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墨書 Inktalez
Deep within the cave, it was not the radiant light that Lu Zhiyuan had described, but rather a suffocating, deathly silence enveloped in darkness.
Xuan Yang cautiously stepped inside, the sound of crunching gravel underfoot echoed sharply in the stillness of the cave, as if death itself whispered in his ear, sending chills down his spine.
He held his breath, fully alert and on guard, summoning all his senses like a poised cheetah ready to spring into action at any moment. His heartbeat thundered in his chest like a drum, adrenaline surged through him, and every hair on his body stood on end, each nerve taut with tension.
“Village Chief? Si Yang?” he called out tentatively, his voice reverberating in the vast emptiness of the cave, but there was no response—only hollow echoes that mocked his ignorance and naivety.
A wave of dread washed over Xuan Yang, an intense feeling of foreboding surged within him like a tide, dousing the last flicker of hope he had. He felt as if he were trapped in a massive spider's web; the more he struggled, the tighter the bonds became. He could only watch helplessly as the unknown predator drew closer.
Suddenly, a chilling laugh echoed from deep within the cave. It was sharp and grating, reminiscent of a rusty iron door being flung open or nails scraping harshly against a chalkboard—an utterly spine-chilling sound that made his scalp prickle.
“Ha ha ha... Puppet Master, you finally arrived. I've been waiting for you for so long!” A sinister voice emerged from the darkness, cold and devoid of any human emotion, like a call from the depths of hell that sent waves of icy dread coursing through him.
Xuan Yang felt a jolt of fear and instinctively clenched his fists. His body tensed like a bowstring drawn tight, ready to unleash deadly arrows at any moment. He felt as if he were being targeted by a venomous snake lying in wait, chills running down his spine as cold sweat soaked through his clothes.
A figure slowly emerged from the shadows. Tall and imposing, he was shrouded in a Black Cloak, obscuring his features. All that was visible were a pair of Crimson eyes gleaming with an eerie light in the darkness, resembling a hungry beast spotting its prey. Those Dual Eyes were filled with greed and bloodlust, as if they intended to devour him whole.
The Shadow!
Xuan Yang recognized him instantly; his heart sank like a stone dropped into an unfathomable abyss, sending ripples of panic through him. It felt as though an invisible hand had tightened around his throat, making it hard to breathe and causing an overwhelming sense of dread to swell in his chest.
“You... you are... the Shadow?” he forced himself to ask calmly, though his voice trembled slightly, each word seeming to squeeze out from between clenched teeth.
The Shadow let out a cold laugh and said, “What’s wrong? Surprised? Puppet Master, I never expected you to be so weak; truly disappointing!” His tone dripped with mockery and disdain, taunting Xuan Yang like an insignificant prey unworthy of respect. Each word struck Xuan Yang's heart like a sharp knife.
Clenching his jaw tightly, Xuan Yang remained silent. He knew that anything he said now would be pointless; only through battle could he prove himself and protect those he wished to safeguard.
The shadow approached step by step, each footfall feeling like a heavy weight pressing down on his heart. The echo of its footsteps resonated through the empty cave, suffocating him with a sense of dread. He felt as if he were being targeted by an ancient, primal beast, chills running down his spine as every cell in his body screamed of danger.
"Do you know, Puppet Master, that everything about you is under my control? Your past, your present, your future—I know it all!" the shadow declared, its tone brimming with confidence and arrogance. It was as if it were a deity looking down upon mortals, wielding power over everything.
Xuan Yang's heart raced at the shadow's words, a wave of unease and fear washing over him. He had no idea what the shadow truly knew, but he sensed that it was not bluffing; every word could very well be true.
"What do you want?" he asked, his voice laced with caution and wariness. His eyes fixed intently on the shadow, searching for any hint of its intentions.
The shadow let out a cold laugh. "What do I want? Heh... I want you to become my Puppet Master, to be my most powerful weapon in conquering this world!" Its voice dripped with seduction and temptation, as if promising endless power and glory should Xuan Yang agree.
A flicker of anger ignited in Xuan Yang's eyes. He clenched his fists tightly, his nails digging into his palms without him feeling any pain. "You wish!" he roared.
A glint of cold light flashed in the shadow's eyes. "Oh really? Then let me see what you're capable of!" It sneered dismissively, as if hearing the greatest joke ever told.
As soon as the words left its mouth, the shadow vanished from sight in an instant, moving faster than the eye could follow—like a bolt of black lightning or a wisp of elusive smoke—before reappearing right in front of Xuan Yang.
