The chamber crackled with raw, untamed energy as the battle unfolded in the heart of the Forbidden Caverns. Lin Feng could feel the dark power radiating from the portal, its oppressive presence growing stronger with every passing second. His grip tightened on Azure Destiny as he carved through the cultists, his strikes swift and decisive. Yet, no matter how many they felled, the portal continued to expand, and the Voidborn's presence drew closer.
"Zhao Kuo, cover the left flank!" Lin Feng shouted over the din of battle, parrying an incoming blade aimed at his head. His body moved on instinct, each motion a blur of speed and precision.
Zhao Kuo, grunting with effort, cleaved through two robed figures with his broad sword, the force of his strike sending them crashing into the cavern wall. "On it!" he barked, his massive form plowing through another cultist who tried to stop him.
Li Mei danced between her enemies with fluid grace, her fan flicking open and closed as she cut down opponents with lethal precision. Her movements were sharp, almost elegant, her eyes focused on the greater threat—the ritual at the center of the chamber.
"We're not breaking through fast enough!" she yelled, slicing a cultist across the chest. "The portal is widening by the second!"
Wei Chen, usually the joker of the group, had a rare look of determination on his face as he unleashed a barrage of energy blasts from his hands. Each shot landed with pinpoint accuracy, sending cultists sprawling across the floor. "We've got to stop that hooded creep from finishing the summoning!"
Lin Feng's gaze shifted to the stone altar at the center of the ritual circle, where the hooded leader of the cult continued to chant in an ancient, guttural language. Dark tendrils of energy spiraled upward from the altar, feeding the ever-growing portal above. The sacrifices—Azure Cloud Sect disciples—lay bound and unconscious beside the altar, their life force clearly being drained to fuel the summoning.
"That's where we make our stand," Lin Feng muttered under his breath, eyes narrowing as he assessed the situation. He knew what had to be done. If they couldn't stop the ritual from continuing, the Voidborn would be unleashed into their world, and all would be lost.
"Sect Leader Feng's counting on us!" Lin Feng roared. "We have to take out the leader!"
With a powerful leap, Lin Feng surged forward, cutting through the enemies that stood in his way with the ferocity of a hurricane. His companions followed close behind, their expressions filled with the same steely resolve. As they neared the altar, the air grew heavier, the dark energy emanating from the portal making it difficult to breathe.
Just as Lin Feng reached the steps of the altar, the hooded figure turned to face him. Beneath the cloak, glowing red eyes stared out from a mask that covered the cult leader's face. There was an unnatural stillness to the figure, a calmness that sent chills down Lin Feng's spine.
"You think you can stop what's already in motion?" the cult leader hissed, his voice carrying an eerie echo. "The Voidborn are inevitable. Their power will reshape this world, and you are nothing more than a fleeting speck in their grand design."
Lin Feng's eyes blazed with fury. "You've corrupted the sect from within! I won't let you destroy everything we've fought for!"
With a roar, Lin Feng lunged at the cult leader, swinging Azure Destiny in a powerful arc. The sword sang through the air, its blade glowing with brilliant azure light as it descended upon the masked figure. But just before the blade struck, the cult leader's body flickered like a shadow, vanishing into the darkness.
Lin Feng's strike hit nothing but air.
"Behind you!" Li Mei shouted.
Lin Feng whirled around just in time to see the cult leader reappear, his body materializing from the shadows like a ghost. A wave of dark energy pulsed outward from the leader's hand, slamming into Lin Feng with the force of a tidal wave. Lin Feng was thrown back, crashing into the stone floor with a grunt of pain.
The cult leader chuckled, the sound cold and hollow. "You are no match for the Voidborn's power, boy."
But Lin Feng wasn't alone. As he struggled to his feet, Li Mei, Zhao Kuo, and Wei Chen sprang into action. Li Mei unleashed a flurry of attacks with her fan, her strikes like blurs of light as she darted around the cult leader. Zhao Kuo charged in with raw, brute force, swinging his sword in wide, sweeping arcs. Wei Chen hung back, providing cover fire with precise blasts of qi.
