Chapter 33: Descent into the Forgotten Ruins

The journey to the Ruins of the Lost Empire was treacherous. Vast deserts stretched endlessly before Jiang Cheng and his companions, their golden dunes concealing dangers beneath the surface. The wind howled like the cries of the forsaken, carrying whispers of a civilization long buried by time.

Tian Zhonghai led the way with practiced ease, his knowledge of ancient routes proving invaluable. Jiang Cheng remained wary—though the Tian Family patriarch had offered his help, trust was not something freely given. Li Xueyan walked beside him, her eyes scanning the horizon, ever watchful for threats.

"Many have sought the Lost Empire," Tian Zhonghai remarked as they climbed a steep dune. "Few have returned."

Jiang Cheng scoffed. "Then they weren't strong enough."

Tian Zhonghai chuckled. "Perhaps. But the true test is not just strength. These ruins are cursed."

Jiang Cheng didn't believe in curses—only in power. If the ruins held an inheritance, he would claim it.

Hours passed before they finally saw it—a massive stone archway, half-buried in sand. Beyond it lay the remains of a colossal city, its towers crumbling, its streets long abandoned. Strange symbols glowed faintly on the walls, their meaning lost to time.

As they stepped inside, the air grew thick with an oppressive aura. A deep, unsettling silence filled the ruins, broken only by their footsteps.

Li Xueyan shivered. "This place… it feels like something is watching us."

Jiang Cheng felt it too. His instincts screamed of danger.

Suddenly, the ground trembled. The sand beneath them shifted, revealing skeletal warriors clad in tattered armor. Their hollow eyes glowed with eerie blue light as they rose from their ancient slumber.

"Undead guardians," Tian Zhonghai muttered. "As expected."

Jiang Cheng smirked. "Then let's send them back to their graves."

The skeletal warriors lunged forward, their rusted blades slashing through the air. Jiang Cheng activated Heaven Blitzing Step, vanishing from their sight before reappearing behind one. His sword gleamed as he executed Void Severing Edge, slicing the creature clean in half.

Li Xueyan unleashed a flurry of ice daggers, freezing several undead in place before shattering them with a powerful palm strike. Tian Zhonghai moved with precise elegance, his fingers forming seals that summoned golden flames to cleanse the cursed warriors.

The battle was swift but fierce. As the last undead fell, the ruins trembled again, this time from something deeper within. A massive stone door at the far end of the ruins began to glow, ancient scripts lighting up one by one.

Jiang Cheng sheathed his sword and stepped forward. "Looks like we just unlocked the real challenge."

Tian Zhonghai's expression turned serious. "Beyond this gate lies the true inheritance of the Lost Empire. But be warned—this test will not be easy."

Jiang Cheng's eyes burned with determination. No test is too great. If this inheritance can bring me closer to the peak, then I will claim it.

With a push, the massive stone doors rumbled open, revealing a dark corridor that led into the depths of the lost civilization. Without hesitation, Jiang Cheng stepped inside, ready to face whatever trials awaited him.