The Serpent’s Call

The vortex of dark energy roared through the temple, spinning like a storm that threatened to tear the walls apart. Lin Yu stood at the center of it all, his sword raised, his muscles trembling from the strain of holding off the cultists' relentless attacks. His breath came in sharp, ragged bursts as he struggled to maintain his focus. The cult leader's eyes gleamed with anticipation, as if he knew that the longer Lin Yu fought, the closer he came to breaking.

"You can feel it, can't you?" the cult leader sneered, his voice barely audible over the roar of the vortex. "The power of Xiangliu. It's calling to you."

Lin Yu's grip on his sword tightened, the cold metal grounding him in the chaos. His thoughts were a storm, the serpent's whispers drowning out his own voice, urging him to give in. You're holding back. Why fight me? Together, we can end this.

The serpent's mark on his wrist pulsed violently, the skin around it glowing with a dull, sinister light. He could feel the dark energy swirling around him, feeding on his hesitation. The weight of Xiangliu's presence pressed against his mind, pushing him to surrender.

But even now, Lin Yu knew what that would mean.

"Lin Yu!" Elder Wu's voice cut through the storm. He stood at Lin Yu's side, his staff glowing with spiritual energy as he fended off two cultists. "Don't let them get to you! You must fight the serpent's influence!"

Lin Yu's heart pounded in his chest, his mind racing. Fight? I've been fighting all along. But how long can I resist? How long can I stand against this power?

A blast of dark energy slammed into Lin Yu's side, sending him crashing against the stone wall. The impact knocked the air from his lungs, and his vision blurred as pain shot through his body. He barely had time to react before another cultist lunged at him, his sword aimed directly at Lin Yu's chest.

Lin Yu raised his blade just in time to deflect the attack, but his arms were shaking, his strength fading. The serpent's voice coiled around his thoughts, persistent and relentless.

Stop resisting, Xiangliu whispered, his voice thick with amusement. You're weak without me. You can't win this fight. But with my power, you can end it all. Embrace me, Lin Yu. You have no choice.

Lin Yu's vision wavered as he blocked another strike, his movements slower, more labored. The cultists pressed their advantage, sensing his exhaustion, their blades flashing in the dim light of the temple. Every step he took backward felt like giving ground, not just to the cult but to the serpent inside him.

Across the room, Zhao Feng fought valiantly, his dagger slicing through the air as he fended off another cultist. But even he was struggling, his movements growing more desperate as the battle wore on.

Elder Wu, meanwhile, stood his ground, his staff glowing brighter as he summoned a powerful barrier of spiritual energy, shielding them from the worst of the vortex's fury. But even the old master couldn't hold the barrier forever.

"You're not alone in this fight, Lin Yu!" Elder Wu shouted over the chaos, his voice strained. "We can defeat them, but only if you don't give in to Xiangliu! Remember who you are!"

Lin Yu's chest tightened, his mind a blur of pain, exhaustion, and the serpent's incessant whispering. He could feel the power inside him, surging just beneath the surface, waiting to be unleashed. It would be so easy—so easy to give in, to let Xiangliu take control, to end this battle with a single strike.

But at what cost?

Lin Yu's thoughts raced as the cult leader stepped forward again, his eyes glowing with dark energy. The vortex of power swirling around him seemed to grow stronger with each passing moment, feeding off the fear and uncertainty in the room.

"You're delaying the inevitable, Lin Yu," the cult leader taunted, his voice echoing through the chamber. "You cannot resist the serpent forever. It is your fate. Your destiny. Embrace it, and you will become more powerful than you can imagine."

Lin Yu's vision blurred as the cult leader raised his hand, summoning another blast of dark energy. Time seemed to slow as the energy crackled through the air, spiraling toward him with deadly intent.

In that split second, Lin Yu felt the weight of the choice before him—the choice to either fight with everything he had, knowing he could fail, or to give in and let the serpent's power flow through him, ending the battle once and for all.

You know what must be done, Xiangliu whispered, his voice filled with a twisted sense of certainty. Let go, Lin Yu. You can't win like this. But with me… you will never lose again.

The blast of dark energy surged closer, and Lin Yu's heart pounded in his chest. Every instinct screamed at him to fight back, to draw on the power that thrummed inside him. But even as his vision swam, and the world blurred around him, a single thought cut through the storm of chaos.

I am not Xiangliu. I am Lin Yu.

With a roar of defiance, Lin Yu raised his sword, summoning the last of his strength as he swung his blade through the air. The dark energy collided with his sword, and for a moment, it felt as if the weight of the entire world was pressing down on him. The force of the impact sent shockwaves through his body, and his muscles screamed in protest.

But he didn't give in.

He wouldn't give in.

With a final surge of will, Lin Yu forced the dark energy back, the power of the serpent within him roaring to the surface—but not to consume him. No, Lin Yu forced the dark energy back, the power of the serpent within him roaring to the surface—but not to consume him. No, Lin Yu channeled the power, his own will bending it to his command. The energy exploded outward, blasting the cultists backward and shattering the vortex that had consumed the room.

The cult leader staggered, his eyes wide with shock as the dark energy dissipated around him. "Impossible…"

Lin Yu stood tall, his chest heaving, his sword still raised. The mark on his wrist pulsed, but he felt something different this time—a sense of control. He had drawn on Xiangliu's power, but he hadn't been consumed by it. He had bent it to his will.

Elder Wu, still standing behind the remnants of his spiritual barrier, smiled faintly. "Well done, Lin Yu. You resisted."

But the battle wasn't over yet. The cult leader's eyes blazed with fury, and he raised his staff, summoning another wave of dark power. "You think you've won? You are still just a vessel for Xiangliu! This power is beyond you!"

Lin Yu steadied his stance, the serpent's voice still whispering in the back of his mind, but quieter now. He could feel the power inside him, but it was his to command.

"I'm not your vessel," Lin Yu said, his voice firm, his resolve unshaken. "And I won't let you use Xiangliu's power to destroy this world."

With a swift motion, Lin Yu lunged forward, his sword cutting through the air with deadly precision. The cult leader raised his staff to block, but the force of Lin Yu's strike shattered the dark energy that surrounded him.

For the first time, fear flashed across the cult leader's face.

Lin Yu pressed the attack, his blade a blur as he struck again and again, each strike fueled by the strength he had gained through his own will—not Xiangliu's. The cult leader stumbled backward, his defenses crumbling under the onslaught.

And with one final, decisive blow, Lin Yu drove his sword through the cult leader's chest, ending the fight in an instant.

The room fell silent.

The remaining cultists, seeing their leader fall, scattered into the shadows, their resolve broken. The dark energy that had filled the temple slowly dissipated, leaving only the faint echoes of battle behind.

Lin Yu stood over the cult leader's lifeless body, his chest heaving, his sword dripping with blood. The mark on his wrist still glowed faintly, but the whispers in his mind had quieted.

For the first time since Xiangliu's power had awakened within him, Lin Yu felt a sense of control.

But as Elder Wu and Zhao Feng approached, their faces filled with relief, Lin Yu couldn't shake the feeling that this was only the beginning.

The Hand of Xiangliu may have been defeated today, but the serpent's power still lived within him.

And the storm was far from over.