Chapter 15: The Void temple

Chapter 15: The void lotus temple

A shifting sound broke the quiet—a faint rustling, barely noticeable at first. Bhoumik stood instantly, his spear ready, his eyes narrowing as he honed in on the source. His heart raced as his ears picked up the unmistakable slithering of something large.

His body tensed, and the ground beneath his feet trembled slightly. From the shadows of the twisted forest emerged a massive form, slithering through the underbrush with a menacing grace. It came into view—a serpent, nearly twelve meters in length, its blackened scales shimmering faintly in the dim light. Its body was muscular, coiling with a quiet power, and its eyes—deep purple with green pupils—locked onto Bhoumik with a predatory gaze.

The creature was a monstrosity, far larger and more dangerous than any beast Bhoumik had faced before. Its scales looked like they could withstand the strongest of blows, and its sharp fangs glistened as it flicked its tongue, sensing the air. There was no question—this serpent was a beast of great power, and Bhoumik knew he stood no chance against it in a direct fight.

His heart beat steadily, but his mind calculated every possible escape. How do I get away from this? He took a cautious step back, his spear ready for defense, his gaze never leaving the serpent's eyes.

The serpent slithered closer, its massive body coiling as it sized him up. But to Bhoumik's surprise, the beast did not attack. It simply stared at him. The serpent's tongue darted out, tasting the air, and then its eyes narrowed, something strange and almost fearful flashing in its gaze.

Bhoumik's brows furrowed as he sensed the shift. The serpent wasn't acting like the predator he expected. Its aggression seemed to drain as it scanned him again.

The beast slithered back slightly, its posture changing from one of attack to one of caution. Bhoumik, still ready to defend himself, watched carefully as the serpent's body seemed to tense, not in preparation to strike, but in what looked like fear.

For the first time, Bhoumik allowed himself a flicker of confusion. What's going on? he thought. The serpent, which had moments ago been on the verge of attacking, now seemed hesitant—almost as if it had seen something it didn't want to confront.

The beast lowered its head slightly, its purple eyes glowing as it scanned Bhoumik's body again. Bhoumik could see the recognition in the serpent's gaze, the way its pupils dilated as it sensed something deep within him.

Suddenly, it all clicked. The serpent was afraid—not of Bhoumik's strength, but of something inside him. Something dormant, something Bhoumik himself did not yet understand.

He stood there, watching as the serpent recoiled further, its massive body coiling protectively as though it were retreating from a threat far greater than itself. Bhoumik's chest ached with the weight of the unknown, but now, more than ever, he needed answers. Why was the serpent afraid?

His blood dripped slowly from his wounds, the pain still present but lessened by the strange reaction of the beast. Bhoumik's thoughts raced back to the jade lotus pendant around his neck, pulsing faintly. The serpent must have sensed it—or something beyond that. There was a power inside Bhoumik that he himself was unaware of, something tied to his so ancient and strong that even this terrifying beast feared it.

The serpent hissed softly, but its eyes no longer burned with the desire to kill. Instead, they were filled with something far more complex—fear, reverence, and an understanding that Bhoumik could not yet grasp.

Bhoumik's expression remained cold, emotionless as ever, but his mind worked rapidly. What am I?

His fingers tightened around his spear as he stared the beast down, his gaze never wavering. The serpent slithered back further, its massive form disappearing into the shadows, never taking its eyes off him. It was as if the creature had judged him too dangerous to confront, despite his outward appearance of weakness.

The serpent left without attacking.

Bhoumik stood still, watching the serpent vanish into the twisted forest. His heart beat steadily, but his mind was reeling from the revelation. His bloodline—whatever it was—had scared off a monster that could have crushed him in an instant. The pain coursing through his body made more sense now, too. It wasn't just from the wounds he had suffered in the tomb. Something else was sealed inside him, something far greater than what he could comprehend.

He glanced down at the blood dripping from his mouth, wiping it away with the back of his hand. The serpent had sensed something in his blood, something ancient, something powerful enough to frighten even the most dangerous creatures in this realm. But what that was, Bhoumik had no idea.

His cold expression never faltered, but deep inside, a hunger for answers began to grow. There was more to him than even he knew. the very thing that had saved him today—was a mystery he had yet to unravel.

