Chapter 14: Awakening of the Shadow

The battle within the illusion had finally come to an end. The man in black armor steadied himself for a moment before his entire body was consumed by ghostly blue flames, dissipating into the air like an ephemeral wisp of smoke.

Ye Huang stood in place, his breath slightly uneven. The wounds on his body were healing at an astonishing speed, but his mind was still caught in the lingering thrill of combat.

Akahito took a step forward, his crimson eyes flickering with curiosity. "That last strike just now… your power—it felt different."

Ye Huang tightened his grip on his blade, recalling that moment.

As his blade fell, darkness itself had seemed to solidify, surging forth with an overwhelming force that was more than just a simple slash. It carried a devouring energy, tearing through his opponent's defenses and swallowing the remnants of their power entirely.

Glazedli watched him closely, the corners of her lips lifting slightly. "You're beginning to harness the power of the Phantom Night."

Ye Huang remained silent for a moment before murmuring, "Phantom Crescent…"

The name surfaced in his mind, as if it had always been there, waiting to be called upon.

"Phantom Crescent?" Akahito echoed, his tone filled with intrigue.

Ye Huang's gaze steadied as he felt the power coursing through his veins. "It's an attack that weaves together illusion and reality, making it nearly impossible for the enemy to discern the true strike. At the same time, it absorbs their energy, fueling the power of the night itself."

Akahito's eyes widened slightly in surprise, while Glazedli gave an approving nod. "A good insight. But this is only the first step in mastering the Phantom Night. In time… your strength will awaken to an even greater level."

Ye Huang said nothing, but his gaze deepened.

He knew—this was only the beginning.

In the distance, the last embers of blue flame flickered before vanishing completely. Where they had burned, an ancient stone platform slowly emerged from the ground, revealing a pitch-black crystal that seemed to swallow the surrounding light.

Glazedli stepped forward, her voice calm as she looked at Ye Huang. "You have passed the first trial. This—Night Eye Stone—is your reward."

Ye Huang fixed his eyes on the dark crystal. Even before touching it, he could sense the mysterious energy sealed within.

He reached out and grasped it. The moment his fingertips brushed against its surface, a chilling force surged into his body.

In an instant, countless images flashed through his mind—fragments of knowledge, secrets of the Phantom Night. It was as if a hidden door had been opened, revealing glimpses of a power beyond his comprehension.

Taking a deep breath, Ye Huang steadied himself and put the Night Eye Stone away. His gaze turned forward.

As he stood before the stone platform, the cold aura of the crystal still lingering on his fingertips, Glazedli watched him closely. After a brief pause, she spoke again.

"This ruin… it is the very source of the Phantom Night's power. And you… perhaps you are bound to it in ways you have yet to realize."

Ye Huang frowned slightly. "The source of the Phantom Night's power?"

Glazedli's smile was enigmatic. She raised her hand, and a faint light shimmered at her fingertips. With a gentle touch, she pressed her fingers against the platform.

The moment she did, the entire illusion trembled.

A deep blue radiance spread outward from the center of the platform, encircling Ye Huang and the others.

"Since you have awakened the Phantom Crescent," Glazedli's voice was distant, almost ethereal, "the rest of your path… is yours to unveil."

Ye Huang's pupils shrank. Before he could respond, a powerful force surged from the light, pulling him in.

In the blink of an eye, his figure was swallowed whole, vanishing from sight.

The others stared in shock as Ye Huang disappeared within the swirling light. Only the Night Eye Stone remained, floating silently in the air.

Akahito's expression changed as he lunged forward, but all he caught was a lingering trace of darkness.

"Ye Huang!"

Glazedli's gaze flickered, and she whispered, "He has been transported… The true trial begins now."

—

At the same time, Ye Huang felt the space around him twisting.

Darkness wrapped around him, pulling him deeper and deeper, as if he had been cast into an endless abyss.

When he finally opened his eyes again, the world before him had changed entirely.

A colossal obsidian temple stood in the distance, its towering structure exuding an ancient and formidable presence. The air was thick with swirling black mist, carrying an aura of something long forgotten.

Then, a deep, resonant voice echoed from all directions.

"Challenger… you have stepped into the second trial—The Shadowed Abyss."

Ye Huang exhaled slowly, his expression calm but alert.

Before he could take another step, the illusion around him began to shift again.

The once-empty void transformed into what looked like an ancient battlefield beneath a starlit sky. The scent of blood lingered in the air, and the space itself seemed distorted, as if countless past battles had left their imprint here.

"This… is the second trial?"

Ye Huang whispered, gripping his blade.

Suddenly, the air in front of him wavered.

A shadow coalesced into form—a man clad in a tattered suit of armor. His face was blurred, but his crimson eyes burned through the darkness with a chilling intensity.

Ye Huang narrowed his eyes, cautious. But before he could react—

The figure attacked.

No words. No hesitation. Only the sheer killing intent of a warrior honed through countless battles.

Ye Huang barely managed to raise his blade in time.

The instant their weapons clashed, an overwhelming force exploded upon impact.

Boom!

The impact sent Ye Huang skidding backward, cracks splintering the ground beneath his feet.

"He's strong…"

Ye Huang's expression darkened.

This was unlike any opponent he had faced before. The sheer presence of this warrior was suffocating—his every movement carried the weight of endless slaughter.

"If I fight normally… I'll lose."

Ye Huang inhaled sharply, calming his breath.

The power of the Phantom Night stirred within him.

Slowly, his form began to blur, dissolving into the surrounding darkness. His presence faded, melding seamlessly into the abyss.

"Let's see how you handle… Phantom Crescent."

The words left his lips in a whisper before his body vanished completely.

His blade shimmered with an eerie black light, weaving through the air in a dance of illusions. The afterimages of his strikes twisted unpredictably, like the shifting shadows of the moon.

The armored warrior's eyes flickered in realization. He raised his sword in defense—only to find that the attack he blocked was nothing but an illusion.

The real strike followed immediately after.

A razor-sharp crescent of darkness carved through his armor, slicing a deep gash across his chest. Blood seeped from the wound.

"So this… is the true essence of Phantom Crescent."

Ye Huang's voice was low, his understanding of the Phantom Night's power growing clearer with each strike.

The warrior's expression turned grim. He could not afford to let this fight drag on.

Taking a deep breath, his sword ignited with dark violet lightning, crackling with destructive energy. The very air trembled under its power.

"No more games… Now, face my true strength!"

His body blurred, transforming into a streak of black lightning as he charged forward, his sword aimed straight at Ye Huang's throat.

Ye Huang's pupils shrank.

In that instant, he twisted his body, barely avoiding the lethal thrust. At the same time, his blade swept out in an arc, Phantom Crescent's power surging to its peak.

The battlefield erupted in a storm of clashing darkness and lightning—

And the trial of the Shadowed Abyss truly began.