The Path Through Darkness

Lian Yu glanced at the door and smiled, excitement filling her veins as she knew that beyond the door was the start of her new life.

But before she could take a step forward, a strange warmth surged within her chest.

She gasped, her hands instinctively clutching at her dantian, where her core should have been. Only—she had never possessed a core before.

Lian Yu's eyes widened as the warmth spread, blooming outward like a flame coming to life. Then, a soft sound echoed in the silence—a chirp.

A flicker of golden light erupted from her dantian, swirling in the air before her. The glow pulsed, then solidified, and suddenly—

A tiny phoenix hovered before her.

Lian Yu stared in shock.

It was tiny, no bigger than a child's hand, with fluffy golden feathers that shimmered like sunlight dancing on rippling water. Its eyes were large and bright, filled with an intelligence that seemed far beyond its tiny form. It flapped its delicate wings, circling her once before perching lightly on her shoulder, chirping again in an almost affectionate manner.

"What…?" Lian Yu whispered, barely able to process what had happened.

The tiny phoenix tilted its head, rubbing against her cheek, its warmth seeping into her skin.

This… is inside me?

She closed her eyes, focusing inward—and felt it.

Deep within her dantian, where there had once been only emptiness, now burned a golden flame. The power she had absorbed from the ember, from the ancient phoenix… it had taken form.

Lian Yu swallowed hard, her fingers brushing over the small spirit perched on her shoulder. "You… came from the ember?" she asked, her voice hesitant.

The tiny phoenix chirped in response, nudging her cheek again before hopping into her palm. Its feathers felt impossibly soft, and yet, beneath its fragile appearance, she could feel an overwhelming heat, a presence that pulsed in rhythm with her own heartbeat.

She had no experience with spiritual beasts, but she could feel the connection between them. It wasn't just some creature born from the ember—it was part of her.

The spirit flapped its wings and let out a defiant little cry, as if answering the very thoughts in her mind.

Lian Yu couldn't help but chuckle. It was… cute.

But she sobered quickly. What did this mean for her cultivation?

She knew that normal cultivators stored qi in their dantian, refining it to strengthen their bodies and techniques. But she had never been able to cultivate before—her meridians had been broken, her dantian nothing but an empty shell.

Now, instead of qi, she had this.

A phoenix flame. A living core.

And she had no idea how to control it.

The tiny phoenix ruffled its feathers as if sensing her uncertainty, then hopped off her palm, landing lightly on the air itself before floating toward the open doorway ahead.

It chirped once, looking back at her expectantly.

Lian Yu exhaled slowly. She had no answers yet, but one thing was clear—this was only the beginning.

With one last glance at the ruined battlefield behind her, she stepped forward, following the little phoenix out the door.

The moment Lian Yu crossed the threshold, a wave of oppressive energy crashed over her.

She staggered, her breath catching as the weight of the Abyss pressed down on her. The air here was different—thick, suffocating, laced with remnants of qi so old and chaotic that it felt alive. Shadows flickered along the cavern walls, twisting and stretching like restless spirits watching her every move.

The tiny phoenix on her shoulder chirped, its warmth seeping into her skin, a single flame against the darkness of the abyss.

Lian Yu steadied herself. She had made it this far—she wouldn't stop now.

The corridor ahead stretched into darkness, the path uneven and lined with jagged rocks. The walls pulsed faintly with ancient symbols, glowing a dull crimson as if they had once been part of a great formation, now long broken.

A warning. A seal. Or a grave.

She didn't know. And she had no choice but to continue forward.

The tiny phoenix flitted ahead, its golden light illuminating the path. Lian Yu followed, her steps cautious but firm.

She had heard the legends of the Abyss of Fallen Immortals before—a place where even the strongest cultivators vanished without a trace. No one knew its true depths, only that it had once been a battlefield of gods and demons, a place where history had been buried beneath layers of death.

And now she was walking through it.

As she pressed forward, the temperature began to drop.

A whispering wind coiled around her, though no source of air could be seen. It carried something strange—the faint echoes of voices.

"Turn back…"

"Leave while you still can…"

"The abyss devours all…"

Lian Yu stiffened, her hand clenching into a fist. Illusions? Spirits? Or something worse?

The little phoenix gave an irritated chirp and suddenly flared brighter, sending warm light surging outward.

The whispers vanished instantly.

Lian Yu exhaled. Whatever they had been, the phoenix's flames had driven them away.

Then this power… it can fight against the abyss itself.

A thrill ran through her. She wasn't defenseless. Not anymore.

The corridor eventually widened into a vast, crumbling chamber. Towering statues of forgotten warriors lined the space, their faces eroded by time. At the center of the room, half-buried in dust and stone, lay an altar.

The moment her eyes landed on it, a sharp pressure pulsed through the air, something awakening from deep slumber.

Lian Yu barely had time to react before the ground shook violently, and a roar split through the cavern.

Something enormous stirred.

A guardian. A beast left behind to ensure none escaped.

The darkness shifted—and from it emerged a creature woven from shadow and bone, its body serpentine, its eyes burning like dying stars.

The tiny phoenix on her shoulder fluffed its feathers, then let out an angry, high-pitched cry—a challenge.

