DARK ENERGY

Moonlight poured through the latticed windows of Mo Xing's bedroom, silver and cold, painting intricate shadows that slithered across the floor like spirits bound in an unholy dance. The air was heavy, thick with something unseen yet palpable, pressing against the walls like a silent observer.

Mo Xing sat unmoving, his posture disciplined, but within, a war raged. His eyes were closed, his breath measured, yet the tremor in his fingers betrayed the battle unfolding beneath his skin. Sweat slicked his brow, each bead trembling before rolling down his temple. His teeth dug into his lower lip, until the taste of iron bloomed against his tongue.

The darkness within him, the one he had caged for centuries with sheer will, stirred like a beast sniffing the air after a long slumber. It had been awakened—recognized—by the temporal distortions at the Void Temple.