Chapter 117 - - 117 - The Bound Entity

Chapter 117: Chapter - 117 - The Bound Entity

Lucien coughed blood, the metallic taste coating his tongue as he wiped his chin with the back of his sleeve.

Fuck, he thought, his chest heaving as he fought down the pain. No matter how strong I become, there is always some dipshit waiting for me.

He forced his gaze toward the center of the massive pressure weighing down on the cavern, his sharp eyes narrowing as he analyzed the overwhelming force in the air.

"There are so many chains around that thing," Lucien said, his voice taut.

Elyra’s ethereal form shifted beside him, her expression hardening. "You saw it?"

"Yeah," Lucien replied, keeping his focus fixed ahead. "And why is it waking up now?"

"The seal has been weakened too much," Elyra explained, her tone laced with grim solemnity. "And this time, not many powerful realm masters got captured in the crystals, so it’s waking up."

Lucien frowned, picking up on the gaps in her knowledge. He looked directly at her spectral eyes. "Do you know who told you to seal this place?"

Elyra hesitated, a shadow of distant memory passing over her features. "I don’t know... It’s the same being who tore the sky and came three hundred years ago. It saw my strength, my power, and told me that unless I sacrificed myself, I would lose everything."

"So you sacrificed yourself for everyone and you don’t exactly know anything about that entity," Lucien said, assembling the facts with cold precision. "It’s the same entity that trapped that being underneath this dungeon."

Aelene, standing nearby her face pale from the crushing atmosphere, turned to Lucien with desperation in her eyes. "What should we do, Axel? We can’t defeat an ancient being that is captured here, and if the seal is broken, we will die. But if we sacrifice ourselves, we can strengthen the seal and save everyone."

Lucien stared at her, his expression unreadable, but inside, he nearly sneered.

He was not one of those righteous fools who would ever sacrifice himself for anyone. He would rather burn the entire world to ashes and save himself than throw his life away for something he would never even live to see. To him, self-sacrifice was nothing short of absolute stupidity. All relationships in this world were based on transaction—nothing more, nothing less.

The option of sacrificing himself didn’t even exist in his mind. In the absolute worst-case scenario, he would simply run away, hiding inside his shadow world or using his void to teleport back to Valtheria. He didn’t care if Princess Verna died. He didn’t care if Anne died. As long as he remained alive, there would always be more power to gain, and plenty of interesting people and women to find.

Turning back to the floating spirit beside him, Lucien cut straight through Aelene’s panic. "You can teleport us anywhere in this dungeon, right, Elyra?"

"Yes..." Elyra nodded, though confusion flickered across her face. "What’s your plan, and where do you want to go? We don’t have much time."

"Teleport us into that chamber where that ancient being is trapped," Lucien demanded cold and clear.

Aelene and Beiro’s eyes widened in sheer horror. For them, there had only been two options from the start: either sacrifice their lives to bolster the seal or die fighting an inescapable fate. In every scenario they had envisioned, nothing awaited them but death. But meeting the ancient terror face-to-face was something they had never even dared to imagine. Walking directly into its lair felt like inviting a fate far worse than death itself.

Elyra searched Lucien’s face for a long moment, seeing no hesitation in his dark eyes. A faint spark ignited deep within her fading spirit.

"Very well. I’m trusting you," Elyra said softly. For the first time in centuries, a sliver of genuine hope shone in her eyes. Perhaps there was a way out of this infinite loop of suffering she was entangled in. Perhaps, finally, she could be free.

Before anyone could voice another word, the space around them warped violently.

In the next instant, reality snapped back into place. They were standing at the edge of a colossal underground chamber. The cavern was staggeringly immense; its ceiling stretched so high into the gloom that it was impossible to see the top.

And directly in front of them rested the creature Lucien had witnessed in his vision.

Thousands of colossal chains were anchored into the surrounding cavern walls, each one far thicker than a fully grown man’s torso. They tautly stretched downward, plunging straight into the pitch-black abyss below. At the very center of the chamber floated a massive, gigantic eye. Its vast outer surface was covered in thick, coarse scales, and thick golden veins throbbed violently across it. Hundreds of embedded chains pierced directly into the raw flesh surrounding the eye, binding it in place.

Aelene stumbled back half a step, her breathing ragged as she whispered, "What is... that?" In all her life, she had never witnessed a creature so monstrous, so overwhelmingly mythical.

The massive eye twitched—and snapped wide open.

The moment the eyelid parted, an impossible pressure detonated through the cavern. Beiro and Aelene didn’t even have a chance to resist. The sheer weight of the aura crushed them instantly, buckling their joints and driving them down onto their knees.

Lucien, however, remained standing. Unlike his previous vision, where he had merely projected his senses, he was physically present this time—and his cultivation had reached the Abyss Core Realm, far beyond the Spirit Forge Realm he had held before. His frame locked into place, fighting off the crushing gravity of the creature’s presence.

Suddenly, a voice reverberated directly inside Lucien’s mind. It possessed no mouth, no breath, yet it thundered within his consciousness with terrifying force.

LEAVE.

