Chapter 28: Chapter 27: Echoes of a Forgotten Queen
Surya emerged from the crumbling ink dimension back into the real world, his expression steely with resolve. The bustling streets of Xianzhou surrounded him—a city alive with chatter, vendors peddling their wares, and the vibrant hum of life—but his focus remained razor-sharp. His companions, Mei Lin and Li Wei, were missing, captured by Ma Liang's fanatical men. There was no time to waste.
With a swift motion, Surya raised his intricately carved staff, channeling his energy into it. He closed his eyes, reaching deep into the flow of the world around him, sensing the energies that lingered like ripples in a pond. Every living thing carried a distinct essence, a unique spiritual signature. Having fought alongside Mei Lin and Li Wei, he knew their energies well—like the heat of a sun-soaked stone and the coolness of moonlit water.
The staff glowed with a pale golden hue, ancient runes carved along its length flaring to life. "Essence Capture," Surya muttered under his breath, invoking the technique. He felt the web of interconnected energies unravel before him, a complex tapestry of countless threads crisscrossing through the city. He sifted through them with precision and ease, feeling the subtle pulse of Mei Lin's determination and Li Wei's unwavering courage. Their threads were faint, but unmistakable.
"Got you," Surya murmured, his eyes snapping open. The staff's runes faded, but his path was now clear.
As he began to walk through the crowded streets of Xianzhou, his thoughts churned with the implications of what Ma Liang and his followers were trying to do. The madman and his crew had dug themselves deep into a treacherous rabbit hole, one where faith had warped into fanaticism, and devotion had turned into obsession—all for a queen who had long departed this world.
Surya's mind drifted back through the haze of time to the ancient legend of Tara, the First Female Buddha. She was a being of pure compassion and wisdom, one who had attained enlightenment under the guidance of the Buddha himself. She was revered as a symbol of hope, a divine protector of all sentient beings. But it was her ascension that had sown the seeds of envy among a certain group—the Saints.
The Saints were an enigmatic and powerful order of ascetics. Though not physically formidable, they possessed a rare and significant power that lay not in brute strength but in their command over the mysteries of the spiritual realm. Each saint was a master of an esoteric art, capable of altering fate, bending the threads of karma, and manipulating the subtle energies that flowed between life and death. They wielded these abilities like celestial scholars, feared for the balance they could tip with a mere thought or whispered incantation.
Yet, their strength came with a flaw—pride. The Saints were deeply entrenched in their belief of a patriarchal order, and when Tara was anointed as a Buddha, jealousy and resentment festered in their hearts. A woman had achieved what many of them had spent lifetimes aspiring to but never attained. Unable to accept this reality, they conspired in shadows, weaving a web of deceit and betrayal that ultimately led to Tara's downfall.
The memory of her death was a haunting one, shrouded in myths and half-truths. Some said she had been tricked into a fatal trance; others claimed she had been betrayed by those closest to her. Her devoted followers, including Ma Liang, were left shattered, vowing vengeance and clinging to the hope of her return. For centuries, Ma Liang had wandered the earth, searching for ways to restore his queen to life, amassing followers, and delving deeper into the darkest arts.
Surya could almost hear the whispers of those days gone by, an echo of a time when faith had been pure but had since been twisted into something dark and unrecognizable.
Passing through Xianzhou, he could hear the murmurs of the townsfolk, bits of conversation floating by like drifting leaves in a stream.
"Did you hear? Another temple was desecrated last night. Strange symbols were carved into the stones."
"They say the men in black robes were seen there, chanting strange verses. Dark days are coming, I tell you."
"Someone saw a man with a silver mask wandering around, like a ghost. Bad omen, that one."
Surya's thoughts sharpened at the mention of the silver mask—Ma Liang. His presence was known to these people, and wherever he and his men went, trouble was sure to follow.
"Devotion... obsession..." Surya muttered under his breath as he continued to follow the essence trail. "There's a fine line between the two. Ma Liang and his followers have crossed that line, following a memory of something that was pure, now corrupted by their own desires."
As he walked, he couldn't help but wonder about Ma Liang's twisted loyalty. How could someone cling so desperately to a past that had clearly been tainted? Did he truly believe Tara would want to return to a world shaped by their own distorted image of her? And more importantly, what would happen if they succeeded in bringing her back?
The answer wasn't clear, but one thing was: Ma Liang had never let go of his promise to revive his queen. His belief in that singular goal had consumed him, driven him to the brink of madness, and now threatened to drag the world along with him.
The trail led Surya out of the city's heart and towards a more desolate area, where the land grew rocky and the shadows deeper. His staff pulsed in his hand, guiding him with a steady glow. He was getting closer.
"Mei Lin, Li Wei... hold on a bit longer," he whispered, his voice barely audible but filled with determination. He would find them. He would stop Ma Liang and his deluded followers from plunging this world into chaos. But first, he needed answers—answers that lay buried in the hearts of those who worshipped the memory of a long-lost queen.
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