Chapter 16: Shadows of the Past

The battlefield was eerily silent as Yu Xue stood among the dissipating remnants of the admiral, his cold gaze lingering on the spot where his opponent had been consumed by darkness. The air was thick with the scent of scorched earth and the faint, lingering traces of spatial distortion. Though victorious, Yu Xue felt no sense of triumph, only a deepening resolve to protect the world he had come to call home.

As the shadows that had enveloped the battlefield slowly receded, revealing the devastation wrought by the Galactic Empire's assault, Yu Xue could feel the weight of his master's expectations upon him. Xu Han's teachings had been clear: strength alone was not enough. One needed to be cunning, adaptable, and unyielding in the face of adversity.

Yu Xue's thoughts were interrupted by a soft, almost inaudible sound—a ripple in the fabric of space. He turned sharply, his senses on high alert, only to find his master, Xu Han, emerging from the void. Xu Han's expression was calm, his eyes reflecting the boundless wisdom and power that lay within him.

"You handled that well," Xu Han said, his voice smooth and measured. "But there is still much for you to learn, Yu Xue."

Yu Xue bowed his head respectfully. "Thank you, Master. I will continue to grow stronger under your guidance."

Xu Han's gaze drifted to the sky, where the remaining starships of the Galactic Empire hung like ominous shadows. "This was only a taste of what is to come. The multiverse is vast, filled with beings far more powerful than what you've faced today. You must be prepared to face them."

Yu Xue nodded, his resolve hardening. "I understand, Master. I will not let you down."

Xu Han gave a small nod of approval before his expression grew more serious. "But there is something else you must understand, something beyond power and technique." He paused, as if weighing his words carefully. "The past has a way of catching up with us, no matter how far we run from it."

Yu Xue looked up, curiosity piqued. "What do you mean, Master?"

Xu Han's eyes darkened slightly, his gaze distant. "The Phoenix you encountered earlier is but a remnant of a bygone era, a being trapped by the chains of his own past. His power is formidable, but his heart is shackled by memories he cannot escape. You, too, will face the shadows of your past, Yu Xue. And when that time comes, you must be ready."

Yu Xue felt a chill run down his spine. He had never considered that his past, which he had tried so hard to leave behind, might one day come back to haunt him. But he knew better than to question his master's words. If Xu Han said it would happen, then it was only a matter of time.

"What should I do, Master?" Yu Xue asked, his voice steady despite the unease growing within him.

Xu Han's gaze softened slightly. "You must confront it, face it head-on. Only by accepting your past can you truly move forward. Do not let it control you. Use it as a source of strength, not weakness."

Yu Xue took a deep breath, nodding in understanding. "I will, Master."

Satisfied with his disciple's response, Xu Han turned his attention back to the fleet above. With a wave of his hand, the sky above them seemed to shift and ripple, as if the very fabric of space was being altered. The starships, once formidable and menacing, began to tremble, their forms distorting as Xu Han manipulated the spatial laws with ease.

"Watch closely," Xu Han instructed, his voice calm yet commanding. "This is the true power of a Dimensional Master."

Yu Xue's eyes widened as he observed the scene before him. The starships were being crushed, folded in on themselves by an invisible force. The space around them was warping, collapsing the ships into nothingness as if they had never existed. It was a display of power so absolute, so terrifying, that Yu Xue could scarcely believe what he was seeing.

In a matter of moments, the once-mighty fleet of the Galactic Empire was gone, erased from existence by Xu Han's will alone. The sky was clear once more, the threat eliminated without a single trace.

"This is the path you must walk," Xu Han said, turning to face Yu Xue. "To become a true master of the multiverse, you must learn to control not just the elements, but the very fabric of reality itself."

Yu Xue could only nod, awed by the sheer magnitude of his master's power. He had a long way to go, but he was determined to follow in Xu Han's footsteps, to reach the heights that his master had attained.

As the silence settled over the battlefield, Yu Xue found his thoughts drifting back to Xu Han's earlier words. The shadows of the past… He couldn't help but wonder what form his past might take when it finally caught up with him. But whatever it was, he would be ready. He had to be.

Later, as Yu Xue meditated in the solitude of his training chamber, the events of the day replayed in his mind. The battle with the admiral, the destruction of the fleet, and his master's ominous warning—it all weighed heavily on his thoughts.

He couldn't shake the feeling that something was coming, something that would challenge everything he had learned. But for now, he pushed those thoughts aside, focusing instead on the task at hand. There was still much to do, and he couldn't afford to be distracted.

As he delved deeper into his meditation, Yu Xue felt a presence—a faint, barely perceptible energy that seemed to hover at the edges of his awareness. It was familiar, yet distant, like a memory long forgotten. He reached out with his mind, trying to grasp it, but it slipped away, leaving him with a lingering sense of unease.

Whatever it was, it could wait. For now, Yu Xue had to focus on his training, on mastering the darkness and the space that he commanded. But in the back of his mind, he couldn't help but wonder if this presence was the shadow of his past, slowly making its way toward him.