NOVEL WEB Chapter 13: The Final Rebirth
The Heart of the Abyss
The sky above was a maelstrom of endless night, an ocean of violet lightning writhing in an eternal storm. The air pulsed with an unnatural heartbeat, as if the very fabric of existence here was alive, watching, waiting.
The ground beneath Li Tian's feet was neither stone nor earth, but something else—something wrong. It shifted, cracked, and bled shadows, swallowing the corpses of forgotten warriors into the abyss.
At the center of it all sat Yanluo, the Emperor of the Abyss.
His throne was not made of metal or stone, but of wailing skulls, their hollowed eyes still burning with eternal suffering. His golden armor had once been a symbol of celestial power, but now, it was corroded, black veins pulsating across its surface like a living infection. His presence alone was a pressure so immense that the very air around him seemed to tremble.
Li Tian's grip tightened on his sword.
Yanluo's gaze met his, cold and merciless.
"Do you even remember why you're fighting?" Yanluo's voice was silken, taunting, filled with a knowing amusement.
Li Tian's jaw clenched. His heartbeat pounded against his ribs, his soul thrumming with a terrible weight. He could feel the corruption inside him.
99%.
He was one step away from losing himself forever.
No time for doubt. No room for hesitation.
He charged.
---
Abyssal Phantoms Unleashed
Before his feet could touch the ground, the abyss responded.
The shadows rippled, warping as Abyssal Phantoms tore their way free—dozens of them, then hundreds, shifting forms between smoke and solid nightmares, their bodies twisting impossibly. Their eyes burned like dying stars, hollow mouths stretching into unnatural howls.
Then, they attacked.
A storm of claws and fangs rushed toward him.
Skill Activated – Phantom Step
Li Tian's body blurred, his form flickering like a specter as he vanished in a burst of speed. He reappeared above them, twisting mid-air, his sword already slashing downward.
The blade sang.
A Phantom shrieked as it was cleaved apart, its form dissolving into dark mist. But before he could land, two more lunged from both sides.
Skill Activated – Celestial Guard
A barrier of golden light flared to life, their claws clashing against it, the impact sending shockwaves through the battlefield.
The moment they staggered back, Li Tian countered—his sword flashing like a comet, cutting through the darkness.
But they were endless.
For every Phantom he felled, five more took its place.
A black tendril coiled around his ankle.
Before he could react—
It yanked him down.
His body slammed into the ground, the impact shattering the bones beneath him. The tendril wrapped around his throat, tightening.
The air left his lungs.
His vision dimmed.
Then—
A spear of abyssal energy pierced his chest.
Pain.
His body convulsed. His fingers twitched.
Then—
Darkness.
---
The First Death
Respawn.
Li Tian's eyes snapped open.
He was back where he started.
His wounds were gone.
No blood. No pain. No scars.
But something inside him felt… wrong.
Colder.
Yanluo smirked from his throne, resting his chin on his hand.
"Again."
Li Tian's fingers tightened around his blade.
And he charged once more.
---
Death After Death
The battle repeated.
He fought. He died. He revived.
Over and over.
Each time, he pushed harder, moved faster, struck stronger. But Yanluo was always faster. Always stronger.
With every resurrection, Li Tian felt less of himself returning.
His hands shook. His breath grew hollow.
His memories… faded.
His emotions… dulled.
Yanluo's voice was a whisper in the storm.
"How many times have you died now? Fifty? Sixty? Does it even matter anymore?"
Li Tian panted, his chest heaving, his legs barely holding him upright. He raised his sword once more.
Yanluo sighed.
"Pathetic."
His hand lifted—a single lazy motion.
A wave of abyssal force rushed toward Li Tian, devouring the world itself.
There was no time to react.
The force slammed into him, and—
---
Respawn.
His body jerked upright.
His heart felt empty.
99% Corruption.
Yanluo chuckled, stepping down from his throne.
"You still don't get it, do you?"
Li Tian stared at him, something inside him breaking.
Yanluo's golden eyes gleamed.
"The Eternal Rebirth System… was never meant to save you."
Li Tian's pulse stopped.
Yanluo's smirk widened.
"It was designed to erase you. To strip away everything—your will, your mind, your soul—until there's nothing left but the abyss."
He took a step forward, voice soft, almost mocking.
"And now… you're almost gone."
Li Tian's body trembled. His hands felt foreign. His own thoughts felt distant.
One more death… and he wouldn't be himself anymore.
---
The Last Gamble
His fingers tightened around the Soul-Lock Seal.
Yanluo's smirk faltered.
Li Tian didn't aim it at Yanluo.
He aimed it at himself.
Yanluo's eyes widened.
"Wait—"
Li Tian slammed the seal against his own chest.
The abyss screamed.
---
Sealing the Abyss
A storm of golden runes erupted from his body, burning like celestial fire, pushing against the corruption.
Yanluo roared, his form fracturing, as the abyss dragged him inward—not into oblivion, but into Li Tian's soul.
The system glitched.
"ERROR! Host soul collapsing. Initiating… Eternal… Sleep…"
Li Tian collapsed to his knees, his veins turning black, his heartbeat slowing.
Inside his mind—
A voice. Low. Amused.
"You think this is over? You think you've won?"
Li Tian's eyes flickered with abyssal fire.
Then—
Darkness.
And in the silence…
Yanluo laughed.