77. The Price of Sovereignty

The battlefield lay in eerie silence. The last remnants of the Abyssal Wraiths had been annihilated, leaving behind faint distortions in space where they once existed. Yet, despite their destruction, an ominous feeling lingered in the air—as if something had merely been watching, waiting.

Ling Tian remained still, his azure-gold spear faintly humming with residual power. The golden sigil of his Sovereign's Edict flickered once before fading into nothingness. But within his heart, doubt had taken root.

Heir of the Vanquished Throne…

The words of the Abyssal Wraiths echoed in his mind, stirring fragmented memories that refused to fully surface. The title had been uttered with recognition, as if they had encountered him before. But how? His past was an abyss of forgotten truths, and with each battle, it seemed less and less like a coincidence.

Xu Qing'er stepped forward, her silver eyes holding concern. "Ling Tian… are you alright?"

He exhaled slowly, pushing the thoughts aside. "I'm fine. But we can't stay here. That was just an omen—something far more dangerous is lurking."

Xu Qing'er's fingers tightened around her frost-kissed sword. "…You felt it too."

She had noticed it as well. Though the Abyssal Wraiths had been defeated, their destruction had only stirred the attention of something greater.

And then—

Crack!

A deep fissure tore through the space above them, black and endless. From its depths, an invisible pressure cascaded down, so heavy that the very air seemed to twist in submission.

Ling Tian's eyes sharpened.

Something was descending.

A distant whisper resonated from the darkness.

"…Found you."

Without hesitation, Ling Tian moved.

"Go!" His voice was sharp as he grabbed Xu Qing'er's wrist, his aura surging as he propelled them away from the battlefield.

Just as they escaped—

Boom!

The sky above collapsed.

An unseen force shattered the land, reducing the entire battlefield into a gaping abyss of void energy. If they had hesitated even for a moment, they would have been consumed without a trace.

Ling Tian and Xu Qing'er landed atop a distant ridge, watching the destruction unfold.

"That… wasn't a mere remnant." Xu Qing'er's voice was low. "Something beyond the Abyssal Wraiths is watching."

Ling Tian's gaze darkened.

Whatever had spoken from the void—it was aware of him.

And it wanted him alive.

Or worse… it wanted him to remember.

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