Li Mei spent the next few hours preparing for the mission. The weight of her new responsibilities pressed heavily on her mind, but she pushed aside the anxiety and focused on the task at hand. She gathered what supplies she thought might be needed—her simple travel bag filled with provisions, a small pouch of herbs for basic healing, and the wooden staff she had grown accustomed to using in her training. The starlight sword she had conjured during the sparring match with Qiao Ling was not something she could carry in the traditional sense; it was a manifestation of her connection to the stars, and she could summon it whenever needed. Still, she couldn't shake the feeling that she was woefully underprepared.
As she packed, she couldn't help but wonder what awaited her in the village they were about to visit. Disturbances in remote areas were not uncommon, but the vagueness of the reports unnerved her. Elder Tian had not gone into much detail, likely to avoid alarming her, but the unknown was always the most terrifying.
The sun was beginning to dip toward the horizon when Elder Tian summoned Li Mei to the main gate of the Celestial Mountain Sect. She arrived to find him already there, along with Qiao Ling and another senior disciple, a tall, stoic young man named Feng Hao. Li Mei had seen Feng Hao around the sect before, but they had never spoken. His reputation as one of the most skilled swordsmen among the disciples preceded him, and his serious demeanor only added to the aura of someone who took his duties very seriously.
Qiao Ling stood beside Feng Hao, her expression unreadable. If she harbored any lingering resentment from their previous encounter, she didn't show it. Her posture was relaxed but alert, her hand resting casually on the hilt of her sword. Li Mei felt a twinge of unease, knowing she would need to work alongside someone she had already clashed with. But there was no room for personal conflicts on a mission like this.
Elder Tian greeted Li Mei with a nod. "We will depart immediately," he said. "The village is a half-day's journey from here. We should arrive shortly after nightfall."
Li Mei nodded, falling into step beside Qiao Ling and Feng Hao as they passed through the towering gates and began their descent down the mountain. The path was steep and winding, but Li Mei had grown accustomed to the terrain during her time at the sect. She walked in silence, focusing on her breathing and the steady rhythm of her footsteps.
As they traveled, the sun dipped lower in the sky, casting long shadows across the landscape. The once-vibrant colors of the mountain gave way to muted tones of gray and purple as twilight settled in. The air grew cooler, and a faint mist began to rise from the ground, adding an eerie quality to the journey.
Li Mei kept her gaze focused on the path ahead, but she could feel Qiao Ling's presence beside her, a silent reminder of the tension between them. Despite her best efforts to focus on the mission, she couldn't shake the memory of their sparring match, the way Qiao Ling had easily bested her. There was no doubt that Qiao Ling was a skilled warrior, but there was something about her—an intensity, a coldness—that unsettled Li Mei.
As if sensing her thoughts, Qiao Ling glanced over at her, her expression inscrutable. "You seem nervous," she remarked, her tone neither friendly nor hostile.
Li Mei hesitated before responding. "It's my first mission," she admitted. "I'm not sure what to expect."
Qiao Ling's gaze lingered on her for a moment before she looked away. "You'll get used to it," she said simply. "Just remember to stay focused and follow Elder Tian's lead. He knows what he's doing."
Li Mei nodded, grateful for the advice even if it was delivered in Qiao Ling's typically aloof manner. She couldn't afford to let her nerves get the better of her, not when so much was at stake.
The group continued in silence, the only sounds the crunch of gravel underfoot and the distant calls of night birds. As they descended further into the valley, the mist thickened, swirling around them like ghostly fingers. Li Mei shivered, pulling her cloak tighter around her shoulders.
Elder Tian led them with steady confidence, his gaze fixed on the path ahead. Li Mei had come to trust his judgment implicitly, but even he seemed more subdued than usual, his expression thoughtful as they approached their destination.
By the time they reached the outskirts of the village, night had fully fallen. The village was small, nestled in a narrow valley surrounded by dense forest. The buildings were simple and weather-worn, their thatched roofs barely visible through the thick mist. A single lantern hung from a post at the village entrance, casting a weak, flickering light that did little to dispel the darkness.
