Rebirth Immortal-Chapter 35: The True Mastermind

Follow current novels on freewebnσvel.cѳm.

Ye Chen's body was still aching from the sudden attack. The force of the blow had sent him crashing against the wall, and now every part of him felt sore, but his spirit was unbroken. The figure that stood before him was unlike anything he had encountered. The dark energy radiating from it was palpable, a thick, suffocating pressure that seemed to press against his chest.

The figure's smile twisted into something cruel, its eyes glowing with an unnatural light. It was clear that this being was no ordinary cultivator. Ye Chen had fought many powerful enemies in the past, but this was different. This was something far more ancient, far more terrifying.

"You think you can stop me?" The voice was cold, dripping with disdain. It echoed through the room, vibrating in the air as if it belonged to something that had existed for eternity.

Ye Chen gritted his teeth. His sword was still firmly in his hand, the familiar weight comforting him despite the overwhelming darkness that surrounded them. Beside him, Zhao Ming and Lin Xia had already regained their footing, though both were breathing heavily, their faces pale.

"You're the true master behind the Shadow Sect?" Ye Chen demanded, his voice steady despite the chaos that had erupted. His eyes locked onto the figure, refusing to show fear. "How is that even possible? We destroyed your leader. You can't be real."

The figure let out a low, mocking laugh, its form flickering and shifting like a mirage. "The Shadow Sect has existed for centuries, Ye Chen. It is a force that cannot be destroyed so easily. And neither can I." The figure's form wavered, and then it stepped forward, the shadows around it swirling as if alive. "I am the one who gave your precious leader the power to rise. I am the one who has controlled everything from the shadows. You are too late."

Ye Chen's mind raced. This figure was no mere opponent—it was the source of everything. It was the power that had kept the Shadow Sect alive for so long, the true mastermind behind their twisted plans. Ye Chen knew that if he couldn't defeat this being, everything they had fought for would be lost. He had to act fast.

"Why?" Lin Xia suddenly shouted, her voice sharp with anger. "Why go through all this? What do you want?"

The figure's smile deepened, a cruel gleam in its eyes. "What do I want? Power, of course. The Shadow Sect has always been about control. But now, I seek something far greater." It turned its gaze toward the crystal resting on the pedestal. The dark energy surrounding it pulsed in response, as if the two were connected. "This crystal holds the power of ancient immortals. It contains knowledge and strength that surpasses anything you could imagine. With it, I will become unstoppable."

Ye Chen's heart sank as the figure spoke. The crystal. The very thing they had been trying to destroy. It wasn't just a source of power—it was the key to this being's rise. If the figure managed to absorb its power, they would have no hope of stopping it.

"We won't let you have it," Ye Chen said firmly. He could feel the resolve in his voice, the familiar surge of confidence that always came when he was about to face an overwhelming enemy. "We will stop you, no matter what."

The figure's smile faltered for a moment, and then it spoke, its voice growing colder. "You think you can stop me with mere strength? You have no idea what you're dealing with. I am beyond you. I am beyond everything." With a sudden motion, the figure stretched out its hand toward the crystal, and the dark energy in the room flared to life.

Ye Chen felt the temperature drop sharply, the air growing heavier as the figure pulled on the crystal's power. It was as if the world itself was being suffocated by the weight of the energy. Ye Chen's vision blurred for a moment as the force of the crystal's magic pressed down on him, but he refused to yield.

"We'll see about that," Ye Chen muttered under his breath. With a grunt, he gathered all his strength and pushed forward, his body moving faster than the eye could follow. His sword gleamed as he aimed it directly at the figure, his movements fueled by the pure desire to protect everything he held dear.

The figure didn't even flinch. With a wave of its hand, it unleashed a surge of dark energy that sent Ye Chen flying back. He crashed into the ground, the air knocked out of his lungs. Pain shot through his body, but he forced himself to stand. He couldn't give up—not now.

Zhao Ming and Lin Xia were not far behind. They charged forward, their weapons drawn, but the figure simply turned to face them, its eyes glowing with malice. "You think you can defeat me?" The figure's voice was filled with contempt. "I am the one who controls this world. You are nothing."

The room seemed to shift and warp, the walls distorting as the figure's power grew stronger. Ye Chen could feel the world around him bending under the pressure. The energy in the room was suffocating, and he could hear Zhao Ming and Lin Xia struggling to keep their balance.

"We have to break the connection between the crystal and this thing," Ye Chen said through gritted teeth. "If we don't, we'll be swallowed by its power."

Lin Xia nodded, her face grim. "But how? It's too strong. We can't fight it head-on."

Ye Chen didn't have an answer. The situation was worse than he had imagined. They were outmatched. But giving up was never an option.

He looked around the chamber, his eyes scanning for anything that might help. That's when he saw it. A series of runes etched into the floor beneath the pedestal—glowing faintly with a strange energy.

"Those runes..." Ye Chen muttered. "They're part of the sealing formation. If we can activate them, we can stop the flow of power."

Without wasting another moment, Ye Chen charged toward the pedestal, his sword raised high. The figure's gaze locked onto him, and it let out a low growl of frustration. "You think you can stop me with runes? You are a fool."

But Ye Chen didn't listen. He reached the pedestal and placed his hand on the runes. A surge of energy flowed through him, and for a brief moment, the world seemed to freeze. The dark energy in the room began to waver, and the figure's form flickered.

"Now!" Ye Chen shouted.

Zhao Ming and Lin Xia acted in unison, launching a joint attack on the figure. Their weapons collided with the dark energy, forcing it back just enough to give Ye Chen the time he needed. The runes beneath the pedestal began to glow brighter, their energy surging outward.

The figure let out a shriek of rage. "No! You can't do this! I will not be stopped!"

But it was too late. The runes activated fully, and the dark energy in the room collapsed inward, forming a vortex of light that engulfed the figure. For a moment, Ye Chen could see the figure's face twisted in fury and pain as it was pulled into the vortex. The room shook violently, and the ground cracked beneath them. But then, with a final flash of light, everything went quiet.

The oppressive weight of the dark energy disappeared, and the air seemed to clear. Ye Chen, Zhao Ming, and Lin Xia stood in stunned silence, breathing heavily as they processed what had just happened.

"It's over," Ye Chen said quietly. But even as he spoke, a sense of unease lingered in his chest. They had won this battle, but he knew that the war was far from over. The true mastermind may have been defeated, but the power of the Shadow Sect and the crystal were far from gone.

Zhao Ming nodded, his face serious. "For now, yes. But we need to find out what this crystal really is. And what else it's capable of."

Ye Chen turned back to the pedestal, his eyes narrowing as he examined the crystal once more. They had won this round, but there were still many unanswered questions. And Ye Chen knew that the path ahead would be even more dangerous than before