Ascension King

**Chapter 23: The Wanderer**

In the frigid expanse of northern Parth, a man made his arduous way towards the snow-laden terrain, seeking solace from an unexpected source. Lin Feng, desperate and determined, turned to the very enemies of the Void Clan—the notorious Endo family, infamous for their insatiable thirst for the essence of the Void Dragon bloodline. Once revered for their extraordinary gift, the Seraph Eyes, a divine blessing that had fallen from grace, the Endos now harbored a deep-seated animosity towards the Void Clan. Their lineage, tainted by the birth of the Void Dragon bloodline, ignited a relentless desire to eradicate its existence.

As Lin Feng approached the imposing gates of the Endo clan, the weight of his desperation hung heavily in the air. He fell to his knees, the cold biting into his skin, and pleaded with a voice trembling with urgency. "Oh, great Eye Clan of Death, I beseech you for your aid. The Void Clan rises again, sowing death wherever they tread. I find myself in a pitiful state, and I implore you to assist me."

His words echoed through the stillness, but the moment he felt the piercing gazes of the formidable men of the Endo clan upon him, a chill of dread coursed through his veins. He bowed deeply, not daring to lift his gaze, acutely aware that a mere flicker of movement from them could spell his end.

"You lie, wretched fool," thundered a muscular figure from the Endo clan, his voice laced with disdain. "There lineage has been severed by our hands; we have feasted upon their blood and flesh."

"I speak the truth, great ones!" Lin Feng implored, his voice rising in desperation. "My dire condition has been inflicted by a vile child of the Void Clan—a madman skilled in the arts of battle, whose evil knows no bounds."

The words ignited a spark of rage among the Endo leaders. The master of the clan, upon hearing Lin Feng's plight, felt the familiar pressure of there stolen bloodline surge within him, a primal calling that resonated with the very essence of their past. They quickly extended their energies, probing Lin Feng's injuries, and were met with the haunting remnants of the Void's power, an echo that beckoned for reclamation.

With their anger boiling, they withdrew their energies, their expressions darkening as the head of the Endo clan issued a chilling command. "Seize this pitiful wretch!" he ordered, his voice a harbinger of the storm that was to come.

In a swift descent, two juniors of the Endo clan rushed forth, their urgency palpable. One of them activated the "Eye of Manipulation," a formidable power ranked 45th among its peers, capable of bending the will of anyone beneath the user's rank. However, its potency came at a cost, exacting a toll on the wielder's mind. The second junior wielded the "Eye of Void," a legacy of the stolen void bloodline, lacking a formal ranking due to its controversial origins. Yet, if it were to be ranked, it would undoubtedly place within the top 20, for it possessed the chilling ability to ensnare a person's soul within a boundless void.

These two young prodigies surged forward with fervor, their eyes ignited with power. But to Lin Feng, their efforts were inconsequential; his mental resilience, forged through the trials inflicted by Damon, rendered the Eye of Manipulation merely a mild irritation. "Why are you doing this to me?" Lin Feng cried out, desperation lacing his voice. "I came only to deliver a message and seek your assistance. Why must the world conspire against me?" As his soul was ensnared, he found himself adrift in an abyss where sight and sound eluded him, left only to dwell on his past regrets. He lamented the day he crossed paths with Damon, questioning his decision to speak out, which had now cost him everything—his family, his limbs, and ultimately, his hope.

Amidst his despair, a voice echoed in his mind, enigmatic and ancient. "Do you crave power? Do you wish to consume AKIM, whom you know as Damon?" The entity's words reverberated within him, igniting a flame of ambition. "I will do anything, even if it means selling my very soul, as long as I can exact my revenge. I care not for the consequences," Lin Feng declared, fury coursing through him. The voice chuckled darkly, its malice palpable as it instructed him, "From this moment forth, every command I give must be followed without question. If I instruct you to consume flesh, you shall do so, even if it means taking the life of an infant."

A shiver ran through Lin Feng at the sinister implications of the voice's demands. "There is no turning back now, insolent fool. I am entwined within your thoughts; every whisper of your mind is known to me." Reluctantly, he grasped the depth of his predicament, realizing he had become a vessel for this malevolent entity.

As the entity's presence receded, Lin Feng's soul returned to his body, and he was astonished to find his hands and feet transformed into pure energy. "Hahaha! I have hands! I have feet!" he cackled, a manic glee overtaking him as he surveyed the Endo clan members before him. "I must thank you for sending me to such a realm." The Endo clan members exchanged wary glances, sensing the shift in his energy, fear creeping into their hearts.

"Return now!" the head of the Endo clan commanded the two juniors, but it was too late. With a swift motion, Lin Feng clenched his energy-infused hand, and the juniors writhed in agony, their forms crushed, leaving only their heads intact. He then claimed the Eye of Manipulation and the Eye of Void, implanting them within himself, now a master of both powers.

The remaining members of the Endo clan regarded him with a mixture of terror and awe, yet the lord of the clan remained unperturbed. With a mere flick of his wrist, he shifted the space around them, distancing the Endo clan from Lin Feng. "Cowards!" he roared, his laughter echoing in the void. "This is exhilarating!" And with that, he strode away, each step a declaration of his newfound power and resolve.