For now, though, he pushed those thoughts aside. There would be time to explore the truth of his later. Right now, he needed to find a way out of this strange land and continue his path toward power. But as he looked ahead, the purple sky and twisted landscape stretched on endlessly, with no sign of life.

Days had passed since Bhoumik began his exploration in this strange and forsaken land. Every time he encountered a beast, the same strange thing happened: fear. Creatures that could easily tear him apart in his current weakened state either fled from him or kept their distance, their gazes filled with primal terror. Even the most monstrous of predators kept a wide berth, as though they sensed something far more dangerous lurking within him.

Bhoumik continued to roam, his body recovering only slightly from the lingering pain he had felt since the tomb. Each day, the oppressive darkness that cloaked this place weighed on him more heavily. There was no rest here, no signs of life save for the occasional beast. The sky, that strange mixture of purple and black, cast everything in an eerie light that barely touched the barren, twisted landscape.

After days of endless wandering, Bhoumik spotted a strange formation on the horizon. A black mountain rose into the sky, its jagged peaks piercing the heavy clouds. At its base was a cave, its mouth wide and ominous, dark tendrils of energy spilling out like smoke. Cautiously, Bhoumik approached, his spear in hand, ready for whatever might await him inside.

The cave was massive, its entrance yawning like the mouth of a beast. As Bhoumik stepped inside, the temperature dropped. The air felt thick and damp, as if it had been sealed off from the world for centuries. His senses sharpened, and as his eyes adjusted to the darkness, a shape came into view—a massive flower, its petals blood-red and slick with moisture, towering at nearly six meters tall.

It wasn't the flower itself that shocked him, but the half-eaten carcass of a creature beside it. The remains of a lion-like beast lay sprawled on the cave floor, its blood still pooling beneath it. The enormous flower, a carnivorous plant, pulsed slightly as it digested its meal, the air heavy with the metallic scent of blood. Bhoumik took a step back, knowing instinctively that whatever had devoured such a powerful creature would have no trouble finishing him.

He didn't linger. Without hesitation, Bhoumik turned and left the cave, retreating back into the open landscape.

The days stretched into weeks, and the isolation weighed heavily on Bhoumik. The endless void seemed to stretch on forever, and despite the power that lay dormant within him, he felt the gnawing hunger of desperation. His body, though still recovering, demanded cultivation, and yet… he hadn't meditated or refined his energy since arriving in this desolate land.

The thought struck him as strange. How had he survived this long without cultivating? There was no doubt he had grown stronger over the past year, but now his body craved refinement. Perhaps that's what's wrong, Bhoumik thought, his fingers tracing the handle of his spear as he walked. I need to cultivate. That's the only way to overcome this pain.

Determined to regain his strength, Bhoumik scoured the landscape for a place to settle. After hours of wandering, he found a small, secluded grove, surrounded by trees twisted in unnatural shapes. The area was calm, and more importantly, it seemed far from any beasts or other dangers. He sat down, crossed his legs, and closed his eyes, focusing on the energy within him.

But the moment he attempted to draw in spiritual energy, something snapped.

A violent backlash erupted through his body, and Bhoumik's eyes shot open, his mouth twisting in a grimace of pain. The energy here—this dark, desperate energy—was rejecting him. Instead of flowing into his meridians as it should, it lashed out at him, leaving him wounded and gasping for breath.

Blood dripped from his lips as he clutched his chest, the injuries from the backlash severe. This place… won't allow me to cultivate? It was a terrifying thought. A land where cultivation was impossible meant death for any martial artist, no matter how strong. His mind reeled with frustration, and for the first time in a long while, a flicker of doubt crept into his thoughts.

He had no choice. Bhoumik stood, the weight of his failures dragging him down as he began to move again, determined to find some way to restore himself. The answers had to be out there somewhere.

It felt like an eternity had passed when Bhoumik's aimless wandering finally led him somewhere new. As he crested a hill, his sharp eyes caught sight of a structure unlike anything he had seen before. Rising from the barren landscape was an otherworldly building, its design ancient and powerful. The stone walls were etched with intricate symbols, and the faint glow of spiritual energy radiated from within.