Chapter 65: The Labyrinth of Echoes

Jin Long and Yue Lan stepped through the exit of the Celestial Forge, the doors sealing behind them with a resounding clang. The corridor ahead was shrouded in darkness, the only light emanating from their newly empowered weapons.

Jin Long's sword pulsed with celestial energy, each rune glowing with a gentle yet fierce light. Yue Lan's whip crackled with lightning, the arcs dancing along its length like restless spirits.

"This place feels... different," Yue Lan whispered, her eyes scanning the corridor.

Jin Long nodded. The air was heavy, as though the very atmosphere pressed down upon them. The walls were lined with ornate carvings depicting battles between celestial beings and monstrous entities, each scene more intense and violent than the last.

"This is the Labyrinth of Echoes," Jin Long said, his voice echoing slightly. "A place where the past and present converge. We must tread carefully."

Yue Lan glanced around, her brows furrowed. "Why do I feel like we're being watched?"

Before Jin Long could respond, a chilling wind swept through the corridor, carrying with it the whispers of countless voices. They echoed from all directions—pleading, accusing, laughing, crying.

Yue Lan winced, her hands flying to her ears. "What are these voices?"

Jin Long's eyes narrowed. "Memories. Echoes of those who failed to pass through the labyrinth. They're trying to unnerve us."

As they moved forward, the whispers grew louder. Shadows danced along the walls, taking on the shapes of familiar faces—faces of people Jin Long and Yue Lan had known and lost.

"Yue Lan," a hauntingly familiar voice echoed.

Yue Lan froze. The shadowy form of her brother, his eyes hollow and empty, stepped forward from the wall. His gaze fixed on her, and a twisted smile spread across his lips.

"You left me," he said, his voice a mixture of sorrow and anger. "You said you'd protect me, but you failed."

Yue Lan's eyes widened, tears welling up. "No... I tried. I tried to save you."

Jin Long stepped forward, grabbing her arm. "It's not real, Yue Lan. It's just the labyrinth playing tricks on us."

But before he could say more, another voice echoed through the air—a voice Jin Long knew all too well.

"You're not strong enough," Zhan Wuhen's voice taunted, his shadowy form looming ahead. "You can barely control the Genesis Core. How do you expect to save anyone?"

Jin Long's jaw clenched, his grip tightening around his sword. "You're not real."

Zhan Wuhen's form smirked, stepping closer. "Oh, but I am. I'm the doubt in your heart, the fear in your soul. You can't defeat me. You never could."

Jin Long's heart pounded in his chest, the weight of Zhan Wuhen's words pressing down on him like a crushing force. But then, Yue Lan's hand slipped into his, her warmth cutting through the cold.

"Jin Long," she said, her voice steady. "This isn't real. None of it is. Look at me."

He turned to her, and in that moment, the whispers faded. The shadows receded, and the corridor was once again silent.

Jin Long took a deep breath, centering himself. "You're right. The labyrinth is trying to make us doubt ourselves. We can't let it."

Yue Lan squeezed his hand, her eyes fierce. "Together."

They moved forward, side by side, their weapons illuminating the path ahead. The air grew colder, and the corridor began to widen, opening up into a vast chamber.

In the center of the chamber stood a massive stone statue—a warrior clad in celestial armor, his eyes closed and his hands resting upon the hilt of a sword that was embedded in the ground.

"Who is that?" Yue Lan asked, her voice hushed.

Before Jin Long could answer, the statue's eyes snapped open, and the ground shook. The warrior's voice echoed through the chamber, deep and commanding.

"You who dare to enter the Labyrinth of Echoes, state your purpose!"

Jin Long stepped forward, his sword held firmly at his side. "We seek to reach the Heart of the Labyrinth. We are prepared to face whatever trials await us."

The warrior's eyes glowed with celestial light, and the air crackled with power. "The Heart of the Labyrinth is not for the unworthy. To proceed, you must face the Echo of the Fallen."

The ground trembled, and from the shadows, figures began to emerge—phantom warriors clad in spectral armor, their eyes glowing with an eerie, otherworldly light. Each one carried a weapon, and their forms flickered like dying embers.

"These are the fallen warriors," the statue said. "Those who failed to conquer their own fears and were consumed by the labyrinth. Defeat them, and you may proceed."

Jin Long raised his sword, the runes along its blade pulsing with celestial energy. "Yue Lan, stay close."

She nodded, her whip crackling with lightning. "Let's do this."

The spectral warriors charged, their weapons raised and their eyes blazing with a cold, merciless light.

Jin Long and Yue Lan surged forward, their weapons clashing against the phantom blades. Sparks flew, and the air hummed with the resonance of celestial power.

The battle had only just begun, and the true challenge of the Labyrinth of Echoes was far from over.