Elder Tian paused at the entrance, his eyes scanning the village before turning to the others. "Stay alert," he warned. "We don't know what we're dealing with yet, but we should assume the worst."
Li Mei nodded, gripping her staff a little tighter. The village was eerily silent, with no sign of the villagers who had sent for help. The air was thick with tension, and Li Mei could feel the hairs on the back of her neck standing on end.
As they moved cautiously into the village, the mist seemed to close in around them, muffling their footsteps and distorting the shapes of the buildings. Li Mei's heart pounded in her chest, every shadow and sound putting her on edge.
They reached the center of the village, where a large communal hall stood at the edge of a small square. The door was ajar, and a faint light flickered from within, casting long shadows across the ground.
Elder Tian motioned for them to stop, then signaled for Li Mei and Qiao Ling to approach the door while he and Feng Hao kept watch. Li Mei's palms were slick with sweat as she stepped forward, her senses on high alert.
As she and Qiao Ling reached the door, they exchanged a glance. Li Mei could see the same wariness in Qiao Ling's eyes, though the older disciple's expression remained composed. Together, they pushed the door open and stepped inside.
The interior of the hall was dimly lit by a single oil lamp hanging from the ceiling. The room was empty, save for a large wooden table at the center, around which several chairs were scattered. On the table lay a handful of scrolls and a few crude maps, along with a half-empty bottle of rice wine. The air was heavy with the scent of damp wood and something else—something metallic.
Li Mei's eyes were drawn to the far corner of the room, where a figure lay slumped against the wall. Her breath caught in her throat as she realized it was an elderly man, his clothes stained with blood. He wasn't moving.
Qiao Ling approached the man cautiously, her hand on the hilt of her sword. She crouched down beside him, checking for any signs of life, but after a moment, she shook her head. "He's gone," she said quietly.
Li Mei's heart sank. Whoever this man was, he had clearly met a violent end. She could see the fear etched into his face, even in death. Whatever had happened here, it was no ordinary disturbance.
Elder Tian and Feng Hao entered the hall, their expressions grim as they took in the scene. Elder Tian knelt beside the man, examining the wounds that marred his body. "These cuts are precise," he murmured, his brow furrowed in thought. "Not the work of a wild animal. This was done by a skilled hand."
Feng Hao's gaze swept the room, his eyes sharp and alert. "We should search the village," he suggested. "There may be other survivors—or other bodies."
Elder Tian nodded in agreement. "Li Mei, Qiao Ling, you search the eastern side of the village. Feng Hao and I will take the west. Be careful, and report back if you find anything."
Li Mei felt a cold knot of dread settle in her stomach, but she forced herself to nod. This was what she had trained for, what she had been preparing for. She couldn't afford to let fear paralyze her.
She and Qiao Ling exited the hall and moved eastward, the mist swirling around them like a living thing. The village was silent, the air heavy with the promise of danger. Li Mei's senses were heightened, every sound amplified as they moved between the darkened buildings.
They reached a small cluster of houses, their doors hanging open, as if the occupants had fled in a hurry. Qiao Ling signaled for Li Mei to check the first house while she took the second. Li Mei's heart pounded as she approached the doorway, the shadows inside seeming to shift and move as she peered into the gloom.
She hesitated for a moment, gathering her courage, then stepped inside. The interior was small and sparsely furnished—a simple cot, a wooden table with a few scattered belongings, and a hearth where the embers had long since died out. But there was no sign of anyone, living or dead.
Li Mei let out a breath she hadn't realized she was holding and turned to leave, but as she did, something caught her eye. There, in the corner of the room, was a faint glimmer of light—something small and metallic, half-hidden beneath the edge of the cot.
Curiosity piqued, she crouched down and reached for the object. Her fingers closed around something cold and smooth, and as she lifted it into the light, she saw that it was a small pendant, intricately carved with the image of a crescent moon.
