The ground shook and a sharp blast ripped through the ruins. The shockwave spread in a straight line and threw everyone backward. Bodies hit walls, cracked stone, and broken pillars. The only one who did not move was Kai, who stood in the center as the dust shot upward around him. “System?” Kai said. A soft pulse formed around him. A thick shell of white light wrapped his body from head to toe. The light expanded for a moment, then solidified into a smooth barrier. The rubble hitting it slid away without leaving a mark. “Protective shield active,” the System said. “External impact neutralized.” Kai watched the others struggle to rise. The True Path operatives pushed their hands into the shaking ground and tried to get to their feet. Their legs kept slipping on the loose rocks. The shockwave had not ended fully. The ground continued to tremble in short bursts, each one knocking them down again. One operative shouted, “Hold the line!” Another answered, “We cannot! The ground won’t

Kai felt the ground tremble under his feet as the pillar of rift force brightened. The air thickened and the pressure increased until his ears rang.“System, what is happening now?” Kai asked.The System responded at once. “Anchor has entered a forced-activation state. Stability is below safe threshold. Immediate retreat for non-combatants is recommended.”Kai turned to the elders. “Fall back now. It will release another shockwave.”One of the elders shook his head. “We can still help you hold it.”“You will not survive the next wave,” Kai said. “Move back.”The elders exchanged glances and finally stepped away. Their faces showed fear as the pillar emitted spirals of unstable rift force that whipped across the ruined ground.True Path operatives used the chaos to move again. One of them shouted, “He is open now. Push forward.”Kai stepped ahead before they reached him. “You still want to fight?”They rushed at him instead of answering. He met the first with a strike to the throat. An

Kai moved with the Azure Cloud’s fastest units as they crossed the frozen plains. Harsh wind pushed against them. Snow lifted in sharp waves. The group kept close behind him. The System spoke inside his mind with a steady tone.“Severe rift distortion detected across the northern region. The closer you move, the higher the instability.”Kai looked ahead. “How long until full activation?”“Thirty-four percent and rising. The rate is increasing.”Elder Sha walked beside him. “The air is wrong. The cold is not natural.”Kai nodded. “Everyone, stay sharp.”A sudden blast of frost cut across the sky. The temperature dropped even lower. Several disciples covered their faces. Their breaths became heavy and slow. The snow hardened under their feet. Another warning echoed from the System.“Environmental pressure increasing. Recommend stabilizing internal circulation.”Kai answered quietly. “Do it.”“Circulation adjusted.”Scouts rushed forward and bowed slightly. “Sect Leader, we saw lights un

Kai stepped back as the glowing anchor released a wave that spread across the cavern. The air trembled and small cracks spread through the ice beneath his feet.“System, what did it expose?” he asked.“Identifying structure. Classification confirmed. Seventh Rift Core Node. Partial Awakening,” System replied. Its voice echoed inside the cavern with clear urgency.True Path elites hurried into formation. They stepped back toward their commander and formed a protective circle. Their breaths turned to white mist as the cold intensified.“Hold the perimeter,” the commander ordered. “No one lets him near the core.”Kai watched the shifting glow. “How active is it now?”“Energy output rising. Stability uncertain,” System said.A deep rumble moved through the cavern as large icy chunks broke free from the ceiling and crashed to the ground. Silent Rift Sect elders shouted from above the fissure, but their voices were faint at this depth. Kai ignored the noise and focused only on the core.He

Kai dropped through the collapsing floor without hesitation. The ice broke under him and the weight of the core dragged the whole section downward. He kept his body steady as he fell.“Stabilizing descent,” the system said.A gentle force wrapped around him and slowed his speed. Kai landed on solid ground inside a wide chamber hidden beneath the cavern. The ground was frozen, but smoother than the ice above. Cold air drifted across the space.Kai looked around. “How far below are we?”“Twenty meters,” the system answered.The chamber stretched farther than the one above. The walls carried heavy layers of frost. Several relics stood half-buried in ice. Some looked like tools. Some looked like pieces of armor. None of them were recent.Kai walked forward slowly. “These are old.”“Yes,” the system said. “Extremely old. Estimated age exceeds recorded history.”The ground beneath his boots was covered by a massive seal carved into the ice. It formed a circular pattern with tight lines and