The Eight Families' Fear
As the fierce battle between Yang Kai (Shiv), Yang Wei, and Yang Kang continued atop the rugged peaks, a sense of unease began to spread among the Eight Great Families. They had been watching the Inheritance War from the shadows, allowing the brothers to fight among themselves, but Yang Kai's increasing strength had unsettled them. He was proving to be more powerful than they had anticipated—too powerful to control.
In a hidden council chamber far from the battlefield, the leaders of the Eight Great Families gathered in secret. Their faces were grim as they discussed the situation. Yang Kai was not only overpowering his brothers, but his growth was threatening their hold over the region.
"He's growing too strong," one elder said, his voice filled with apprehension. "If Yang Kai wins, the Yang Family will become untouchable. Worse, we won't be able to influence him."
The others nodded in agreement. Yang Kai had become a problem that needed to be dealt with, but directly attacking him would create political chaos and could backfire.
"What do you propose?" another elder asked, his eyes narrowing as the weight of the situation settled in.
"We cannot afford to openly fight him," the first elder replied. "But we can lead him into a trap. We'll use the terrain and the environment to our advantage. He's powerful, but he's still human. If we weaken him enough, we can eliminate him without ever raising a blade."
---
Setting the Trap
The Eight Great Families had long held secret knowledge about the dangers hidden within the Thousand Layered Peaks. There were areas of the peaks where the very ground itself had become unstable over the years, riddled with traps set by ancient cultivators and forgotten by time. These places were deadly to even the strongest warriors, as the environment could break them down faster than any opponent.
Using this knowledge, the families devised their plan: they would subtly guide Yang Kai into one of these dangerous areas, a place where his strength would be turned against him. It was a perfect plan—subtle and deadly, with no direct involvement from the families themselves.
Unbeknownst to the brothers, the terrain of the peaks had already been tampered with. Certain areas, seemingly normal, were rigged to collapse, others were filled with residual energy left behind by ancient cultivators. The Eight Great Families had chosen one of the deadliest places within the peaks as the site of their trap, waiting for Yang Kai to fall into it.
But the families themselves were not unified. Hidden forces had been manipulating the inner factions, sowing discord among their ranks, pushing them toward this moment. Some members of the families felt uneasy about the plan, sensing that they were being guided toward this decision by unseen hands.
"We'll lead him to the Cracked Abyss," one elder whispered during the meeting. "The ground there is weak, and the energies unstable. Once he steps into that area, his power will turn against him."
Another elder frowned, a hint of doubt flashing in his eyes. "Are we sure this is the right course? What if we're being pushed into this?"
"There's no time for doubts," the head elder snapped. "The decision is made. We'll let the Thousand Layered Peaks take care of him. When the trap is sprung, there'll be no way for Yang Kai to escape."
---
The Brothers' Continuing Battle
Back on the battlefield, the clash between the three brothers continued. Yang Kai stood his ground, parrying attacks from both Yang Wei and Yang Kang with fluid precision. The ground beneath them cracked with each blow, the force of their strikes shaking the peaks themselves.
Despite their best efforts, Yang Wei and Yang Kang were unable to overpower Shiv (Yang Kai). His movements were swift, his strikes devastating. Every time one of them tried to corner him, he would counter with such precision that it left them scrambling to recover.
"You've improved," Yang Wei grunted as he narrowly avoided one of Shiv's strikes, "but don't think that makes you invincible."
Yang Kang, always more cautious, was waiting for an opening, watching for a moment when both of his brothers were distracted. But no such opportunity presented itself—Yang Kai's power was overwhelming.
However, the battle had drawn them closer to the area that had been prepared by the Eight Great Families. None of them realized that the ground beneath their feet was becoming more treacherous, that every step was bringing them closer to the Cracked Abyss—a place of forgotten danger.
---
The Trap Springs
As the brothers continued their battle, the first sign of danger appeared. Shiv felt a sudden, unnatural shift in the ground beneath him. It was subtle at first—a slight tremor—but his instincts, honed by years of fighting, immediately recognized the danger.
"Something's wrong," he muttered under his breath, his eyes narrowing as he surveyed the surroundings.
Before he could react, the ground beneath his feet gave way. A massive crack opened beneath him, jagged and deep, and the unstable energy of the area surged forth. The ancient forces that had been lying dormant within the Cracked Abyss were suddenly unleashed, creating a vortex of chaotic energy that threatened to pull everything into it.
Both Yang Wei and Yang Kang stopped mid-battle, their eyes widening as they realized what was happening. The very environment had turned against them.
"What is this?" Yang Wei shouted, leaping back as the ground crumbled beneath him.
"The abyss…" Yang Kang muttered, his voice filled with disbelief. "We're standing on the Cracked Abyss!"
The energies of the abyss swirled around them, powerful and unstable. The Eight Families' trap had been triggered. The ground beneath them began to collapse, and the ancient forces within the area pulled at their cultivation energy, threatening to drain them dry.
---
Yang Kai in the Trap
For the first time during the battle, Shiv found himself at a disadvantage. The chaotic energies of the Cracked Abyss disrupted his control over his own power, making it harder for him to maintain balance. Every step he took seemed to draw him closer to the collapsing ground.
But Yang Kai was nothing if not resourceful.
His mind raced as he tried to assess the situation. The abyss was draining their energy, feeding on the strength of their cultivation. The more power they used, the faster they would be pulled into its depths. But retreating wasn't an option—there was no escape from this trap.
"This was planned," Shiv realized, his eyes flashing with anger. "The Eight Families set this up."
He could feel the energy of the abyss pulling at him, but he refused to be defeated. Drawing on the depths of his power, Shiv began to stabilize his energy, pulling it inward instead of letting it flow out. He focused on keeping his movements controlled, limiting the amount of power he expended.
His brothers, however, were not faring as well. Yang Wei, still reeling from the sudden shift, was struggling to keep his footing as the ground crumbled beneath him. Yang Kang, realizing the gravity of the situation, began to retreat, but even he could see that the situation was rapidly spiraling out of control.
"This is madness!" Yang Kang shouted. "The Eight Families want us all dead!"
---
Internal Strife Behind the Trap
As the trap continued to unfold, elsewhere, the discord within the Eight Families reached its peak. The very leaders who had orchestrated this plan were now facing internal opposition, with several members questioning whether they had been manipulated into this decision.
"This wasn't our idea," one of the elders muttered, his voice filled with doubt. "Someone pushed us into this."
"They've turned the environment against us, not just against Yang Kai," another added, his eyes flicking nervously at the others. "This is more than just a simple trap."
The internal strife was being fueled by unseen forces—forces that had been stoking the flames of division within the Eight Families for months. And now, as the trap they had set began to spiral out of control, those forces were about to make their next move.
But for now, Yang Kai, Yang Wei, and Yang Kang remained caught in the deadly trap of the Cracked Abyss, unaware of the larger game being played behind the scenes.