The air inside was still, heavy with the scent of ancient stone and dormant power. He could feel the eyes of countless unseen constructs, guardians and relics, watching him, assessing him. But now, their gaze was not hostile. It was expectant.
As he passed the threshold, a final, guttural groan echoed through the mountains. The colossal gate began to close behind him, slowly, silently, sealing him within the heart of the Reruntuhan Bayangan Kuno. The iridescent moss, now crimson, pulsed one last time, then faded, becoming one with the dark stone.
The outer world, the world of the Taixu Palace and their gilded lies, was now utterly shut out. Xiaochen was truly alone, at the nexus of ancient power, where the truth of the Void, and his own ultimate destiny, waited to be unveiled. The air ar