Lucien gritted his teeth, suppressing the tremor in his muscles, and looked straight into the massive golden pupil. "Seems like you’ve been imprisoned for a long time."

The entity did not respond with words. Instead, it amplified its spiritual pressure. The solid stone ground beneath Lucien’s boots cracked and splintered into spiderweb fractures.

Lucien didn’t flinch. "What are you? Why did that entity imprison you?"

The massive eye closed slightly, then opened again with an ancient, resonant pulse.

YOUR QUESTIONS ARE WRONG.

"Then give me the right questions," Lucien snapped back internally.

ASK WHY THEY FEARED ME.

"Why?" Lucien asked immediately.

HOW MUCH DO YOU KNOW ABOUT THIS WORLD, KID? THE WORLD ISN’T COMPLETE. THE HEAVENS YOU WORSHIP ARE FRAGMENTS. THE REALMS YOU SEEK ARE FRAGMENTS. THE ETERNAL DAWN CIVILIZATION DISCOVERED WHAT IS BEYOND THE WORLD’S LAW BY CONSUMING IT. I CAN SEE YOU ARE AN ABYSS CORE REALM MASTER. BUT YOU ARE NOTHING. WHY DO YOU THINK REALM MASTERS FROM OTHER WORLDS CAME HERE TO CONQUER ME?

Lucien stood frozen, stunned by the revelation. The dialogue was taking place purely within his mind; beside him, Aelene and Beiro remained completely deaf to it, groaning under the physical pressure.

As the voice echoed in his head, Lucien’s mind raced, connecting the scattered fragments of history into a single, cohesive truth.

So this being is older than the Eternal Dawn Civilization itself, Lucien thought rapidly. It’s older than anything in this realm. When the ancient realm masters discovered it, they were able to refine the very fabric of this world and convert its raw spiritual energy into their own cultivation paths. But as a consequence of breaking the world’s natural laws, mythical monsters began to appear.

Even so, those beasts couldn’t crush the civilization because of the humans powerful new cultivation methods. But then that mysterious entity descended. No one knows where it came from or what it truly was. It defeated this ancient being and sealed it deep underneath this dungeon.

At that time, Elyra was the strongest realm master alive. The entity gave her a choice: assist in maintaining the seal, or watch the remaining survivors of her civilization be wiped out. So she sacrificed herself and stayed behind. Over time, as their numbers dwindled, the survivors split into different factions and began sending new realm masters into the dungeon under various pretexts—some seeking treasure, some hunting for power, others trying to free this monster. But over the centuries, everyone forgot about Elyra... Tragic.

Because the exchange between the entity and Elyra happened telepathically, just like this conversation, no one ever knew the full story. Now all the pieces have fallen into place. And Elyra herself never actually met this monster face-to-face either. The existence of this entity was the sole reason the Eternal Dawn Civilization thrived in the first place. It didn’t grant them physical gifts... just raw knowledge imparted directly into their minds. Elyra didn’t even know the true nature of the thing she was sealing.

Suddenly, a massive iron chain snapped with a deafening metallic screech. The force of the rupture sheared off a glowing fragment of the ancient being’s scale, sending it tumbling through the air before it slammed into the stone near Lucien’s feet.

Lucien reached down and picked up the scale fragment. The moment his fingers brushed the polished surface, a flood of vivid visions violently invaded his mind. Because the scale was a direct physical component of the creature, it laid bare everything the monster had ever orchestrated regarding the Eternal Dawn Civilization.

Lucien gasped, snapping out of the memory flash, his eyes locking back onto the giant eye with dark realization.

"So, the only reason you gave that cultivation knowledge to the people of the Eternal Dawn Civilization was so you could cultivate them... and eventually absorb everything," Lucien said aloud.

He took a breath, his voice steadying. "And then that entity arrived. He trapped you here, but he couldn’t kill you because it’s literally impossible to kill an existence like yours. These chains are the only thing stopping you from consuming everything in this world."

A heavy silence hung in the air before the telepathic voice resonated once more, laced with cold amusement.

INTERESTING.

The golden veins within the giant eye pulsed with sudden, chaotic power.

I CAN SEE HOW SELFISH YOU ARE. JUST A FEW MORE MOMENTS, AND I WILL BE ABLE TO ESCAPE FROM THIS PLACE.

Lucien didn’t hesitate. He thrust his hands forward, channeling his energy instantly.

Hundreds of thick, razor-spiked vines erupted from the cracked floor, surging forward like striking serpents. They slammed directly into the creature’s massive scaled surface with full force—only to bounce off uselessly, failing to leave even a scratch.

The monstrous voice chuckled within his mind.

DO YOU THINK YOU ARE THE FIRST ONE TO ATTACK ME WITH THESE VINES? I AM IMMUNE TO IT.

Lucien’s eyes narrowed as he pulled his energy back. It’s the exact same adaptation mechanism that the dungeon monsters use.

Snap! Snap!

More chains shattered in rapid succession, the heavy links whipping through the darkness. With fewer restraints holding it back, the giant eye unleashed a tremendous surge of unbridled spiritual pressure.

