The founder''s eyes narrowed, two pinpoints of malevolent light boring into my consciousness. I remained perfectly still, knowing any sign of deception would be fatal.


    "You suggest I simply... hand over my power to you?" His voice dripped with suspicion. "Power that took me centuries to umte?"


    I projected humility into my consciousness. "Not all your power, Great Founder. Just enough to defeat this threat to your legacy."


    The dark entity circled me slowly, his form rippling with barely contained rage. I felt his scrutiny like ice against my mind.


    "Tell me more about this... Liam Knight," he demanded. "How has one cultivator brought my mighty sect to its knees?"


    I carefully crafted my response, using truths about myself to paint the picture of a formidable enemy.


    "He possesses a Chaotic Body," I exined. "Light and dark energies coexist within him, making him resistant to our sect''s dark techniques. Worse, he''s a master alchemist who can create pills that counter our poisons."


    The founder''s darkness pulsed with fury. "Impossible! Thest Chaotic Body was recorded a thousand years ago!"


    "Yet he exists," I said firmly. "And grows stronger by the day."


    The founder paused his pacing. His form suddenly shot toward me, engulfing my golden consciousnesspletely. The sensation was horrifying—like being submerged in liquid malice.


    "You will not lie to me, descendant!" he roared from all directions at once. "I shall test your truth myself!"


    Pain exploded through my consciousness as the founder''s dark energy probed my essence. I bit back a scream, knowing any resistance would betray me. Instead, I focused on suppressing my spiritual energy while letting my natural dark energy flow freely.


    It was like holding back part of myself while offering another—an excruciating bncing act.


    "Interesting," the founder murmured, his voice now intimately close. "Your dark energy resonates with mine. You truly are of my bloodline."


    He withdrew slightly, his form once again distinct from mine. I would have gasped for breath if I had lungs.


    "Yet something is different about you," he continued suspiciously. "Your energy has unusual patterns."


    I had prepared for this. "I''ve been experimenting with forbidden techniques tobat this enemy, Great Founder. Our traditional methods weren''t enough."


    His form rippled with what might have been approval. "Initiative. Good. Perhaps there is hope for my legacy after all." This соntеnt оriginаtеs frоm М1VLЕМРYR, Мy Virtuаl Librаry Еmpirе.


    He moved back, studying me once more. "How has Earth Fiend Valley fallen so far? In my time, we were feared throughout all cultivation realms!"


    I seized the opportunity to appeal to his pride. "The righteous sects hunted us relentlessly after your sealing. Many ancient techniques were lost. We''ve been struggling to rebuild your glorious vision."


    "Pathetic," he spat. "My disciples should have died rather than surrender our knowledge!"


    I nodded in agreement. "A terrible failure, Great Founder. One I hope to rectify by eliminating this current threat."


    The founder circled me again, his dark energy pulsing rhythmically. I could almost feel him weighing his options.


    "If what you say is true," he finally said, "then Earth Fiend Valley faces extinction before I can be freed."


    "I fear so," I replied solemnly.


    "Uneptable!" he roared, dark energyshing out violently around us. "My work cannot end this way! My techniques must live on!"


    I remained silent, letting his rage build. The more invested he became in this fictional threat to his legacy, the more likely he would grant what I needed.


    "Very well," he finally dered. "I will grant you a portion of my power. But know this—ites with conditions."


    "Anything, Great Founder," I replied, maintaining my deferential tone while inwardly bracing myself.


    The founder''s form expanded until it seemed to fill the entire void. "I will ce my mark upon your divine sense. Through it, you may draw upon my dark energy tobat this enemy."


    My consciousness chilled at his words. A mark on my divine sense meant control—something no cultivator would willingly ept.


    "This mark," I asked carefully, "what exactly would it do?"


    The founder''sugh was like ice shattering. "Smart to question. The mark binds you to me. You be my servant, my vessel in the outside world."


    Just as I feared. Complete subjugation.


    "But in return," he continued, "you gain the ability to channel my dark energy—power beyond your wildest dreams. Power enough to crush this Liam Knight."


