The road leading to the Ruins of the Nine Heavens Sect stretched endlessly ahead, winding through dense forests and treacherous mountain paths. The air grew colder with every step, carrying an unnatural stillness that made even the rustling leaves sound distant. Few dared to tread this path, and those who did never returned.
Jiang Feng walked at the front, his eyes scanning the surroundings. Li Xue followed closely, her expression unreadable, while the elder monk moved silently behind them. No one spoke. The weight of what they had discovered the night before still lingered heavily in their minds.
Li Xue had barely said a word since burning the celestial decree, but Jiang Feng knew what was on her mind. She wasn't the type to dwell on fear or uncertainty. No, she was thinking—calculating. This wasn't just about survival anymore. She intended to fight back.
Jiang Feng glanced at her, wanting to say something, but before he could, the wind shifted. The atmosphere around them became unnaturally heavy, and an eerie sensation prickled at the back of his neck. His hand instinctively moved to his sword.
"We're being watched," he said quietly.
Li Xue's eyes flickered. "The masked man?"
"No," Jiang Feng replied. "Something else."
The elder monk's expression darkened. "The spirits of this land do not rest. Their resentment lingers, waiting for those who disturb it."
Li Xue exhaled. "Will they attack?"
"That depends," the monk said. "On whether they recognize us as friend or foe."
The whispers began soon after. Faint voices drifting through the trees, speaking in hushed tones that sent chills down Jiang Feng's spine. At first, they were barely noticeable, but as the group pressed forward, they grew louder.
And then, just as the sun dipped below the horizon, they appeared.
Figures shrouded in mist, barely visible through the dying light. Their robes were torn and faded, their faces hidden in shadow. They did not move, did not speak. They simply stood there, blocking the path forward.
Jiang Feng tightened his grip on his weapon. "What do you want?"
One of the spirits stepped forward. Its voice was hollow, devoid of any emotion. "You do not belong here."
Li Xue took a step forward. "We seek the ruins."
The spirit's form flickered. "Then you seek death."
Jiang Feng's eyes narrowed. "We'll take that risk."
The spirit didn't respond. It simply tilted its head, watching them in silence before fading back into the mist. One by one, the other spirits followed, until the forest was empty once more.
"They'll return," Li Xue murmured.
Jiang Feng nodded. "I know."
By the time they reached the ruins, the night was at its darkest. What was once a grand sect, revered across the land, had been reduced to nothing but crumbling pillars and shattered stone. A heavy mist coiled through the broken courtyards, swallowing everything beyond sight.
Li Xue looked around, her expression unreadable. "So this is what remains of the Nine Heavens Sect."
Jiang Feng stepped forward. "Let's move."
The elder monk hesitated. "If the sect was truly destroyed by the heavens, then their wrath may still linger."
Jiang Feng didn't need the warning. He could feel it in the air. The weight of something unseen, pressing against them, suffocating. The ruins reeked of divine punishment.
As they moved deeper inside, the air grew colder. Every step felt heavier, as though something was resisting their presence. The silence was suffocating.
Then the ground trembled.
Jiang Feng barely had time to react before a figure emerged from the mist, clad in shattered armor, its eyes glowing faintly in the darkness. It carried a massive spear, its blade still stained with dried blood.
More figures followed, their movements slow yet unnaturally fluid, as though they were caught between the realm of the living and the dead.
Li Xue inhaled sharply. "The fallen warriors of the Nine Heavens Sect."
The elder monk's voice was grim. "Their souls are bound to this place. They will not let us pass."
Jiang Feng's sword was already drawn. "Then we'll make them."
The first warrior lunged.
Jiang Feng met the attack head-on, steel clashing against steel with a deafening impact. The force nearly knocked him back, but he gritted his teeth and pushed forward. Li Xue moved like lightning, her hands glowing with celestial light as she struck at the warriors, sending them staggering. The elder monk chanted under his breath, his staff radiating a golden aura. With a single strike, he shattered one of the spirits, sending its essence scattering into the mist.
But for every warrior they felled, another took its place.
Jiang Feng cursed. "This isn't working!"
Li Xue's eyes scanned the battlefield, searching for something—then she found it.
"The temple," she shouted. "If the sect was destroyed by the heavens, their records will be there. There must be a way to break the curse!"
Jiang Feng didn't hesitate. "Then we fight our way through!"
Together, they pushed forward, cutting down anything that stood in their path. The temple loomed ahead, its doors barely standing. With one final push, they burst inside.
Inside, the temple was eerily silent. Faded murals lined the walls, depicting a great battle—the Nine Heavens Sect standing against celestial beings. Against the gods themselves.
At the center of the room lay an ancient altar. Upon it rested a single scroll, untouched by time.
Li Xue stepped forward, unrolling it with careful hands. Her golden eyes scanned the words, and her breath hitched.
Jiang Feng stepped beside her. "What does it say?"
She looked at him, her face unreadable.
Then, she whispered, "The Nine Heavens Sect did not fall. They were erased. And the one who led the charge against them… was me."
Jiang Feng's breath caught.
The elder monk paled.
Outside, the spirits began to scream.
And then, the temple started to collapse.