The shield fractured further, sending shards of primal energy exploding outwards. The Guardian swayed, his breath coming in ragged gasps, but his eyes never left Xiaochen.
"My purpose is fulfilled, little Emperor," the Guardian said, his voice softer now, tinged with a profound peace. "I have waited ten millennia for you. My vigil is over. Live. Fight. Break their chains. Avenge us all."
His eyes, for a fleeting moment, glowed with an internal, golden light that was neither Qi Surgawi nor Void Qi, but something older, a true life essence. He released his grip on his staff. The gnarled wood instantly withered to dust.
Then, with a final, desperate roar, the Guardian flared with an immense, primordial explosion of earthy Qi. It was not a destructive blast, but a torrent of pure, raw life
