Chapter 18 – The Fallen Capital of Tianxia
The desert stretched endlessly beneath the scorching sun.Each gust of wind carried whispers of a city long buried — the once-great Tianxia, now nothing more than a ghost beneath the sands.
Ren Yu and Lira stood atop a dune, their cloaks whipping in the heat. The horizon shimmered like molten glass. Behind them, the remnants of an old caravan trail faded into nothing.
Lira adjusted the veil covering her face. "No one comes here willingly. Even the scavengers avoid this place."
Ren Yu's gaze remained steady. "That's why it's perfect for hiding what they don't want found."
He knelt and pressed his palm into the sand. A faint pulse of qi spread outward, sending ripples through the ground. The Vein Locator Elder Shen had given him glowed softly, its runes forming a spiraling pattern.
"It's here," he said quietly. "The entrance is right below us."
The Buried Gate
They dug for hours beneath the relentless sun. At last, Ren Yu's blade struck something solid — a metallic clang echoed beneath the dunes. Brushing away the sand revealed an enormous circular door of black steel, inscribed with concentric runes that faintly emitted blue light.
Lira stepped closer, eyes wide. "This isn't mortal craftsmanship."
"No," Ren Yu murmured. "It's from before the Great Divide. When cultivators still forged cities from spirit iron."
He channeled qi into his palm and pressed it against the seal. The runes flared — some responded to his energy, others resisted. A deep rumble filled the air as ancient mechanisms stirred to life.
"Ren Yu—" Lira began, but before she could finish, the door split open with a thunderous roar, sucking them into a spiraling tunnel of light.
The Sunken City
When Ren Yu's vision cleared, he found himself standing on cracked marble streets beneath a dim, crimson sky. Ruined towers leaned at impossible angles, their foundations swallowed by dunes of pale sand. A faint hum echoed in the air — the residue of long-dormant qi.
Lira landed beside him, gripping her spear. "This… this is Tianxia?"
Ren Yu nodded. "The Fallen Capital. It's said the heavens themselves cursed it when its ruler tried to ascend beyond the mortal plane."
They moved through the empty streets, their footsteps echoing softly. Everywhere, golden statues of long-dead emperors watched with lifeless eyes. Strange, floating shards of crystal hovered in the air, whispering faintly — memories frozen in time.
Then, a shadow moved.
Ren Yu reacted instantly, drawing his blade. A humanoid figure stepped from behind a collapsed archway, its body made of black mist, its face featureless save for two glowing red eyes.
Lira hissed, "A Vein Wraith! I thought they were just stories!"
Ren Yu felt the air grow cold. "They were real enough to destroy a city."
The wraith lunged.
Battle of the Forgotten
Ren Yu's sword met the creature's claw in an explosion of energy. The impact sent shockwaves through the ruins, scattering sand and debris. Lira circled behind, thrusting her spear through the wraith's torso — but it passed through like smoke.
"It's not physical!" she shouted.
"I know!" Ren Yu's eyes narrowed. "They feed on spiritual imbalance."
He closed his eyes, letting his energy flow through the Horizon Vein. The golden and silver qi within him began to spin, forming a vortex around his heart. The air shimmered, and the faint hum of the ancient city grew louder.
When he opened his eyes again, they glowed with twin light — one gold, one white.
"Then let's see how you handle balance," he whispered.
He slashed upward, unleashing a wave of energy that split the air. The wraith screamed — its form flickering violently as golden light tore through its essence. Lira followed, channeling her qi into her weapon, forming a radiant spear that pinned the creature to the ground.
The wraith howled once more before dissolving into dust.
For a moment, silence returned. Only their ragged breathing filled the air.
Lira lowered her weapon. "That was… too strong for a remnant."
Ren Yu sheathed his sword, gaze thoughtful. "It was guarding something."
The Throne of Dust
They continued deeper into the city, until they reached the ruins of a vast palace. Shattered pillars lined the hall, and at its far end stood a throne carved from solid obsidian. Strange glyphs pulsed faintly on the walls — alive, watching.
Ren Yu felt a strange pull. He approached slowly, each step echoing like a heartbeat.
When he touched the armrest of the throne, a surge of energy shot through him. Visions flooded his mind — endless fire, collapsing cities, a man cloaked in stormlight standing before the heavens.
"You dare defy the Divine Order?" a voice thundered in his mind.
The man in the vision — his ancestor, the original Horizon Heir — raised his hand, unleashing light that split the sky. "If balance cannot exist within heaven, then it shall be reborn below!"
The vision shattered. Ren Yu stumbled back, gasping. Lira caught his arm.
"Ren Yu! What did you see?"
He looked up slowly, his expression grim. "The truth of Tianxia. It wasn't destroyed by the heavens… it was sealed by my ancestor."
The Heart of the Divine Vein
Beneath the throne, the floor split open, revealing a deep spiral of light descending into the earth. The Vein Locator in Ren Yu's pocket began to hum violently.
"This is it," he said. "The Third Seal."
Lira hesitated. "If it's sealed by your ancestor… breaking it might undo everything he tried to protect."
Ren Yu nodded slowly. "Maybe. But if I don't, the Council will find it first — and use it to rewrite the world."
He stepped toward the spiral, energy crackling faintly around him. "Whatever lies below, I'll face it."
Lira gave a small nod. "Then I'm going too."
Together, they leapt into the light.
Above the Desert
Far above the buried city, storm clouds began to gather where there had been only burning sun moments before. On a distant cliff, a group of robed figures watched in silence.
One of them, the leader with silver hair and a scar across his face, lowered his spyglass. "The Third Seal has been touched."
Another bowed. "Shall we intervene, Commander?"
He shook his head. "No. Let him awaken it. The heavens have slept too long — it's time for the storm to return."