Chapter 71: Shadows of the Past

Jin Long and Yue Lan sat in the aftermath of the battle, the chamber now eerily silent. The oppressive aura that had once filled the air was gone, but the echoes of Xian Fei's final words still lingered, as if the Abyss itself was watching them.

Jin Long clenched his fists, his body still trembling from the surge of the Genesis Core's power. The Core pulsed within him, quieter now, but its energy still simmered beneath the surface, like a beast barely restrained.

"Are you sure you're okay?" Yue Lan asked, her eyes filled with concern as she sat beside him.

Jin Long nodded, though his mind was far from calm. "I can still feel it. The Abyss… it's not done with me."

Yue Lan's hand found his, her warmth grounding him. "You forced it back this time. That's what matters. You're stronger than you think, Jin Long."

Jin Long forced a smile, but inside, he felt the weight of what he had just witnessed. Xian Fei's words echoed in his mind—the Core will always be ours.

Before he could dwell on it further, a soft rustling echoed through the chamber. Jin Long and Yue Lan sprang to their feet, weapons drawn.

From the shadows emerged a familiar figure. It was Elder Han, his robes tattered and his face gaunt. His eyes met Jin Long's, and for a moment, a flicker of relief crossed his face.

"Jin Long," Elder Han said, his voice weak. "Thank the heavens you're still alive."

"Elder Han!" Yue Lan exclaimed, rushing to his side. "What happened to you?"

Elder Han grimaced, leaning heavily against the wall. "The Abyss… its influence is spreading faster than we thought. Xian Fei wasn't the only emissary. There are others… and they're searching for the Core."

Jin Long's jaw clenched. "How many?"

"Too many," Elder Han said, his eyes darkening. "And they're not just after you. They're targeting the celestial sects, absorbing their power to strengthen the Abyss."

Yue Lan's face paled. "The sects? Are they safe?"

Elder Han shook his head. "I barely escaped with my life. The Azure Dragon Sect has already fallen. The Abyssal Emissaries are growing stronger, and they're not just after the Genesis Core anymore. They're looking for something else."

Jin Long's fists clenched, a sense of dread settling over him. "What could they possibly want?"

Elder Han's eyes locked onto Jin Long's, a grave expression in his gaze. "They're looking for the Celestial Keys—artifacts of immense power that were hidden away centuries ago. If they find them, they can open the Abyss permanently."

Jin Long felt his heart sink. "And where are these keys now?"

Elder Han swallowed, his hands trembling. "One of them is here… within the labyrinth."

Before Jin Long could respond, the ground beneath them shook violently. The air grew colder, and a dark, ominous mist seeped through the cracks in the walls.

Yue Lan's eyes widened. "What is that?"

Elder Han's face twisted in fear. "They're here."

From the shadows, dark figures emerged—cloaked in black, their eyes glowing with the Abyss's sinister light. Each of them carried weapons pulsating with void energy, their faces hidden behind masks adorned with abyssal runes.

Leading them was a tall, imposing figure, his dark armor gleaming with crimson symbols. His face was hidden behind a bone-white mask, and his eyes shone with a malevolent crimson light.

"Well, well," the figure said, his voice a chilling echo. "The Genesis Core's vessel and the last surviving elder. What a pleasant surprise."

Jin Long stepped forward, his sword gleaming with the Core's light. "Who are you?"

The figure chuckled, his voice dripping with contempt. "I am Mo Tian, Abyssal Warlord. And I'm here for the Celestial Key."

Yue Lan gripped her whip tighter, her eyes blazing with determination. "You'll have to get through us first."

Mo Tian's laughter echoed through the chamber. "Oh, I was hoping you'd say that."

With a wave of his hand, the dark soldiers lunged forward, their weapons gleaming with abyssal energy. Jin Long and Yue Lan met them head-on, their attacks clashing in a flurry of light and shadow.

Elder Han struggled to stand, his breathing ragged. "Jin Long, you mustn't let them get the Key. If they do, the Abyss will grow stronger."

Jin Long slashed through a dark soldier, his blade slicing through the abyssal energy with a burst of Genesis power. But for every soldier he felled, two more took their place, their numbers seemingly endless.

Mo Tian stood at the back, arms crossed, watching the battle with cold, calculating eyes. "Pathetic. Is this all the Core's vessel can do?"

Jin Long's jaw clenched, the Core's power flaring within him. But the more he fought, the more the Core pulsed, its energy surging uncontrollably. He could feel it slipping away, as though something in the Abyss was trying to pull it back.

"Jin Long!" Yue Lan shouted as she dodged a dark blade, her whip cracking through the air. "Stay focused!"

But Jin Long's vision blurred. The Core's power was spiraling out of control, and within his mind, he heard it—the same sinister voice that had spoken through the rift.

The Core belongs to us… return to the Abyss…

"No!" Jin Long roared, forcing the voice back. But as he did, Mo Tian's eyes gleamed.

"There it is," Mo Tian said, his smile widening beneath his mask. "The Core is fighting back. But you won't last long."

Before Jin Long could react, Mo Tian raised his hand, and a torrent of abyssal energy surged forward, slamming into Jin Long with the force of a thousand storms.

Jin Long was thrown back, his body crashing against the stone wall. Pain radiated through him, but the Core flared, protecting him from the worst of the impact.

Mo Tian advanced, his dark blade drawn, its edge crackling with void energy. "You may have the Core, but you're not its master. And until you learn to control it, you're nothing but a puppet."

Jin Long struggled to his feet, blood dripping from his mouth. The Core pulsed within him, but he could feel it slipping further from his grasp, as though the Abyss itself was clawing at his soul.

Mo Tian loomed over him, his blade raised. "It's over."

But before he could strike, a burst of blinding light erupted from behind him.

Yue Lan stood there, her whip crackling with lightning, her eyes blazing with fury. "Not while I'm here!"

She lunged forward, her whip slashing through the air like a lightning serpent, striking Mo Tian's blade and sending it flying.

Mo Tian snarled, his eyes narrowing. "You dare—"

But before he could finish, Jin Long rose to his feet, the Core's power surging once more. This time, he forced it under control, channeling it into his sword.

"This ends now," Jin Long said, his voice firm and resolute.

Mo Tian smirked beneath his mask. "Show me what you've got, Core Vessel."

The two clashed, their blades colliding in a blinding flash of light and darkness. The chamber shook with the force of their battle, the very air crackling with power.

And in the depths of the Abyss, a dark entity watched, its crimson eyes gleaming with anticipation.