The shockwave slammed into Beiro and Aelene like a solid wall. Unable to withstand the sheer weight of the foreign entity’s aura, both of them were hurled across the stone floor, instantly knocked unconscious as their bodies collapsed limply against the far wall.

Even Lucien staggered under the sudden wave, his boots skidding across the rock. Cold sweat trickled down his temple. He had to be extremely careful now. If he threw an attack at this thing and failed, the creature would adapt instantly, becoming permanently immune to that element or technique forever. He couldn’t afford to waste a single card.

Bzzt.

Space distorted beside him, and Elyra’s translucent projection manifested in front of him, her form flickering wildly against the pressure.

"Axel, come back!" Elyra cried out, her voice filled with desperation. "If you can get out of this place, just go! Save yourself first!"

Lucien squeezed the fragment of the scale tightly in his palm, his mind making a lightning-fast calculation. He didn’t waste time looking back at the unconscious forms of Aelene and Beiro.

He looked right at Elyra. "Teleport me to where your black crystal is. Right now."

Elyra didn’t argue. Sensing the absolute urgency in his voice, she instantly flexed her spatial authority over the dungeon.

Space folded around Lucien once more, snatching him away from the dark abyss.

In the next heartbeat, he tumbled out into the familiar, quiet sanctuary of the grand chamber—the room lined with thousands of glowing crystals, centered around the massive black crystal housing Elyra’s main soul remnant.

Lucien sprinted toward the central black crystal, slamming his palm against its cool surface and holding up the jagged scale fragment.

"Listen," Lucien demanded, his voice rapid and focused. "You still have immense will and cultivation left inside this crystal. Can you use the exact same technique you used back then to seal this entity again?"

Elyra’s voice echoed through the chamber, strained and hesitant. "I... I can only use it once more. I don’t have a physical body left, but if I burn my remaining will and cultivation, I can seal him... at least for five years. And without anyone needing to die."

Lucien’s eyes gleamed. "What was the name of the technique that the other entity used when he made you into the seal?"

"It’s the Soul Crystallization Art..." Elyra paused, her spirit form looking at him with uncertainty. "What are you planning?"

"Just trust me and start using your remaining cultivation to seal it now!" Lucien barked.

Without waiting for her reply, Lucien mentally summoned his system interface, opening the store at lightning speed.

Search: Soul Crystallization Art.

A single result appeared on the glowing screen before him, accompanied by a staggering price tag.

What the fuck... Lucien cursed inwardly, his eyes widening at the number. It’s absurdly expensive. But then again, this technique was used by an entity that wasn’t even from this realm. Of course it’s going to cost a fortune.

He checked his current balance. He didn’t have enough soul points.

Think, Lucien told himself. Then, his eyes narrowed. Before me, hundreds of high-level cultivators entered this dungeon.

Lucien pressed his hand firmer against Elyra’s black crystal, unleashing his spiritual energy and extending his senses through the subterranean network. Within seconds, his mind mapped out the energy signatures of every dead and decaying cultivator trapped across the dungeon floors.

Soul Void!

He activated the upgraded skill. Because the skill had evolved, he no longer needed to be physically present beside a target to reap their spirit. A invisible gravitational force rippled outward from his body, reaching across the spatial pathways of the dungeon. From every corridor and hidden chamber, stray soul wisps and decaying spiritual remains were violently torn from the shadows and dragged straight into Lucien’s system reservoir.

The soul point counter on his interface ticked upward rapidly. The moment it crossed the required threshold.

Purchase: Soul Crystallization Art.

A violent surge of esoteric knowledge flooded his brain. Concepts of soul manipulation, spatial anchoring, and seal formation burned into his memory, instantly integrating with his muscular and spiritual pathways.

Beside him, the black crystal began to pulse with blinding intensity. Elyra was actively burning away her remaining will and cultivation, throwing everything she had into strengthening the distant chains holding the ancient eye.

Through his extended spiritual senses, Lucien monitored the subterranean chamber miles below. Fresh, brilliant chains were manifesting out of thin air, wrapping tightly around the colossal eye and pinning it back down into the abyss.

However, Elyra’s spectral form was thinning at an alarming rate. She was completely exhausting herself. If she expended her will entirely, her spirit would shatter, erasing her from existence leaving nothing behind.

"That’s enough," Lucien muttered.

He thrust his hand forward, pressing his palm flat onto the burning surface of the black crystal. Instead of letting her fade away, Lucien activated his newly acquired technique, absorbing her remaining will directly into his body as a medium.

Soul Crystallization Art!

A brilliant, deep-blue light burst from Lucien’s hand, swallowing the chamber in an ethereal glow. The raw spiritual energy gathered rapidly at his fingertips, condensing down, tightening, and hardening into a physical shape.

A moment later, the blinding light vanished.

Resting in the center of Lucien’s palm was a tiny, palm-sized crystal, glowing with a serene blue light. Inside, Elyra’s soul rested safely, preserved in total stasis.

CRACK!

A sharp fracture echoed through the cavern. The colossal black crystal that had housed her for three hundred years shattered into millions of sparkling shards. Simultaneously, every single crystal lining the vast chamber detuned, cracking and bursting into dust, leaving Lucien standing alone in the quiet center of the room.