The air in the glade was thick with tension as the assembled group turned their focus toward the path ahead. The glowing portal pulsed faintly, its energy pulling at their senses, promising both opportunity and danger.
Ye Tian stood at the forefront, his Golden Sovereign Power subtly flickering around him, a quiet testament to his dominance. Zhou Lie and Jiang Hao flanked him, their sharp gazes scanning the terrain for threats. Yin Xue of the Silver Frost Sect stood slightly apart, her silver hair shimmering in the faint glow of the Rift's energy, her calm demeanor masking her calculated mind.
From the other side of the clearing, Feng Jian of the Radiant Sun Pavilion and Lian Ruo of the Crimson Blade Alliance stepped into view. Feng Jian's golden robes caught the dim light, radiating authority, while Lian Ruo's crimson armor gleamed with a sharp, almost predatory confidence.
Between them, tension was palpable. Radiant Sun and Silver Frost were long-standing rivals, and the presence of Yin Xue alone seemed to sour Feng Jian's expression.
Lan Yue, standing beside Ye Tian, observed the assembly with quiet detachment. Her presence still puzzled Ye Tian. For an Inner Sect disciple to be in the Rift under different circumstances was unusual enough, but her arrival with another group only deepened the mystery.
Ye Tian turned to her, his voice low but firm. "Lan Yue, you're from our Jade Serpent Sect, yet you didn't arrive with us. Care to explain why you're here with another group?"
Lan Yue met his gaze evenly, her tone calm. "Circumstances dictated it. I followed a lead that required discretion and found myself accompanying another group temporarily. Does it matter?"
Ye Tian's eyes narrowed, sensing there was more to her story than she was willing to share. Still, this wasn't the time to press further. "It does matter, but we'll save that conversation for later."
The Rift Unfolds
"The energy here feels... unstable," Lan Yue observed, her voice calm but laced with subtle warning.
Ye Tian had noticed the faint fluctuations in the portal's energy as well, a chaotic pulse that seemed to grow stronger with every moment. "Then we move," he said simply, his tone brooking no argument.
Before the group could advance, Feng Jian's sharp voice cut through the tense air. "Hold on. If we all move at once, there's no guarantee of safety. Some of us might be better off staying behind to secure the exit."
Yin Xue's cold gaze shifted to Feng Jian, her tone biting. "How noble of you to volunteer others to stay behind."
Feng Jian's smirk barely wavered, but the tension between him and Yin Xue grew heavier. Radiant Sun Pavilion and Silver Frost Sect were not allies, and their thinly veiled hostility threatened to erupt into violence.
Ye Tian, however, stepped forward, his Golden Sovereign Power warping the air around him. "Enough," he said coldly. "If you're too weak to keep up, feel free to stay behind. The rest of us will handle the real work."
The words hung like a taunt, and Feng Jian's smirk disappeared as his gaze snapped to Ye Tian. Lian Ruo of the Crimson Blade Alliance chuckled softly, her sharp eyes gleaming with amusement.
"I suppose you think you're strong enough to dictate terms here," Feng Jian said, his voice calm but edged with challenge.
Ye Tian stepped closer, his power surging subtly, making the ground beneath him groan. "I don't think—I know."
Feng Jian's jaw tightened, but before the situation could escalate, Lian Ruo raised a hand, her smirk widening. "Save it. This place will kill us all if we waste time fighting each other."
Lan Yue glanced at Ye Tian, her expression unreadable. "Let's move before this alliance falls apart."
The Rift Labyrinth
The portal brought them to a vast labyrinth of obsidian stone, its dark corridors illuminated faintly by glowing runes etched into the walls. The oppressive air seemed to press down on them, and faint whispers echoed in the distance, as if the labyrinth itself was alive.
"This place isn't just unstable," Yin Xue said softly. "It's alive."
Suddenly, the ground shook, and the walls shifted with a grinding roar. The labyrinth began rearranging itself, closing off paths and opening others. The group tensed as twisted, humanoid creatures emerged from the shadows, their malformed bodies exuding an aura of rage.
"They're drawn to us," Zhou Lie muttered, gripping his weapon tightly.
Feng Jian conjured radiant energy, but before he could attack, Ye Tian's voice stopped him. "No Spiritual Qi. Physical combat only."
Feng Jian's eyes widened as he tried to summon his energy again, only to find it dissipate. The oppressive air of the labyrinth negated all spiritual techniques, leaving them with nothing but their raw strength and skill.
The creatures attacked in a frenzy, forcing the group into battle. Ye Tian moved with precision, his physical power overwhelming the creatures as his fists and strikes crushed their malformed forms. Zhou Lie and Jiang Hao held the flanks, their weapons cutting through the onslaught.
Feng Jian and Lian Ruo, despite their earlier bravado, struggled to adapt to the lack of spiritual techniques. Ye Tian didn't hesitate to mock them. "Still think you're strong enough to lead?"
Feng Jian gritted his teeth, forced to rely on his physical prowess.
Lan Yue fought silently, her strikes efficient and calculated, while Yin Xue's icy composure never faltered as she dismantled her foes with brutal efficiency.
A Growing Threat
The battle finally ended, leaving the group battered but victorious. The labyrinth shifted again, opening a path forward.
"This place is meant to wear us down," Lan Yue said, her voice calm despite the tension in the air.
"Weakness will be punished," Ye Tian added, his gaze lingering on Feng Jian and Lian Ruo.
"You're awfully confident for someone who doesn't know what lies ahead," Lian Ruo retorted, but her tone lacked its earlier confidence.
Lan Yue stepped forward, her expression unreadable. "Let's move. The longer we stay here, the more dangerous it becomes."
Ye Tian smirked but said nothing, his focus already on the path ahead. As they ventured deeper into the labyrinth, the faint whispers grew louder, and the air grew heavier.
Unbeknownst to them, the remnants of an ancient figure watched from the shadows, its presence an oppressive force that seemed to seep into the very fabric of the labyrinth.
"Interesting," it murmured. "Let's see if you can survive my domain."