I stood before the ancient door, my palms raw and bleeding from hours of pushing against the unyielding stone. Every technique I knew had failed me. Every ounce of my strength had proven insufficient.
"There has to be a way," I muttered, running my fingers along the seam where the massive doors met.
The runes etched into the stone pulsed faintly, as if mocking my efforts. I''d tried using my spiritual energy to unlock them, attempted to decipher their patterns, even resorted to brute force—all useless.
Hunger gnawed at my insides. How long had I been trapped? Three days? Four? The chamber had no windows, no indication of time passing except my growing weakness.
I slumped against the wall, sliding down until I sat on the cold floor. The ghostly image of my father—if that''s who it truly was—had long since vanished, leaving me with more questions than answers.
"Some legendary cultivator I am," I scoffed bitterly. "Can''t even open a door."
My stomach growled painfully, reminding me of my mortal limitations. I''d already searched every inch of this chamber for hidden mechanisms or alternate exits. Nothing.
With a deep breath, I pushed myself to my feet again. Onest desperate attempt. I channeled what little spiritual energy I had recovered into my palm and mmed it against the center of the door.
"Open, damn you!"
Nothing happened.
Exhaustion and frustration overwhelmed me. I turned away from the door, scanning the chamber once more. My gaze settled on my bag—the one thing Julian hadn''t managed to take from me.
Inside were several inner cores I''d collected from beasts during previous battles. I''d been saving them for emergencies. If this didn''t qualify, nothing would.
I pulled out a grade six beast core, its blue surface glowing softly in the dim light. These cores were typically used to enhance cultivation, but consuming them raw was risky—the rush of power could damage meridians if not properly controlled.
Right now, I had no choice.
"Well," I said to the empty room, "if this kills me, at least I won''t starve to death."
I ced the core against my lips and began absorbing its energy. Immediately, raw power flooded my system. My meridians burned as if filled with molten metal. I gritted my teeth against the pain, focusing on directing the wild energy through my cultivation pathways.
After the initial shock subsided, I felt my strength returning. Not enough to break through the door, but perhaps enough to continue searching for a solution.
I spent the rest of the day methodically examining every stone in the walls, floor, and ceiling. By nightfall—or what I assumed was nightfall in the timeless chamber—I had found nothing.
Resigned, I settled against the far wall and closed my eyes. The only path forward was clear: I needed more power. Much more.
"Looks like I''m not leaving anytime soon," I whispered to myself. "Might as well make use of the time."
I arranged the remaining beast cores before me and crossed my legs into a meditation position. If I couldn''t break out with my current strength, I would cultivate until I could.
---
Ten days had passed since Liam Knight disappeared into the depths of the Immortal Bane Sect.
In the main hall of Jade Moon Vi, Eamon Greene stared nkly at the strategic maps spread across the table. Dark circles hung beneath his eyes, evidence of sleepless nights spent hoping for news that never came.
"Still nothing from our scouts?" Phoebe Reeves asked, her usually vibrant voice subdued.
Eamon shook his head. "They''ve been watching the Immortal Bane Sect entrance for days. No sign of movement. No sign of... him."
Neither of them spoke the truth they both feared: Liam was dead.
Phoebe copsed into a chair, her face drawn. "I keep expecting him to walk through that door. To tell us it was all part of some brilliant n."
"We can''t keep going like this," Eamon said quietly. "The Vi needs leadership. Decisions need to be made."
"Are you suggesting we give up on him?" Phoebe''s voice sharpened.
"I''m suggesting we face reality," Eamon replied, his own grief evident in his tight expression. "The Immortal Bane Sect has imed countless lives over the centuries. If Liam hasn''t emerged by now..."
"Don''t say it," Phoebe whispered, tears forming in her eyes. "Please don''t say it."
Eamon''s shoulders slumped. "We need to prepare for the worst. Our enemies already believe he''s dead. They''ll move against us soon."
The door opened, and Mariana Valerius entered. Once poised and confident, even she looked diminished by worry andck of sleep.
"Any news?" she asked, though her tone suggested she already knew the answer.
Eamon shook his head. "Nothing."
Mariana took a deep breath. "Then we must make preparations. If Liam is... indisposed... we need to protect what he built."
"You mean what we built together," Phoebe corrected her.
"Yes," Mariana agreed softly. "What you all built together."
Silence fell over the room, heavy with unspoken grief. In the corner, a young disciple wiped tears from her eyes, no longer bothering to hide her despair.
"He can''t be gone," the girl whispered. "Master Knight always finds a way."
No one had the heart to contradict her.
---
In the grand hall of the Veridia City Martial Guild, Darian Bancroft reviewed thetest reports with a satisfied smile. Ten days without any sign of Liam Knight—just as Julian Radford had promised.
