NOVEL WEB Chapter 4: The Temple of Forgotten Screams
Location: The Ruins of Xuanji
A forsaken land swallowed by time, Xuanji's ruins stretch endlessly beneath the twilight sky. Crumbling stone archways, once grand and majestic, now bow under the weight of creeping vines, their thorned tendrils slithering like cursed veins. The scent of damp earth lingers in the air, heavy with the whispers of those long forgotten. In the heart of the ruins stands a temple—its pillars cracked, its walls engraved with eerie murals of faceless figures. The entrance gapes like the maw of a beast, inviting yet menacing.
---
The Shadows Beckon
Li Tian stepped cautiously over shattered stone, his boots scraping against the dust-coated floor. His breath came in slow, measured exhales, but his heart pounded like a war drum. The Ruins of Xuanji exuded an unnatural silence—the kind that pressed against the ears, making even the slightest movement sound deafening.
Why does this place feel... alive? he wondered, glancing at the thorned vines coiling around fallen statues. As he brushed past one, a sharp sting seared his forearm. He recoiled, eyes widening as the vine oozed a dark crimson liquid, thick and viscous like fresh blood.
"Not natural…" he muttered, gripping the hilt of his sword tightly.
The system chimed in his mind, its voice cold and impersonal.
> Quest Assigned: Uncover the Secrets of the Abyss.
Li Tian scowled. "And what, exactly, am I supposed to be looking for?" he muttered under his breath. The system, as usual, offered no reply.
---
The Temple's Whisper
The entrance loomed before him, carved with faded runes that pulsed faintly as he neared. He hesitated. An unnatural cold crept up his spine. No wind, no movement… but something is watching.
With a deep breath, he stepped inside.
Instantly, the air grew thick, heavy with the scent of burning incense and something more sinister—charred flesh. The walls were lined with murals, each depicting shadowy figures offering tributes to an unseen entity. Their faces were scratched out, their hands raised in silent worship.
A shiver ran down Li Tian's spine.
What happened here?
His fingers brushed over the carvings, tracing the delicate yet disturbing details. The figures' robes flowed unnaturally, as if they were moving within the stone itself. The temple groaned, as if exhaling after centuries of silence.
A single word echoed in his mind.
> "Sacrifice."
Li Tian jerked back, his breath ragged.
---
The Phoenix Sigil
At the temple's center, an altar stood, untouched by time. Upon it lay a relic—a small sigil carved into obsidian, its center glowing faintly with ember-like veins. The moment his eyes locked onto it, something in his blood stirred.
He reached out. The instant his fingers brushed the sigil, a searing pain shot through his palm. Visions flooded his mind—
Fire.
A city ablaze, its people screaming as the sky cracked open.
A shadowy figure standing atop a mountain of corpses, eyes burning with an inhuman glow.
A temple much like this one, but pristine, before the darkness swallowed it whole.
The vision snapped away, leaving Li Tian gasping. His legs trembled as he steadied himself against the altar.
> New Title Acquired: Keeper of the Forgotten Flames.
Before he could process the words, the ground beneath him rumbled.
---
The Abyss Awakens
The temple shuddered violently. From beneath the cracked floor, an ominous red glow seeped through the widening fissures. Then, a sound—low, guttural, and filled with malice.
Li Tian took a cautious step back. Not good.
The ground split open, revealing a yawning chasm. From its depths, countless glowing red eyes blinked into existence. Shadows slithered and coiled, taking shape—figures writhing, clawing at the edges of the abyss.
> Warning: Abyssal Entities Detected. Danger Level—Unknown.
Li Tian gritted his teeth. "No kidding."
A hand—elongated, twisted, more bone than flesh—shot out from the darkness. Then another. And another.
The temple walls groaned as if they, too, wished to flee.
A deep, rasping voice echoed from the chasm.
> "Return... the flame…"
Li Tian didn't hesitate. He grabbed the Phoenix Sigil and ran. The temple shook violently, the murals twisting and writhing as if coming to life. Behind him, the abyss erupted, sending waves of dark tendrils lashing toward him.
His legs burned as he sprinted, leaping over crumbling stone, dodging falling debris. The entrance was close—
A tendril lashed out, striking his shoulder. Agony flared through his body as black veins spread from the wound.
Move, damn it!
Summoning every ounce of strength, he lunged forward, just as the temple collapsed behind him, sealing the abyss in its tomb once more.
Panting, he lay sprawled on the ground, the sigil clutched tightly in his hand. The black veins on his shoulder pulsed angrily before fading, leaving a dull ache in their wake.
> Corruption Level: 2%.
His fingers tightened around the sigil. "What the hell have I gotten myself into?"
From the shadows of the ruins, a pair of golden eyes watched him, unblinking.
---
Hook: A Watcher in the Dark
Far from where Li Tian lay, a figure cloaked in tattered robes observed him with unreadable intensity. The hood concealed most of their face, but the faint shimmer of runic tattoos peeked through the fabric.
"The Abyss has marked him," the figure murmured, voice barely audible over the night breeze. "Let's see if he survives long enough to understand what that means."
The wind howled through the ruins, carrying the whispers of the forgotten.