The cult leader flicked his wrist, and a dark shield formed around him, deflecting their attacks with ease. "Futile," he said, his voice dripping with disdain.
Lin Feng's mind raced. They couldn't simply overpower the cult leader—he was drawing strength from the ritual, from the very portal itself. They had to sever his connection to it.
He looked at the bound sacrifices—the sect disciples—and realization hit him like a bolt of lightning. The ritual was draining their life force, channeling it into the portal. If they could free the sacrifices, they could weaken the ritual and disrupt the summoning.
"Li Mei! Wei Chen! Focus on freeing the sacrifices!" Lin Feng shouted, his voice hoarse. "Zhao Kuo and I will keep him busy!"
Without hesitation, Li Mei and Wei Chen broke away from the fight and sprinted toward the altar. Li Mei moved swiftly, her fan cutting through the ropes that bound the disciples, while Wei Chen used his qi to stabilize their condition.
Meanwhile, Lin Feng and Zhao Kuo faced the cult leader head-on. The cult leader's attacks were relentless, dark tendrils of energy lashing out at them like whips. Lin Feng dodged and parried with all his might, each movement precise and deliberate. Zhao Kuo, with his sheer size and strength, blocked the brunt of the attacks, creating openings for Lin Feng to strike.
"Your efforts are in vain," the cult leader sneered, his voice echoing through the chamber. "The Voidborn's return cannot be stopped."
Lin Feng's eyes burned with defiance. "You're wrong. We'll stop you—together!"
Azure Destiny flared with power in his hands, the blade humming with a resonant energy. Lin Feng could feel the sword responding to his emotions, to his determination. The bond between him and Azure Destiny was growing stronger, the ancient sword feeding off his spirit. He could sense the memories of its previous wielders—Yue Ling and the others—guiding him, urging him forward.
With a burst of speed, Lin Feng surged toward the cult leader, slashing at the dark shield with all his might. Azure Destiny's blade clashed against the dark energy, sparks flying as the two forces collided. For a moment, it seemed as though the shield would hold—but then, with a brilliant flash of light, Azure Destiny pierced through, shattering the barrier.
The cult leader staggered back, shock flashing in his glowing red eyes. "Impossible…!"
Lin Feng pressed the advantage, landing a devastating strike across the cult leader's chest. Dark energy spilled from the wound, the cult leader's body flickering like a fading shadow.
"No!" the cult leader hissed, his voice filled with fury. "I will not be undone by you!"
But it was too late. Behind him, Li Mei and Wei Chen had freed the last of the sacrifices, and the ritual's power was beginning to unravel. The portal, once a swirling maelstrom of dark energy, began to shrink and flicker, its connection to the Voidborn weakening.
"We did it!" Wei Chen shouted, his voice filled with triumph.
The cult leader let out a scream of rage, his body beginning to dissolve into shadow. "You… may have stopped me… but the Voidborn will still return…"
With those final, ominous words, the cult leader's form disintegrated, vanishing into the darkness.
The portal above the altar shuddered one last time before collapsing in on itself, the dark energy dissipating into the air. Silence fell over the chamber, the oppressive weight lifting as the danger passed.
Lin Feng stood still for a moment, his breath heavy, his heart pounding in his chest. The battle was over, but the cult leader's words lingered in his mind like a dark cloud.
The Voidborn were still out there. This was only a delay—perhaps a small victory in a much larger war.
"We stopped them," Li Mei said, stepping up beside him. "For now."
Lin Feng nodded, though his expression remained grim. "Yeah. But this isn't the end. The Voidborn are still coming. We need to be ready."
As they began to gather the injured disciples and prepare to leave the caverns, Lin Feng couldn't shake the feeling that the real battle was still ahead. The threat of the Voidborn loomed over them, and the darkness that had infiltrated the sect ran deeper than any of them had realized.
But no matter what came next, Lin Feng knew one thing for certain.
He and his companions would face it together.