As the temporal energy flooded over, a deafening tremor shook the entire hall. The cracked hourglass shattered completely, its sands exploding outward in a storm of temporal energy.
The survivors stumbled, their faces paling as the energy coalesced into a visible barrier, sealing every exit.
"What's happening?!" Jian Feng shouted, his voice cracking with panic.
The air itself grew heavy, pressing down like an invisible weight. The cultivators who tried to force their way out found their bodies rebounding as if hitting an unyielding wall.
"We're trapped…" Lan Huiqian whispered, her fingers brushing against the invisible barrier.
Yun Lintian's eyes narrowed.
A massive gate at the deepest part of the hall, one that had been sealed for eons, slowly began to open.
Darkness spilled out from within, thick and unnatural, as if swallowing the very light around it.
"That wasn't there before…" Yue Zhihe muttered, her frost-imbued sword already drawn.
Yun Lintian's gaze shifted to Tang Wei, whose liquid form rippled uneasily.
"Do you know what's behind that door?"
Tang Wei hesitated, then shook his head. "I've never gone beyond the central chamber. The inner area was forbidden to all but the Primordial Gods' chosen."
"But… from what I've heard, it should contain libraries, treasuries, and training chambers meant for the elite disciples."
The moment those words left his mouth—
The surviving cultivators, who had been frozen in fear, suddenly perked up.
"Treasures…?" one muttered, his eyes gleaming.
"The Primordial Gods' legacy…" another whispered, licking his lips.
Even Jian Kun's expression shifted. This was what he had been looking for.
Only Yun Lintian remained unmoved, his gaze locked onto the yawning darkness beyond the gate.
Something about it felt wrong.
After thinking for a moment, Yun Lintian decided to go in.
"Let's go." he spoke and stepped forward, following by Yue Zhihe and the others.
"Brother…" Jian Feng looked at his elder brother eagerly. His eyes filled with greed. He was certain that there must be treasures behind that door.
Jian Kun pondered for a moment and said to everyone. "Let's go."
Jian Feng and the members of the Celestial Pavilion were overjoyed. They quickened their pace as they followed Yun Lintian into the gate.
The other survivors were the same. They didn't hesitate to go in.
Yun Lintian stepped through the massive gate, his figure swallowed by the darkness beyond.
The moment he crossed the threshold, the oppressive gloom parted like a curtain, revealing a long, grand hallway stretching endlessly forward. The walls were carved from pristine white jade, etched with intricate murals depicting scenes of celestial battles and primordial creation.
To either side, dozens of doors stood in perfect symmetry, each one marked with different symbols—some resembling books, others cauldrons, and some swords crossed over shields.
Yun Lintian's eyes narrowed.
"The map," he murmured.
Behind him, Long Chen gasped, his voice tinged with realization.
"Senior Yun! This place—it matches the tablet we found under Mirror Lake!"
Yun Lintian nodded slowly.
That ancient map had depicted a vast complex—libraries, training chambers, alchemy rooms, even dormitories. A self-contained world meant for the chosen disciples of the Primordial Gods.
And now, it lay before them, untouched for eons.
The moment the other cultivators heard this, their fear vanished, replaced by hunger.
"There are indeed treasures here…" one whispered, his fingers twitching.
The others glanced at each other vigilantly. They would soon compete for these treasures.
Even Jian Kun, ever-calculating, could not suppress the greed flickering in his gaze.
Only Yun Lintian remained unmoved.
He turned, his voice calm but firm.
"There are likely treasures here. Whoever has the ability can take them."
"But don't expect me to save you again."
The survivors nodded eagerly. This was the unspoken rule of the cultivation world—opportunity came with risk.
One of the older cultivators, a wizened man missing an arm, chuckled hoarsely.
"We're not shameless enough to beg for your protection, Senior. If we die here, it's our own fault."
The others murmured in agreement.
Yun Lintian glanced at the doors lining the hallway.
"The libraries should be marked with scroll symbols. The treasuries with golden sigils. Training chambers have crossed swords."
He had no interest in material gains, but he saw no harm in pointing them in the right direction.
Lan Huiqian stepped forward, her Celestial Pavilion robes stained with blood, yet her posture remained graceful.
She bowed deeply, her voice sincere.
"Senior Yun… thank you."
A simple phrase, but it carried weight.
Yun Lintian nodded once, neither accepting nor rejecting her gratitude.
But before he could respond—
Qingqing, perched on Long Qingxuan's shoulder, crossed her tiny arms, her emerald eyes narrowed in disdain.
"These people didn't even dare to fight that bad guy! They just hid and watched Sister Qingxuan fight alone!"
Her words struck like a slap.
Lan Huiqian's face flushed, her composure cracking.
"We…" She hesitated, then lowered her head. "We were powerless against him."
Qingqing snorted, unimpressed.
Yun Lintian didn't comment. He had already turned away, his gaze fixed down the endless hallway.
With that, he walked forward, his group following silently behind him.
The survivors scattered, each rushing toward the doors that promised riches or knowledge.
Only Jian Kun lingered, watching Yun Lintian's retreating back with unreadable eyes.
Yun Lintian stopped before a large door at the far end of the hallway. Unlike the others, this one bore no markings—just a smooth, black surface that seemed to drink in the light.
Tang Wei's liquid form rippled uneasily.
"This… wasn't on the map."
Yun Lintian reached out, his fingers brushing the door's surface.
Not just temperature—emptiness, as if touching the void itself.
"Should we open it?" Long Chen asked, his hand resting on his sword hilt.
Before Yun Lintian could answer—
The door swung open on its own, revealing a vast chamber beyond.
A single figure, seated cross-legged in the center.
Something that had once been a man.
His skin was pale as moonlight, his hair long and silver, his robes tattered yet regal.
In their place were two black voids, swirling with something ancient and terrible.
The moment Yun Lintian stepped inside—
The figure's head lifted.
And a voice, dry as dust, echoed through the chamber.
"Ah… the Seed of Fate has finally arrived."