Chapter 2: The Light Beneath the Abyss
The air felt heavy. Ancient.
Li Jian slowly pushed himself up. His body ached, but strangely… none of his bones were broken. Instead, a warm current flowed through his meridians, as if something was protecting him.
He turned.
And froze.
Before him stood a towering black pagoda — ancient, majestic, and suffocating in presence. Nine floors rose into the darkness above, each wrapped in carved stone dragons. Their eyes seemed almost alive.
The surface of the tower was cracked, yet from those cracks, faint blue light leaked out like veins of energy.
Above the entrance, ancient characters glowed:
Dragon King Tower
Li Jian's heart pounded.
"How… is this possible?"
Dragonfall Gorge was known as a forbidden death zone. No one who fell here survived. Yet beneath it… this existed?
He stepped closer.
The moment his hand touched the tower's gate—
🔥 A surge of energy shot through him.
Pain exploded in his chest.
His vision filled with blazing light.
And a deep, ancient voice echoed in the chamber:
"Dragon blood detected…
Heir candidate acknowledged…"
Li Jian staggered backward.
"Dragon… blood?"
Before he could react, the gate slowly creaked open.
Inside was darkness.
But from that darkness, something called to him.
Not with sound.
But with instinct.
After a long silence, Li Jian clenched his fists.
If the heavens had thrown him into the abyss…
Then he would climb back up from it.
He stepped inside.
The gate slammed shut behind him.
Darkness swallowed everything