Lian Yu's heart pounded. She was not done fighting yet.

The beast lunged.

Lian Yu barely had time to react before a whip-like tail of shadows slashed through the air, aimed directly at her chest. Instinct screamed at her to move, and she threw herself to the side just in time to avoid the crushing blow. The cavern floor cracked beneath the impact, sending shards of stone flying in all directions.

The serpentine creature, a monstrous fusion of shadow and ancient bones, coiled its massive form around the chamber, its burning white eyes locked onto her with predatory hunger.

The little phoenix on her shoulder let out another sharp cry, its golden feathers flaring. Lian Yu felt the energy in her dantian stir, responding to the spirit's challenge.

She gritted her teeth. If she wanted to leave this place, she had to fight.

The beast struck again, its shadowed form blurring with unnatural speed.

This time, Lian Yu didn't hesitate.

She dodged low, twisting her body to avoid the attack before slamming her palm toward the creature's side. A burst of golden fire surged from her fingertips, colliding with the beast's ribs.

The flames exploded on impact—but instead of burning the creature away, the shadows twisted and absorbed the heat, dispersing it into the air.

Lian Yu's eyes widened. It didn't work?

The creature let out a guttural, rumbling laugh, its skeletal jaws splitting into something that almost resembled a mocking grin.

A trap.

This was no mindless beast—it had been waiting for a challenger.

Before she could react, the shadows around it burst outward, forming jagged black spears that shot toward her from all sides.

Lian Yu felt her heart lurch. She couldn't dodge them all—

A sudden rush of wind cut through the abyss.

The next instant, the spears of darkness shattered mid-air, torn apart by a force so fast that her eyes could barely track it.

A shadow descended from above, moving with effortless speed.

And then—a blade of black qi slashed through the darkness, cutting straight into the creature's skull.

Lian Yu froze.

The beast let out an agonized roar before its body began to dissolve, its form crumbling into nothingness like smoke being carried away by the wind.

Silence.

The oppressive aura vanished as if it had never existed.

Lian Yu's breath was heavy, her hands still trembling from the remnants of battle. Slowly, she turned her gaze upward—to the figure who had effortlessly ended the fight she had been struggling against.

A man stood above her, clad in flowing black robes, his long silver hair shimmering faintly under the abyss's pale light.

Xie Wushen.

Lian Yu's breath caught in her throat.

She knew that name. Everyone knew that name.

The Demon Sovereign of the Black Dragon Sect. A man so powerful that entire sects avoided mentioning him unless necessary. A cultivator whose name alone sent fear into the hearts of those who opposed him.

And he had just saved her.

But he wasn't alone.

Two other figures dropped down beside him, their movements just as controlled, their qi brimming with power.

One was a tall man with a smirking expression, his robes embroidered with golden dragons. The other was a woman with cold, calculating eyes, her hand resting lightly on the hilt of her blade.

Lian Yu recognized them as well.

Jiang Yuefeng and Wu Yilan.

Xie Wushen's closest companions—his right and left hands within the Black Dragon Sect.

Lian Yu forced herself to stand, still wary, her mind racing. Why were they here?

Xie Wushen didn't even look at her. His crimson eyes, unreadable and distant, were fixed on the now-empty space where the creature had been. His expression was one of complete disinterest, as if her existence wasn't even worth acknowledging.

"Let's go," he said flatly, already turning away.

Lian Yu bristled. Not even a glance?

Before she could say anything, Jiang Yuefeng grinned, stepping forward.

"Well now, that was quite the show," he said, his golden eyes flickering with amusement. "Didn't expect to find anyone still alive in this abyss, let alone a girl throwing around phoenix flames."

Lian Yu narrowed her eyes. "And?"

"And," Jiang Yuefeng continued, his smirk widening, "I think it would be a waste to leave you here. The Black Dragon Sect could use someone like you."

Lian Yu stiffened.

Join… the Black Dragon Sect?

Her first instinct was to refuse—she had no reason to trust them. She had spent her life watching powerful cultivators use and discard those weaker than them.

But then she remembered where she was.

She was deep within the Abyss of Fallen Immortals. No food. No water. No way to escape on her own.

And more importantly—

The Black Dragon Sect was the White Cloud Sect's greatest enemy.

The thought sent a cold thrill through her veins.

Jiang Yuefeng must have noticed the flicker of consideration in her eyes, because his grin turned triumphant. "Come with us. I promise, we're more interesting than whatever life you left behind when you entered this place."

Lian Yu exhaled slowly.

She had no illusions—this was not an act of kindness. Jiang Yuefeng had his reasons to invite her to the Black Dragon Sect, just as Bai Liang and the White Cloud Sect had had their reasons for discarding her.

But for now?

For now, she would take what she could get.

Lian Yu met Jiang Yuefeng's gaze and nodded.

"…Fine."

Jiang Yuefeng let out a satisfied chuckle, while Wu Yilan merely raised an eyebrow, saying nothing.

Xie Wushen, still ignoring her entirely, had already turned away.

But Lian Yu wasn't concerned with him.

For now, she had taken the first step and she had survived the abyss.

And soon—she would make sure the White Cloud Sect regretted ever casting her aside.