.]
At Layer 9 (20%), Lin Feng felt his Dao crystallize—not a tool of destruction, but a balance of consumption and creation. Returning to the sect, they were hailed as saviors, but the Master's final whisper lingered: "I am eternal."
Huo Yan suggested a bold plan: "We must hunt its source—beyond the mortal plane." Zhao nodded, his voice firm: "Together, always."
Lin Feng's gaze hardened, thoughts resolute: My Dao, my destiny.