Chapter 70: The Price of Victory

The battlefield was silent now, the echoes of the fierce clash fading into the distance. The dust slowly settled around Lin Tian, and his body still hummed with the power of the Hidden Realm. His chest heaved with each breath as he surveyed the wreckage left by the battle. The once-immense shadow beast was now nothing more than a pile of dark ash, and Lord Xian, the man who had once threatened everything Lin Tian held dear, lay lifeless on the ground.

Lin Tian stood tall, his gaze unwavering. He was victorious, but the weight of the battle—and the consequences of his actions—began to settle in. As the energy from the Hidden Realm ebbed away, he felt an exhaustion that threatened to overwhelm him. But he could not afford to falter, not now.

Baihu padded up to him, her fur singed from the fierce battle, but her eyes bright with pride. "Master," she spoke softly, her voice filled with reverence. "We've won."

Lin Tian gave a tired but genuine smile, reaching down to scratch behind her ears. "Yes, but the battle is only just beginning."

Xinya, her fiery red hair glimmering in the fading light, stepped forward as well. "The Black Star Alliance may be defeated, but their followers will not simply vanish. We need to be prepared for what comes next."

Lin Tian nodded. "You're right. This victory won't stop the larger threat. Lord Xian was just one piece in the grand scheme of things." He looked down at his hand, still glowing faintly with the power of the Hidden Realm. "There are still those who will come after the Hidden Realm, who will stop at nothing to control it. And I need to be stronger, for myself and for all of you."

His voice was full of determination, but deep inside, he could feel the burden of responsibility weighing heavily on him. The Hidden Realm was more than just a power—it was a legacy, a force that had shaped the fates of countless lives. And now, it was his to protect.

"You're not alone in this, Master," Baihu said, her voice firm. "We'll stand by you, always."

Xinya and the other beasts nodded in unison, their loyalty unwavering. Lin Tian felt a surge of gratitude toward them. They were his family, his closest allies, and they had stood by him through every challenge.

But just as Lin Tian was about to speak again, the ground beneath them trembled. A sudden, deep rumble echoed through the air, reverberating in the earth as if something far beneath the surface was awakening.

"What's happening?" Xinya asked, her expression turning wary.

"I don't know," Lin Tian muttered, his senses sharpening. "But we need to move—now."

Without warning, the ground split open in front of them, and from the chasm, a massive, grotesque figure emerged. It was a monstrous creature, unlike anything Lin Tian had ever seen before. Its form was a twisted amalgamation of shadow and flesh, its eyes glowing with malevolent energy.

The beast roared, shaking the earth with its power, and Lin Tian instinctively raised his hand. The Hidden Realm responded to his call, but the creature before him was unlike anything he had faced in the past. Its energy was dark, foreign, and far more potent than anything Lin Tian had encountered.

"What is this?" Lin Tian muttered under his breath. The beast was no mere summoning; it felt like an ancient, forgotten terror, its power rooted in the very foundations of the world. The ground beneath them trembled once again, and Lin Tian could sense that this beast was no accident—it had been awakened intentionally.

"This isn't over, Lin Tian," a voice echoed from the depths of the chasm. It was low, guttural, and dripping with malice. "You may have defeated Lord Xian, but you have only stirred the wrath of something much older, much more powerful. You have awakened the Beast of the Abyss."

The voice sent a chill down Lin Tian's spine. "The Beast of the Abyss? What are you talking about?"

From the darkness, a figure stepped forward—a woman draped in tattered robes, her face obscured by a hood. Her presence radiated an aura of authority and menace. "The Hidden Realm is a curse, boy. A curse that must be eradicated. And I will see to it that you, and everything you stand for, is destroyed."

Lin Tian's heart raced. His mind was reeling as he took in the sight of the woman and the creature she had summoned. The Beast of the Abyss was an ancient being, a force that had been sealed away for eons, and now it was free. Worse still, it seemed that the woman knew everything about the Hidden Realm.

"This is far from over," she continued, her voice echoing in the stillness. "You may have claimed the Hidden Realm, but its power has already been claimed by the Abyss. It belongs to us now."

Lin Tian's fists clenched. The weight of her words hung in the air, but he refused to back down. His beasts gathered around him, each of them ready for battle. This was no longer just about protecting the Hidden Realm—it was about survival.

"I won't let you take it," Lin Tian declared, his voice strong. "The Hidden Realm is mine to protect. I will never let it fall into the wrong hands."

The woman's lips curled into a sinister smile. "We shall see, boy."

The Beast of the Abyss let out a terrifying roar, its massive form surging forward. Lin Tian braced himself, the energy of the Hidden Realm flowing into him as he prepared for the fight of his life.