Chapter 65 – Meeting the Hollow Prophet

The cavern was unlike any place Rin had encountered before—a space that felt as if it existed in a realm between moments, between breaths. It was a hollow place, carved deep into the earth, a sanctuary of silence that stretched out into infinity. The air was thick with the scent of ancient dust and the weight of time, a presence that seemed to seep from the very stone itself. Light did not dare to enter; the only illumination came from a faint glow that emanated from the heart of the cavern, where a figure awaited him.

Rin's footsteps were swallowed by the cavern's oppressive stillness as he approached the figure. It was a tall, gaunt being—cloaked in tattered rags, its face obscured by a hood of shadow. Only its eyes were visible, glowing faintly like distant stars in the abyss. The Hollow Prophet, as it had been called, stood perfectly still, its form both haunting and serene, as if it were neither alive nor dead. A being of pure existence, yet nothing more than a fragment of what had once been.

"You have come," the Hollow Prophet intoned, its voice an echo of the void itself, both present and absent. "I have awaited your arrival, Rin Xie, for you are a chosen one—the one who will break the heavens, the one who will end it all."

Rin's hand instinctively moved toward the hilt of his blade, his senses sharpening. The being before him exuded an unnatural presence, one that threatened to warp his very understanding of existence. This was not just any seer; it was something older, something more dangerous. The Hollow Prophet claimed knowledge of things beyond even Rin's grasp.

"I know why you've come," the Prophet continued, its voice now a soft whisper, almost tender in its malice. "You seek power, understanding, and the truth of your path. I can give you all of these things. But know this—there is no escape from the fate that awaits you. You are destined to challenge the immortals in the Heavenly War. You will face the very heavens themselves. And in the end, only one of you will remain."

Rin's mind reeled at the Prophet's words, a chill running down his spine as the images began to form. It was as if the very fabric of reality bent around him, swirling into a vortex of possibilities. He could see flashes—visions—of the Heavenly War. Immortals clad in ethereal armor, their faces shrouded in divine arrogance. Cities aflame, their people crushed beneath the weight of power. Above them, the heavens themselves, their gates pulsing with a distant, unyielding light. And in the center of it all—Rin, standing tall against the storm, his Death Core flaring as he met the gods in battle.

But within that vision, something else appeared. A figure standing behind him—someone familiar, yet distant. Yue Lan, her eyes filled with sorrow and regret. She reached out to him, her hand trembling. Her voice whispered through the tumult, calling to him. "You cannot do this, Rin. There is another way. You do not have to be this."

But Rin's heart was cold, frozen by the betrayal he had suffered. He did not need the Prophet to remind him of what had already been lost. The vision twisted again, this time showing Rin falling—struck down by a blade of celestial light, his body broken and his soul fading. The image of his death was brief, but it was enough to send a ripple through his mind. Was this truly his future? Was this the price he would pay for his rebellion?

"Do you see?" the Prophet murmured. "Do you understand your fate now? The path you walk is one of inevitable destruction. The heavens will not allow you to defy them. They will see to your end."

Rin stood motionless, but inside, a storm raged. The Hollow Prophet's words were powerful, their resonance deep, but Rin could feel the weight of his own will pushing back against them. His path had never been about fate—it had always been about choice. His choices. Not some prophecy. Not some predetermined destiny.

"I do not believe in fate," Rin finally spoke, his voice cutting through the stillness like a blade. "You speak of what's to come, but I will decide what happens. I will not bow to some vision, some twisted idea of destiny. My death, my future—those are my choices, not yours, not the heavens'."

The Hollow Prophet's eyes flickered with a subtle shift, as if the being had not expected such defiance. But it did not waver. Instead, it took a slow, deliberate step forward, its presence growing heavier, more oppressive. "You may believe that now," the Prophet said softly. "But destiny is a river that flows regardless of the will of those who walk its banks. It is not a choice you can make. It is a force that bends the very nature of existence."

Rin's grip tightened around his blade. The Prophet's words only strengthened his resolve. He had walked through countless trials, faced death, betrayal, and loss, but never had he been one to allow anyone—or anything—to dictate his fate. Not even this spectral seer.

"If destiny is a river," Rin said, his eyes narrowing, "then I will burn it to the ground."

The Prophet's laugh echoed through the cavern, low and hollow. "You are but a flicker in the face of eternity, Rin Xie. You cannot erase what is written."

Rin's heart thundered in his chest, his mind clear. He did not need to believe in prophecies. He did not need to rely on fate. The future was not some fixed point in time—it was fluid, malleable, shaped by those with the strength to carve their own path.

The air around him began to vibrate with a strange energy. Rin's gaze hardened as his Death Core pulsed, drawing upon the essence of the Hollow Essence he had consumed. He reached deep within himself, channeling the power he had refined through pain and sorrow. And with a single thought, he tore into the vision the Prophet had shown him.

The future split before his eyes. The image of his death, the images of battle, the looming celestial war—they all unraveled like threads of fragile silk. The vision trembled and cracked, fragments of reality splintering in every direction. The cavern trembled as if the very earth itself felt the weight of what he was doing. Rin's power surged as he focused on the strands of fate, grasping them and pulling them apart, twisting and tearing them as though they were nothing more than illusions.

"I will not be bound by destiny," Rin muttered, his voice filled with an icy resolve.

With a final, forceful push, the last remnants of the vision shattered completely. The cavern fell silent, save for Rin's heavy breaths, his chest rising and falling as the power he had unleashed slowly ebbed away. The Hollow Prophet stood motionless, its eyes no longer glowing, now dim and lifeless. Its form flickered, as if it were unraveling, its existence threatened by Rin's defiance.

"You are nothing," Rin whispered. "Just a voice of death, a shadow in the dark. Your vision means nothing to me."

The Prophet's voice, a mere echo now, responded in a tone that was neither sad nor angry, but resigned. "You will learn, Rin Xie. You will learn that fate cannot be erased so easily. But for now, your path is your own."

The Prophet's form began to fade, dissolving into the shadows of the cavern. Rin watched it go, his expression unreadable. The weight of the cavern seemed to lift, leaving him in the solitude of the space he had created for himself. The Prophet had offered him a glimpse of the future, but Rin had refused it. The Hollow Prophet had been nothing but a tool—an illusion of fate, and nothing more.

And Rin understood now, more than ever, that his path would be shaped not by prophecy, but by his own will. He would carve his future with his choices, with the strength of his own resolve. And no one, not even the Hollow Prophet, could take that from him.

As Rin turned and walked toward the cavern's exit, the weight of the world seemed to shift ever so slightly. He had taken the first step toward breaking the chains of destiny. And no matter what awaited him in the Heavenly War, he knew one thing for certain: he would forge his own future.

To be continued…