Lord of Eternity [Fantasy Thriller Adventure Novel]

Chu Yang hurriedly followed behind the young girl, weaving through the deep forest, their footsteps echoing among the trees. 

The extraordinary strength he displayed when defeating the black-armored wild boar puzzled him, but what confused him even more was everything before his eyes. 

This place was nothing like the world he knew. 

The girl moved with a light and effortless grace, as if she were part of the ancient forest itself, perfectly in tune with the atmosphere around her. 

Questions churned in Chu Yang's mind, but he dared not speak recklessly. He could only silently observe the girl's every move. 

She did not appear strong—she even looked delicate and frail—but her eyes held a resolute determination that was anything but ordinary. 

Chu Yang noticed her vigilance toward everything around her. This level of composure was not something an average person could possess. 

A thought surfaced in his mind—this girl was no ordinary person. 

"You… are from this place?" 

Unable to suppress his curiosity, Chu Yang finally spoke, his tone probing. 

The girl was momentarily startled by his question. A flicker of doubt flashed through her eyes, but she quickly regained her composure and replied softly, "How do you know? And where are you from? Judging by your attire, you don't seem like a local." 

Chu Yang's heart tensed, yet at the same time, he felt a hint of relief. 

If she was a real, living person from this world, at least it meant he wasn't trapped in some lifeless void. 

He nodded, trying his best to conceal his unease. Hesitating slightly, he said, "Uh… I was just passing through and got lost. Hey, girl, why are you alone? This forest is dangerous." 

The girl glanced at him, as if weighing something in her mind. After a brief pause, she finally replied in a soft voice, "I'm just passing through as well." 

Both of them were cautiously probing each other. 

Chu Yang knew he couldn't reveal his unusual situation—he himself didn't even understand what had happened. 

More importantly, he had no idea who this girl was, so he had to tread carefully. 

Just then, the ground trembled slightly, and a strange energy began to spread through the air. 

Chu Yang stopped in his tracks, his heart tightening. 

The girl instantly became alert as well, her delicate brows furrowing, her gaze sharp, as if she had sensed something unusual. 

"What's happening?" Chu Yang asked in a low voice, trying to suppress his unease. 

The girl took a deep breath, scanning the surroundings before finally fixing her gaze deep into the forest. Her expression turned complicated. 

"I… I'm not sure. But I fear something bad is about to happen." 

Her voice was low, carrying an unmistakable sense of worry. 

The moment she finished speaking, the air around them grew heavy, as if an invisible force had descended upon the space. 

Overhead, the sky suddenly darkened. Thick clouds gathered in an instant, blocking out the light. The surrounding trees swayed slightly, creaking eerily. 

On the ground, cracks silently spread, as if some immense force was about to break free. 

Chu Yang's heartbeat quickened, a suffocating sense of pressure washing over him, filling him with an unprecedented sense of crisis. 

"What… is this?" 

He struggled to stay calm, but everything before him gave him an indescribable sense of unease. 

The girl's brows knitted even tighter, her expression growing graver as she stared into the distance. 

"I don't know… but I've never felt such an aura before. I fear that an ancient power in this forest is awakening." 

As soon as she spoke, the temperature around them plummeted. A chilling aura spread through the air, as if trying to freeze everything in its grasp. 

Chu Yang couldn't help but shiver, a strong sense of foreboding welling up within him. 

Instinctively, he reached into his pocket for the crystal he had been carrying—only to realize that it was gone. 

Before he could process this discovery, a blinding red light suddenly erupted from the ground cracks, illuminating the entire sky. 

The girl swiftly raised her hand, summoning a gust of wind that surged forward like an invisible force, pressing down on them. 

Chu Yang felt an immense pull yanking him backward, the ground beneath him seeming to cave in. 

"Run!" 

The girl gave a low shout and immediately dashed away from the widening rift. 

With no other choice, Chu Yang followed, but his unease grew stronger. 

As they ran, the crack behind them expanded further, the earth trembling violently beneath their feet. 

Suddenly, the girl came to an abrupt halt, her right hand sweeping through the air. A brilliant light burst forth from her palm, instantly forming an invisible barrier that enveloped the two of them. 

"Stay close to me!" 

Her voice was calm but firm. Though her tone was steady, the determination shining in her eyes carried an undeniable weight. 

Chu Yang instinctively stopped, his gaze fixed on the barrier. 

The radiance gradually expanded into a translucent shield, soft yet filled with a powerful energy field. As it trembled slightly, the air around it seemed to ripple, as though reality itself was being torn apart. 

A massive shockwave followed, slamming into them with immense force. The pressure in the air surged sharply. 

The ground beneath them cracked further, the fissures spreading like the veins of an ancient beast awakening. Yet, the barrier remained firm, standing as an unyielding bulwark. 

Chu Yang's eyes widened in astonishment, his mind filled with disbelief. 

This seemingly delicate girl possessed such incredible power! 

Every thread of energy she wielded carried an extraordinary aura, as if each of her movements was in direct opposition to the forces of the world itself. 

Her gaze remained unwavering, yet the faint crease in her brow revealed the strain she was under. 

She was not at a loss—she was fighting back, struggling to hold their ground against this overwhelming force. 

As the air around them churned violently, Chu Yang felt a surge of unfamiliar heat washing over him. The searing breath of an unknown presence seeped from the cracks, scorching everything in its path. 

Yet, the girl's barrier remained unshaken, standing like a sacred wall, keeping all danger at bay. 

"You…" 

Chu Yang couldn't help but speak, his voice filled with shock. "Just who are you?" 

The girl still did not turn back. Taking a deep breath, her expression darkened further as she whispered, "This is my limit. We need to go—now!" 

A sense of urgency laced her words, and though she offered no further explanation, Chu Yang could feel that she knew far more about this world than he could comprehend. 

Just as they prepared to flee, the rift suddenly erupted with a burst of dazzling red flames! 

The fire surged forward like a tidal wave, engulfing the land around them. The rolling flames twisted and coiled like serpents, exuding a power of utter destruction. 

The two of them wasted no time, pouring all their strength into running. But then— 

A massive force of suction suddenly surged from behind, pulling them toward the depths of the rift! 

Chu Yang felt his body spiraling out of control, as though he had been sucked into an inescapable vortex. 

Just as his consciousness began to blur, a warm white light suddenly enveloped them. 

In an instant, the terrifying suction force vanished, and the chaos around them faded. 

As his vision adjusted, he slowly opened his eyes—and what he saw left him utterly stunned. 

They were no longer in the forest. 

Above them stretched an endless azure sky, with soft white clouds drifting lazily, painting a scene as serene as an ink wash painting. 

The world around them had changed completely.