Eternal Rebirth: I Ascend with Every Death

A chilling wind howled through the ruins of the ancient metropolis, its wail echoing through the desolate streets paved with skulls. The City of Endless Graves stretched before Li Tian and Ling Xue like a necropolis frozen in time, its towering structures constructed from fused bones and obsidian. The air was thick with the stench of decay, the ground pulsating with a faint, eerie glow. Above them, the sky churned in a maelstrom of black and crimson, swirling like a vortex of damned souls.

Li Tian clenched his fists, his body tense as he scanned the city's grim landscape. Every step he took felt heavier, as if the ground itself sought to pull him into its depths. Ling Xue, her silver-white robes fluttering in the unnatural breeze, remained at his side, her expression unreadable.

"Stay alert," she whispered. "This city is not dead—it is waiting."

A distant clatter echoed through the alleyways, followed by a guttural growl. Emerging from the darkness were the Soulbound Guardians, undead warriors wrapped in rusted armor, their hollow eye sockets filled with ghostly blue flames. Their movements were jerky, as if controlled by unseen puppet strings, yet their weapons—serrated blades and barbed spears—glowed with malevolent energy.

One of them stepped forward, an imposing knight with a half-shattered helm, revealing a skull beneath. It raised a massive claymore, the runes along its blade flaring to life.

"You do not belong here," it intoned, its voice a distorted echo of its former self. "Turn back, or be claimed by the Abyss."

Li Tian smirked, dark energy crackling around his fingers. "I was never good at turning back."

With a burst of speed, he lunged forward, his blade slicing through the first Guardian's armor with a screech of metal. The creature barely reacted, swinging its claymore with brutal force. Li Tian dodged, feeling the rush of displaced air as the blade cleaved the stone where he once stood.

Ling Xue raised her hand, her Frozen Tempest Technique activating. A storm of ice and wind erupted around them, freezing several Guardians in place. Their bodies cracked, then shattered into dust, yet more emerged from the darkness.

Then, a slow, measured clap rang out.

From the heart of the city, a figure strode forward, his armor darker than midnight, adorned with jagged crimson runes. His face was partially obscured by a helmet, but the piercing, abyss-infused gaze beneath sent a shiver down Li Tian's spine.

"Li Tian," General Xue spoke, his voice like grinding steel. "You've come far. I've been watching since your first rebirth."

Li Tian's grip on his blade tightened. "I assume you're the welcoming committee?"

General Xue chuckled, lifting his Soulreaper Scythe. The weapon pulsed with an ominous glow, its blade humming with abyssal energy. "You amuse me. But you are still weak."

Without warning, General Xue vanished—only to reappear directly behind them. Li Tian barely had time to react before the scythe arced downward. He dodged, but the sheer force of the swing sent shockwaves through the ground, splitting the pavement apart. Ling Xue retaliated with a flurry of ice spikes, yet the general moved with unnatural speed, weaving between them effortlessly.

Li Tian knew he needed more power. The abyss within him stirred, whispering, tempting. He had held it back for too long.

His vision darkened, veins glowing with raw energy. The shadows around him stretched unnaturally as Abyss Mode activated. A surge of unholy strength filled his limbs, his aura turning from crimson to black as his movements became sharper, faster, deadlier.

He attacked without hesitation. His blade clashed against the scythe, sparks flying as the impact sent shockwaves through the battlefield. He moved with inhuman speed, dodging, countering, striking. Every motion was precise, every attack imbued with abyssal fury.

But it was not enough.

General Xue grinned beneath his helm. "The abyss is not yours to control."

With a flick of his wrist, he unleashed a wave of abyssal energy, sending Li Tian flying. He crashed against a ruined pillar, coughing up blood. Ling Xue rushed to his side, but even she hesitated as General Xue loomed over them, his presence suffocating.

Then, the sky trembled.

A voice, ancient and terrible, echoed through the city, shaking the very foundations of reality.

"Welcome home, son."

Li Tian's blood ran cold. The words were not a taunt. They were a truth.

Yanluo was waiting.