The Mirror Pavilion cracked open like a rotten fruit.
From its heart, black vines surged across the courtyard—twisting, lashing, and sprouting thorns pulsing with demonic Qi.
Buildings trembled, and the sky dimmed as if the sun itself recoiled from the corruption rising below.
"Go!"
The Sect Master's voice cut through the chaos.
Disciples charged forward in tight formation, talismans flaring in arcs of light.
Explosions bloomed across the southern ridge as suppression glyphs activated—sealing off the escape tunnels and locking down the leyline nodes.
The clash of steel, the flare of spells, and the cries of beasts rose together in a chaotic chorus.
Tian Shen drew his sword in one smooth motion. The air around him cracked with pressure as his Qi surged.
*Shriek*
A corrupted beast—once a qilin, now deformed and seething with shadow—burst from the ground in front of him, its antlers laced with curse runes.
