chapter 11 : The chaos within

Chapter 11 : The chaos within

The battle around Bhoumik raged with relentless fury, the clash of cultivators and the monstrous. guardian beast filling the chamber with deafening noise. From his concealed position, Bhoumik stayed low, eyes fixed on the glowing scroll resting on the stone altar at the center of the room. The air around it pulsed with power, calling to him, beckoning him to act while the others were distracted.

He had no time to waste. With slow, deliberate movements, Bhoumik began creeping forward, using the chaos of battle to mask his approach. His breathing was calm, but his senses were alert, every muscle in his body ready to react. Thunder Steps allowed him to move silently, his presence a mere whisper in the shadows. He weaved between the skirmishes, staying low to avoid being noticed by the powerful cultivators locked in combat.

As he drew nearer to the altar, his heart pounded with anticipation. Just a little closer, he thought. A few more steps.

But then-

"Hey! Over there! A voice rang out from across the chamber.

Bhoumik's blood turned cold. He had been spotted.

The shout came from one of the rogue cultivators-Ren Zhu, a muscular man with a cruel smile, standing apart from the main factions. Ren's voice echoed through the room, and in an instant, all eyes turned toward Bhoumik. The fighting slowed, the tension of the room shifting once again. The greed in their gazes intensified as they realized Bhoumik was within arm's reach of the scroll.

"That little brat's trying to steal it!" Ren yelled, pointing toward Bhoumik.

In that moment, Bhoumik knew his time was up. With a burst of speed, he darted forward, closing the last few feet to the altar. His fingers stretched out, reaching for the glowing scroll. So close.

But just as his hand was about to grasp it, a cold laugh rang out behind him. "Not so fast, kid."

A sharp gust of wind swept past Bhoumik's face, and he felt the unmistakable presence of someone powerful behind him. He spun around, spear already in hand, just in time to see a figure in black and crimson robes swinging a sword directly toward him. The force of the strike cut through the air with terrifying precision.

Bhoumik reacted instantly, his spear flashing upward in a defensive arc. The sword clashed against the spear, and sparks flew as metal ground against metal. The power behind the strike sent a tremor through Bhoumik's body, but he held firm, his expression cold and unreadable.

The attacker sneered down at him. "You've got guts, I'll give you that. But this is the end of the line for you, kid. You shouldn't have gotten involved in things far above your level."

It was Yi Wen, one of Lu Qing's men from the Flame Serpent Sect, a cultivator at Grandmaster Realm, 4th level. His sword gleamed with Qi energy, and his eyes burned with murderous intent. He clearly saw Bhoumik as little more than a pest to be eliminated.

Bhoumik met his gaze without flinching. He knew that he couldn't defeat this man in a prolonged fight -the gap between their cultivation realms was too great. But there was no fear in Bhoumik's eyes. Instead, there was only cold, calculating determination.

"This place will be your grave, kid!" Yi Wen roared, swinging his sword once more, this time with even greater force.

Bhoumik's spear whirled through the air, deflecting the blow with precision. He felt the heavy impact, but his grip remained firm. His mind raced as he searched for a way out of this. He couldn't match Yi Wen in raw power, but he didn't need to. What he needed was an opening- one small chance to escape.

Yi Wen's eyes narrowed as Bhoumik blocked his strike. "Not bad for a brat like you. But it's over now!"

Bhoumik's lips barely moved as he whispered the incantation for the Heavenly Palm Technique. He hadn't mastered it yet, and he didn't have time to fully charge the attack, but even a half-powered Heavenly Palm could create enough of an opening. As Yi Wen raised his sword for another strike, Bhoumik's palm shot forward, glowing with a faint aura of blue-golden energy.

The blow landed squarely on Yi Wen's chest, sending him staggering backward. His eyes widened in shock, not expecting such a powerful technique from someone so young and seemingly weak. He coughed, blood splattering onto the stone floor as he tried to regain his balance.

Bhoumik didn't wait. He knew he couldn't fight for long. In that brief moment when Yi Wen was reeling, Bhoumik activated Thunder Steps again, his body blurring as he dashed toward the altar. His hand shot out, and this time, his fingers closed around the scroll.

But as soon as he touched it, the chamber erupted with a low, ominous rumble.

The floor beneath them began to tremble violently, and a formation on the ground suddenly lit up with eerie red light. The ancient symbols carved into the stone walls flared to life, and the sound of creaking bones filled the air as dozens of skeleton warriors emerged from the dark recesses of the chamber. Each one was covered in tattered armor, their eyes glowing with unnatural fire

The cultivators froze for a split second, their battles momentarily forgotten as they realized the true danger had only just begun.

"What have you done, boy?!" Yi Wen growled, still clutching his chest, his eyes now filled with fury. He forced himself to stand, glaring at Bhoumik, "You've doomed us all!"

Across the room, Lu Qing, who had been locked in combat with the guardian beast, turned his fierce gaze toward Bhoumik. He saw the scroll in Bhoumik's hand, and rage ignited within him. "Useless trash!" he shouted at Yi Wen. "You couldn't even stop a mere child from taking the treasure? Pathetic!"

Lu Qing's aura flared violently as he left the beast to his subordinates, who struggled to hold it back. His attention now entirely focused on Bhoumik, he began walking toward him, each step filled with murderous intent.

Bhoumik didn't flinch, but his mind raced. He couldn't face Lu Qing head-on, not now. The man's power was overwhelming, far beyond his current abilities. But as Lu Qing approached, Bhoumik caught a flicker of light beneath his feet-an ancient teleportation formation engraved into the stone floor.

Before Lu Qing could close the distance, the formation activated with a loud whoosh. Light enveloped Bhoumik, and in the blink of an eye, he vanished from the chamber, leaving nothing but a faint trail of energy behind.

Lu Qing stopped mid-step, his eyes widening in disbelief. "No!" he roared, his voice echoing through the room. "You won't escape me, you little rat!"

But it was too late. Bhoumik was gone, teleported to who knew where, leaving the enraged Lu Qing behind. The Flame Serpent Sect leader's fury reached a boiling point, and he turned to Yi Wen with a murderous glare.

"You useless dog!" Lu Qing snarled, his fists crackling with spiritual energy. "You couldn't even handle a child! If I have to clean up your mess, you won't leave this tomb alive!"

Yi Wen bowed his head, trembling in fear. But before Lu Qing could take his rage out on him, the skeleton warriors closed in, their bony hands reaching for the nearest cultivators.

Lu Qing's eyes flicked back to the approaching skeletons, his rage now directed at the new threat. With a roar, he unleashed a powerful punch, his fist glowing with intense spiritual energy. The punch connected with the nearest skeleton, shattering it into pieces, but there were many more behind it.

The chamber descended into complete chaos. The cultivators who had once been fighting each other now found themselves surrounded by an army of skeletons and a guardian beast still rampaging through the room. Each one fought for their life as the tomb seemed to come alive with the intent to kill all who entered.

But Bhoumik was no longer there. He had escaped.