'The last Sheng, what you created was flawed thus a paradox was formed'
"Your voice…it is familiar, who are you?"
'You already know me last Sheng, the guardian who has always been with you'
"Baihu...it's been 7 years, why are you only showing your presence now,"
'Our time is limited Last Sheng, I can't give you that answer for now, but I'm here to warn you about the flaw you had caused'
"flaw I caused? what ever do you mean?"
'The divine side of your powers was incomplete when you casted it, and now you have to take responsibility'
"My powers? I haven't even unlocked the divine side that you had mentioned, how am I supposed to cast anything from it"
'In due time you will remember what you did for I am forbidden to spoke of such details,'
"then what is the point of warning me if you kept on speaking with cryptic words,"
'Xing Ziao, make sure he does not step foot on the place where the beginning of the end took place, goodbye for now, last Sheng'
"Wait, Baihu!"
~
Kuai woke up abruptly in the heart of the scorching desert. Confusion gripped him as he glanced around, completely forgetting what had happened within his unconscious state—the burning sun mercilessly bearing down on him. He felt parched, his throat dry and his stomach empty.
"How did I end up here?" he muttered to himself, his voice barely above a whisper. His eyes scanned the vast expanse of sand, searching for any signs of his captors or his fellow prisoner, but the landscape stretched out empty before him.
Frustration etched across his face, Kuai impatiently ran his fingers through his lengthy silvery hair, using a band he had on his wrist to tie it back. He discarded the outer layer of his robe, leaving only his trousers on, attempting to alleviate the stifling heat. He let out an exasperated sigh as he muttered, "First, my Nation's deity disappears, then demons wreak havoc in the Southern Central sea, the celestial trial gets cancelled, revelations from Jianghu's king, being captured by a forsaken being, and now I'm stranded in the middle of nowhere. What a delightful adventure I've had within a week. I can only imagine how furious Ziao ge would be right now, since his one and only family suddenly vanished."
Shaking his head in disbelief, Kuai set his sights on the eastern horizon and started walking, frustration propelling his steps. Unbeknownst to him, his determination led him astray from the direction his brother would be heading.
-
"Somehow this fog feels endless," Ling Ye shouted over the murkiness, her concern evident. She placed her left palm against the side of her Yin, sensing the tiger's energy. "And she's becoming restless earlier than expected. The clone is consuming half of Yin one's energy. I'm afraid that in a few minutes, we'll have to continue on foot."
"I just hope we manage to make some significant progress," Xing Ziao added with a touch of frustration.
As they pressed forward, the trio's movements slowed due to Yin one's dwindling energy. After a few minutes, Yin two began to flicker, its form becoming unstable as if on the verge of disappearing. The sudden change caught the trio off guard, causing them to halt in their tracks. Ling Ye, Xing Ziao, and Wen Di dismounted, watching as Yin two's form wavered until it vanished entirely.
With a sense of urgency, the three exchanged glances. Yin one was now their only means of traversing the fog, but its energy was significantly depleted. They needed to tread carefully and conserve its remaining strength. The frustration of their slowed progress weighed heavily on them.
They continued on foot, following Yin one's slow pace. To their astonishment, as they walked, the fog gradually began to thin, revealing the unexpected sight of a vast and deep cliff stretching out before them. It was as if the fog had concealed the cliff's presence until they were almost upon it.
Ling Ye, Xing Ziao, and Wen Di stood at the edge of the precipice, peering into the abyss.
Xing Ziao's eyes widened as he took in the sight, his voice holding a touch of disbelief. "A cliff of this magnitude... how are we supposed to cross this?"
"I was considering teleporting us to the other side," Ling Ye responded, her lips pursed in thought. "However, I haven't fully regained enough of my spiritual energy to transport all three of us safely. There's a risk we might end up within this abyss or above it."
Xing Ziao sighed, his gaze shifting to Wen Di. "And you Wen di? Aren't you also a cultivator?."
Wen Di's eyes momentarily avoided Xing Ziao's gaze, a hint of hesitation in his expression. He took a deep breath before answering, "I'm afraid I cannot. My cultivation level is lower than Ling Ye's, and teleporting across such a distance is beyond my capabilities."
Xing Ziao let out a frustrated sigh, his shoulders slumping. He couldn't help but feel a sense of helplessness in the face of their current predicament. He muttered under his breath, "If only I knew how to cultivate... Maybe then I could have been of more help instead of just accompanying and watching both of you do the work."
Wen Di stepped closer to Xing Ziao, placing a reassuring hand on his shoulder. He tried to offer comfort, his voice steady, "There must be a way, perhaps we can find a path around the cliff, there might be an end to it."
Ling Ye rolled her eyes teasingly at the two, witnessing their interactions. Just as her eyes caught the twinkle of amusement, a sudden loud growl echoed from beyond the abyss, the sound reverberating through the air, momentarily eclipsing their worries.
The trio's attention immediately shifted from their discussion to the source of the growl. Their eyes widened in alarm as the low, guttural sound reverberated through the air, echoing off the walls of the deep cliff before them.
Ling Ye's hand instinctively went to the hilt of her sword, her stance becoming more alert. "Stay away from the cliff!" she shouted, her eyes scanning the abyss for any signs of movement, then the three retreated further back.
Xing Ziao's hand instinctively moved to the wrapped spear slung across his back as he positioned himself defensively. "First a Demon on the Sea, now a creature that I am sure is also a Demon, is about to emerge from the depths of the cliff, how remarkable."
Wen Di's brows furrowed, "If it is indeed a Demon, then this is another bad news for Qiandu,"
As they stood a bit further from the cliff, their gazes locked onto the darkness beyond. The growls continued intermittently, accompanied by shuffling and rustling sounds, as if something ominous was approaching.
The cold aura that had emerged from the abyss seemed to wrap around them, adding to the sense of foreboding.
Suddenly, the growls escalated into a fierce roar that reverberated through the air, causing the trio to pause momentarily. Ahead, in the dimly lit depths, pairs of glowing eyes began to appear, reflecting an eerie crimson light. Shadows moved, revealing the presence of two gigantic creatures lurking in the darkness.
Ling Ye's grip on her sword tightened, "I was finding my twin, but eventually the wrong set of twins arrived."