After the Gods were eradicated, the world gradually recovered. The earth regained its vitality, and cities rose from the ruins, their people's faces beaming with the joy of surviving a catastrophe and filled with longing for a new life. Lin Qiye, Shen Qingzhu, and the Little Girl became legends among the people, their deeds praised in every corner as symbols of hope.
Yet, in the dead of night, Lin Qiye often fell into deep contemplation. The loss of control of the Divine Orb during that final battle still left him shaken to the core. He knew full well that if such power ever went berserk again, the world would face apocalyptic destruction once more. Moreover, he always felt that matters were far from over; beneath the surface of peace, a turbulent undercurrent seemed to be surging.
One day, while on solitary patrol, Lin Qiye discovered strange phenomena in several places. Black plants exuding an eerie aura had sprouted in previously fertile soil. These plants grew rapidly, and wherever they spread, all other life withered and died. There were also people who suddenly began acting abnormally, their eyes vacant as if they had lost their souls, muttering bizarre words to themselves.
He shared these observations with Shen Qingzhu, and the two decided to conduct a thorough investigation. Tracking the spread of the black plants, they arrived at a secluded Mountain Valley. Thick mist shrouded the valley, carrying the faint, familiar scent of Dark Power—an aura reminiscent of the fallen Gods.
"Could there be some survivors slipping through the net?" Shen Qingzhu asked, frowning.
"Whatever it is, we cannot let it endanger the world again." Lin Qiye gripped his sword tightly and stepped cautiously into the Mountain Valley.
Deep within the valley, they discovered an ancient ruin. Mysterious runes were carved across the heavy doors, radiating a dark glow as if warning outsiders away. Lin Qiye attempted to decipher the runes, but the moment his hand touched the door, blurry images flashed through his mind—a massive dark shadow that seemed to be manipulating everything from behind the scenes.
"There is definitely something wrong inside here," Lin Qiye said. Together with Shen Qingzhu, he threw his weight against the doors, pushing them open to reveal a powerful surge of Dark Power rushing out to meet them. Entering the ruins, they found the interior filled with bizarre apparatuses and crystals, within which various souls appeared to be sealed.
Suddenly, the surrounding instruments began to shake violently. The Dark Power converged, taking the form of a gigantic monster. Its body was forged from dark energy, and its eyes burned like two globes of black fire, radiating an aura of utter destruction.
"More enemies! Prepare for battle!" Lin Qiye shouted. He and Shen Qingzhu instantly dropped into combat stances, bracing themselves for this new challenge.
Lin Qiye took the initiative, unleashing "Xingchen Cleansing Slash" in an attempt to disperse the Dark Power enveloping the monster. Yet his sword cleaved into the creature's hide with little effect, causing the dark energies to merely ripple slightly without sustaining any real damage.
The monster emitted a roar and lunged at Lin Qiye. Waving its claw, it unleashed a wave of dark energy that swept straight toward him. Lin Qiye frantically dodged as the dark energy wave smashed into the wall behind him, instantly collapsing it.
Seizing the opportunity, Shen Qingzhu launched a flank attack, driving his spear directly into the monster's abdomen. The weapon pierced the creature's flesh, but was immediately eroded by the Dark Power, fracturing outward from the point of impact. With no other choice, Shen Qingzhu abandoned the spear and leaped backward.
"This monster is not easily handled. Its Dark Power seems capable of corroding our weapons," Shen Qingzhu warned.
Lin Qiye looked down at his own sword and noticed that it, too, was beginning to succumb to the corruption of the Dark Power. "We must find its weakness. We cannot afford a battle of pure attrition."
As they maneuvered around the beast, dodging its onslaughts, they gradually noticed that every time the monster finished an attack, a brief point of vulnerability appeared at the center of its body where its energy fluctuations weakened. Lin Qiye and Shen Qingzhu exchanged a glance, silently agreeing to seize this fleeting chance.