    I had to appear hesitant but willing. "And after the enemy is defeated?"


    "Then you will devote yourself to breaking my seal," he stated tly. "The mark ensures your loyalty."


    I projected resigned eptance. "If that is the price to save Earth Fiend Valley... I ept."


    The founder''s form condensed into a tight ball of darkness. "Prepare yourself. This will not be pleasant."


    Before I could respond, he shot forward, piercing the center of my golden consciousness. The pain defied description—like having my very essence rewritten by acid. I couldn''t hold back my scream as the mark burned into the core of my divine sense.


    When the agony finally subsided, I felt different. Tainted. A dark spot now resided at my core, pulsing in rhythm with the founder''s energy.


    "It is done," the founder dered with cruel satisfaction. "Now you bear my mark. Through it, you may draw upon my dark energy as needed."


    I probed the mark cautiously. It felt foreign and malevolent, but also... powerful. Very powerful.


    "Thank you, Great Founder," I managed, suppressing my revulsion. "I will not fail you."


    "See that you don''t," he warned. "The mark allows me to observe your actions. Betray me, and I will destroy you from within."


    A chill ran through my consciousness. This was even worse than I''d anticipated. The founder would be watching my every move.


    "Now go," hemanded. "Return to your body and destroy this enemy of Earth Fiend Valley. Preserve my legacy until I can reim it myself!"


    The void around me began to brighten. I felt a pulling sensation as my divine sense was drawn back toward my physical form.


    "I will not fail you, Great Founder," I lied one final time before the darkness gave way to blinding light.


    My consciousness mmed back into my body with shocking force. I gasped, my lungs burning as if I''d been holding my breath for hours. My eyes snapped open to find Eamon kneeling beside me, his face tight with worry.


    "Young Master!" he eximed. "Are you alright? You''ve been unresponsive for nearly an hour."


    I sat up slowly, feeling the dark mark pulsing within my divine sense. It felt like a burning coal lodged in my mind, emanating malicious energy.


    "I''m... alive," I replied carefully, aware that the founder might be listening through his mark.


    Eamon helped me to my feet. "What happened? The statue stopped glowing suddenly."


    I touched the stone statue, now inert and cold. "I met the founder of Earth Fiend Valley," I said quietly. "And made a dangerous bargain."


    Eamon''s face paled. "Young Master, such entities are not to be trusted!"


    "I had no choice," I replied, feeling the mark throb angrily at my admission. "He''s given me ess to his power... but ced a mark on my divine sense to control me."


    Horror dawned on Eamon''s face. "Such a mark could corrupt your very cultivation base! We must find a way to remove it immediately!"


    I raised my hand to silence him, suddenly remembering something crucial. My father''s inheritance—the mysterious knowledge that had been unlocking in my mind since I imed his jade pendant.


    "Wait," I whispered, turning inward to search my memories.


    There—among the countless medicinal forms and cultivation techniques my father had passed down—was something new. A method specifically designed to neutralize spiritual marks and binding contracts.


    Relief flooded through me. My father had foreseen this possibility and prepared ordingly. The knowledge had been there all along, waiting until I needed it.


    "It''s alright," I told Eamon, genuine confidence in my voice now. "I have a way to deal with this. My father''s inheritance includes a technique to remove such marks."


    Eamon''s tension visibly eased. "Your father''s foresight never ceases to amaze me."


    I nodded, turning my attention inward again. The mark pulsed with dark energy—vast, primordial power that the founder had umted over centuries.


    And now, thanks to my deception, I had ess to it all.


    "For now," I said quietly, "I''ll use this connection to my advantage."


    I closed my eyes and began absorbing the dark energy through the mark—the very channel intended to enve me. I felt my qi rapidly enhancing as I drew upon the founder''s power, converting his malicious energy into strength I could control.


    The irony wasn''t lost on me. The tool meant for my subjugation would be the instrument of my growth.


    And soon, very soon, I would be strong enough to sever this connectionpletely.