2025-10-10 21:46:36Mist gathered thick over the western ridge again, curling around tree trunks like silent spirits. The sun struggled to pierce it, scattering pale light through leaves that dripped from the morning’s rain.
Somewhere within that fog, Lin Dong crouched low beneath a cluster of roots, heart hammering. He could hear them boots crunching, blades whispering from their sheaths. Clan scouts. “Spread out,” one voice ordered. “The pulse came from this direction. Don’t let anything escape.” He bit his lip, fingers pressed against the earth. The mark on his palm burned faintly reacting to something. Power. Energy. Fear. Not now, he thought desperately. Please, not now. But the rune pulsed anyway soft gold leaking through his fingers, faint but visible. A twig snapped to his right. He turned sharply, eyes wide. A scout was less than ten paces away, scanning the undergrowth. “Who’s there?” The man stepped closer. Lin Dong held his breath, every muscle screaming to move. The moment the scout reached for his sword. Flash! A burst of light erupted from Lin Dong’s palm, wild and uncontrolled. The ground trembled, throwing dust into the air. Roots split and twisted like snakes, flinging the man backward into a tree. He slumped, stunned. Lin Dong froze, staring at his hand. The rune had acted on its own not gentle this time, but violent, raw. Another shout rang out. “Over there! Did you see that?” He bolted. Branches whipped his face as he tore through the forest, his breath ragged. The glow on his palm pulsed faster, in rhythm with his heartbeat, like it was alive guiding him, protecting him, or perhaps… using him. He vaulted over a fallen log, landing hard near a creek. Behind him, voices closed in. He could see the faint shimmer of armor between the trees. He backed up, cornered. Water rushed cold against his heels. “I don’t want to fight,” he muttered. “Just stop…” But they didn’t stop. Three scouts burst into view, swords drawn. The leader’s voice rang out “You there! Show your hands!” Lin Dong lifted them slowly. The moment the mark caught sunlight, it flared like molten gold. Energy rippled outward visible, tangible. The creek water rose in spirals, defying gravity, circling him in threads of light. The men hesitated, faces pale. “That’s…..That’s not possible…” The world seemed to listen to him. Every leaf, every breath of air. He could feel the currents of Yuan energy bending at his command, instinctive, chaotic. He thrust his hand forward. The water answered. A wave exploded from the creek, slamming into the scouts and sweeping them off their feet. Silence. The forest fell still again, only the sound of dripping leaves and Lin Dong’s ragged breathing breaking the air. He stared at his palm,the glow fading. “What… are you?” he whispered to the rune. It pulsed once, softer now. Then it went dark. Somewhere deeper in the woods, unseen by him, a shadowy figure lowered its hood. A stranger tall, wrapped in travel-worn robes had been watching. The glint of a sigil shimmered faintly on their wrist. “So… the talisman awakens again,” the stranger murmured. “After all these years.” They turned and vanished into the mist.
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Chapter thirty-five: The BloodWood Grove
The Wilderlands stretched endlessly before Lin Dong — a scarred expanse of wild growth, desolation, and mist. The air was thick with ancient energy, heavy enough to make the lungs ache. He had been walking for hours, following the faint pull of the Spirit Talisman, the heirloom his father had left him. Its faint glow led him onward through cracked stone and whispering grass until the land itself seemed to bleed into shadow. Before him loomed the Bloodwood Grove — a forest not touched by time, but fed by it. The trees rose like titans, their bark deep crimson as if they had drunk centuries of blood. The canopy hung low and oppressive, veiling the stars. A faint red mist coiled between the roots, luminous and alive. Every breath Lin Dong drew carried a taste of iron, decay, and something older — something divine that had gone wrong. He paused at the treeline. Even the wind seemed to hesitate there. “So this is where it begins…” he murmured. For days now, he had been chasing whisper
Chapter thirty-four: The Cloaked Challenge
