Li Tian's hands were stained with blood as he stood amidst the carnage of the north borders. The air was thick with the stench of death and charred wood, his reality path killer moves having wiped out the remnants of resistance in the area. He wiped the sweat from his brow, his expression calm but his eyes burning with the fire of vengeance.
Satisfied that no enemy remained alive in the north, Li Tian turned back toward the clan grounds. However, as he approached the central compound, a cold chill ran down his spine. The once-vibrant heart of the Yongshen Clan was in ruins. Buildings lay in rubble, flames danced across broken walls, and the bodies of clan members littered the ground. The devastation was a stark contrast to his calculated massacre on the borders.
Panic surged in his chest as his thoughts immediately turned to Xiao Lan. He rushed through the debris, his sharp eyes scanning for any sign of her. Near the remnants of a medicinal pavilion, he found her, huddled and trembling but unharmed. Relief washed over him like a tidal wave as he bent down, gently placing a hand on her shoulder.
"Xiao Lan," he said, his voice steady despite the chaos around them. "You're safe. Thank the heavens."
She looked up, her eyes wide with fear and tears streaking her cheeks. "Zhao Ming! The clan... it's gone. What will we do?"
Without a word, Li Tian lifted her into his arms. "We'll survive," he assured her firmly. "I won't let anything happen to you."
As he moved carefully through the rubble, his foot struck something solid, and the ground beneath them shifted. Before he could react, they tumbled down into a hidden crevice. Dust and debris filled the air as they landed roughly in what appeared to be an underground cave.
The light from above illuminated ancient walls covered in moss and strange carvings. The air was damp and cool, and a faint, unnatural glow emanated from deeper within the cave. Li Tian's sharp senses were immediately on high alert as he set Xiao Lan down carefully.
"Are you alright?" he asked, his gaze flickering between her and their surroundings.
"I... I think so," she replied, wincing slightly but nodding. "What is this place?"
Before Li Tian could respond, a sound echoed through the cavern—a deep, guttural groan that sent shivers down their spines. His eyes darted to the source of the sound, where the faint glow intensified. A figure lay slumped against the far wall, half-covered in stone-like growths, its body pulsing faintly with an ominous energy.
As Li Tian instinctively reached for his primeval essence, the figure stirred. Its eyes, a deep and unsettling shade of black, snapped open, locking onto them. The man's aura was suffocating, radiating a pressure far beyond anything Li Tian had encountered before.
Xiao Lan clutched Li Tian's arm, her voice barely above a whisper. "Who... who is that?"
The figure rose slowly, its movements deliberate and measured. Despite its dilapidated appearance, there was an undeniable majesty to its presence.
"You..." the man's voice rumbled, low and filled with an ancient power. "You have disturbed my slumber. Tell me, mortals, who dares to trespass into my place?"
Li Tian stepped forward, carefully setting Xiao Lan behind him. Despite the suffocating aura emanating from the figure, his voice was steady as he spoke, "Great Immortal, we meant no offense. We were forced into this cave by the chaos above. I… humbly beg for your forgiveness."
The Gu Immortal's dark eyes narrowed, the flickering glow of the cave reflecting in their unsettling depths. "Chaos above, you say? Speak, mortal. What calamity has befallen this place?"
Li Tian hesitated for a moment, carefully choosing his words. "The Yong Clan, which took me in, has been destroyed by an attack from the Fangxia Clan and others. They… they left no survivors aside from her. I am but a wandering Gu Master, caught in the midst of their blood feud. I beg your assistance, great one. With your power, you could exact justice."
The Immortal's gaze bore into him, as though piercing through every layer of pretense. "Justice? Such notions are the dreams of the weak. Why should I concern myself with the petty squabbles of mortals?"
Li Tian's mind raced. He lowered his head slightly, masking the sharp glint in his eyes. "Great Immortal, this is not just a mortal feud. I heard there is another Gu Immortal on the other side of the clan who seeks to annihilate your legacy out of revenge. Moreover, the Yong Clan is your foundation—your bloodline. Do you wish to see it erased by those unworthy of your name, those who dare to challenge your honor?""
After a long moment, silence filled the cave, the oppressive aura of the Immortal weighing heavily on them both. Then, with a slow nod, the Immortal spoke. "Very well, mortal. I will grant your request. But mark my words—fail me, and no corner of this world will hide you from my wrath."
As the oppressive tension lifted slightly, the Immortal's gaze softened but remained resolute. "The Yong Clan was my blood, my foundation. If they have fallen, I shall make sure their deaths are not in vain. Lead me to the remnants of this chaos, and I will fight that Gu Immortal."