Chapter 34 - Chapter 34 The Aftermath and New Omen

The once - bustling battlefield now lay in ruins, a desolate expanse of charred earth and shattered remnants. Jack knelt beside Su Yao's body, his fingers trembling as he gently closed her eyes. The air was thick with the acrid stench of smoke and the metallic tang of blood, a haunting reminder of the fierce battle that had just concluded.​Elder Li, his face ashen and his robes tattered, limped over to Jack. "We... we did it," he said, his voice barely above a whisper, as if he could scarcely believe their victory. "But at such a cost."​The Keeper, who had managed to regain her footing despite her injuries, joined them. She placed a hand on Jack's shoulder in a gesture of comfort. "Su Yao knew what she was doing. Her sacrifice saved us all."​Jack nodded, his throat constricted with grief. He slowly rose to his feet and looked around at the devastation. The Abyssal Lord was gone, the portal sealed shut, but the weight of loss hung heavy over them. "We need to bury her," he said, his voice steady but filled with sorrow.​As they set about preparing Su Yao's burial, Jack couldn't help but feel a sense of emptiness. He had grown close to Su Yao during their short time together, and her sacrifice had left a gaping hole in his heart. But he also knew that he couldn't dwell on his grief for long. There were still many questions left unanswered, and new threats loomed on the horizon.​After the burial, Elder Li gathered the group. "We must return to the stronghold," he said. "We need to heal our wounds and rebuild. And we must also prepare for whatever comes next."​Just as they were about to leave, Jack noticed something glinting in the dirt near where the black artifact had shattered. Curious, he bent down and picked it up. It was a small, black shard, pulsating with a faint, dark energy. As soon as he touched it, a vision flashed before his eyes.​He saw a dark, shadowy figure standing in front of a massive, ancient gate. The figure held a staff that glowed with an ominous red light, and behind the gate, Jack could sense a terrifying power, a power even greater than that of the Abyssal Lord.​"Jack, what is it?" the Keeper asked, noticing the change in his expression.​Jack looked up, his eyes wide with alarm. "I think... I think this is a sign. A sign that our battle is far from over. There's something else out there, something even more dangerous."​Elder Li frowned. "We must be cautious. But we also cannot ignore this warning. When we return to the stronghold, we will study this shard and see what secrets it holds."​With that, they set off on their journey back to the stronghold. Jack walked in silence, the shard clutched tightly in his hand. The weight of the future pressed down on him, but he was determined. He would not let Su Yao's sacrifice be in vain. He would uncover the mysteries that lay ahead and protect the cultivation world, no matter what the cost.​As they walked away from the battlefield, a single, dark cloud began to form in the sky, an omen of the storm that was yet to come.