Netherworld Pavilion: Keeper of Souls

The weight of the Soulstone in Li Zhen's palm seemed to grow heavier with each passing step. He had traveled through countless halls of the Netherworld Pavilion, each one more perplexing than the last, but now, for the first time since inheriting the mantle of Keeper, he felt the full gravity of his task. The journey ahead was no longer just a matter of curiosity or fate; it was a matter of life and death for the realms themselves.

Li Zhen stood on the edge of a precipice, staring out at the long path that lay before him. The map had come to him clearly in the vision, etched into his mind as though the Soulstone had permanently engraved its coordinates into his very being. But it was not the physical distance that troubled him; it was the emotional one. The Temple of Forgotten Souls was not just a place of darkness—it was a place of memory, a place that connected him to the past, to his brother, and to the corruption that had torn their lives apart.

The Netherworld Pavilion had granted him much power, but it also came with an immense responsibility. The dark forces that sought to tear apart the fabric of the realms had already infiltrated his life in the most intimate of ways—through his brother's fall. And now, those same forces beckoned him to confront the past in order to prevent an even greater destruction.

Li Zhen exhaled slowly, tightening his grip on the Soulstone as if drawing strength from its ancient power. He had no choice but to face what awaited him. If the realms were to have any hope of survival, he had to uncover the source of his brother's corruption. He had to find the Temple of Forgotten Souls.

The map etched in his mind was more than just a guide. It was a promise. It showed the way, but it was also a test. To find the temple, he would have to cross lands few dared to traverse. The mountains surrounding the temple were known to be treacherous, their paths fraught with traps, illusions, and beings who had long been forgotten by time. Those who ventured into the heart of the range never returned, or at least, those who did were never the same.

His journey would take him far beyond the safety of the Netherworld Pavilion's walls. As a Guardian, he had always been trained to face the challenges of cultivation, to grow stronger in body and mind, but this was different. This was personal. This was a confrontation with the past, with everything he had once held dear. This was a battle not just against external darkness, but against the shadows within his own soul.

Taking one final look at the Netherworld Pavilion, Li Zhen stepped forward, leaving the familiar behind. He would travel light—there was no need for excess baggage on a journey that could very well take him into the heart of chaos itself. Only the Soulstone and his own wits would guide him from here.

As he made his way through the dense forest surrounding the Pavilion, the air grew thick with the scent of pine and earth. The forest was alive with sound, but to Li Zhen, it was as though everything had fallen silent in his presence. The trees seemed to bend slightly, as if aware of his passing, their branches whispering to one another in a language he couldn't understand. The world felt different now—strange, almost surreal. He was no longer simply a mortal man with ambitions of cultivation. He was now the Keeper of Souls, a title that carried with it both honor and burden.

Days passed as Li Zhen journeyed into the wilderness. The path grew more treacherous as he approached the mountain range, with steep cliffs and thick fog obscuring the way forward. There were moments when the Soulstone pulsed with a strange energy, urging him to continue even when the way seemed impassable. It was as though the stone itself was guiding him, helping him navigate the labyrinthine terrain.

But there were other times, when the path felt too quiet, too still. And in those moments, Li Zhen couldn't shake the feeling that something was watching him. The air seemed to crackle with unseen energy, the weight of centuries pressing down on him from all sides. He had crossed into an ancient realm, one that existed outside the mortal world—a place where the boundary between the realms of life and death was thin, where the past was still alive, and where the forces of darkness could reach out from beyond the veil.

One evening, as the sun dipped below the horizon and the first stars began to pierce the sky, Li Zhen reached the base of the mountain range. He stood before the looming peaks, their jagged outlines cutting into the sky like the teeth of some great beast. The wind howled through the crags, carrying with it the scent of ancient earth and the weight of forgotten memories. The mountains seemed alive, their stone faces watching him as he took the first step onto the narrow path that led up the mountainside.

It wasn't long before the path grew steeper, the ground beneath his feet becoming loose and treacherous. The fog thickened, swirling around him like a living thing, obscuring his vision. But Li Zhen continued, his focus absolute. He had come too far to turn back now.

As he ascended, the atmosphere grew colder, and a strange unease settled in his chest. The fog parted briefly, and for the first time, he saw a flicker of light in the distance. It was faint at first, just a glimmer that disappeared as quickly as it had appeared. But it was enough to push him forward, and Li Zhen quickened his pace, determined to find the source.

Hours passed, or maybe it was longer. Time had become distorted in the fog, slipping through his fingers like water. The light reappeared, this time more clearly, glowing softly against the darkened mountainside. Li Zhen narrowed his eyes, recognizing it for what it was: the temple. It stood ahead, hidden in the folds of the mountain, half swallowed by the mist.

The Temple of Forgotten Souls.

The temple was not what Li Zhen had expected. It was not an imposing structure, nor was it shrouded in the same dark energy that had surrounded his brother's vision. Instead, it seemed delicate, almost fragile, as if it were a relic of a time long gone, a forgotten memory that had survived only in the shadows.

The entrance was barely visible, hidden behind a veil of twisted vines that seemed to pulse with an unnatural life. Li Zhen approached cautiously, his every step calculated, knowing that this was no ordinary place. The darkness that had claimed his brother had its roots here, and if he was to find answers, he would need to tread carefully.

As he crossed the threshold, the air grew thick with the scent of incense and decay. The temple was ancient, its walls lined with symbols of old, some familiar, others strange and unrecognizable. The floor beneath him was cracked, and the walls seemed to whisper secrets in a language he could not understand. The deeper he went, the more oppressive the atmosphere became.

And then he saw it—a single figure, standing at the far end of the temple, bathed in an eerie, greenish light. The figure turned slowly, its eyes glowing with an unnatural intensity.

Li Zhen's heart skipped a beat. It was his brother.

He was standing there, as if waiting for him, his expression cold and unreadable. The darkness that had once claimed him now seemed to radiate from his very being, wrapping around him like a cloak.

"Brother…" Li Zhen whispered, his voice hoarse with emotion.

His brother's lips curved into a smile, but it was not one of warmth. It was a smile born of something darker.

"You've come far, little brother," his brother's voice echoed through the temple, low and haunting. "But you cannot stop what has already been set in motion. The darkness has taken root, and there is no turning back."

Li Zhen's hands clenched into fists, the Soulstone pulsing fiercely in his grip. This was it—the confrontation he had been dreading. But it was not just about power. It was about saving his brother from the very darkness that had consumed him.

"Why?" Li Zhen's voice cracked with anguish. "Why did you choose this path?"

His brother's smile faded, replaced by something colder, something darker. "Because power is the only truth. And I will have it all."

The temple seemed to shudder as the ground beneath Li Zhen's feet began to tremble. The forces of darkness had awakened, and the true trial was about to begin.