Soulbound: Dual Cultivation-Chapter 76: The crystal

They moved through the winding streets at a pace that felt like a blur, aided by Nyx’s swift maneuvers and the urgency that hung heavily in the air. Though Lucas was still weak, he clung to the saddle behind her with quiet determination, his mind focused entirely on the one task that remained.

When they arrived at the cultivation altar, the scene was still and deceptively serene. The temple stood tall and sacred, its stone walls carved with ancient inscriptions and softly glowing with spiritual resonance. It was a place revered by the citizens of the city, a sanctum of peace and restoration.

Ordinarily, the wide marble steps would be occupied by cultivators in quiet meditation, drawing from the rich spiritual energy that naturally gathered there. But today, the grounds were empty. The chaos beyond the city walls had stolen everyone’s focus, and no one had come to seek tranquility here. The silence of the altar grounds stood in sharp contrast to the screaming winds and battle cries carried faintly from the outer barricades.

Lucas slid off the horse with effort, his legs still weak, but his eyes were fixed on the large stone doors before him. Nyx followed closely behind, her hands ready on the hilt of her weapon, her eyes scanning the area with practiced vigilance. Despite the sanctity of the place, she was no fool. Whoever had hidden the crystal here might still be watching.

Once inside, the scent of incense and aged stone filled their senses. The central altar pulsed faintly with a natural hum of energy. Lucas could feel it resonating beneath his skin, subtle yet powerful, like the echo of a song only a cultivator could hear. There, within that resonance, buried deep beneath the layers of protective wards and old enchantments, was the crystal. It was hidden with precision and brilliance, cloaked by the very spiritual current of the temple itself.

Nyx turned to him, her eyes narrowing with concern. She glanced over her shoulder toward the direction of the outer wall, where distant roars and flashes of Qi were beginning to pierce the temple’s serene atmosphere.

"How are we supposed to retrieve it?" she asked, her voice low but urgent. "The beasts are back on the wall. The Cultivators up there are already fighting again. Whatever time you bought us earlier...it’s over now."

Lucas didn’t answer immediately. He stood in front of the altar, letting his hand hover just above it, feeling the hidden pulse of the crystal beneath. His fingers trembled slightly from the exhaustion still riddling his body, but he knew he couldn’t waste another second. The enemy’s move was already in play, and if he didn’t act now, everything they had fought for up until this point would be for nothing.

He knelt carefully, placing both palms on the altar and closing his eyes for a moment. Even in his weakened state, he forced his mind into a focused state of spiritual resonance. He reached inward, brushing the threads of his soul against the formation built into the altar. The runes resisted at first, but the moment his soul thread touched the right sequence....The runes uncoiled with a dull shimmer, mechanisms of Qi releasing with a reluctant hiss. A compartment opened slowly in the center of the altar, revealing a hollow pocket of air...and in that space, levitating gently, was the crystal.

It wasn’t large. No bigger than a clenched fist. But the power it emanated was suffocating.

It spun slowly, suspended in invisible energy, its surface smooth and black, yet laced with veins of red and gold that pulsed like veins under skin. As his hand neared it, the energy around it flared, resisting him, sensing him, testing his resolve.

Lucas took a steady breath. Then, without hesitation, he reached forward and wrapped his fingers around it.

The moment he made contact, a wave of raw life force surged into his arm. The sensation was overwhelming. His breath caught in his throat as his meridians strained under the sudden influx. It was like gripping the core of a lightning storm, chaotic and alive, seething with instinct and memory.

Princess Nyx stepped closer, her eyes widening as she caught sight of the crystal now glowing softly in Lucas’s palm. Her breath hitched, and even she, no stranger to the workings of Qi...was momentarily caught off guard.

Just as Lucas began to step forward, ready to put distance between the altar and the crystal’s pull, he froze. A shadow stretched across the polished stone floor, long and deliberate. The temperature in the room shifted, and for the first time since entering the temple, Lucas felt fear bloom deep in his chest.

A presence pressed against his senses, powerful, suffocating, and it wasn’t merely strong. It was imposing. Lucas turned slowly, heart thudding against his ribs, and came face to face with an old man standing just within the entrance of the altar chamber.

He was tall and lean, wrapped in simple dark robes that didn’t glow or shine, yet commanded more presence than the richest of silk. His hair was silver and swept neatly back, and though his face bore the marks of time, there was not a trace of weakness in the way he held himself. His spine was straight, his eyes as sharp as blades, and his aura pressed down on the room like a mountain. There was no doubt about it, this man was a grandmaster cultivator. Lucas could immediately tell that this man is behind the attack...he had placed the crystal there.

The old man’s gaze landed squarely on Lucas and the crystal in his hand. His voice was quiet, but it rang with the clarity of command.

"What do you think you’re doing?" he asked, not with curiosity, but with judgment. "That does not belong to you. Return it."

Lucas tightened his grip on the crystal instinctively, even as his body screamed in protest. His legs were trembling, not only from exhaustion but also from the oppressive force being exerted upon him. It was all he could do just to stay standing. His Qi reserves were low, his spirit strained from the earlier surge of power, and he knew full well that he wasn’t in any condition to defend himself.

But even so, he didn’t let go, he couldn’t.

To release the crystal now would mean surrendering the city’s last hope. The timing was too perfect. Lucas stood his ground, teeth clenched, back straight though his muscles ached with fatigue. If this ended with him being struck down, then so be it...but he wouldn’t hand the crystal over.

Beside him, Nyx had already stepped slightly forward, She said nothing, but her posture made it clear she would defend Lucas if she had to, no matter how hopeless the odds were. Neither of them moved, both locked in place as the grandmaster cultivator stood watching, waiting to see what Lucas would choose to do.

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