The instant his foot came down, the blue fissure in the ground jerked violently, crawling up the sole of his shoe like a living thing. Chen Wuya did not stop and took another step forward. Behind him came the sound of Mo Feng gasping for breath.
"We're here."
Mo Feng wiped the droplets from his face and pulled a jade token from his robes, several fine cracks already running along its edges. His fingers brushed over it as he murmured, "This is where the star chart points."
The seawater ahead suddenly collapsed, as if something had sucked it away, forming a massive black hole. Gale-force winds swept out from within, making it impossible to keep their eyes open. Their clothes clung to their bodies, the cold numbing them to the bone.
Bai Zhi stood beside the Dragon Maiden, one hand pressed against her stomach the whole time. Her face was pale, her forehead drenched in sweat. The Dragon Maiden supported her arm, her brows drawn tightly together.
"Can you still hold on?" the Dragon Maiden asked.
Bai Zhi nodded. Just as she was about to speak, a sharp cramp suddenly twisted through her abdomen. She bit her lip, her entire body swaying.
Hearing the commotion, Chen Wuya glanced back at her. The look lasted only an instant, but his steps paused for half a second.
"I'm fine." Bai Zhi raised a hand to wipe the sweat from her brow. "Don't worry about me. There isn't much time."
Chen Wuya said nothing more and turned toward the edge of the rift. The wind grew ever stronger, nearly sweeping him off his feet. He raised his hand. The star chart burned hot in his palm, its image of an inverted sword pointed straight at the center of the black hole.
Mo Feng