65. Departure to the Abyss

The first light of dawn had barely touched the sky when Ling Tian and Xu Qing'er stood at the peak of the ruined temple. The echoes of the Veiled One's words still lingered in their minds.

"The Forsaken Abyss… the prison of fallen monarchs."

Ling Tian's azure-gold aura swirled around him, his gaze locked on the distant horizon. His heart was steady, but the weight of the unknown pressed upon him. The truth about his Ling Clan's erasure was beginning to take shape, yet the mastermind remained shrouded in mystery.

Xu Qing'er glanced at him. "The Forsaken Abyss is not a place one enters lightly. Even ancient emperors feared it."

Ling Tian nodded. "And that's exactly why we must go."

He turned to the wreckage of the temple, his hand lightly brushing the surface of an ancient stone tablet. The energy within had long since dissipated, but faint traces of primordial inscriptions remained. A lingering presence of something ancient, something beyond this world.

The Myriad Worlds had already begun to reveal their hidden truths.

A flicker of silver light appeared in the distance. In an instant, a shadowy figure descended from the sky, landing gracefully before them.

Bai Xue.

Her serene beauty was undisturbed by the morning chill. Her silver-white hair cascaded over her shoulders, and her icy blue eyes carried a depth of sorrow hidden beneath their calm surface.

Ling Tian frowned slightly. "You followed us?"

She tilted her head, her voice soft but firm. "No. I came because I was meant to."

A strange feeling passed through Ling Tian, but he pushed it aside.

Xu Qing'er narrowed her eyes. "The Forsaken Abyss is no place for those who hesitate."

Bai Xue met her gaze, unflinching. "I do not hesitate. My path has always led here."

Ling Tian studied her for a moment before nodding. If Bai Xue's presence was fated, then there was no reason to reject it.

"Then let's not waste time." He turned toward the sky, where a hidden rift in space flickered faintly.

With a single step, he soared into the air. Xu Qing'er and Bai Xue followed, their figures vanishing into the distance.

---

The Gate to the Forsaken Abyss

The journey was swift. Beyond the borders of the known realms, where space itself seemed unstable, a massive rift loomed. It was neither a portal nor a crack—it was a wound in reality itself.

Ling Tian's eyes narrowed. The moment they neared, an oppressive force pressed upon them, as if the abyss rejected their existence.

Xu Qing'er's voice was solemn. "We must force our way through."

Ling Tian extended his hand. His azure-gold aura flared, intertwining with the unstable energies of the rift. With a powerful thrust, he pushed forward. The resistance was immense, like wading through an ocean of solid stone.

Bai Xue's voice was calm. "There is a rhythm to the abyss. Do not fight it—flow with it."

Ling Tian's eyes flickered. He adjusted his energy, aligning himself with the chaotic currents of the rift. In the next instant, the pressure lessened, and the abyss reluctantly parted.

The Forsaken Abyss lay before them.

A world of endless darkness, filled with floating ruins, shattered palaces, and the lingering wails of long-forgotten sovereigns.

As they stepped inside, the gates behind them closed, sealing their path back.

There was no turning back now.

The next chapter of their fate had begun.

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