The night outside Li Tianyuan's apartment was still, almost oppressively so. Only the faint rustle of leaves stirred in the wind, carrying a chill that seeped through the cracks of the old building. He sat hunched over his desk, the manuscripts spread before him, pages yellowed and fragile with age. His fingers traced the lines of the array diagram again and again, as if touching the ink could somehow transmit the power hidden within.
He took a deep breath, trying to calm the storm of thoughts swirling in his mind. The events of the previous night at the altar replayed vividly: the oppressive black mist, the awakening of a spirit older than memory, and the sudden surge of energy that had erupted from his own body. Could it be… that the manuscript held the key to understanding the power that had been dormant within him?
Li's eyes fell on the unfinished diagram, the circular main pattern nearly complete, but the center left deliberately blank. Beside it, a few hastily scrawled words stood out:
"Eye of the Spirit Seal, to be completed by future generations."
His heart pounded. The fissure he had seen in the altar… the widening rift of black mist… it all connected. The Eye of the Spirit Seal was no mere symbol; it was a physical point of weakness in the array. If left unresolved, the Great Sealing Array could collapse entirely, releasing the imprisoned spirits and chaos upon the mortal world.
Li traced the intricate symbols with his finger. Each rune, each stroke of ink, seemed to hum faintly, almost like a heartbeat. The pattern was not random; it was a map, a blueprint for weaving spiritual energy in precise sequences. He remembered Fuyuan's words: mastery over the array was not only about knowledge but also about bloodline. Perhaps that faint mark that had appeared on his chest at the altar was his inheritance—his family's link to the original sealing.
He leaned back in his chair, rubbing his temples. "So all of this… it's been waiting for me," he murmured. "My grandfather… the Li clan… they weren't ordinary people at all."
The thought made his pulse quicken. Ordinary men did not leave behind manuscripts filled with symbols that could channel spiritual energy, nor did they leave cryptic notes binding their descendants to sacred duties. And yet, here it was: a century-old responsibility, now falling squarely on his shoulders.
Li opened another page. This one contained annotations in a hand more hurried than the rest, almost as if written in haste during a moment of extreme urgency. Some lines were barely legible, faded by time, yet the meaning was unmistakable:
"The Eye must be completed under the gaze of the chosen bloodline. Failure will result in the collapse of the Great Array, and the spirits will roam unchecked."
A cold shiver ran down Li's spine. "Chosen bloodline… that's me," he whispered, feeling the weight of destiny pressing down.
He refocused on the diagram, comparing it with the descriptions in the manuscript. The outer rings depicted the structure of the original Great Sealing Array, including wards, talismans, and their placements. Each ring had symbols indicating flow of spiritual energy, directionality of wards, and nodes where energy would converge. The inner circle—the Eye—was the missing piece. Without it, the entire structure was unstable, like a bridge with a gaping hole in its center.
Li's mind raced. Could he complete it? Could he restore the array using only the knowledge in the manuscript and the faint connection to his bloodline? He recalled the golden sigil that had appeared on his chest at the altar, the way it had repelled the black mist. That surge had been instinctual, yet it clearly drew upon his family's spiritual inheritance.
A sudden gust rattled the window, making the pages flutter. The shadows in the room deepened, stretching unnaturally across the walls. Li felt a prickling sensation along his neck and arms, as though invisible eyes were watching, testing him. His grip on the manuscript tightened.
"If I fail… it's not just me. The entire city… perhaps even beyond…"
He swallowed hard, determination replacing the dread. The task was monumental, the responsibility staggering, yet he could not afford hesitation.
Li carefully copied the incomplete symbols onto a fresh sheet of parchment, using the manuscript only as a guide. Each stroke required precision; even the slightest deviation could distort the flow of energy. As he worked, he sensed a subtle vibration emanating from the ink, a resonance that pulsed faintly against his fingertips. He paused, feeling the hum, as if the symbols themselves were alive, responding to the presence of the chosen bloodline.
Hours passed, but Li continued tirelessly. Midnight gave way to the early morning, yet the room remained charged with a strange, almost tangible energy. The Eye of the Spirit Seal was beginning to take form under his hand, the gap in the array gradually closing. He could feel the potential within, a thread connecting him to the Great Array, linking past and present.
Finally, he leaned back, exhausted, staring at the partially completed diagram. It was still far from perfect, yet even this incomplete draft seemed to radiate power, shimmering faintly in the dim light.
Li's thoughts drifted back to Fuyuan and the altar. The fissure, the black mist, the spirits he had seen… they were all signals. Signals that time was running short, and that the Great Array required action—his action.
He closed his eyes and whispered, almost to himself:
"I will not fail. The Eye… the array… my family's duty… I will fulfill it."
A soft glow seemed to emanate from the manuscript, illuminating his face. In the silence of the night, Li Tianyuan finally understood: the manuscript was more than a record of the past. It was a guide, a challenge, and a legacy. And he—the descendant of the Li clan—was the one destined to carry it forward.
Outside, the wind howled again, but Li felt a strange calm settle within. The road ahead was dangerous, and the forces that sought the collapse of the Great Array would not rest. But for the first time, he felt a glimmer of hope. Armed with knowledge, guided by bloodline, and ignited by resolve, he would face the coming trials.
The night deepened, and the glow of the manuscript continued to pulse softly, as if acknowledging the birth of a new guardian.