**A Duel in the Ancient Tomb**

**Level 2**

“Fear not, fellow cultivators!” cried a voice echoing from the depths of the tomb. “Let us unite our strength and wrest the secrets of cultivation!”

As the Fenghuang Clan warrior stood momentarily stunned, Wang Lin, with a swift gesture, summoned a tempestuous thunder sigil. The heavens crackled, and the sigil descended upon the warrior with a deafening roar.

Reacting with astonishing speed, the warrior invoked the ancient Whispering Leaves, affixing one to his breast. This act stemmed the tide of emotions, protecting him from Wang Lin’s insidious spirit fire. A wolfish sneer crept across his face as he conjured a colossal Fenghuang wolf, its shadow a thousand feet tall, which charged at the descending thunder.

Yet, behind the tempest, a nine-hued inferno blazed. A tide of searing flames engulfed the Fenghuang wolf, revealing a crimson blade that pierced through the monstrous form and lunged towards the warrior himself.

“Fate has led you here, to your doom,” Wang Lin proclaimed, his voice resonating with ancient power. “You are the fifth tomb’s claimant! By slaying you, I shall ascend my tomb to the sixth tier!”

“Blame only your ill fortune, for stumbling upon me in this treasure-laden place!”

With a mocking laugh, the Fenghuang warrior channeled the power of incense offerings, conjuring yet another colossal wolf, its howls echoing through the tomb as it lunged toward the crimson blade.

Undeterred, the warrior surged forward, breaking through Wang Lin’s enchantments with a swift, forceful step. His eyes fixated on the eighteen Whispering Leaves arrayed before Wang Lin, a glint of avarice in his gaze.

“To slay you and claim the leaves! A magnificent prize!” he exclaimed, his hand forming into a claw, ready to strike.

“Enough with the prattle!” Wang Lin retorted, his composure unwavering. In a flash, he summoned the Celestial Furnace, a vessel of immense power, and hurled it towards the warrior.

“Resistance is futile! Your demise is assured!” the warrior sneered, casually swatting the Celestial Furnace. But as his hand struck the ancient artifact, a surge of pure, unbridled force rebounded through his arm and into his core. He coughed up a mouthful of blood, staggering backward in shock.

From within the Celestial Furnace, a joyous laughter erupted, shaking the very foundations of the tomb. The Spiritwalker, his lips stained crimson, emerged from a sea of violet energy. His eyes gleamed with vengeful intent as he lunged towards the Fenghuang warrior, incense offerings swirling around him like a spectral shroud.

“Spiritwalker!” the Fenghuang warrior exclaimed, his pupils constricting in alarm. The Spiritwalker’s unexpected appearance had shattered his confidence, and he trembled at the sight of the swirling incense offerings, confused as to why he would side with Wang Lin!

“Zhou Jin!” the Spiritwalker roared as he charged towards the Fenghuang warrior. He raised his hands, and the violet sea stirred, giving rise to a colossal, obsidian statue. The statue unfolded its arms, unleashing a wave of destructive force upon the warrior.

Zhou Jin retreated, summoning a rift in the shadows. From the tear in the veil, a crimson pair of eyes gleamed, filled with chilling malice. A deafening howl pierced the air as a colossal, crimson wolf emerged, charging towards the Spiritwalker’s statue.

Zhou Jin’s heart pounded with dread. Wang Lin, already a formidable and cunning cultivator, now had the Spiritwalker, a being who had achieved the Third Step of power, fighting alongside him. Abandoning all sense of honor, Zhou Jin turned to flee.

“I must retreat!” he thought desperately. “The Spiritwalker was a mere whelp when I began my ascent. Had he not been so shortsighted, he would have achieved the Third Step long ago!”

Wang Lin stood unmoved upon the ancient skull, his gaze fixed upon the Fenghuang warrior who had pursued him so relentlessly into the ancient tomb.

A flicker of amusement played across his lips as he watched the warrior’s bravado turn to terrified retreat.

“You rejoiced at my sight, but know that my joy at seeing you is far greater!” Wang Lin declared. With a wave of his hand, two Whispering Leaves flew forth, piercing the fabric of space, and sealing the rift behind Zhou Jin.

“Retreat?” Wang Lin mocked. With another gesture, two more Whispering Leaves flew forth, sealing the space before him.

Knowing the power of the Whispering Leaves, Zhou Jin veered to the left.

“To the left, then?” Wang Lin chuckled, as two more leaves sealed his path.

The Fenghuang warrior darted to the right, but Wang Lin unleashed another barrage, sealing off his avenue of escape.

“Left, right, above, below,” Wang Lin sneered as four more Whispering Leaves sealed his path. Only the space directly before him remained open, but there, the Spiritwalker’s statue clashed with the crimson wolf, unleashing a cataclysm of power.

Wang Lin took a step forward and swept his hand, sending the remaining Whispering Leaves towards Zhou Jin.

The Spiritwalker darted through the chaos, closing in on the terrified warrior.

With all avenues of retreat sealed, Zhou Jin mustered the last of his strength. He unleashed a torrent of incense souls, creating a swirling vortex around himself. From his arms, countless wolf-like thorns burst forth.

“A Thousand Wolves Pay Homage to the Moon!” Zhou Jin roared, sweeping his arms outward. The wolf-thorns broke free, transforming into a horde of spectral wolves. They numbered in the tens of thousands, each raising its head to howl at the heavens. As they did so, a blood-red moon materialized in the sky, casting a pall over the battlefield.

But he would not have a chance to complete the powerful three-step technique. Wang Lin raised his hand to the sky, and the Celestial Furnace expanded, engulfing the heavens and eclipsing the crimson moon, trapping the spectral wolves within its fiery embrace.

Zhou Jin, now ensnared by the Spiritwalker, felt his face fall. He prepared to unleash his full power in a final, desperate gambit, but his body froze.

Nine droplets of black, viscous fluid appeared around him, radiating an aura of primal dread.

He dared not move!

“Move but a finger,” Wang Lin said, his voice ringing with chilling power, “and you shall meet your end.”