Nian'an sprinted through the dense forest, clutching a crystal bone needle. Beneath her skin, silver-black veins pulsed in time with her breath. The trees of Soul-Forging Valley possessed a surreal, mirror-like texture, each leaf reflecting her fractured, flickering image.
Behind her came the sound of chains dragging against the ground.
Twelve Grey-robed Watchers moved through the air, their wooden masks carved into various expressions of agony. The leader’s mask was split by three cracks, revealing a pitch-black Lotus Birthmark underneath—identical to Nian'an’s, yet completely consumed by darkness.
Chapter 66