The stone door groaned as it swung open, revealing a dimly lit chamber.


    Ji Shuang stepped inside, looking around.


    The room was vast, its domed ceiling disappearing into shadows, and the air was thick with a sacred energy.


    The walls were adorned with intricate runes, each glowing faintly with a golden light.


    Lining the room, there were enormous statues of the Sect''s founding ancestors, each carved with exquisite detail.


    The figures'' expressions were stern, as if they were silently judging the one who dared to disturb their eternal watch.


    Ji Shuang''s steps echoed softly as she walked deeper into the chamber, her gaze shifting from one statue to the next.


    As she approached the center of the room, her eyes locked onto the towering crystal obelisk.


    Its surface shimmered with energy, swirling like liquid light trapped within its crystalline confines.


    Stopping a few paces before the obelisk, Ji Shuang sank to her knees, her robes pooling around her like rippling water.


    She bowed her head, her hands resting on the cold stone floor.


    "Oh, revered ancestors, the Sect is in grave danger once again. Vampires from the Vampiric Star have come to our gates, threatening to destroy all that you built with your sacrifices. The protective barrier weakens, and our disciples fight valiantly, but their numbers are overwhelming."


    She lifted her head slightly, her gaze meeting the stern eyes of the nearest statue, as though seeking its approval "You who forged this Sect with blood, sweat, and unwavering will... I humbly ask for your guidance and aid. Protect your descendants, as you have done in the past."


    As her words faded into the air, the runes on the walls began to glow brighter, their golden light pulsating faster.


    A low hum filled the chamber and Ji Shuang rose to her feet as she placed her hands against the surface of the obelisk.


    "I invoke the bond between the living and the departed..."


    "Lend me your strength, ancestors, so that we may defend the Jade Eclipse Sect and preserve its legacy."


    The hum grew louder, and the light within the obelisk intensified, bathing the entire chamber in a dazzling brilliance.


    The statues seemed to come alive, their eyes glowing faintly and Ji Shuang could feel the weight of their gazes.


    A deep, resonant voice echoed through the chamber, startling her.


    It came out of everywhere and nowhere at once, a blend of countless voices speaking in unison. "Ji Shuang, child of the Jade Eclipse Sect... why do you call upon us?"@@@@


    *sleesh* With a flick of her fingers, the spears shot forward, impaling the remaining vampires with precision.


    The corridor was silent once more, as the faint noise of dripping blood from her scythe echoed.


    ...


    As Velnorah stepped into the core chamber, her gaze swept across the large, dimly lit space.


    The pulsating astral stones embedded in the walls radiated an eerie crimson glow, casting flickering shadows across the room.


    The chamber was teeming with vampires, their eyes gleaming with hunger as they turned toward the intruders.


    At the center of the horde there was a tall, imposing vampire with pale skin.


    His dark armor was intricately detailed, and his aura exuded an oppressive power that made him stand out among the others.


    He rested one hand on the hilt of his blade, tilting his head slightly as he looked at Velnorah with a faint smirk of intrigue.


    "Lady Velnorah. Is that truly you? It''s been a while."


    Velnorah''s crimson eyes narrowed as she stepped forward, her scythe glowing with a faint red light. "Yeah, Zaltran. It''s me."


    Zaltran''s smirk widened as he stepped closer, the other vampires parting to make way for him. "So, you''ve chosen to betray your own kind."


    He gestured lazily toward Zhao Tian, who stood beside her with an unbothered expression. "Tell me, Lady Velnorah... was it for him? For this... human?"


    Zhao Tian didn''t react to the jab, but Velnorah''s grip on her scythe tightened.


    Zaltran chuckled at her silence and he took a slow step forward, his gaze shifting back to Zhao Tian "For a puny huma—"


    Before he could finish, a brilliant arc of crimson energy sliced through the air, so fast that most of the vampires didn''t even see it coming.


    *sleesh*


    Zaltran''s head was severed cleanly from his shoulders, his expression frozen in a mix of shock and disbelief as his lifeless body crumpled to the ground with a dull *thud*.


    Velnorah twirled her scythe with fluid grace as she stared down at Zaltran''s fallen body. "Nothing about my Vryienne is puny..."


    ----------------------------------------------


    I hope you guys liked this chapter!