Li found himself back in the void as his eyes snapped open. This time the void was darker than night and Li could see nothing. The void around Li pulsed with energy, heavy and suffocating, yet brimming with a strange vitality that made his skin prickle. He found himself standing on a ground of glimmering black stone, its surface veined with threads of molten gold that pulsed like the steady beat of a heart. Above him, the sky churned with clouds of deep crimson streaked with veins of golden light, their undulating movements both mesmerizing and ominous. Floating islands hung precariously in the air, their jagged spires glowing faintly in the distance like silent sentinels.
Li turned slowly, his breaths shallow and quick. The weight of the place pressed against him, every detail pulling him further into a reality that felt impossible yet inescapable. "Where is this? Where am I?" he whispered, his voice barely audible.
"You stand in the sovereign's domain," a deep voice answered, resonant and commanding, cutting through the oppressive silence like a blade.
Li spun around, and his breath caught in his throat. From his visions, the massive red dragon towered before him, its scales shimmering like molten rubies in a lightless flame. Its eyes, golden and fierce, bore into him with an intensity that froze him in place. Chains as thick as tree trunks coiled around the dragon's immense body, anchoring it to the ground. The links of the chains glowed faintly, as though alive with a power both ancient and malevolent.
"You again," Li murmured, his voice trembling.
The dragon's laughter rumbled like thunder across a distant mountain range. "Yes, boy. Me again. Do you even grasp the forces you meddle with? You carry the Sovereign's blood and yet quake before me? Pathetic."
Li felt his knees weaken under the dragon's piercing gaze, his body refusing to obey his will. He struggled to find words, but his mouth felt dry and his mind clouded. He thought the Sovereign was through with him after their previous encounter, seems like it wasn't so.
The dragon's snort sent a plume of fire into the roiling sky. "Perhaps there is still time to forge you into something worthy. You may not know this, but you really don't have time. Strong forces that seek your destruction have started awakening. My bloodline awakes the fear in them. You need to grow strong, fast."
Before Li could respond, the world around him melted away, dissolving like ink in water. The ground beneath him shifted and blurred, the dragon's form fading into the distance as the scene transformed. When the surroundings solidified again, Li stood in a colossal hall, its vastness swallowing him whole.
Towering statues lined the hall, their forms carved from dark stone, each one radiating a presence of immense power. The figures depicted warriors, scholars, and rulers, their postures proud yet tinged with sorrow. Some clutched weapons such as swords, spears, and staves, while others stood with open hands or clenched fists, their expressions fierce and unyielding.
Li took a hesitant step forward, the faint echo of his footsteps swallowed by the sheer immensity of the space. As he approached the nearest statue, it stirred, its eyes glowing with a golden light that seemed to pierce through him.
Suddenly, an image unfolded before him, vivid and overwhelming. He saw a battlefield awash in blood, where the statue's likeness, a warrior clad in black armour, stood alone against a sea of enemies. The warrior unleashed devastating waves of power, annihilating all who dared oppose them. But then came betrayal. Allies turned on the warrior, their blades cutting deep, and a dagger pierced the warrior's back. The scene faded, leaving Li gasping for breath, his heart racing.
"This… this was real?" he managed to choke out.
"Real and inevitable," came the dragon's voice, now echoing through the hall. "Those of our bloodline are destined to face treachery. Power breeds envy. You cannot escape it."
Li turned to the next statue, compelled to witness its story. Again, the pattern repeated, glory, betrayal, and death. Each vision drove home the same truth—that the curse of his bloodline was both a gift and a doom.
The hall dissolved, and Li suddenly found himself standing on a desolate battlefield. Around him lay the ruins of sects and cities, their banners torn and trampled into the dirt. The air was thick with ash and death, the silence heavy with sorrow.
A shadowy figure emerged in the distance, cloaked in darkness. Its voice was mocking, filled with venom. "You think you can escape this fate, boy? You are nothing but a pawn in a game far greater than you can comprehend."
The figure raised a hand, and a torrent of fire surged toward Li. Instinctively, he raised his arms to shield himself, bracing for the agony to come. But the flames dissipated before reaching him, leaving him unharmed.
"You see?" the figure sneered. "Even your enemies fear what you might become. But fear alone will not save you. Rise, or fall like all the others before you."
"Who is that? Who is that? What does he want with me" Li shouted in fear. The thought of being burned to a crisp had inundated his whole being.
"Hahahahahahahahahaha' laughed the Sovereign 'One of the very many enemies you will meet. I believe they are already searching for you".
The battlefield dissolved into darkness, and Li was thrust into another scene. This time, Mei Ming dangled from the edge of a cliff, her eyes wide with terror. Nearby, a glowing sword rested on a pedestal, its light beckoning him with promises of unimaginable power.
"Choose," the Sovereign's voice boomed.
Li's heart pounded as he darted toward the cliff, his hand outstretched to save Mei Ming. But as he reached for her, the ground beneath his feet shifted, pulling him away from the cliff and toward the sword.
"No!" he screamed, fighting against the pull.
"Do you think the world will wait for you to save everyone?" the Sovereign growled, his voice cutting through Li's desperation. "This is the burden of power. Sacrifice is inevitable."
Li's grip faltered, and Mei Ming slipped into the abyss. Her scream echoed in his ears, and he fell to his knees, tears streaming down his face.
"This is the truth of your power," the Sovereign said coldly as he appeared beside Li. "To save one, you must sacrifice another. Do you understand now?"
"No! I choose my own fate. No one will decide my fate for me! not even you. I will never allow any of my companions to die to be made sacrifices, I will save them all. I will be strong, stronger than you sovereign. 1. WILL. BE. STRONG". Declared Li in defiance.
"That, you must be, or face my plight" The sovereign said quietly as he flipped his hands one last time.
The scene shifted once more, and Li was overwhelmed by a vision of the Sovereign in his prime, a towering warrior standing defiant against an army of celestial hunters. He saw betrayal, the curse being cast, and the Sovereign's final act, a devastating burst of light that annihilated all.
When Li opened his eyes, the vision faded, and the familiar forest came rushing back. Mei Ming's tear-streaked face hovered above him causing him to sigh in relief 'it wasn't real' he thought.
"Li?" she whispered, her voice trembling. Fear palpable in her voice as she stared at the stirring figure of Li, hoping he was truly awake this time.
"He's awake!" She shouted to the others as she quickly dabbed her eyes of the streaking tears, cradling Li's prone form to her bosom tightly and laughing in excitement.
"Li, oh Li" laughed Zhang Wei, obviously happy and relieved to have Li back with them.
Li coughed as he tried to breath from being hugged so tightly by his companions. Even Xaio Ping and Yu Yan showed their happiness at his return as they beamed in happiness.
Li tried to respond, but his throat was raw, and his mind reeled. He managed a faint nod as Zhang Wei and the others crowded around him, their faces painted with relief and concern.
But Li's thoughts were elsewhere, all the scenes he had scene in his vision. 'will I lose my friends in the battle ahead? He asked himself. No, I wont allow that. I will fight for them with everything in me.' he vowed silently as he looked at all of them in relief.
But he was also consumed by the Sovereign's final words. Rise, or perish. He clenched his fists, determination surging through him. Whatever lay ahead, he would face it. He had to. For his friends, for his sect, and for himself.