As dusk settled, the Central Plains royal palace stood in quiet grandeur. Chu Lingfeng stood in the palace study, his unease growing with each passing moment. An ancient book lay quietly on the table, its pages whispering secrets of history and fate under the candlelight. Chu Lingfeng's fingertips lightly traced the pages, coming to rest on a prophecy: "When the light of the Dragon Veins fades, the fate of the Nine Realms will be rewritten."
Chu Lingfeng's heart was filled with doubt and fear. As the young king of Zhongzhou, he knew he bore a heavier responsibility than anyone else. However, this challenge seemed beyond his control. He turned to his father, Chu Tianze, the aging but still majestic emperor, who silently gazed at the book, as if searching for answers.
"Father, does this prophecy foretell an inescapable disaster?" Chu Lingfeng's voice was deep, tinged with helplessness and anxiety.
Chu Tianze let out a deep sigh, a flicker of complex emotions crossing his eyes. "Lingfeng, this is not just a prophecy; it is the fate of our family and the entire Nine Realms. The decline of the Dragon Veins will bring about the collapse of the old order, and new forces are rising. We must find a solution, or Zhongzhou will face a tremendous crisis. There is no time to waste."
Chu Lingfeng nodded, his heart filled with doubt, but he knew he had no choice. He was determined to seek the truth, no matter the cost.
**The Mysterious Lingxi**
As he delved deeper, Chu Lingfeng discovered a mysterious elven mage named Lingxi mentioned in the book. Lingxi was not a mortal being but originated from a sealed otherworld, filled with unknown power and danger. The book implied that Lingxi was inextricably linked to the Dragon Veins, but due to a powerful prohibition, she was trapped in the otherworld, unable to contact the Nine Realms of the real world.
However, to find Lingxi and obtain her help, Chu Lingfeng must first collect the Spirit Crystals scattered throughout the Nine Realms. These crystals are not only the keys to connecting the otherworld and reality but also the targets of contention among various forces in the Nine Realms. The acquisition of each crystal will be a life-or-death struggle.
Chu Lingfeng realized that this would be the most difficult task of his life. He would not only face external enemies but also a silent struggle within himself. He knew well that this journey would bring countless sacrifices, even his closest friends.
The next day, at the first light of dawn, sunlight streamed through the window lattice, sprinkling the ancient hall of the Chu family. A solemn atmosphere filled the family hall, and the air seemed to carry the scent of war. Chu Lingfeng, clad in a suit of silver armor with the family crest gleaming coldly on his chest, stood tall and resolute in the center of the hall, but his thoughtful gaze did not wane.
The elders of the family sat around, their eyes filled with both anticipation and worry. Chu Tianze sat in the main seat, his expression solemn and serious. His gaze fell on Chu Lingfeng, as if to imprint his only son deeply in his memory.
"Lingfeng, this expedition to the Nine Realms, you carry not only the glory of the family but also the future of the Nine Realms," Chu Tianze's voice was deep and powerful, each word striking Chu Lingfeng's heart like a heavy hammer.
Chu Lingfeng nodded, his gaze firm. "Father, I will do my utmost to defend the family's glory and protect the peace of the Nine Realms." His words were filled with determination, but the complex emotions within his heart still surged. He was well aware of the dangers that might be faced in this expedition, but he had no way out.
Beside him, the family's advisors spread out scroll after scroll of maps, detailing the enemies and terrain they were about to face. Every detail was crucial, as this information would determine their life and death.
Chu Lingfeng's mother, dressed in a simple long robe, walked gently to his side, holding a short sword adorned with gems. This was a family heirloom, a symbol of courage and honor. She handed the short sword to Chu Lingfeng, her tone soft yet filled with reluctance: "Take it with you, wherever you go, it will bring you strength and hope."
Chu Lingfeng took the short sword with both hands, feeling the cold blade as if it conveyed the family's strength and conviction. He responded in a low voice, "Mother, I will return safely with it."
At the back of the hall, Liu Han's parents also stood by, Liu Boxiong, a loyal guard of the Chu family for many years, now an old man, but still maintaining the temperament of a soldier. He stood on the other side of the hall, watching his son and Chu Lingfeng, his eyes revealing complex emotions, both proud and deeply worried.
"Father." Liu Han spoke up first, his tone somewhat reluctant, "I will protect the young master and not let him be harmed in any way."
Liu Boxiong nodded slowly, walked up, and patted his son on the shoulder, "You both grew up under my watchful eye. With you by Lingfeng's side, I can rest easy. But remember, always prioritize the young master's safety. The family's honor and responsibility rest on your shoulders."
Chu Lingfeng felt the deep emotions between Liu Han and his father, and his heart grew heavy. He understood that this expedition was not only for the future of the Nine Realms but also for these brothers who entrusted their lives to each other and their families.
"Uncle Liu Boxiong, rest assured, I will bring Liu Han and all the brothers back safely," Chu Lingfeng said solemnly, his gaze as firm as iron.
