The Blood Source Heart was beating violently, and the darkness surged out from the depths of the fissure like a tide. It seemed that the entire space was trembling at this moment. Kale stood in front of the altar and felt the power of the wolf soul in his body begin to stir, as if the Blood Source Heart was silently calling out to him.
Sykes stood on the other side of the Blood Source Heart, his gaze calm and profound, as if waiting for Kale's choice.
"Kale, be careful! The Blood Source Heart is the core of the fissure. If you get too close, you might be swallowed by it," Dailin shouted anxiously. The staff in her hand glowed faintly, and she was ready to cast a defensive spell at any moment.
Yize stood not far away, his hand resting on the hilt of his scimitar, wearing a cynical smile on his face. "I actually think it's quite interesting. Maybe we should see if Kale will become the next shadow envoy."
"Shut up, Yize!" Cangzhua roared, his sharp claws already digging into the stone ground, ready to pounce on Sykes at any moment.
However, Sykes just raised his hand, and the dark energy turned into an invisible barrier, blocking Cangzhua and Yize in place.
"This is Kale's trial," Sykes said slowly, his voice deep and oppressive. "If he can pass it, he will obtain the power enough to rival the abyss; if he fails, he will become a servant of the fissure and sink into the darkness forever."
Kale took a deep breath, gripped his long sword tightly, and stared intently at the beating Blood Source Heart. "Is this the path you once took, Sykes?"
Sykes smiled faintly. "I once stood on this altar too, but I chose to submit to the darkness."
Kale snorted. "I won't be like you."
A trace of complexity flashed in Sykes's eyes. "Do you think the light can save this land? The Wolf Soul Mountains have decayed, and the glory of the wolf clan was already reduced to ashes thousands of years ago. No matter how much you resist, you can't escape the curse of the abyss in the end."
Kale was silent for a moment, then slowly stepped forward, his steps firm. "Maybe you're right, but I have to try at least once."
The light of the Blood Source Heart became brighter and brighter. Kale's hand slowly approached the beating heart, and cold sweat trickled down his forehead. He could feel that the power was gradually eroding his soul, trying to pull him into the darkness.
— "Kale, are you ready to face your past?"
A deep voice rang in his ear, as if coming from the endless void.
Kale's pupils shrank slightly, and the scene in front of the altar suddenly changed. His consciousness was drawn into a dark space, filled with whispers and phantoms all around.
He saw a familiar forest. The sunlight filtered through the branches and leaves and fell on the
grass. A young figure was running among the trees. It was himself when he was a child.
"Is this... my memory?" Kale frowned and slowly walked forward.
Soon, he saw a group of people. They were his parents and clan members, sitting around a campfire with smiles on their faces. However, this warmth was quickly torn apart by the darkness. A black shadow rushed out from the forest and devoured his clan members one by one.
"No!" Kale rushed forward suddenly, but his hand passed through those figures, unable to stop all this from happening.
Sykes's figure slowly emerged, standing not far away, watching him indifferently. "You've been running away from your past. You know that the fall of the Wolf Soul Mountains isn't just the fault of the shadow envoys."
"Shut up!" Kale growled, his fists clenched tightly, his nails digging into his palms.
Sykes continued, "Your father was once the inheritor of the power of the Wolf Soul too, but in order to protect the Wolf Soul Mountains, he chose to seal the abyss. Do you know what that means?"
Kale was silent, his heart beating violently.
"It means that he sacrificed his own clan members with his own hands in exchange for a short-lived peace." Sykes's voice was like a sharp blade, piercing straight into the most vulnerable part of Kale's heart.
Kale's breathing became rapid, and phantoms intertwined and emerged around him. Those familiar faces turned into the undead, looking at him with pain in their eyes, as if accusing him: "Why are you still alive?"
"Enough..." Kale gritted his teeth, his eyes turning blood red. "I'm not my father, and I won't follow in his footsteps!"
In the next moment, the power of the wolf soul erupted completely in his body. Blood-red patterns spread on his arms, and his long sword burst into scarlet flames. He slashed at the phantoms with one strike, tearing the undead into pieces.
The Blood Source Heart on the altar trembled accordingly, and the darkness began to recede. The light in the depths of the fissure gradually emerged.
Kale suddenly opened his eyes and found that he was still standing in front of the altar, and the Blood Source Heart had already shattered, turning into countless light spots that slowly merged into his body.
Sykes watched him quietly, his gaze complex. "You've passed the trial."
"You lost to me, Sykes," Kale panted, gripping his long sword tightly.
Sykes smiled faintly. "Winning or losing isn't important. What's important is that you've already embarked on a path from which there's no turning back."
Yize whistled, breaking the dull atmosphere. "Well, congratulations, the future Wolf Soul King."
Cangzhua stepped forward and patted Kale on the shoulder. "Well done."
However, Dailin's expression was still solemn. She stared into the depths of the fissure and said in a low voice, "The Blood Source Heart is gone, but I can feel that the real abyss is still asleep."
Kale's gaze darkened, and his fingers gripping the sword tightened slightly. "Then let it sleep forever."
The darkness in the fissure gradually dissipated, but everyone knew that this was just the prelude to a much bigger storm.