Echoes of the Void
The night deepened over the forest hut. Rain fell softly, pattering against the wooden roof . Inside, Lin Xian sat cross-legged beside the old man, his eyes half-closed, a faint golden glow circling his fingertips.
Xiao Jin sat nearby, tail flicking, eyes alert as if sensing something dangerous in the air. Mo Yuer knelt on the other side of her grandfather, her small hands clenched in worry.
> "Will it… hurt him?" she asked softly.
Lin Xian didn't look up. "If I'm successful — only a little. If I fail…"
The golden light in his eyes flickered briefly.
> "He won't feel anything ever again."
Mo Yuer's lips parted, but she said nothing more.
---
The Suppression Ritual
Lin Xian pressed his palms together, drawing a thin strand of spiritual essence from within. The golden light in his right eye rippled outward, forming delicate runes in the air — circles within circles, each spinning in reverse.
> "Illusory Seal… Triple Layered Cycle… Nirvana Method, first verse," he murmured.
Golden light flared. Thin threads of light wove into a sigil above Mo Zhen's chest, sinking into his skin. The old man groaned, dark mist erupting from his pores.
The room chilled instantly — the fire sputtered out.
Mo Yuer gasped, clutching her grandfather's arm.
> "Grandfather—!"
> "Don't interrupt," Lin Xian said calmly, "The Void chi resists light. If you break the rhythm, it'll devour him from within."
The golden kitten arched its back and hissed, fur glowing faintly as its tiny claws sparked with energy, reinforcing Lin Xian's aura.
Lin Xian's spiritual pressure deepened, sharp and cold as a blade. The runes spun faster, condensing into a formation beneath Mo Zhen — glowing like molten gold on the wooden floor.
> "Suppress."
With a low, resonant hum, the dark chi surged outward one last time before collapsing inward. A faint wisp of black smoke escaped Mo Zhen's lips and dissipated into nothing.
The glow faded. Lin Xian exhaled heavily, beads of sweat rolling down his pale face. He released the seal with a slow wave of his hand.
---
Aftermath
Mo Yuer rushed forward. "Grandfather!"
The old man's breathing steadied — shallow but no longer exhausted. His complexion regained a trace of warmth.
Lin Xian leaned back, resting an arm on his knee. His voice was calm but tired.
> "It's contained for now. The Void chi is sealed beneath three suppression layers. If you agitate it again, the seal will break — and he'll die instantly."
Mo Zhen's eyes fluttered open slowly. His voice was hoarse but steady.
> "You… truly did it."
> "Temporarily," Lin Xian replied. "Don't mistake survival for victory. That corruption doesn't belong to this world."
The old man smiled faintly, his eyes full of complex emotion.
> "Still, you've bought me time I thought lost. That alone deserves repayment."
Lin Xian waved a hand dismissively, though his gaze flickered with faint calculation.
> "Repayment is unnecessary. But… I do require resources for my cultivation. Herbs, pills, spirit stones — I accept those."
The corner of Mo Zhen's mouth curved upward, as though he'd expected that answer.
> "Good. Then we both benefit."
---
Morning Light
By dawn, the rain had stopped. Sunlight filtered through the clouds, glinting on the damp leaves outside the hut.
Lin Xian stood at the door, watching the mist fade over the treetops. Xiao Jin was curled at his feet, tail flicking lazily.
Behind him, the sound of footsteps approached.
Mo Yuer emerged first, carrying a small tray of tea. "Young Master Lin, Grandfather wants to speak with you."
Lin Xian accepted the cup, nodding slightly. "He's awake?"
> "Yes. He says he owes you his life."
When Lin Xian entered the hut, Mo Zhen was sitting upright, his eyes clearer than before. He gestured for Lin Xian to sit.
> "I may not know what that dark energy is," Mo Zhen began, "but you faced it without hesitation. That tells me you've seen worse."
Lin Xian's expression didn't change. "Let's just say I've fought shadows before."
Mo Zhen studied him carefully — this young man, calm as water, his aura faint but vast, as though he carried the silence of the heavens.
Finally, the old man took a small ring from his finger and placed it on the table.
> "This is a low-grade spatial ring. Inside are a few dozen spirit stones, some herbs, and a scroll of formation patterns I gathered in my travels. They might be useless to me now, but not to you."
Lin Xian's brows rose slightly. "You're generous."
> "No," Mo Zhen said, smiling. "I'm pragmatic. You're no ordinary youth, and if I am to live longer, I prefer to invest wisely."
Lin Xian chuckled softly, accepting the ring. "Then we share the same philosophy."
He swept his sleeve lightly — the ring disappeared into his storage pouch.
> "I'll continue refining a better suppression method. In return, you might help me identify formation paths around the forest when you're well enough."
Mo Zhen's eyes gleamed faintly. "You noticed?"
> "Of course. You're no wandering elder. Your chi patterns and your pulse rhythm— those of a formation master."
A slow smile spread across Mo Zhen's lips. "Sharp eyes, boy."
---
Departure
As Lin Xian turned to leave, Mo Yuer bowed deeply.
> "Thank you for saving my grandfather, Young Master Lin."
Lin Xian paused.
> "Save your thanks. I don't do charity."
He looked at her briefly — soft features, clear eyes, a hint of innocence unspoiled by the world.
> "But… your kindness to strangers is rare. Keep it that way, if you can."
Her cheeks flushed slightly as she nodded.
Xiao Jin leapt onto Lin Xian's shoulder with a meow, stretching proudly.
> "Come, Xiao Jin," Lin Xian said softly. "We have work to do."
As he stepped out into the morning light, his pale figure faded into the mist, leaving behind the faint echo of his footsteps — steady, unhurried, but sharp as a blade hidden in silk.
---
Mo Zhen stood there quietly . His eyes, sharp yet weary. Beside him, his granddaughter, Mo Yue'er, fiddled with the hem of her violet robes, curiosity evident in her bright eyes.
> "Grandfather," she asked softly, "you seem… troubled. What is it?"
Mo Zhen's gaze shifted, landing on her with a measured calm. His voice carried weight, as if speaking something that had been long contemplated.
> "It's about him… ."
Mo Yue'er tilted her head, intrigued.
> "Lin Xian?"
Mo Zhen's lips tightened faintly.
> "Yes. That boy… he is not ordinary. He is unique — unlike anything this realm can produce . Even in our realm, rich with genius and masters , does not contain someone like him."
Mo Yue'er's eyes widened.
> "Not even among the highest cultivators?"
> "Not even among them," Mo Zhen said, voice grave. "There is something… like a sovereign, restrained, yet vast in him. He walks with calm, yet carries power that even the heavens would hesitate to challenge. This realm should not produce such a person, yet here he is."
He leaned back, the sun catching the faint silver threads in his hair.
> "Remember this, Yue'er. If you ever cross paths with him again, do not mistake his silence for weakness. Watch closely… and respect the path he walks."
Mo Yue'er nodded slowly, a shiver of awe running through her.
> "He… really is that remarkable?" she whispered.
Mo Zhen's eyes softened slightly, a rare warmth touching his stern features.
> "Remarkable… yes. Dangerous, perhaps. But also… destined for something far beyond what we can see."
— End of Vol 1. Next Vol Void Qi and the 7 Sins…