"It appears congrattions are in order," he said to his aide. "Prepare my formal report to the Council. Liam Knight is officially deceased."
His aide bowed deeply. "Yes, Master Bancroft. And what of Jade Moon Vi?"
"We''ll allow them to flounder for a while," Bancroft replied, sipping his tea. "Like headless chickens, they''ll run themselves into exhaustion. Then we''ll step in to... restore order."
"Very wise, Master Bancroft."
Bancroft''s smile widened. Years of nning, countless resources spent hunting Liam Knight—and in the end, the upstart had perished in a forgotten ruin. Fitting.
"History will remember this as the end of a minor annoyance," Bancroft mused. "Nothing more." <b ss="in-imprint-b">The most up?to?date version is on *.</b>
---
In the Ashworth family mansion, sses clinked as Corbin Ashworth toasted with his advisors.
"To the timely demise of Liam Knight," he announced, his cold eyes gleaming. "May he rot in whatever hell imed him."
The men around the tableughed appreciatively, drinking to their master''s toast.
"Uncle," Dashiell ckthorne spoke up, setting down his ss. "With Knight gone, perhaps it''s time to revisit my proposal for Isabelle''s hand?"
Corbin''s expression soured slightly. "My dear nephew, Isabelle remains missing. Until we locate her, any marriage discussions are premature."
"But surely—"
"Furthermore," Corbin interrupted smoothly, "Knight''s death changes little about your... qualifications. The ckthorne family remains in a precarious position."
Dashiell''s face flushed with anger, but he wisely remained silent.
Corbin turned to his security chief. "Double the reward for information on Isabelle''s whereabouts. With Knight gone, she''ll be vulnerable, possibly seeking new allies."
"Yes, sir."
Corbin raised his ss again. "Gentlemen, let us not becent. One pest has been eliminated, but others will rise to take his ce. Our vignce must never waver."
As the men toasted again, none noticed the shadow that passed briefly across Corbin''s face—a flicker of unease that suggested he wasn''t entirely convinced of Liam Knight''s demise.
---
In a dimly lit room on the outskirts of Veridia City, Frederick Cohen opened his eyes for the first time in ten days. The pain in his legs was excruciating, but his mind was surprisingly clear.
"He''s awake!" a voice called out.
A woman''s face appeared above him—Lydia, one of Liam''s disciples who had specialized in healing arts.
"Where am I?" Frederick croaked, his throat dry from disuse.
"Safe house," Lydia replied, helping him sip water. "Master Knight arranged it before..."
Her voice trailed off, and Frederick felt his heart sink. "Before what? What happened to Liam?"
The silence that followed told him everything. Finally, a man stepped forward—Marcus, another of Liam''s trusted circle.
"He''s trapped in the Immortal Bane Sect," Marcus exined quietly. "The formation activated. No one has seen him for ten days."
Frederick struggled to sit up, ignoring the pain shooting through his broken legs. "We have to help him! He saved my life!"
"We''ve tried," Lydia said, gently pushing him back down. "The entrance is sealedpletely. There''s no way in."
Frederick sank back, despair washing over him. "Julian Radford," he growled. "This is his doing."
Marcus nodded grimly. "We know. But we can''t move against him directly—not yet."
"Then what do we do?" Frederick demanded.
Marcus and Lydia exchanged looks. "We''ve discussed it," Marcus said. "We think our best course is to join Jade Moon Vi. Offer our services. They''ll need all the help they can get now."
Frederick closed his eyes, memories of Liam rushing into danger to save him flooding back. "Yes," he said finally. "We''ll go to Jade Moon Vi. We''ll protect what he built."
He looked at the others with fierce determination. "And when we''re strong enough, Julian Radford will pay for what he''s done."
---
On a forest path leading to Jade Moon Vi, a slender figure moved with unnatural grace. Dudley Lowell''s appearance had subtly changed since epting Julian Radford''s mission. His features seemed softer, more feminine, and his movements flowed like water.
The two ck Gold Stone artifacts pulsed with energy at his waist, their power gradually seeping into his body, changing him from within. He didn''t mind these changes—in fact, he relished them. Each transformation brought new abilities, new ways to kill.
"Poor Jade Moon Vi," he whispered to himself, his voice carrying a strange dual tone. "All that grief, all that delicious despair."
He licked his lips, anticipating the carnage toe. Julian had ordered him to kill Frederick Cohen, but why stop there? With Liam Knight gone, the entire Vi was vulnerable. A massacre would feed his cultivation far more effectively than a single assassination.
"And Jordan Richards thinks I''m doing this for him," Dudleyughed softly, the sound unnervingly melodic. "Little does he know that I am using him too!"
The artifacts at his waist pulsed again, sending waves of dark energy through his body. He could feel himself changing, growing stronger with each step toward Jade Moon Vi.
Soon, he would arrive. And then the real fun would begin.