Startled, Xuan Yang hurriedly tried to dodge but was too late. The shadow's attack came like a flash of lightning—swift and merciless. He could barely react as he watched the shadow's hand strike toward him.
Bang!
With a dull thud, Xuan Yang was sent flying by the shadow's blow, crashing to the ground like a kite with its string cut. He felt his insides shift violently; blood surged up his throat as he coughed out a mouthful of crimson, pain coursing through him as darkness clouded his vision.
"Cough cough..." He gasped violently, blood trickling from the corner of his mouth. His face turned pale as paper, resembling a crumpled sheet.
The shadow reappeared before him once more, looking down with an air of superiority filled with mockery and derision—as if observing a dying insect or a lamb awaiting slaughter.
"Is that all you've got? Puppet Master, you truly disappoint me!" he mocked, his voice dripping with disdain and contempt.
Xuan Yang gritted his teeth, struggling to rise, but his body felt like it was falling apart, devoid of strength. Each attempt ended in failure.
At that moment, a petite figure stepped in front of him. Though small, she stood like a towering mountain, instilling an overwhelming sense of safety and reassurance.
Qu Si Yang!
"You... what are you doing here? It's dangerous, you need to leave!" Xuan Yang exclaimed in surprise. He never expected Qu Si Yang to appear here; he felt both touched and anxious.
Qu Si Yang said nothing but fixed her determined gaze on the shadow, flames burning fiercely around her. She resembled a goddess reborn from fire, exuding an imposing presence.
"Shadow, you will not harm him!" she declared coldly. Her voice was quiet yet filled with unwavering resolve.
The shadow scoffed, saying, "Little girl, do you really think you can stop me? How naive!" He looked at Qu Si Yang with the scorn reserved for a child unaware of their own limitations.
Qu Si Yang remained silent, but the flames around her blazed even brighter, swirling around her as if alive. They formed an indestructible Fire Energy Shield that protected Xuan Yang behind her.
"Overestimating yourself! How will you know unless you try?" The shadow sneered, impatience flashing in his eyes as he vanished from sight once more. His speed was so fast it was nearly imperceptible, like a dark specter leaving trails in the air.
In the next moment, he appeared behind Qu Si Yang and struck toward her back with a palm enveloped in black mist that radiated a chilling aura.
Just as the crisis loomed, a shadow suddenly emerged and stood behind Qu Si Yang, taking the brunt of the shadow's attack. Though tall, this figure seemed somewhat frail compared to the shadow.
Boom!
A loud crash echoed, as if the mountains were collapsing and the earth was splitting apart. The shadow was sent flying, like a fallen leaf, tracing an arc through the air before crashing heavily to the ground, stirring up a cloud of dust.
“Lu Zhiyuan!”
“Village Chief!” Xuan Yang exclaimed in surprise. He hadn’t expected Lu Zhiyuan to appear here, and even more so to be injured while protecting Qu Si Yang.
Lu Zhiyuan slowly got to his feet, his face pale as paper, a trace of blood at the corner of his mouth indicating he had sustained serious injuries. Yet he gritted his teeth against the pain and shook his head.
“Cough, cough… Old Man is fine. You all should leave quickly! I’ll hold him off here!” he said, his voice weak but filled with determination. He knew he was no match for the shadow, but he had to buy time for Xuan Yang and Qu Si Yang.
The shadow let out a cold laugh and said, “Want to leave? Not so easy! None of you will walk out of here alive today!” His voice was laced with murderous intent, as if he had already sentenced the three of them to death.
In a flash, he appeared before Lu Zhiyuan again, striking toward his chest with a palm. If that hit, Lu Zhiyuan would undoubtedly perish.
At that critical moment, a beam of golden light suddenly shot from Xuan Yang, like a sharp sword with an unstoppable momentum, forcing the shadow back.
The shadow’s expression changed as he looked at Xuan Yang in surprise. “You… you can actually wield such power? It seems I underestimated you!” A hint of seriousness flickered in his eyes; he hadn’t expected Xuan Yang to possess such hidden strength.
Xuan Yang slowly rose to his feet, radiating dazzling golden light like a Golden Armored War God descending from the heavens. His presence was imposing and majestic.
“Shadow, your game ends here!” he said coldly, his voice filled with authority and dominance, as if he were a king ruling over all.
A glimmer of fear flashed in the shadow’s eyes… He knew that this time he had truly encountered an opponent. He had to give it his all if he wanted even a slim chance of survival. His crimson eyes locked onto Xuan Yang, as if trying to see through him.
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