Lei Zhen's world was a blur of darkness, his body crushed beneath the weight of the creature's attack. Pain coursed through every inch of him, and he could feel his life force slipping away, leaving him cold and hollow.
The creature's voice echoed in his mind, a low, mocking growl. "Is this it? The mighty descendant of the ruler, reduced to nothing before me?"
He could barely respond, his chest rising and falling in shallow gasps. His limbs felt heavy, as if they were no longer his own. The world around him swirled, darkening with each passing second. His vision flickered, flashes of light and shadow mixing in a dizzying dance.
But amidst the pain, there was a flicker—a glimmer of something inside him, something that refused to fade.
No. I won't give up.
Lei Zhen's hands clenched into fists, the raw, untapped power surging through him once more. It was a power he didn't understand, one that threatened to consume him if he couldn't control it. But there was no time to hesitate. He had no choice but to fight, no choice but to survive.
With a forceful roar, Lei Zhen pushed himself up from the ground, his body shaking, but his resolve firm. The creature's mocking laughter filled the air, but Lei Zhen ignored it. Instead, he focused inward, summoning the power buried deep within his bloodline.
Light burst from his chest, pushing against the suffocating darkness. It burned through the shadows, filling the temple with a blinding glow. The creature shrieked in pain, its form flickering as the light touched it, but it quickly regained its shape, its eyes glowing with fury.
"Foolish child," the creature hissed. "You cannot defeat me. You have no idea what you're dealing with."
Lei Zhen's vision cleared, and he saw the creature for what it truly was—a manifestation of pure darkness, a being born from the depths of the world's most ancient nightmares. Its form was fluid, ever-changing, a nightmare that took shape in the physical world. But it was also tethered to him—his bloodline was its key.
"You are nothing but a shadow," Lei Zhen spat, his voice filled with newfound strength. "I'll tear you apart."
The creature's laughter died, replaced by an ominous silence. It turned its attention to Lei Zhen, its gaze narrowing. "You think you can challenge me? You are but a child in this world of darkness. The power within you is nothing more than a flicker."
"Then I'll make that flicker burn brighter," Lei Zhen declared.
With a surge of determination, Lei Zhen's body pulsed with light. Energy crackled around him like a storm, his power finally aligning with his will. It was painful, excruciating, but the overwhelming need to protect what mattered most—the world, his friends, himself—pushed him forward.
The creature stepped forward, its monstrous form shifting. It raised its claws, preparing to strike, but Lei Zhen moved faster. He launched himself at the creature, his body aflame with light, and struck with every ounce of power he had gathered.
The blow hit, and for a moment, there was silence.
Then, the creature let out a deafening scream. It staggered backward, its body rippling like smoke. The light from Lei Zhen's attack burned through its form, causing the creature to writhe in agony. Its massive eyes locked onto him, filled with fury and disbelief.
"You... you cannot—"
Before it could finish, the ground beneath Lei Zhen's feet cracked open, and the world seemed to tilt. The creature's form began to disintegrate, its essence being pulled back into the abyss from which it came. But just as the light began to swallow it whole, the creature's final words cut through the chaos.
"You think this is over?" it hissed, its voice growing fainter, almost swallowed by the darkness. "You have no idea what you've just unleashed. The seal may be broken, but the true power... lies beyond."
Lei Zhen's heart raced as he watched the creature's form crumble into nothingness, the last remnants of its darkness dissipating like smoke in the wind. The eerie silence that followed was deafening. He stood in the midst of the temple ruins, breathing heavily, his body still crackling with energy.
But as the dust settled, something didn't feel right.
His vision blurred once more, and a cold, sickening feeling twisted in his gut. The creature may have been defeated for now, but its words lingered in his mind—"The true power lies beyond."
And then, in the stillness, something shifted.
A shadow, darker than the night itself, rose from the ground before him, and Lei Zhen felt a deep, cold pressure settle in his chest. His eyes widened as he recognized the source of the power—a familiar, terrifying presence.
Xian Mei's voice echoed in his mind: "It's not over. Not by a long shot."
Cliffhanger: As the shadow grew larger, Lei Zhen felt the power of the creature's words take root in his heart. The true power... lies beyond. What had he truly unleashed?