Alex was on the cusp of forming a response when Chen Wei's voice punctured the silence once more.
His voice was lowered to a hushed murmur, barely audible, akin to a soft breeze rustling the leaves of an invisible forest. "Who were you dreaming about?" he questioned, his tone laced with a teasing curiosity.
The question hung in the air, a silent specter. Alex, who was usually quick-witted, found himself at a standstill.
He knew the direction this conversation was veering towards.
He found himself wanting to divert the conversation, to prevent Chen Wei from voicing out the inevitable. However, before he could summon the words, Chen Wei leaned in closer, his whisper now an intimate secret shared between them. "Were you dreaming about Wu Lina? What were you dreaming about her?" he probed further.
Alex's heart throbbed against his chest, a silent acknowledgment of his unvoiced thoughts. He had anticipated this, yet the words still held power over him.
Choosing to remain silent, he opted instead to avert his gaze, focusing his attention on the distant flickering flames of the campfire that illuminated the otherwise desolate landscape of the voidland.
His gaze lingered on the fire, the flames dancing in a hypnotic rhythm. He cast a glance toward Chen Wei, a question forming on his lips. "How was the fire set up? Where did the wood come from?" He couldn't hide the incredulity in his voice.
They were in the voidland, a place devoid of any hint of life, a barren wasteland where not a single tree stood. The presence of the fire was an anomaly, a mystery he craved to unravel.
Chen Wei's response was an indifferent mutter, his gaze fixated on the distant flames. "They brought it with them," he replied nonchalantly.
A sense of surprise washed over Alex. He wracked his brain, trying to recall if they had carried any additional luggage. His memory, however, did not yield any results.
Just then a fleeting image of a silver ring adorning Wu Lina's hand surfaced in his mind.
The ring shimmered under the weak sunlight, a hint of magic hidden within its ordinary exterior. It was a spatial ring.
A spatial ring is a mystical object known for its ability to store and transport objects in a concealed pocket dimension.
The size of these dimensions varied greatly, dependent on the quality of the spatial ring. Remembering this, Alex felt a sense of clarity wash over him.
He nodded toward Chen Wei, acknowledging the unspoken explanation. "I'll stay here for a while," he declared, settling against the cold, solid rock once more. His eyes fluttered close, succumbing to the tranquility of the voidland.
Chen Wei observed Alex's silent form, a sense of disappointment flickering in his eyes. Deeming the conversation to be over, he murmured a quiet "Boring," his voice swallowed by the vast emptiness of the voidland.
He turned on his heels, making his way toward the others, his figure slowly blending into the darkness.
Once Chen Wei's presence was nothing more than a distant memory, Alex found his thoughts spiraling into a whirlpool of contemplation.
His previous plans were now obsolete, the change in circumstances demanding a fresh strategy.
Now, not only did he have to grapple with the system's tasks and his insufficient cultivation level, but he was also faced with an enigmatic force that manipulated luck to his detriment.
This insidious energy was trying to trap him in a relentless cycle of misfortune, one that could potentially lead to his death if not properly addressed.
This obscure force had a hand in not just influencing luck but also seemed to be warping the fabric of reality itself.
Alex was left in uncertainty, not knowing which of his actions may trigger the misfortune, causing him to plunge once again into the predestined path set by this luck manipulation force.
Additionally, there was another alarming issue that was preoccupying his mind: the corruption energy emanating from his dagger.
Every time he utilized it to slay a Qi beast, he will be corrupted by the energy, adding to the burden of his concerns and causing his mental stress to escalate.
With all these concerns swirling in his mind, his eyes closed, and he sank into deep thought, gradually drifting into a light slumber.
*****
Suddenly, Alex was roused from his sleep by the sound of rapid, heavy footsteps approaching rapidly.
His senses immediately heightened, and he jerked upright, only to see a monstrous shadowclaw hurtling towards him.
Seeing the impending threat, Alex's mind didn't have the luxury to process the situation or deliberate his options.
Instinctively, he sprang into action, diving sideways just in time to evade the monstrous beast.
The shadowclaw, unable to halt its momentum, crashed into the rock where Alex had been sitting moments before, splintering it into a myriad of fragments.
Regaining his composure, Alex swiftly assessed his surroundings. He glanced towards Wu Lina and the others, who were already engaged in combat with four other shadowclaws.
The shadowclaws were pulsating with potent Qi energy, each a pinnacle-stage lesser Qi beast.
Their dark fur shimmered under the luminescent glow of the moon, lending them an eerie beauty.
However, the shadowclaw that cornered him seemed to be the weakest among them, being a high-stage lesser Qi beast. But even this weaker beast posed a significant threat to him.
"Roar!" With a fearsome growl, the shadowclaw wheeled around and charged at him again, moving with a speed that was almost blinding.
Alex knew that evasion was not an option this time. Instead, he leaped high into the air, hoping to clear the beast's ferocious charge.
But the shadow claw was not to be outdone. It too sprung upwards, its massive claw swiping at Alex's suspended form.
It was a fraction of a second too late to reach Alex fully, but its claw managed to rake across Alex's leg, which was not as high off the ground.
The force of the claw's swipe sent Alex into a mid-air somersault.
After a dizzying spin, he crashed into the ground with a thunderous impact, the sound of his fall echoing throughout the area.
He could feel the alarming crunch of some of his bones fracturing from the impact, the searing pain radiating throughout his body.
Wetness seeped through his clothing, the telltale sign of blood trickling from his lacerated foot, a stark reminder of the shadowclaw's razor-sharp claws.