The Invincible Sect Leader

As Chan Li and his disciples exited the dark cavern, the air felt eerily still. The sky above the mountain range was a deep shade of crimson, the setting sun casting long shadows over the rocky terrain.

The battle against the Dark Hand Sect was over, but something lingered.

In Xie Yun's palm, the black jade pendant pulsed faintly, as if something deep within had awakened.

Chan Li narrowed his eyes. He could sense a strange yet familiar aura one that carried the remnants of an ancient will.

"That pendant... let me see it."

Xie Yun hesitated for only a moment before handing it over.

As soon as Chan Li's fingers touched the jade

BOOM!

A sudden shockwave erupted, sending gusts of wind through the mountains.

Yan Rui gasped. "What's happening?!"

A deep, primordial voice echoed from the pendant

"Who dares to awaken this remnant soul?"

The sky darkened, and a phantom figure slowly materialized above them.

It was the silhouette of a man in flowing black robes, his face obscured by shadows. Yet, his aura was overwhelming something even Chan Li couldn't ignore.

"Master…" Xie Yun whispered. "This... this isn't an ordinary item, is it?"

Chan Li's expression remained unreadable.

"No. This is the remnant soul of an ancient powerhouse."

The shadowy figure's ethereal eyes locked onto Chan Li.

"You… are not an ordinary cultivator either. Tell me your name."

Chan Li smirked faintly.

"If you wish to know my name, earn the right to hear it."

The phantom's aura surged, and suddenly

The battle for dominance had begun.

The Phantom's Trial

The black jade pendant trembled, releasing a surge of dark energy that spread across the battlefield. The phantom's form grew clearer, revealing a masked cultivator with long silver hair, his robes embroidered with mystical symbols.

"You are bold, young one. But let's see if you are worthy of my legacy!"

Without warning

BOOM!

A palm strike made of pure soul energy descended from the sky, aiming straight for Chan Li.

Xie Yun and the others tried to move, but an invisible force pinned them in place.

"This battle is beyond you," the phantom said coldly.

Chan Li remained standing, watching the attack descend.

Then, just before it could land

He raised a single finger.

"Tai Chi: Universal Absorption."

The palm strike slowed, its energy twisting and condensing into a tiny orb before completely vanishing into Chan Li's palm.

The phantom's eyes widened slightly.

"Interesting…"

With a flick of his wrist, chains of dark lightning shot toward Chan Li.

SIZZLE!

The ground cracked apart as the chains lashed through the air like living serpents.

Yet

Chan Li didn't move.

Instead, he merely took a deep breath.

"Tai Chi: Infinite Reversal."

The chains froze in midair, then abruptly turned around rushing back toward the phantom twice as fast.

BOOM!

The phantom barely dodged, but his ethereal form flickered, clearly affected by the reversal.

"You control Tai Chi to such a degree? Who are you, really?"

Chan Li remained silent.

The Phantom's Test: Legacy or Destruction?

The phantom hovered in the air, his gaze studying Chan Li closely.

"You have passed the first test, but the true trial begins now."

The sky rumbled, and suddenly, the world around them shifted.

Chan Li found himself standing in an ancient battlefield, surrounded by towering corpses of fallen cultivators. The air smelled of blood and fire, and in the distance, two figures clashed with such force that space itself cracked apart.

A voice rang in Chan Li's mind.

"This is the final battle of the one who owned the pendant. If you can comprehend his technique, you may claim his inheritance."

Chan Li's gaze sharpened.

"Hmph. Very well. Let's see if this legacy is worth my time."