Abraham stood at the edge of Plum Blossom Peak, the first light of dawn spilling over jagged stone like molten gold, yet the mountain beneath him was scarred and broken. The echoes of the ferocious battle with the Blood Cult commander still rang in his ears—shouts, clashing steel, and the shuddering collapse of part of the peak resonated like a brutal symphony. Every shattered boulder and jagged fissure was a silent testament to the overwhelming force he had faced and the painful weakness he had been forced to confront.His breathing was heavy but steady, mists curling around his boots like spirits mourning the mountain's wounds. He glanced over at Michael, his bodyguard, who stood vigilant beside the remaining battered disciples. The immense figure radiated qi tinged with crimson, his dark and forbidding presence a powerful counterbalance to the storm still raging in Abraham's mind. Michael's eyes scanned the horizon, sharp and unyielding, embodying the very essence of the mountain's fierce protection. The bodyguard's stoic calm was the thin but vital line between survival and devastation."The mountain bleeds," Michael muttered, voice low and heavy, the words almost lost in the rising wind. "But it has not fallen."Abraham nodded slowly, feeling the heavy weight of responsibility settle more firmly on his shoulders. His body ached from the clash, muscles tense with the lingering sting of poison and energy drained in the battle. Yet, beneath the physical pain, an even deeper ache gnawed at his spirit—the realization that his strength was far from enough. The Blood Cult's commander was a devastating force, a nightmare forged in cruelty and malevolence. Abraham's attempts to defend the peak had been valiant but insufficient."The Blood Cult will not relent," Abraham said, the quiet determination in his voice belying the turmoil within. "Neither can we."His thoughts flickered to the sect elders who had betrayed their sacred trust. The elder's treachery, whispered promises, and poisoned dealings had shattered the sect's defenses from within. Abraham's heart burned with anger and a deep sense of betrayal. How many more secrets lie buried among those we call allies? he wondered grimly.A familiar, metallic voice echoed in his mind—a cold reminder from the system that had guided him through his trials. "New mission unlocked: Seek the ancient Oracle of Mount Xianji. Uncover secrets lost to time. Prepare for the awakening." The words sent a chill down Abraham's spine, mingling with the warm pulse of the First Relic against his chest. The path ahead was uncertain, shadowed with danger and unknown mysteries."An oracle," Michael murmured, turning his gaze to the distant mountain shrouded in mist. "If its knowledge is true, it may hold answers to the challenges yet to come."Abraham's eyes narrowed, the weight of destiny pressing down heavier than ever before. The bloody fight on Plum Blossom Peak had tested his body and spirit—and starkly revealed his weaknesses. But it had also forged a resolve as solid as the mountain stone beneath their feet. The empire's restoration was no longer a distant dream but a blazing inferno demanding his unyielding will.With the first rays of sunlight bathing the peak, Abraham took a deep breath and made his decision. There was no turning back. The journey to Mount Xianji and the ancient oracle awaited—a place steeped in legend and shadow, where his fate and the empire's future would be irrevocably shaped.Mount Hua's winds whispered promises of reckoning as Abraham, Michael, and the surviving disciples set off, stepping into the unknown with hearts forged in fire and courage unbroken.