The forest air was still — unnaturally still. Even the wind seemed to hold its breath. Lin Dong’s pulse thudded in his ears as the cloaked figure stepped into the clearing. The man’s robes were tattered but bore faint traces of an old sect insignia, long faded and half-burned away. His aura was heavy — not wild like a beast’s, but sharp, deliberate, honed from years of fighting and surviving without rules. Li Yan’s bow creaked softly as she drew it back. “That’s no mere wanderer,” she whispered. “His energy… it’s unstable. He’s a fallen cultivator.” The man tilted his head, his voice deep and cold. “Dao Sect disciples in the Wilderlands?” he asked with a mocking grin. “You’re far from your master’s protection, boy. Hand over your Spirit Seal and I might let you crawl away.” Lin Dong’s expression hardened. “You talk too much.” The rogue chuckled, then vanished. A blur of motion sliced through the clearing. Lin Dong barely twisted aside as a curved blade slashed the air where he’d
Chapter thirty-three: Beyond the Mountains
The morning sun cut through the mist that hung over the Dao Sect like a veil of silver. Lin Dong stood atop a ridge, gazing down at the sprawling forests and jagged cliffs that stretched beyond the mountains. The Dao Sect lay behind him, silent and majestic, its towers glinting in the light. Ahead, the world awaited — untamed, wild, and dangerous. Li Yan walked beside him, her eyes scanning the horizon. “Beyond these mountains,” she said softly, “lies the Wilderlands. Beasts, bandits, and rogue cultivators roam freely. Even someone of your skill must remain vigilant.” Lin Dong tightened his grip on the jade blade, golden light of the Spirit Seal pulsing faintly against his chest. “I’ve grown stronger,” he said quietly. “The Seal, the trials… they’ve prepared me. But I know the path ahead will be harder. I have to keep rising… or I won’t survive.” The first stretch of the Wilderlands was deceptive. Lush greenery covered the hills, the sound of distant waterfalls and birdsong masking
Chapter thirty-two: The Sect’s Hidden Trial
The Dao Sect courtyard had quieted after the Martial Assessment. Students returned to their practice, the echoes of strikes and energy dissipating into the mountains. Yet Lin Dong felt an unease in the air, a subtle pulse that tugged at his senses. Master Ling Xuan approached, his expression inscrutable. “You have passed the assessment,” he said. “But there is one final trial — hidden from ordinary disciples. Only those who demonstrate potential to rise above the rest are granted this challenge.” Lin Dong’s chest tightened. He had survived the Stone Circle, the Trial of the Elements, and the Martial Assessment… but Master Ling Xuan’s words carried weight. “What must I do?” he asked. “Follow me,” the Master said. They walked through a narrow corridor that descended into the depths of the Dao Sect. The air grew cooler, damp, and charged with faint energy. Torches flickered along the walls, casting long shadows that danced like spirits. Lin Dong felt the Seal respond, golden light pu
Chapter thirty-one: The Dao’s Sect Martial Assessment
The sun hung high above the Dao Sect courtyard, casting long shadows across polished stone and glistening ponds. The atmosphere vibrated with anticipation, as dozens of disciples gathered, eyes sharp and bodies tense. Today was the Martial Assessment — a test of combat skill, agility, and tactical acumen. For Lin Dong, it was not merely a trial; it was a stage to measure how far he had risen from the weak boy who once stumbled through Yan City. Master Ling Xuan’s gaze swept across the courtyard. “Today, you will spar not with beasts, but with equals,” he announced. “The trials you’ve completed have shown mastery of the Seal and the elements. Now, we will see how you apply them in combat.” Disciples stepped forward, their stances radiating energy. Some wielded swords with lightning speed, others channeled elemental forces through their fists. Every motion shimmered with cultivated energy, precise and fluid. Lin Dong’s chest pulsed with the golden light of the Spirit Seal, his hands g
Chapter thirty: Trial of the Elements
Beyond the Stone Circle of Balance, a wide arena opened, carved into the mountainside, surrounded by jagged cliffs and swirling mists. At its center floated nine elemental pillars, each radiating raw energy: fire that seared the eyes, water that churned with an unnatural depth, wind that tore at the ground, earth that shifted beneath one’s feet, and more — a full spectrum of elemental forces that seemed alive.Master Ling Xuan’s voice carried across the arena:“The Trial of the Elements will test your adaptability, speed, and control. Each pillar will unleash its power against you. One misstep, one hesitation… and you will be expelled from the Dao Sect.”Lin Dong stepped forward, jade blade in hand. His chest pulsed with the Spirit Seal, golden light coiling across his skin like liquid fire. He had survived Yan City, the mountain beast, and the Stone Circle. But this — this was different. Each pillar radiated energies beyond anything he had felt. The air around him shimmered with dang
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