Dust rained from the ceiling as the temple trembled. Cracks spread across the stone pillars, and the once-sacred walls of the Nine Heavens Sect threatened to crumble. The air was thick with the screams of restless spirits, their wails piercing through the eerie silence.
Jiang Feng's mind barely registered the danger. His eyes were locked onto Li Xue, whose hands gripped the ancient scroll so tightly that her knuckles turned white.
"You led the charge against the Nine Heavens Sect?" he asked, his voice barely above a whisper.
Li Xue's lips parted, but no words came out.
The elder monk turned to her, his expression unreadable. "If this record speaks the truth, then you were the hand that delivered their destruction. But how? Why?"
Li Xue swallowed hard. Her gaze fell to the scroll, as if seeking an answer from the faded ink. "I… don't remember," she admitted. "It doesn't make sense. My memories only go back a thousand years. If I was involved in something like this, I should remember."
Jiang Feng frowned. The implications were terrifying. If Li Xue had erased the Nine Heavens Sect, then the gods had hidden it well—even from her.
Outside, the wailing grew louder. The spirits that had once stood in silent torment were now restless, their rage shaking the heavens.
"We need to move," Jiang Feng said. "The temple is collapsing."
Li Xue hesitated for only a moment before nodding. She tucked the scroll into her sleeve and turned to run. The elder monk followed, and Jiang Feng brought up the rear.
The moment they stepped outside, a blinding light filled the ruins.
The spirits had awakened.
They no longer stood as hollow shadows. Now, they were fully formed—warriors clad in battle armor, their weapons gleaming with spectral energy. Their leader, the same armored specter Jiang Feng had fought earlier, stepped forward. His voice was no longer hollow but filled with ancient fury.
"You carry the blood of our enemy," he growled, his eyes fixed on Li Xue. "You will not leave here alive."
Li Xue exhaled sharply. "I don't want to fight you."
The specter raised his spear. "Then die where you stand!"
With inhuman speed, he lunged.
Jiang Feng barely had time to react before the spear came crashing down. He moved on instinct, his sword clashing against the ghostly weapon, sending sparks flying. The force of the blow sent him skidding backward.
The other spirits charged.
Li Xue lifted her hand, summoning golden energy around her fingers. With a flick of her wrist, beams of celestial light shot forward, striking down several warriors—but more rose in their place.
The elder monk slammed his staff into the ground, chanting in a low, resonant tone. A wave of spiritual energy pulsed outward, forcing some of the specters back, but they only roared in defiance.
Jiang Feng gritted his teeth. "There's too many of them!"
Li Xue's expression hardened. "We don't have a choice."
She raised her hands, and for a moment, the sky itself seemed to darken. Then, golden flames erupted around her, spiraling upward like a celestial inferno.
The spirits hesitated.
"She still wields divine power," one of them whispered.
Their leader let out a snarl. "Power or not, she will perish!"
He charged again, his spear aiming straight for her heart.
But this time, Li Xue didn't move.
Jiang Feng's eyes widened. "Li Xue!"
At the last second, she raised her hand. The moment the spear touched her palm, a shockwave rippled through the battlefield. The golden flames around her surged outward, swallowing the spirits in a blinding light.
The warriors screamed as they were consumed, their bodies dissolving into nothingness.
The last thing Jiang Feng saw before everything turned white was Li Xue standing at the center of it all, her expression unreadable.
And then, the ruins fell silent.
When Jiang Feng opened his eyes, he found himself lying on the ground. The night sky stretched above him, scattered with stars. The ruins were gone—not just destroyed, but erased, as if they had never existed.
The elder monk groaned beside him, rubbing his head. "I… am alive?"
Jiang Feng sat up, his head still spinning. "Where's Li Xue?"
He spotted her standing a few feet away, gazing at the empty space where the temple had once stood.
Jiang Feng pushed himself to his feet and walked to her side. "Are you alright?"
She didn't answer immediately. When she finally spoke, her voice was quiet.
"They're gone."
Jiang Feng looked around. The spirits, the ruins, the weight of centuries of suffering—all of it had vanished. The only thing that remained was the scroll Li Xue held in her hands.
She turned to him. "This isn't over."
Jiang Feng met her gaze. "I know."
The elder monk exhaled, looking at the empty land before them. "The heavens hid the truth of this sect's destruction. Now, they will know we have uncovered it."
A chill ran down Jiang Feng's spine. He didn't need to ask what that meant.
The gods were watching.
And they would not remain silent.
To be continued…