Xianwu closed his eyes, placing his hand on Shen Mu's forehead as the Soul Searching Technique began to take hold. The light from his palm intensified, and he focused, expecting to see the fragments of Shen Mu's memories, clues that would reveal the Demon Sect's plans. Instead, everything around him turned to darkness, an oppressive void enveloping him completely.
A voice echoed from within the abyss, chilling and sinister. "Xianwu, so we finally meet again. I've waited for this moment for so long, though I must admit it has been entertaining to watch you fail over and over, your despair so sweet each time. You have struggled, fought, and yet, no matter how hard you tried, you always fell short. Do you remember the countless times you reached for victory, only for it to slip through your fingers like sand? It was amusing, truly. Watching you claw your way up, only to be torn back down."
The voice chuckled, the sound reverberating through the darkness, each note laced with venom. "You thought you could change fate, didn't you? That with enough power, enough determination, you could bend the world to your will. But you were wrong, Xianwu. Fate cannot be changed, and you are destined to fail, just as you always have. The cycle is endless, and no matter how many times you are reborn, no matter how much you grow, you will always end up right here—in the darkness, at my mercy."
Xianwu tried to move, but he found himself frozen in place, his mind reeling as pain tore through his body. It was as though he was being crushed from the inside, his very essence imploding under the force of the voice. The darkness seemed alive, pressing in on him, filling his senses with agony.
In the cell, Lan Hua and Yun Wei watched in horror as Xianwu's eyes flew open, glowing an unnatural shade of black. His face twisted in pain, and a scream tore from his lips, echoing through the stone walls of the cell. Lan Hua's heart pounded as she rushed forward, her voice filled with panic. "Xianwu! What's happening?!"
Yun Wei moved closer as well, trying to steady Xianwu. But they had no idea what to do, their helplessness evident in their frantic expressions. They could only watch as Xianwu's body convulsed, the black glow in his eyes growing stronger.
In the darkness of Xianwu's mind, the voice continued, each word dripping with malice. "Soon, Xianwu. Very soon, my time will come. I will be free again, and I will finally end this battle between us that has lasted for aeons. You cannot escape your fate. You think you are strong, that you have grown, but you are nothing compared to what I have become. I have fed on the darkness, thrived in the shadows, and now, my power is beyond anything you can comprehend."
The shadowy presence seemed to grow closer, the weight of its aura pressing down on Xianwu. "You may have forgotten, but I remember every moment of our past struggles. The countless times you tried to oppose me, the countless times you failed. You are but a flicker of light, and I am the darkness that will consume you."
Xianwu gritted his teeth, struggling against the unseen force that held him. The pain was unbearable, his mind on the brink of shattering, but he refused to yield. He could feel the presence behind the voice—a malevolent entity, ancient and powerful. Before he could react, a shadowy figure emerged from the darkness, approaching him slowly.
"And now," the voice whispered, the figure's form growing clearer, "I leave you with a parting gift. Something to remind you of your place, of what is to come. You will carry my mark, and it will serve as a reminder that no matter how far you go, no matter how strong you become, I am always there, watching, waiting."
The shadowed figure raised a hand, touching Xianwu's forehead. A searing pain erupted from the point of contact, and Xianwu's scream echoed both in the physical world and within the darkness. A black mark appeared on his forehead, pulsating with a dark energy that spread throughout his body, the pain intensifying to levels beyond comprehension.
Lan Hua's eyes widened as she saw the black mark appear on Xianwu's forehead, the dark energy seeming to pulse with every beat of his heart. "Xianwu! Please, fight it!" she cried, her voice cracking as she tried to reach him.
Yun Wei clenched his fists, frustration and fear written across his face. "We have to do something! We can't just let this happen!" But there was nothing they could do—the power holding Xianwu was beyond anything they had ever encountered.
Suddenly, Xianwu's screams ceased, his body going limp as his eyes rolled back. The black glow faded, and his body slumped forward, unconscious. The oppressive aura that had filled the cell seemed to dissipate, leaving only the dim light of the flickering torches.
Lan Hua dropped to her knees beside him, her hands trembling as she reached out to check his pulse. Relief washed over her as she felt the faint thud of his heartbeat, though it was weak. "He's alive..." she whispered, her voice breaking. She looked up at Yun Wei, her eyes filled with fear and confusion. "What was that? What happened to him?"
Yun Wei shook his head, his expression grim. "I don't know, but whatever it was... it wasn't something from this world." He looked down at Xianwu, the black mark still visible on his forehead. "We need to get him help. We can't let him face this alone."
Lan Hua nodded, determination replacing the fear in her eyes. "We'll get him through this. No matter what it takes." She glanced at the unconscious Shen Mu, his own body slumped and lifeless after the ordeal. Whatever answers they had hoped to gain from him were now buried in the darkness that had taken hold of Xianwu.