The aftermath of the battle with Xian Long left Lin Zhan exhausted, but his victory had come at a cost. The darkness within him—he could still feel it, lurking just beneath the surface. The temptation to give in to its power was constant, whispering to him, urging him to unleash its full force.
But Lin Zhan had made a promise to himself. He would not be controlled by the darkness. Not now, not ever.
Still, the struggle was not over. The rogue cultivators might have retreated for now, but Xian Long had made it clear that their conflict was far from finished. Lin Zhan couldn’t shake the feeling that the true battle was yet to come. The Golden Finger system, the Undead Monarch’s power—it all felt like a puzzle he was only beginning to understand.
With that in mind, Lin Zhan returned to his training. Each day, he meditated, focused on cultivating his Qi, and honed his physical abilities. But despite his progress, there was a lingering unease that he couldn’t ignore. Every time he called upon the Undead Monarch’s power, even for the smallest of tasks, it was as though a dark shadow brushed against his soul.
"Focus," he muttered to himself as he sat cross-legged in the clearing, the sun barely rising above the horizon. The air was crisp, the morning still. He closed his eyes and drew in a deep breath, centering himself. In the back of his mind, the Golden Finger system hummed softly, offering guidance, but he felt as if it were speaking to him from a great distance. It was as though there were a barrier between them, something blocking his connection to the power that had once felt so familiar.
He pushed the thought away. Now was not the time for doubts.
Lin Zhan began to draw in the Qi around him, feeling its presence in the air, in the earth beneath him, in the very breeze that whispered through the trees. It was subtle at first, but soon he could feel the steady flow of energy coursing through his body. The familiar warmth of Qi filled his senses, grounding him.
But then, something strange happened.
The flow of Qi suddenly shifted. It was as if the very earth beneath him had opened up, and a deep, ancient force was tugging at him. The power surged, pulling him into the depths of his own consciousness. His vision blurred, and he felt himself being drawn into the past.
A distant memory—a dream, perhaps—flashed before his eyes. He saw a figure standing in a vast, endless expanse. The figure was draped in a cloak of shadow, its face hidden. The figure raised a hand, and Lin Zhan felt the ground tremble beneath his feet. The air around him thickened, and he was filled with an overwhelming sense of dread.
"Who are you?" Lin Zhan called out, but his voice was lost in the darkness.
The figure remained silent, its presence more oppressive than anything Lin Zhan had ever felt before. A chilling laugh echoed through the air, and the ground cracked open beneath Lin Zhan’s feet. From the depths, a monstrous roar rose, shaking the very fabric of reality.
"Enough!" Lin Zhan shouted, his voice trembling. He tried to push back, but the force only grew stronger. The shadowed figure lifted its hand, and the roar grew louder.
In that moment, Lin Zhan realized the truth: this was no mere dream. The figure before him was tied to the power of the Undead Monarch—the very force that had been lurking within him.
Suddenly, the vision shattered, and Lin Zhan was thrown back into the present. His heart pounded in his chest, his breath ragged. He opened his eyes, his body covered in sweat, his mind reeling.
"What was that?" he gasped. The memory felt too real to be a mere illusion. There was a connection—a dark, ancient connection—between him and the shadowed figure. The Undead Monarch was not just a source of power; it was tied to something far older, something much more dangerous.
As Lin Zhan sat there, trying to gather his thoughts, the sound of footsteps broke the silence. He turned to see the mysterious figure—the man who had first found him in the forest—emerging from the shadows. The man’s expression was unreadable, but there was something in his eyes that spoke of understanding.
"You’ve felt it, haven’t you?" the man asked, his voice calm yet filled with unspoken weight.
Lin Zhan nodded, still trying to process the vision. "What was that? Who was that figure?"
The man’s gaze deepened. "That was a memory—an echo of the past. The power you’ve tapped into, the Undead Monarch, it is far older than you can imagine. And it’s not something to be taken lightly."
Lin Zhan’s mind raced. "I know it’s dangerous. But I don’t understand why it’s so… familiar. Why does it feel like it’s calling to me?"
The man stepped closer, his eyes never leaving Lin Zhan. "The Golden Finger system doesn’t just grant you power—it bonds you with the ancient forces of the world. The Undead Monarch is one of those forces, an entity from a time long forgotten. And it is tied to your past in ways you do not yet comprehend."
Lin Zhan’s breath caught in his throat. "My past? But I don’t remember anything before… before I came here."
The man’s gaze softened, but only slightly. "That is because your past has been hidden. Erased. You were chosen for a reason, Lin Zhan. The Undead Monarch’s power is meant to be wielded by those who have the potential to control it. But that control comes at a price."
Lin Zhan swallowed hard. "What do you mean? What price?"
The man’s expression hardened. "The more you use the power of the Undead Monarch, the more you risk losing yourself to it. You are not just drawing on an ancient force—you are becoming a part of it. And once you are fully bonded with it, there may be no going back."
Lin Zhan felt a chill run down his spine. "So what do I do? How do I stop it from taking control?"
The man’s eyes darkened. "There is no simple answer. You must continue your training, continue to learn how to control the Qi within you. But there is more to it than that. You must uncover the truth of your past—the truth of why the Undead Monarch is so connected to you. Only then can you truly understand how to wield this power without being consumed by it."
Lin Zhan stood, his mind swirling with questions. The path ahead was uncertain, and the weight of his destiny was heavier than ever. But one thing was clear: the journey to uncover the truth of his past—and to control the power within him—had only just begun.
As he looked up at the mysterious man, he knew that whatever lay ahead, he would face it head-on. He had already survived one battle. Now, he had to prepare for the ones that were yet to come.
To be continued...
This chapter delves deeper into the mystery surrounding Lin Zhan’s past and his connection to the Undead Monarch’s power. With the stakes raised, Lin Zhan’s journey becomes even more perilous as he must uncover his true origin and the hidden dangers of the power within him.
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