Chapter 16: The AWAKENING
It was otherworldly in design, ancient yet untouched by the decay of time. As Bhoumik drew closer, the jade pendant at his waist and the dragon token began to pulse with a powerful energy, reacting to the structure with an intensity that made the air around him hum. The spiritual energy they emitted surged towards the structure's large doors, and with a deafening groan, the doors began to open.
Stepping inside, Bhoumik's breath caught in his throat. The hall he entered was vast, with towering ceilings and walls adorned with intricate carvings. The murals depicted ancient warriors locked in battle, their forms radiating a strength that seemed to echo through time. In the center of the hall was a massive lotus, carved from what appeared to be obsidian. At its heart, a smaller lotus glowed with an ethereal light, casting a dim glow across the room.
Suddenly, a deep, commanding voice rang out, reverberating through the hall.
"Welcome to the Void Lotus Temple, boy."
Bhoumik's expression remained cold and unreadable. Despite the overwhelming power of the voice, there was no fear in his eyes. He stood tall and unmoving, his mind racing but his emotions locked behind an iron wall.
A question tugged at his mind, and in his typical cold, straightforward manner, he responded.
"Who are you? And what is the Void Lotus Temple?"
A rumbling chuckle echoed in the air.
"Hehehe!"
"You are a bold one, to speak so confidently even in such a situation. I find it amusing." The voice paused, as if considering him for a moment. "As for who I am... let's just say I am the protector of this place. But you, boy-how is it that you stand here, where even the most powerful cultivators have fallen?"
The question caught Bhoumik off guard. His sharp mind churned, but after a moment of reflection, he decided to answer on his own terms.
"My name is Bhoumik Pal," he said coldly. "As for how I came here, you'll have to answer my questions first."
The voice laughed again, this time with a trace of amusement. "Good. You have spirit, I'll give you that. This is the Void Battlefield, a place of endless destruction where countless powerful beings met their end. The Void Lotus Temple, where you now stand, holds the knowledge of all things-creation, destruction, reincarnation, and more. But this knowledge is not given freely. Only those deemed worthy by the temple can unlock its secrets."
Before Bhoumik could respond, a sudden, excruciating pain shot through his chest, spreading quickly to his mind. The pain was unlike anything he had ever felt-ten times worse than the agony he had experienced in the tomb's ruins. His body crumpled to the floor, and for the first time since his rebirth, a scream tore from his throat, a sound so primal it seemed to shake the very walls of the temple.
As he writhed in agony, a dark, golden aura began to seep from his body, swirling around him before flowing towards the glowing lotus at the center of the hall. The small lotus absorbed the aura, its glow intensifying until it enveloped Bhoumik entirely. His unconscious body began to levitate, drifting towards the lotus as it pulsed with energy.
The protector's voice, now filled with excitement, rang out once more.
"Hahahaha..."
"Yes... after eons of waiting, it has finally awakened!"
The dark and golden aura coiled around the small lotus, merging with it until both became one. A towering pillar of black light erupted from the temple, shooting into the heavens above. Within the pillar, a spiritual lotus formed-its petals black with crimson veins, radiating a menacing, devouring aura.
"Behold!" the protector's voice thundered. "The Lotus Devouring of the Infernal Void Body has awakened!"
As the pillar of light faded, Bhoumik's unconscious form floated gently back to the ground. Inside his consciousness, the image of the dark lotus with crimson veins had taken root, cradling his soul within its protective embrace. The temple was silent once more, save for the faint, lingering echo of the protector's sinister laughter.
Bhoumik lay unconscious, his body motionless, yet within his mind a powerful force stirred. Deep inside his consciousness, a dark lotus bloomed—its petals a rich, spiritual black with veins of crimson, exuding an aura that devoured the very light around it. The lotus pulsed rhythmically, like a heartbeat, as if waiting for something—its full awakening tied to the boy now locked in an unearthly slumber.
Outside, his body lay in the center of the great lotus in the Void Lotus Temple, still and peaceful, though an intense power radiated from him. Time seemed to stretch on indefinitely. Hours? Days? It was impossible to tell in this space where the concept of time was meaningless. The temple, once quiet, began to tremble.
