Chapter 36 - Chapter 36 Unsettling Discoveries and Hidden Schemes

The air in the study hall remained thick with tension long after the mysterious voice had faded. Jack's grip on his sword slowly loosened, but his eyes stayed fixed on the now - dormant black shard. The scholars exchanged nervous glances, their earlier curiosity replaced by a palpable sense of unease.​Elder Li broke the silence first. "We must continue our study. Knowledge is our greatest weapon against this threat." His words, though resolute, carried a hint of uncertainty. The researchers nodded and hesitantly returned to the table, as if afraid the shard might lash out again.​The young woman who had mentioned the Gate of Oblivion, named Lin Yue, stepped forward. "I'll search the archives for more information on the gate and these symbols," she said, her sharp eyes flickering between the shard and the faint remnants of the symbols on the table. With that, she rushed out of the hall, her robes fluttering behind her.​As the remaining scholars used various divination tools and ancient artifacts to analyze the shard, Jack couldn't shake the feeling of being watched. He cast a furtive glance around the hall, but saw nothing out of the ordinary. The Keeper, noticing his restlessness, walked over. "What is it?" she asked in a low voice.​"I don't know," Jack replied, his brows furrowed. "But I can't shake this sense that... that we're making a mistake, that we're playing right into their hands."​Just then, a sudden commotion came from outside the hall. Shouts and the clatter of weapons filled the air. Jack and the Keeper exchanged a worried look before dashing out. In the corridor, they found several Mysterious Yin Alliance disciples locked in combat with shadowy figures. These figures moved with an otherworldly grace, their blades glinting with a dark, poisonous sheen.​"Blood Fiend Sect remnants!" the Keeper hissed. She unsheathed her short sword, and ice - blue energy crackled to life along the blade. Jack followed suit, channeling the power of the Chaos Orb into his bronze sword. The two of them leaped into the fray, their attacks a blur of light and energy.​As they fought, Jack noticed that the shadowy figures seemed to be trying to make their way towards the study hall. "They're after the shard!" he shouted to the Keeper. Understanding his intent, she nodded and started cutting a path back to the hall.​When they burst into the study hall, they found Elder Li and the scholars fending off a small group of the attackers. The black shard was nowhere to be seen. "They took it!" one of the scholars cried out, his face pale with fear.​Jack felt a surge of anger and frustration. "We can't let them get away with this!" he roared. He turned to Elder Li. "Do you have any idea where they might be headed?"​Elder Li rubbed his chin thoughtfully. "If they're after the Gate of Oblivion, there's an old temple on the outskirts of the Misty Peaks. It was built as a watchtower to guard against any attempts to reopen the gate. It's likely they'll go there first to study the shard."​Without hesitation, Jack started towards the exit. "Then we're going after them. We can't let them get any closer to opening that gate." The Keeper and a group of alliance disciples followed him, their expressions determined. As they left the stronghold, Jack couldn't help but wonder what other surprises awaited them at the old temple, and if they were truly prepared to face the forces that seemed to be converging around the Gate of Oblivion.​