The underbelly of the Celestial Capital pulsed with forgotten power. Beneath the great streets paved with spiritjade and marble, far below the bustling markets and serene temples, lay a vast labyrinth older than the empire itself—the Hollow Vaults. It was here that Tianming's next trial awaited.
Under the pale light of an ever-burning crystal lantern, Tianming descended with Zhao Yueyin and Lan Mei. Their steps echoed against stone-carved pathways as damp air clung to their robes. The Emperor's decree was clear: investigate rumors of a forbidden cult operating from beneath the capital. But the deeper they went, the more oppressive the silence became.
"This place..." Lan Mei whispered. "It feels wrong."
"It's warded against light, and sound," Zhao Yueyin replied, her eyes scanning the dark with divine perception. "Something ancient sleeps here."
Tianming held the Starpiercer blade close, the weapon thrumming with anticipation. The Voidbane Flame within his body pulsed gently, reacting to unseen energies. The path ahead branched into three tunnels.
"The aura of corruption is strongest to the left," he said, his voice calm but wary. "Let's move."
They turned into the shadowed passage, winding deeper until the walls themselves began to change. Veins of obsidian and corrupted spirit ore webbed the stones. Occasionally, skeletal remains of past intruders marked the way—cracked armor, shattered blades, and expressions forever twisted in terror.
Finally, they arrived at a chamber pulsing with violet mist. At its center stood a monolithic altar, inscribed with void runes. Floating above it was a sphere of condensed darkness—like a shard of the night sky torn from the heavens.
"The Abyssal Eye," Zhao Yueyin said grimly. "I've only seen drawings in forbidden archives."
Tianming stepped forward, eyes narrowed. "It's watching us."
Suddenly, laughter filled the air—a chorus of voices, discordant and layered. From the shadows emerged a figure in black robes lined with crimson sigils. His face was obscured by a horned mask, and in his hand was a staff topped with a withered heart.
"Welcome, Heaven's Vanguard," the figure said. "We've been expecting you."
Behind him, more robed cultists stepped out, their bodies altered by void corruption. Some had fused limbs, others eyes that blinked sideways or not at all.
"You broke Feng Zhen. You severed our whisper in the court. But the Abyss is patient." The masked leader stepped onto the altar. "Shall we dance, child of stars?"
Tianming raised Starpiercer. "Your abyss has no place in this realm."
---
Battle of Shadows and Starlight
The air thickened as the cultists attacked. Zhao Yueyin invoked the Crimson Phoenix, unleashing firestorms that carved through the lesser voidlings. Lan Mei danced between foes, her dual blades singing death.
Tianming confronted the masked leader directly. Each strike was met with a counterspell—void tendrils, time stutters, and dark illusions.
"You wield the light, but even stars burn out," the cultist hissed.
"And darkness shatters when pierced," Tianming replied.
He activated his Celestial Core. Stellar dominion exploded around him, forming an array of twelve constellations. Each strike now carried cosmic weight.
He drove Starpiercer into the altar, severing the Abyssal Eye's tether. The dark sphere screamed as cracks spiraled across its surface.
"No!" the cultist roared, lunging forward.
But Zhao Yueyin's spear intercepted him, driving through his robes and pinning him to the altar.
Lan Mei severed the sphere with a single cut, and it imploded in a flash of violet light, disintegrating the remaining cultists.
The chamber shook. Cracks spread along the walls. The Vaults began to collapse.
"Run!" Tianming shouted.
They raced through crumbling tunnels, dodging falling debris and void energy surges. Just as the last arch collapsed, they leapt through the exit and landed on sacred ground beneath the capital.
---
Return and Revelation
Back at the Azure Pavilion, Tianming meditated beneath the stars. The system pulsed.
> Side Quest Complete: Cleanse the Hollow Vaults Reward: Sigil of Celestial Sight (Passive Ability: See Hidden Energies) Cultivation Breakthrough: Peak Sky Realm New Quest Available: Track the Raven's Call
He opened his eyes, vision sharper, clearer. He could now perceive ley lines beneath the capital, and the lingering traces of void left by the cult.
"The Abyss hasn't given up," he said aloud.
Zhao Yueyin joined him, holding a scroll. "Reports from the west. Villages near the Crimson Ridge are vanishing. No survivors, only… blackened fields."
Tianming rose. "Then we ride at dawn."
---
In the Shadowed West
The Crimson Ridge was a harsh land—jagged mountains and ash-colored plains, scarred by ancient wars. As Tianming's group arrived, the air carried a copper tang, and the earth itself trembled in unease.
The village of Xiren was gone. Burned homes, melted gates, and a single message carved into the central well:
> "He Comes."
Lan Mei shivered. "It wasn't just void. Something… older did this."
From the forest beyond the ridge, black mist rose. A caravan of refugees staggered into view. One child cried, clutching a shattered talisman.
"He came from the sky. Cloak of smoke. Eyes of suns. He took our elders… and left the fire."
Zhao Yueyin's face paled. "The Raven Herald. One of Corvus' high disciples."
Tianming's grip on Starpiercer tightened. "Then he's our next target."
---
In the Court of the Emperor
Emperor Xi Wenlong gazed upon the growing map of darkness. His fingers traced battle lines yet to be drawn.
"My son," he whispered to a figure in the shadows, "prepare the Sky Pillars. The Abyss moves faster than prophecy."
From behind the curtain, a figure emerged—long hair, radiant eyes, and a calm more terrifying than fury.
"As you command, Father," said the Prince of Dust.
And so, the empire stood on the edge of a war yet unseen.
To Be Continued in Chapter 46: The Raven Herald's Flame