The Tomb of the Forgotten Gods stretched endlessly into the abyss, its eerie silence amplifying its foreboding presence. The ground was barren, cracked, and lifeless, marked only by towering ancient pillar which is made by Veldris. this pillar emanated an oppressive energy. Each block in pilar was a test.
Beneath one such pillar, Xuan Li sat cross-legged, his body trembling as he endured the crushing mental and spiritual pressure radiating from it. Sweat dripped from his brow, pooling on the ground beneath him. His teeth clenched, and his eyes burned with determination.
"I'm almost there," Xuan Li muttered, his voice hoarse but resolute. "Just a bit more..."
Ripples of energy began to emanate from him, growing faster and faster until the very air around him twisted and swirled under the force. The pressure from the pillar increased, pushing against him like a relentless tide, but he refused to yield.
With a deafening crack, the very air seemed to shatter, rippling outward as Xuan Li's spiritual energy surged. His power pierced through the third block of the pillar's threshold. Exhaling a sigh of relief, he muttered with a faint smile, "Finally, I broke through." Rising slowly, his body radiated a newfound strength and determination. Xuan Li cut off the infusion of cosmic energy into the pillar, and the crushing pressure dissipated.
Xuan Li wiped the sweat from his face and turned his gaze toward the Abyssal Warden, who stood a few paces away, its imposing figure radiating a menacing aura. The Warden remained still, its hands clasped behind its back, as though mocking Xuan Li's efforts.
Drawing his sword, Xuan Li smirked. "Sorry to keep you waiting, but today, I'll defeat you."
The Abyssal Warden seemed to respond to his resolve. Without a word, it unleashed its spiritual pressure, a force so vast it felt like a mountain crashing down. The ground beneath Xuan Li cracked under the weight of the invisible force, but he stood firm, his smirk unfaltering.
"So, now you finally show your true potential, huh?" Xuan Li said, his voice brimming with confidence.
With a deep breath, Xuan Li released his own spiritual pressure. The two forces collided with a deafening roar, creating shockwaves that reverberated across the tomb. The air thickened with spiritual energy, so dense it felt as though the atmosphere itself was trembling.
Suddenly, the collision of energies culminated in a massive explosion. Dust and debris filled the air, obscuring the battlefield. When the dust settled, Xuan Li stood tall, his blade glinting in the dim, blood-red light of the tomb.
The Abyssal Warden stretched out a hand, summoning the ground itself to rise. From the cracked earth, 200 stone swords materialized, each infused with spiritual energy that made them hum with deadly intent. With a mere motion of its hand, the Warden sent the swords hurtling toward Xuan Li.
Xuan Li did not flinch. His cosmic energy surged, and 500 spectral swords manifested around him, each one radiating a heavy sword intent laced with a chilling killing aura. The spectral swords merged into his blade, which began to glow brighter and brighter, its power almost blinding.
The stone swords closed in, mere inches from his face, when Xuan Li's eyes flared with a sharp light. Raising his blade, he roared, "Second Sword – Roar!"
He swung his blade with all his might. A brilliant light engulfed the battlefield, and a shockwave erupted, tearing through the stone swords and sending fragments flying in every direction.
The Abyssal Warden, familiar with this technique, had already deployed a barrier to shield itself. The bright light faded, revealing the aftermath of the attack. The once-indestructible stone swords lay shattered on the ground, reduced to mere chunks of rock.
The Abyssal Warden stood, but it was battered and broken. Its blackened body was riddled with deep sword marks, and its left arm and right leg had been severed. Even so, its oppressive aura persisted as it scanned the battlefield for Xuan Li.
"Looking for me?"
The chilling voice echoed behind the Warden. It turned, but too late. Xuan Li's blade hummed with energy, trembling with the power he channeled into it.
"First Sword," Xuan Li muttered, disappearing from sight.
In the blink of an eye, he reappeared behind the Abyssal Warden. For a moment, silence hung heavy in the air. Then, arcs of sword light erupted from the Warden's body, tearing it apart violently.
As the Warden's form disintegrated, Xuan Li stood, his chest heaving with exertion. He lowered his blade, which still hummed faintly, and gazed at the remains of his adversary.
"Using two techniques simultaneously..." Xuan Li muttered, his voice barely above a whisper, "it puts a huge burden on my body."
His legs buckled, and he collapsed to the ground, exhausted but triumphant. As darkness crept into the edges of his vision, a faint smile crossed his lips.
"I finally... did it."
And with that, he succumbed to unconsciousness, the Tomb of the Forgotten Gods falling silent once more...
Meanwhile, a shadow appeared on the ground, its form dark and ominous against the barren landscape. As it grew closer, the figure revealed itself to be the Gore Sovereign. He stood at the edge of a massive pit, its depths stretching far and wide, the darkness within it an almost tangible force. This was the Tomb of the Forgotten Gods, the very location of the seventh spot that had been critical to the Supreme King's grand plan.
Gore Sovereign released his energy, his power surging outward to scan the surrounding area. But as his energy expanded, his eyes widened in surprise. "This is impossible..." he muttered under his breath.
A subtle force pressed against his energy, blocking it completely. The sensation was unlike anything he had ever felt. He could sense the presence of something far more terrifying than he had anticipated—something that could resist his power.
His heart quickened, and without hesitation, he withdrew his energy. The blockage was too potent to ignore. There was something here, something ancient and formidable that stood in direct opposition to his abilities. The sheer force of it baffled him.
Retreating a few steps, Gore Sovereign leapt into the abyss, his body disappearing into the darkness below. As he fell, his mind raced. "What in the world could resist my energy?" he thought. "An ordinary human warrior would be driven to madness, their sanity lost the moment they came into contact with my power... But this... this force blocks it completely. Things are not as simple as they seem."
He braced himself for whatever awaited him in the abyss, his senses sharpened, ready for the unknown horrors or revelations he would soon face.