When the monster launched its next attack, Lin Qiye and Shen Qingzhu charged simultaneously toward its weak spot. Channeling their Spiritual Power directly into their palms, they struck the target with devastating force. The monster let out a cry of agony, and its Dark Power began to unravel into chaos.
Capitalizing on this opening, they pressed their assault against the weak point, relentlessly wearing down its strength. Following a grueling battle, the monster finally dissipated under their combined attacks. However, the dark aura within the ruins did not fade; instead, it grew even denser.
Just then, they heard the Little Girl's cries for help. Shocked, they sprinted toward the source of the sound. In another chamber of the ruins, they saw the Little Girl held captive by a Man in Black Robe, whose body radiated immense Dark Power while his eyes gleamed with a vicious light.
"You finally made it, foolish humans," the Man in Black Robe sneered.
"Who are you? Let her go!" Lin Qiye shouted angrily.
The Man in Black Robe burst into laughter. "Who I am matters not. What matters is that you have disrupted my plans. No matter—I now have a new bargaining chip."
"What do you want?" Shen Qingzhu glared at him with burning eyes.
"To use her to reawaken the power of the Divine Orb, and then rule this world. This time, there will be no one around to meddle," the Man in Black Robe declared, producing a black Crystal Ball in his hand. He pressed the Crystal Ball toward the Little Girl, drawing a cry of pure agony from her lips.
Lin Qiye and Shen Qingzhu rushed forward to rescue her, only to be blocked by a barrier of dark energy erected by the Man in Black Robe. Consumed by panic and desperation, they hammered relentlessly against the dark barrier, but it proved extraordinarily stubborn, refusing to yield to their strikes.
"Do not bother struggling. You cannot save her," the Man in Black Robe said with a triumphant smirk.
Just as the Man in Black Robe prepared to take his next step, Lin Qiye suddenly recalled what Lisi had mentioned back at the Castle concerning the Origin Power of the World. He realized that only by tapping into the Origin Power of the World could they hope to break this deadlock.
Closing his eyes, he focused his mind, attempting to commune with the Origin Power of the World. Through his desperate efforts, a faint response brushed against his consciousness. Guiding this surge of origin power, he hurled it directly against the dark barrier.
Observing Lin Qiye's actions, Shen Qingzhu immediately grasped his intent. He too focused his spirit, joining Lin Qiye in guiding the origin power. Propelled by their combined wills, the origin power swelled in strength until it finally shattered the dark barrier to pieces.
They charged straight at the Man in Black Robe. Caught completely off guard by their breakthrough, he panicked for a fraction of a second. Lin Qiye and Shen Qingzhu seized the opening to strike, and while the Man in Black Robe scrambled to defend himself, Lin Qiye spotted an opening, unleashed "Xingchen Demon-Slaying Slash", and severed one of the villain's arms. The Man in Black Robe shrieked in agony as the black Crystal Ball dropped from his hand and hit the floor.
Taking advantage of the chaos, the Little Girl broke free from the villain's control and scurried to the sides of Lin Qiye and Shen Qingzhu. Lin Qiye picked up the black Crystal Ball, realizing that the dark souls sealed within it were the very key the Man in Black Robe used to manipulate the Dark Power.
"Let's destroy it!" Lin Qiye commanded. Channeling their Spiritual Power in unison, he and Shen Qingzhu smashed the black Crystal Ball to powder. As the crystal shattered, the Dark Power infesting the ruins began to dissipate.
Realizing his scheme had failed once more, the Man in Black Robe let out a roar of fury. "You have not won! This is only the beginning!" With those parting words, he dissolved into a plume of black smoke and vanished.
Lin Qiye, Shen Qingzhu, and the Little Girl left the ruins behind. They knew that true peace had not yet arrived, and that greater challenges awaited them in the days ahead. Together, they resolved to continue safeguarding the world and searching for a way to purge the Dark Power once and for all.