The ground trembled beneath their feet, and the once still air grew thick with an ominous energy. Kairos felt it immediately—a deep, suffocating pressure unlike anything he had ever experienced. The shadow, formless but vast, seeped from the earth like a creeping fog. It twisted and coiled, taking shape in the valley's heart, casting long, dark tendrils toward the sky.
Kairos stumbled back, his eyes wide with shock. This was no ordinary beast, no Guardian Spirit. Whatever it was, it had been sealed here for centuries, and now, the Fallen Star's arrival had awoken it.
"By the heavens," he whispered. His body screamed for him to run, but his legs felt rooted in place.
Xia Muren and Zhao Ren were equally caught off guard. For once, the cold beauty of the Silent Moon Sect looked unsettled, her eyes narrowing in suspicion as she studied the shadow. "This power… it's ancient," she muttered.
Zhao Ren, for all his bravado, took several steps back. His thunderous aura flickered like a candle in the wind, his confidence visibly shaken. "This wasn't part of the deal," he hissed, his hand crackling with faint arcs of lightning. "I came here for the Fallen Star, not to die in some cursed valley."
The dark form rose higher, expanding, its energy growing more chaotic with each passing second. A low, guttural growl echoed from deep within the shadow, and glowing red eyes appeared, locked on the three cultivators as if measuring their worth.
Kairos clenched his fists, his mind racing. He wasn't prepared for something like this. Even with the Eclipse System's power-ups, this creature—or whatever it was—felt far beyond his current level. But if he didn't act, he wouldn't make it out alive. None of them would.
[System Alert: Ancient Entity Detected]
Danger Level: Overwhelming
Recommendation: Escape or seek external assistance
"Not helpful," Kairos muttered under his breath. His eyes darted between the dark entity and the Fallen Star, which still hovered in the center of the valley, pulsing with raw celestial energy. There was no escaping without confronting the entity, but maybe—just maybe—the power of the star could give him an edge.
He glanced at Zhao Ren and Xia Muren, both of whom were also struggling to decide their next move. For a brief moment, their rivalry didn't matter. Survival did.
"We can't take this thing on alone," Kairos called out, forcing himself to speak. "If we fight each other now, we're all dead. We need to work together!"
Zhao Ren sneered, the arrogance returning to his face. "Work with you? You're out of your mind, Lin."
Before he could continue, Xia Muren interrupted, her voice calm but cold. "He's right," she said, her silver eyes fixed on the dark entity. "This is no ordinary beast. If we don't combine our strength, none of us will leave this place alive."
Zhao Ren glared at her but said nothing. He knew she was right. His hand still crackled with faint arcs of lightning, but the confidence in his movements had diminished. He was a prodigy, yes, but even he wasn't foolish enough to face this alone.
"Fine," Zhao Ren spat, his gaze shifting to Kairos. "But make no mistake, Lin. Once this is over, I'm taking the Fallen Star."
Kairos didn't respond, his focus already on the growing darkness before them. The shadow loomed larger, and a deep, primal roar erupted from within it, shaking the valley to its core.
System Notification:
Quest Update: Defeat the Ancient Entity
Reward: Unknown
Difficulty: Nightmare
"Perfect," Kairos muttered. "Let's hope this works."
Xia Muren moved first, her slender hand glowing with icy blue energy as she summoned her cultivation technique. The air around her dropped several degrees as frost began to form beneath her feet, and with a graceful sweep of her arm, she released a torrent of frozen energy toward the dark entity.
"Silent Moon Slash!" she called, her voice calm and commanding.
The wave of ice shot forward, sharp and precise, but the dark entity didn't flinch. Its red eyes glowed brighter, and with a single motion, it swatted the ice away as if it were nothing. The frost shattered into a thousand pieces, glittering like stars as they fell to the ground.
Kairos cursed under his breath. Even Xia Muren's powerful technique wasn't enough to harm it.
Zhao Ren stepped forward next, his aura flaring with a renewed intensity. He pointed his hand toward the entity, summoning the full power of his sect's renowned lightning techniques.
"Thunderclap Fist!" he roared, thrusting his fist forward.
A massive bolt of lightning shot from his hand, arcing through the air with a deafening crack. The energy struck the dark entity head-on, illuminating the valley for a brief moment with blinding light.
For a second, it seemed like the attack had worked—the shadow trembled, its form flickering as the lightning coursed through it. But then, with a low growl, the entity absorbed the energy, growing even larger. It let out a terrifying roar that echoed through the mountains, shaking the ground beneath their feet.
Zhao Ren stumbled back, his face pale. "Impossible," he muttered. "It's… it's absorbing our attacks!"
Kairos' heart raced. This was bad. If the entity could absorb energy-based techniques, then their only chance was to fight it with something different. Something raw and physical.
He focused, calling upon the Eclipse System once more.
[System Notification: Special Technique Unlocked]
Name: Eclipse Inferno Palm (Phase II)
Description: A powerful variant of the Eclipse Inferno Palm, enhanced with celestial energy. Deals explosive damage, capable of bypassing energy absorption.
Kairos clenched his fists, the familiar dark and light energy swirling around his palms. He could feel the intensity of the new technique, far stronger than before. This was his last shot.
"Both of you!" Kairos shouted, his voice urgent. "Distract it! I've got a technique that might work, but I need time!"
Xia Muren glanced at him, her eyes narrowing in suspicion, but she nodded. "Do it."
Zhao Ren, still shaken from his failed attack, hesitated. But in the face of death, even his pride couldn't argue. He raised his hand again, summoning another bolt of lightning. "Make it quick, Lin."
Together, Xia Muren and Zhao Ren launched a barrage of attacks, each one forcing the dark entity to shift and writhe in place. Though their strikes weren't dealing real damage, they were keeping the creature distracted.
Kairos focused all of his spiritual energy into his palms, feeling the power of the Eclipse System surge through him. The energy built up, growing hotter and more unstable with each passing second. The air around him shimmered, and the ground beneath his feet cracked.
"Now!" Kairos shouted, his voice echoing through the valley.
He thrust both hands forward, releasing the Eclipse Inferno Palm (Phase II). A massive blast of black and white flames surged toward the entity, swirling with celestial energy. The force of the attack tore through the valley, lighting up the night sky like a second sun.
The flames slammed into the dark entity, and for the first time, it let out a howl of pain. Its form flickered violently, the red eyes dimming as the celestial flames consumed it. The pressure in the valley lifted, and the shadow began to disintegrate, its dark tendrils evaporating into nothingness.
Kairos collapsed to one knee, breathing hard. His entire body ached, and his spiritual energy was completely drained. But it had worked. The dark entity was gone.
The valley fell into silence, the only sound the faint hum of the Fallen Star still pulsing in the distance.
Xia Muren and Zhao Ren stared at Kairos, both of them in shock. They had underestimated him—this weakling from the Skyfire Sect had just saved their lives.
But as the realization sank in, so did the tension. The Fallen Star was still there, and now, they were all weakened. The real fight for its power was about to begin.