The Boundless Ascendant

The clearing around them felt even more oppressive now, the air thick with an unnatural stillness. The mysterious figure stood before Ling Xiao and Zhen Xue, its cloaked form casting a long shadow that seemed to stretch beyond the limits of the clearing. The wind had died, and the only sound was the faint crackling of the dying trees and the distant calls of creatures that had long since fled the spreading corruption of the Source.

Ling Xiao's mind raced. A vessel? The very idea gnawed at his thoughts. To contain the Source's power within oneself was a terrifying notion. The Source was not just a force—it was a living entity, a cosmic presence that could reshape the very fabric of reality. To carry that burden, to hold it in your soul, was akin to inviting madness itself.

Yet, as the figure before them spoke, its voice filled with a weight of certainty, Ling Xiao couldn't shake the feeling that they had no other choice. 

**"This is the only way,"** the figure said, its voice soft but unyielding. **"The Source cannot be destroyed by conventional means. It must be contained, bound within a living vessel. Only then can its influence be kept at bay, and the world spared from its corrupting grasp."**

Zhen Xue took a slow, deliberate step forward, her eyes narrowed. **"And what of the vessel? What happens to the one who takes on such a burden?"**

The figure remained motionless, its face hidden beneath the hood, but it seemed to sigh, a sound like the rustling of dead leaves. **"The vessel will not remain the same. The power of the Source will alter their very essence. Their body, their mind, their soul—they will all be transformed. The longer they bear the Source's weight, the more they risk losing themselves entirely. The one who takes this path will either become a savior or a monster. There is no middle ground."**

The silence between them stretched, suffocating. Zhen Xue's gaze flickered to Ling Xiao, her expression conflicted. She knew what this meant. They were at the precipice of a decision that could decide not just their own fate, but the fate of the world itself.

Ling Xiao, too, felt the gravity of the moment. His heart pounded as he considered the impossible choice laid before them. Was he truly willing to sacrifice himself, to bind the Source within his soul? Or was it Zhen Xue's turn to carry that burden?

**"I can't ask you to do this,"** Ling Xiao muttered, his voice barely above a whisper. **"It should be me. I'm the one who started this journey. I'm the one who's been chasing the Source for all these years. It should be my responsibility."**

Zhen Xue's eyes flicked to him, a look of understanding in her gaze. But she didn't immediately respond. She didn't need to. The answer was clear. Ling Xiao had always carried the weight of responsibility, always been the one to make the hard decisions. But this… this was different. This wasn't just about strength or skill—it was about losing everything.

The figure spoke again, its voice low and urgent. **"Time is short. The Source grows stronger with every passing moment. It has already spread its influence across the land. You must decide now. The longer you wait, the harder it will be to contain the power of the Black Lotus."**

Ling Xiao's heart clenched at the urgency in its tone. He could feel it—the pull of the Source. It was like a distant, silent call, tempting him, beckoning him to come closer, to embrace its dark promise. He shook his head, fighting against the lure.

Zhen Xue's hand brushed against his arm, her touch a steadying force. **"Ling Xiao… whatever happens, I'm with you. We face this together."**

Her words—so simple, yet so profound—gave him strength. He turned to face her, his gaze intense, resolute.

**"I will bear this burden. But we need to be prepared. I don't know what it will do to me, Zhen Xue. Once I accept this, there's no turning back. The Source will change me. I might not be able to control it."**

Zhen Xue's face softened, her resolve unwavering. **"Then we'll face it together. Whatever happens to you, I will be there. We are not alone in this. Not now, not ever."**

Ling Xiao felt a flicker of something deep within him—a surge of emotion that almost threatened to overwhelm him. He had always been alone, always carried the weight of the world on his shoulders. But now, for the first time in years, he realized that he wasn't truly alone.

