A Storm That Births Secrets
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The skies of Liangzhou groaned beneath the weight of a thunderstorm the region hadn't seen in a century. Lightning tore through the black clouds like the nails of an angry god, while the heavy rain washed ancient blood from the forest rocks. At the peak of Mount Jiu Ling, where it's said the gods speak to humans through thunder, Lang Xian stood on a rocky ledge overlooking a terrifying valley called "The Valley of Forgotten Souls."
His black cloak, adorned with the bloody symbols of Heilayon, fluttered like the wings of a giant raven, while his black eyes glowed with a faint golden light emanating from his mother's pendant hanging on his chest. His winged wolves — Hei, Qin, and Yun — circled around him like mythical guardians of the realm of the dead.
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Encounter with the Golden Ghost: A Voice from the Realm of Light
Suddenly, a strong golden flash pierced the storm, forming a circle of light around Lang Xian. Inside the circle appeared a semi-transparent image of a woman in a pure white robe, her long black hair flowing like a river of silk. It was his mother, but not as he saw her in nightmares... rather, as a celestial being radiating a calm that melted the frost in his heart.
Ghost Mother: (in a voice like angelic hymns)
"My son… the blood spilled by your injustice has extinguished the light of your soul. This pendant holds my last spark… it will guide you to the Temple of Eternal Light, where you can break the curse of Heilayon."
Before he could answer, the storm exploded with greater fury, as if dark forces sought to silence the light. The image vanished, but the pendant continued to glow, guiding him toward a hidden cave on the other side of the valley.
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Fateful Choice: Two Paths in One Darkness
On their way to the cave, they were confronted by a group of Heilayon worshippers led by a young priestess named Ming Yue. Her red eyes glowed with sacred madness, and her blonde hair — dyed with sacrificial blood — flew through the air like a venomous serpent.
Ming Yue: (screaming like the cry of vultures)
"Immortal Wolf! Heilayon is furious with your betrayal! Your blood will be the ultimate offering!"
The cultists swarmed like a horde of starving ants, but Lang Xian's winged wolves tore through them effortlessly. Ming Yue herself leapt at him with two daggers made of human bone, but he caught her wrists with one hand, his golden eyes studying her with strange curiosity.
Lang Xian: (cold as the icy mountains)
"Why do you follow the Goddess of Death?"
Ming Yue: (laughing as blood trickled from her nose)
"Because she's the only one who never abandoned me... just like everyone abandoned you."
Suddenly, Lang Xian remembered his childhood on the streets, where everyone betrayed each other for a crumb of bread. He let her go, allowing her to flee, but not before she whispered into his ear:
"The temple you seek… it's a trap laid by Heilayon for the last descendant of the Lian bloodline."
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The Forbidden Cave: Walls That Speak in the Tongue of Ancestors
Inside the cave, they discovered murals over a thousand years old, depicting an epic battle between the Lian bloodline and the forces of Heilayon. One painting showed a warrior identical to Lang Xian, holding a golden sword called Dawnlight, fighting a black dragon spewing millions of souls from its mouth.
The Shocking Discovery:
Beneath the murals, he found a crystal coffin glowing from within. Inside lay the corpse of a warrior woman wearing golden armor — her body nearly intact despite the centuries. As he approached, he saw that her face was identical to his own... she was his tenth grandmother.
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Inner Conflict: The Black Wolf vs. the Golden Blood
When he touched the coffin, a golden light exploded throughout the cave. Heilayon's voice screamed in his head:
"Don't look to the past! Power is all that matters!"
But his mother's voice replied:
"Light isn't killed by darkness… but by the lack of courage to be human."
Suddenly, the golden pendant melted into his chest, transforming his black eyes back to their original gray. The winged wolves trembled and returned to their natural size, while the symbols of Heilayon on his cloak crumbled like ash.
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The Final Confrontation: A Battle of Opposites
They emerged from the cave to find the army of Heilayon waiting, led by the High Priest himself. The masked rider sat on a throne of skulls, holding a scepter emitting moaning souls in pain.
High Priest: (in a voice composed of a thousand men and women)
"Welcome, son of Lian… do you think the light of your extinct ancestors will protect you?"
But Lang Xian didn't strike with a sword… instead, he drew his mother's pendant, now transformed into a golden disc glowing like the sun. The light pierced through Heilayon's darkness, and the souls trapped in the scepter began to break free, forming an army of golden spirits.
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Open Ending: The True Beginning
At the height of the battle, the High Priest vanished with a mad laugh, and the valley floor collapsed, crushing Heilayon's army beneath the rocks. Lang Xian, having lost his demonic powers, found himself holding the wounded body of Ming Yue. She looked at him with one open eye and whispered:
"The temple… is not a place… it's a person."
At sunrise, he discovered that the golden light had transformed his wolves into hybrid beings — part wolf, part light-creature — with golden fur and blue eyes. And he himself began to feel something he had long forgotten: human pain.
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In a remote village, where survivors of the emperor's army hid, a small child saw the shadow of a giant golden wolf hovering above the forest. When he asked his mother about it, she replied:
"That's not a monster… it's a legend searching for a meaning long lost."