A shiver ran down her spine. The craftsmanship was exquisite, far too fine for a simple village like this. But what troubled her more was the symbol itself—she recognized it from the archives in the Celestial Mountain Sect. The crescent moon was often associated with dark rituals and forbidden magic, the kind of power that could corrupt even the most disciplined cultivators.
Her thoughts were interrupted by a sudden noise from outside—a faint rustling, like the sound of something moving through the mist. Li Mei's heart leaped into her throat, and she quickly pocketed the pendant before hurrying to the door.
Qiao Ling was already outside, her sword drawn as she scanned the area. "Did you hear that?" Li Mei whispered, her voice tense.
Qiao Ling nodded, her eyes narrowing as she took a step forward. "Stay close," she instructed. "Whatever it is, it's still out there."
The two of them moved cautiously through the village, the mist thickening around them, obscuring their vision. The rustling sound grew louder, more insistent, but it was impossible to tell where it was coming from.
Li Mei's pulse quickened as she tightened her grip on her staff. The pendant in her pocket felt heavy, as if it were weighing her down, filling her with a sense of foreboding.
And then, without warning, the mist parted, revealing a figure standing in the middle of the path.
Li Mei froze, her breath catching in her throat. The figure was tall and shrouded in dark robes, their face hidden beneath a hood. There was something unnatural about the way they stood, completely still, as if they were waiting.
Qiao Ling's grip on her sword tightened, and she took a cautious step forward. "Who are you?" she demanded, her voice cold and commanding. "Show yourself."
For a moment, there was no response. The figure remained motionless, their presence unsettling in the extreme. Then, slowly, they lifted their head, revealing a pale, gaunt face, their eyes glowing with an eerie, unnatural light.
Li Mei's blood ran cold. Those eyes—they weren't human. They were filled with a darkness that seemed to seep into the very air around them, a malevolence that sent a chill through her bones.
The figure's lips twisted into a sinister smile, and when they spoke, their voice was a rasping whisper that seemed to echo through the mist. "You should not have come here, little cultivators. The shadows belong to us."
Before Li Mei could react, the figure raised a hand, and the mist around them began to swirl and coalesce, forming into dark, shadowy shapes. The air grew thick with the stench of decay, and the shadows began to move, advancing toward them with a terrifying speed.
Qiao Ling reacted instantly, her sword flashing as she lunged at the figure, but the shadows closed in, forcing her back. Li Mei's heart pounded in her chest as she summoned the starlight within her, the energy crackling through her veins as she raised her staff to defend herself.
But the shadows were relentless, their forms shifting and twisting, making it impossible to tell where they would strike next. Li Mei struggled to keep up, her movements frantic as she tried to fend them off. The darkness pressed in from all sides, suffocating, overwhelming.
And then, just as she thought she would be consumed by the shadows, a blinding light erupted from the center of the village, cutting through the mist and driving back the darkness. Li Mei shielded her eyes, the sudden brightness almost too much to bear.
When the light faded, the shadows were gone, and the figure in the dark robes had vanished. The mist began to dissipate, revealing the village once more, though it now felt strangely empty, as if the life had been drained from it.
Qiao Ling lowered her sword, her expression grim as she surveyed the scene. "What was that?" Li Mei asked, her voice trembling.
"Something far more dangerous than we expected," Qiao Ling replied, her tone clipped. "We need to find Elder Tian and Feng Hao. Now."
Li Mei nodded, still shaken by what had just happened. She followed Qiao Ling back through the village, her mind racing. Whatever they were dealing with, it was unlike anything she had ever encountered. The pendant in her pocket felt like a lead weight, a reminder of the dark forces at work in this place.
As they hurried to regroup with the others, Li Mei couldn't shake the feeling that they had just scratched the surface of something far more sinister. The shadows had retreated for now, but she knew they would be back.
And when they returned, they would have to be ready.