Suddenly, a glowing mysterious mark appeared on Bhoumik's forehead, its form etched in dark and golden hues. As it manifested, the entire Void Lotus Temple quaked violently. The ancient walls, adorned with carvings of fierce warriors and forgotten battles, shuddered as though awakening to the presence of something far greater than themselves.
The tremors subsided after what felt like an eternity, and Bhoumik's eyelids fluttered open. His eyes, dark and deep like the abyss itself, stared unblinkingly into the emptiness of the temple's vast hall. He slowly rose to his feet, his body still trembling slightly from the aftermath of the power that had surged through him. His expression, however, remained cold and emotionless, as if the tremendous shift within him was but a fleeting inconvenience.
The voice of the protector boomed through the stillness, its tone laced with reverence. "Congratulations, Master Bhoumik. You have awakened the 'Lotus Devouring of Infernal Void Body' and with it, you have become the ruler of the Void Lotus Temple... and the Void Battlefield."
Bhoumik's gaze, as cold and distant as ever, fell upon the protector. His voice was steady, devoid of emotion. "Ruler of the Void Battlefield? The Void Lotus Temple? What does this mean? And what is the 'Lotus Devouring of Infernal Void Body'? Explain."
The protector's lips curved into a smile, a look of admiration flickering in its ancient eyes. "Of course, Master. The 'Lotus Devouring of Infernal Void Body' is a power feared across the universe. It is a force so rare and profound that if others were to learn of its awakening within you, they would stop at nothing to destroy you. For with this power, you can rule the Void Lotus Temple and the Void Battlefield—a place where space and time lose all meaning. No force can bind you here. No law of nature applies."
As the protector's words echoed through the chamber, Bhoumik's expression remained unchanged. His dark eyes gleamed faintly in the dim light of the temple as he considered the implications of the protector's statement.
"I am now the ruler of this place," Bhoumik stated flatly. "And what of you?"
The protector chuckled, the sound resonating like the grinding of ancient stones. "I have waited here for countless millennia, awaiting the arrival of the one worthy to inherit this power. Now that you have come, I am yours to command, Master. I shall be your right hand, and you may call upon me at any time. My sole purpose now is to serve you."
For a long moment, Bhoumik was silent, his cold gaze fixed on the protector. Then, in his characteristic emotionless tone, he spoke again, his words cutting through the air like ice. "When I awakened... I felt something else. A force more powerful than the 'Lotus Devouring of Infernal Void Body.' It was attempting to suppress it. What was that?"
The protector's eyes narrowed, its expression turning contemplative. "Ah... so you have felt it as well," it muttered, almost to itself. After a brief pause, it addressed Bhoumik directly, its voice holding a new weight of seriousness. "That, Master, is the power of your bloodline."
Bhoumik's brow furrowed slightly, the only sign of curiosity he allowed himself to show. The protector continued.
"When you awakened, the mysterious mark appeared on your forehead—this is a manifestation of your bloodline's sealed power. I assumed you knew of it, but now it seems I was mistaken. Your bloodline is sealed, Master, but it is ancient and formidable. Even more so than the 'Lotus Devouring of Infernal Void Body.' The fact that it can suppress such a power is... extraordinary."
The protector's gaze lingered on Bhoumik's face, searching for a reaction. But the boy remained as unreadable as ever. His mind, however, raced with questions he dared not voice aloud. His bloodline—what was it? Who were his parents? Why had they abandoned him in that cursed village, leaving him to rot?
The protector spoke again, its voice softer, almost speculative. "I have guarded this temple for aeons, but even I do not know the full extent of your bloodline's potential. It is a force that transcends even this place—a force that may rival the gods themselves. And yet, it is sealed, waiting for the right time to fully awaken."
Bhoumik's eyes darkened further, though his face remained a mask of cold indifference. His mind churned with unanswered questions, but none more pressing than the ones that had haunted him since childhood. Who am I? And why was I forsaken?
But he kept these thoughts buried, hidden beneath layers of icy resolve. There was no place for emotion here, in this world where power was all that mattered.
"I see," Bhoumik finally said, his voice as cold as ever. "Then my origin is not so simple."
The protector, still smiling, inclined its head. "Indeed, Master. Your origin is beyond the comprehension of most. Even as the ruler of the Void Lotus Temple and the Void Battlefield, your destiny extends far beyond these realms."