He turned back to the figure, his decision made. **"I will be the vessel. Tell me what I need to do."**

The figure nodded slowly, its eyes gleaming with an unreadable light. **"Are you certain? This is not a decision to be taken lightly. Once the power is bound to you, you will be its anchor. You will be its prison."**

Ling Xiao's voice was firm, unwavering. **"I'm sure."**

The figure raised a hand, and the ground beneath them shifted. The air grew thick, charged with an almost palpable energy. The very fabric of reality seemed to tremble as the Source, hidden within the altar, began to respond. A low hum echoed from the earth itself, and the dark energy that had once surrounded Xuan Wei surged back to life.

**"Then step forward,"** the figure commanded. **"Let the Source choose you."**

Ling Xiao took a deep breath and stepped toward the altar, feeling the oppressive weight of the Source as it reached for him. His heart raced, and his skin prickled with the sensation of an ancient, unknowable force brushing against him. He could hear the Source's whispers now, its voice clawing at his mind.

**"You seek to bind me? You seek to control me?"** The Source's voice was like a thousand voices speaking in unison, each word laced with temptation. **"You cannot contain me. I am eternal. I am power."**

But Ling Xiao stood firm, his mind resolute. **"I will control you, or I will die trying. The world will not fall to you."**

The energy around him grew violent, swirling like a hurricane. He could feel the Source's power trying to break through his defenses, trying to overwhelm him. His body began to tremble under the strain, but he did not waver. He had made his choice.

The figure's voice cut through the storm. **"Place your hand on the altar, Ling Xiao. Accept your fate."**

Without hesitation, Ling Xiao reached out and placed his palm upon the cold stone of the altar. The moment his skin made contact, a surge of power like nothing he had ever felt coursed through him. It was as though his very soul was being torn apart, remade in the image of the Source. His body screamed in agony as the dark energy filled him, flooding every fiber of his being, rewriting his very essence.

For a moment, there was nothing but pain, an unendurable, searing sensation that consumed him. His vision blurred, and he could feel his consciousness slipping away, merging with the abyss. But through the storm of agony, a single thought anchored him—he had made a promise. He would not let the Source win.

And then, in an instant, the pain stopped.

Ling Xiao collapsed to his knees, gasping for breath. He could feel the power of the Source within him—pulsing, seething, an endless well of dark energy that threatened to consume him. But it was contained, held in check by his will.

For now.

The figure stood silently, observing the transformation. **"The vessel is chosen. Now, the true test begins."**

Ling Xiao struggled to his feet, his body shaking, but his resolve unbroken. The Source was inside him now. But so was his will to resist it. **"I will not fall. Not now. Not ever."**

Zhen Xue stepped forward, her eyes filled with a mix of fear and awe. She reached out to him, but stopped just short of touching him, as if afraid that the Source might lash out.

**"You've done it,"** she whispered, her voice tinged with a strange mixture of admiration and dread. **"But are you still you?"**

Ling Xiao's eyes locked with hers. His pupils were now black, his irises swirling with dark energy. He could feel the power inside him, crawling beneath his skin, alive and hungry. But beneath that power, beneath the madness, he could still hear his own voice, still feel his own heart beating.

"I'm still me," he said, though the words tasted bitter on his tongue. "But we have to hurry. The Source may be contained, but it is not gone. We need to find a way to seal it completely."

The figure nodded, disappearing into the shadows as quickly as it had come. "The Source will call to you. It will test your resolve. You will have to choose, again and again, what you are willing to sacrifice. Only by standing firm will you keep the balance."

Ling Xiao turned away from the altar, his gaze unwavering. "Then we will face it. Together."

End of Chapter 86

In Chapter 86, Ling Xiao makes the ultimate decision to become the vessel for the Source of the Black Lotus in order to contain its devastating power and prevent the world's destruction. The process

 is excruciating, as the dark energy fills him, changing him both physically and spiritually. With the Source now bound within him, Ling Xiao must resist its growing influence while searching for a way to fully seal it away. Zhen Xue stands by him, her resolve unwavering, as they prepare for the trials to come. But the true cost of Ling Xiao's decision remains uncertain—will he be able to maintain control, or will the Source consume him?

If you'd like more chapters, I can continue to build the story step by step, expanding on Ling Xiao's journey, his growing power, and the world he seeks to reshape.