The gateway hums like a caged storm. Li Wu’s fingers trace a false current through the air, and the lattice beneath the terrace answers the disguise.
Ren
You are hiding the gate’s true pulse from me. Clever.
Ren steps closer, reaching for the core. The re-keyed anchor wakes at his touch, and the lattice drinks for a heartbeat, then latches onto his qi instead.
His stride breaks. The force he reaches for turns inward, trying to pin him in place as the gateway searches for a fresh tether.
Chen
Li Wu has turned the trap back on the hand that grabs it.
Master Wei
Ren, stop touching it! The seal is not yours to command.
The shadow cultivators edge back from the vortex. Chen’s relief is sharp, but the terrace still shudders. One choice remains clear, use the gate to rise, or tear it apart before Ren finds another way in.
Ren
If you leave it standing, I will come through it again.
Use the gateway to rise
Destroy the gateway before Ren returns