The wind howled through the night as Lin Xian stood before the mysterious woman who had appeared out of nowhere. Her beauty was beyond mortal imagination — skin like moonlight, eyes deep as the endless stars, and a faint aura that made space itself tremble around her. Even Lin Xian, who had faced countless dangers and seen heaven's cruelty, felt a rare sense of pressure.
For a moment, he said nothing. The woman smiled faintly, her voice soft but carrying a power that shook his heart.
"Are you the one who killed a Son of Destiny?" she asked.
Lin Xian's eyes narrowed. "Who are you?"
Instead of answering, she took a step closer. Every step she took made the world darker, as though the heavens themselves bowed to her presence. Her perfume — faint and otherworldly — brushed against Lin Xian's senses.
"I am someone who has been watching you," she said gently. "From the moment you defied fate for the first time."
Lin Xian's heart skipped a beat. "Watching me? What do you mean?"
The woman's eyes softened. "The heavens hate villains, yet you continue to rise. You remind me of someone from long ago… someone who also fought destiny itself."
Lin Xian frowned. "You speak as if you've lived for thousands of years."
"I have," she replied simply.
Silence fell between them. The night wind swept across the ruined ground where they stood, carrying the scent of blood and smoke from the destroyed Crimson Sect.
Lin Xian finally asked, "What do you want from me?"
The woman looked up at the stars, her expression unreadable. "You have done what few dare — you have slain a Son of Destiny and stolen his fortune. But you've also drawn the eyes of the Heavenly Dao. The balance of fate is breaking, Lin Xian. Sooner or later, Heaven will move against you."
Her words felt like knives of truth. Lin Xian had already sensed it — the pressure of the world around him growing heavier, as if something unseen was watching his every step.
He clenched his fists. "Let Heaven come. I won't kneel."
A faint smile curved her lips. "Good. You have spirit."
She raised her hand, and suddenly a small, black crystal appeared in her palm. Strange runes danced across its surface, pulsing faintly with energy older than time itself.
"This," she said, "is the Mark of Abyssal Will. It will hide you from Heaven's eyes — for a price."
Lin Xian stared at the crystal. "What price?"
"You must agree to serve me," she said simply. "At least… until you reach the Saint Realm. After that, you will be free."
Lin Xian's gaze turned cold. "Serve you? What kind of person are you, exactly?"
Her smile widened slightly, but her eyes carried a strange sadness. "Once, I was called the Abyssal Empress — the woman who almost destroyed Heaven itself."
Lin Xian's heart shook. The Abyssal Empress… The name sounded ancient, forbidden. Even the system within him vibrated faintly, as though recognizing her.
> [Warning: Entity detected — "Abyssal Empress", Rank: Unknown. Danger Level — Beyond Measurement.]
The system rarely warned him. If it did now, it meant this woman was truly terrifying.
Yet Lin Xian didn't step back. Instead, he met her gaze. "Why would someone like you need my help?"
Her expression softened again. "Because my time is running out," she said quietly. "My soul is trapped between life and death. I cannot act directly against Heaven anymore. But you… you are different. You are the variable that Heaven failed to predict."
She extended her hand toward him. "Join me, Lin Xian. Walk the path of true villainy — the path that even Heaven fears."
---
Lin Xian looked at her hand, then at the black crystal. The System whispered in his mind.
> [Optional Quest: Form Pact with Abyssal Empress. Reward: Abyssal Bloodline (Fragment) + Shadow Law Insight. Risk: Unknown.]
His heart pounded. He had fought and killed for power, devoured bloodlines, and broken the chains of destiny. Yet this was something greater — a step into a world far beyond mortal understanding.
He thought of Shen Yue and Lin Yuer, who were still cultivating in a hidden valley under illusion formation. They were his allies, his companions… and perhaps, deep down, something more. But he also knew that if Heaven truly marked him, everyone around him would suffer.
He closed his eyes for a moment, then opened them, determination flashing inside.
"I'll accept."
The woman's smile turned faintly proud. "Good choice."
She placed the black crystal on his palm. The moment it touched his skin, it melted and sank into his soul. Darkness spread through his veins like liquid fire, and for a brief moment, Lin Xian felt as if he could see the threads of fate themselves — twisting, writhing, and snapping.
He gasped and fell to one knee, pain stabbing through his body.
The Empress raised her hand, and a soft black light wrapped around him, easing the pain. "Do not resist. Let the abyss accept you."
The system chimed inside his mind.
> [New Bloodline Acquired: Abyssal Bloodline (Dormant).]
[Effect: Grants partial immunity to heavenly retribution and hides fate signature.]
Lin Xian slowly stood up, his body trembling but stronger than before. His eyes, once black, now carried faint traces of silver and darkness intertwined.
He looked at the woman. "Why me? Why not choose someone stronger?"
Her voice softened again. "Because you are not afraid to be hated. Most cultivators crave glory, praise, and immortality. But you… you crave control over fate. You are already walking the same path I once did."
For a moment, silence returned. The moon hung high above them, cold and distant.
Lin Xian finally asked, "What do you want me to do now?"
"Continue to grow," she said. "Build your power. When the gates of Heaven open again, I will call for you. Until then, I will guide you from the shadows."
Before he could reply, her figure began to fade into mist. The air grew colder, and her last words whispered softly across the night.
"Remember, Lin Xian… the stronger your light, the deeper your shadow. Never forget which side you belong to."
Then she vanished.
---
Lin Xian stood alone once more, the world eerily silent. He clenched his fists, feeling the new power pulsing through his veins. It was dark, deep, and full of potential.
He looked toward the horizon, where the faint glow of dawn was breaking.
"So… the Abyssal Empress," he muttered. "If Heaven truly wants war, I'll give them one."
The system appeared again.
> [New Questline Unlocked: Path of the Abyss.]
[Objective 1: Consolidate your cultivation to late Soul Transformation Realm.]
[Objective 2: Establish a hidden faction in the mortal world.]
[Objective 3: Prepare for the descent of the Shen Family.]
A cold smile crept onto Lin Xian's lips. "It seems the real game is about to begin."
He turned and disappeared into the forest, his aura completely hidden. Behind him, the ashes of the Crimson Sect scattered in the wind — a warning to all who stood in his way.
Far above, among the clouds, countless eyes of light flickered faintly. Some belonged to gods, others to entities unknown.
And among them, the Heavenly Dao itself stirred, whispering softly:
> "A new calamity has awakened."
---