Chapter 66: Echoes of the Past

The clash of weapons reverberated throughout the chamber as Jin Long and Yue Lan fought against the spectral warriors. Each strike echoed like a haunting memory, and each warrior seemed to embody a fragment of a fallen soul, eyes blazing with a relentless, hollow fury.

Jin Long's sword sang through the air, its celestial runes blazing with light as he cut through one phantom after another. But no matter how many he struck down, more kept emerging from the shadows, their faces twisted in anguish and sorrow.

"These warriors," Jin Long muttered through gritted teeth, parrying a blow aimed at his head. "They're not just echoes... they're souls trapped here."

Yue Lan's whip cracked through the air, striking down a trio of phantoms that charged toward her. "Then what will free them?"

Before Jin Long could respond, a booming voice echoed throughout the chamber—the statue in the center of the room, the armored guardian, stood unmoving, its eyes glowing with a cold, blue light.

"They are bound by their regrets," the statue intoned. "Only by confronting their unfinished business can they be set free."

Jin Long's eyes narrowed. "Unfinished business..."

Suddenly, a phantom warrior broke away from the others, his form larger and more defined. He wore the armor of a general, and his sword bore deep notches and cracks, as though it had seen countless battles.

His eyes locked onto Jin Long. "You!" he bellowed, his voice a mixture of rage and despair. "Why did you not save me?"

Jin Long froze. The general's face was familiar—too familiar. It was the face of a man from Jin Long's past, a man who had perished during the assault on the Celestial Sect years ago.

"You were there," the general growled, stepping closer. "You were supposed to protect us. Why did you run?"

Jin Long's heart clenched. Memories of that day surged forth—flames engulfing the sect, warriors falling one by one, and Jin Long fleeing with a young, terrified Yue Lan.

"I... I was trying to save her," Jin Long said, his voice thick with guilt.

"And you left us to die!" the general roared, raising his sword high. "You abandoned your brothers!"

The general charged, his blade descending like a falling star. Jin Long barely managed to block the strike, but the force of the blow sent him skidding backward, his feet scraping against the stone floor.

Yue Lan moved to intervene, but Jin Long raised a hand, stopping her. "No," he said, breathing heavily. "This is my battle."

The general swung again, his strikes wild and furious. Jin Long blocked each one, but with every clash, the general's words cut deeper than any blade.

"You were supposed to be our leader," the general spat, eyes blazing with hatred. "You were supposed to protect us! Instead, you ran like a coward!"

Jin Long's grip tightened around his sword. "You're right," he said, his voice cracking. "I did run. I was weak. I couldn't save you."

The general's sword came crashing down, and Jin Long caught it with his own, the two blades locking together. The general's face was inches from his, and Jin Long could see the raw pain and betrayal in his eyes.

"But I will not run anymore," Jin Long said, his eyes hardening. "I have vowed to become stronger, to protect those I care about. And to honor the memory of those I failed."

A surge of celestial energy erupted from Jin Long's sword, blasting the general backward. The phantom warrior staggered, his form flickering like a dying flame.

"Rest now," Jin Long said softly, lowering his sword. "Your fight is over."

The general's expression softened, and a single tear slipped down his ethereal cheek. "Then... perhaps... I can finally rest."

His form dissolved into particles of light, and the other spectral warriors paused, their eyes turning toward Jin Long.

"You have freed one of us," the statue intoned. "But many more remain."

Yue Lan stepped forward, her whip still crackling with residual energy. "Then we keep going," she said, her eyes fierce.

Jin Long nodded, raising his sword once more. "For every life lost, we will set them free."

And with that, they charged forward together, ready to face the echoes of the past and cleanse the labyrinth of its haunted souls.