Liu Boxiong smiled faintly, his smile carrying the gentleness and firmness accumulated over the years, "Young master, I have faith in you. But war is ruthless, and the world is unpredictable. I hope that in times of crisis, you always remember the conviction in your hearts."
Finally, Chu Tianze stood up, handing a gold ring symbolizing royal power to Chu Lingfeng. "Wear it, Lingfeng. This is not only a symbol of the family but also a symbol of your responsibility. Remember, no matter how difficult the journey ahead, you must persevere to the end."
Chu Lingfeng took the ring, feeling its heavy weight. He knew his fate was now closely linked to this ring. The moment he put on the ring, he seemed to feel the spirits of his ancestors watching him, bestowing him with endless courage.
"The family will be with you, Lingfeng," Chu Tianze said solemnly.
Chu Lingfeng took a deep breath, his gaze slowly sweeping over the elders of the family. Finally, he nodded resolutely and turned towards the main hall's door. Outside, the troops were ready, the warriors gripping their weapons, their eyes burning with the same determination as him.
As Chu Lingfeng stepped through the door, the fate of the Nine Realms was being rewritten. The sound of the wind whispered in his ears, as if narrating an epic about to unfold.
**The Sorcerer's Prophecy and Curse**
Before setting out on the journey, Chu Lingfeng decided to visit a sorceress deep in the grasslands. This sorceress, named **Ye'ersha**, was a comrade-in-arms of Chu Lingfeng's father and now lived in seclusion in the depths of the grasslands, guarding ancient secrets.
Chu Lingfeng embarked on the journey deep into the grasslands. The grassland wind brushed his face, distancing him from the hustle and bustle of the city, and entering this vast and mysterious land. The surroundings gradually became desolate and monotonous, the grass undulating in the wind, as if telling endless secrets.
After several days of trekking, he finally arrived at the hermitage of the sorceress Ye'ersha. The thatched cottage stood quietly on an isolated patch of grassland, simple in appearance but full of unique charm. The exterior walls of the cottage were covered with lush vines, verdant and integrated with the surrounding environment, as if a part of nature.
Chu Lingfeng approached the cottage, pushing open the heavy wooden door. The light inside was warm and soft, with rattan and aged herbs hanging on the walls, emitting a faint fragrance. Ancient herbs and dried flowers filled the space, as if silently telling stories of the past. These details gave the entire cottage an air of mystery, as if it held endless wisdom and secrets.
"Lingfeng, you have come here to seek answers, but you must know that some answers are not worth pursuing," Ye'ersha's voice was low, carrying a certain heart-wrenching power.
Chu Lingfeng nodded in greeting, not deterred by Ye'ersha's warning. "I must find Lingxi; only she can help me unravel the secrets of the Dragon Veins."
Ye'ersha gazed at Chu Lingfeng, as if seeing through him to a more distant future.
"Lingxi"is part of your destiny, but also your calamity. To find her, you must face the curse of the grasslands; those ancient forces will not easily let you have them."
She took out an ancient staff from the depths of the cottage, which was covered with mysterious runes and emitted a dim light. "This staff will be your guide, but also your curse. It will help you fight against evil forces on your journey, but every time it is used, it will consume a part of your soul."
Chu Lingfeng took the staff, feeling the power flow through his hands, but also sensing an uneasy premonition. A trace of sorrow flashed through Ye'ersha's eyes; she seemed to foresee the fate that Chu Lingfeng would face.
Just as Chu Lingfeng was about to leave Ye'ersha's cottage, his loyal warrior friend, Liu Han, burst in, his expression anxious. "Lingfeng, we must leave here; I feel something approaching on the grasslands."
Ye'ersha smiled faintly, turned, and left, her figure gradually disappearing into the night. "The wolf pack is coming; the night is their domain. You don't have much time; hurry."
The Desperate Battle on the Grasslands
Chu Lingfeng and Liu Han led their followers quickly away from the sorcerer's cottage, embarking on the return journey. As night fell, the moon hung high in the sky, and the grassland winds were low and distant.
However, it wasn't long before a series of low howls were heard in the distance—the sound of the cursed wolf pack. Ye'ersha's warning was not false; these cursed wolves awakened in the night, like spirits of the grasslands, approaching them with unstoppable force.
"Prepare for battle!" Chu Lingfeng commanded, a hint of determination in his voice.
The wolf pack surged like a black tide, and Chu Lingfeng and his warriors were embroiled in a life-and-death struggle. The power of the wolves far exceeded that of ordinary creatures; their figures swiftly moved through the night, their claws and teeth like sharp blades, tearing through Chu Lingfeng's ranks.
Liu Han stood on the grasslands, the night as dark as ink, the howls of the wolves tearing through the tranquility. He drew his sword, standing firm as the sword edge gleamed coldly in the moonlight, like a twinkling cold star. The wolves surged like a tide, and Liu Han met them head-on, his sword dancing in the wind, each swing filled with determination and courage. His sword light cut through the night sky, intertwining with the shadows of the wolves, and the sparks of battle bloomed on the grasslands.
But the wolves were endless, their eyes glowing green in the dark like messengers of death. Although Liu Han's sword was sharp, it was hard to withstand the continuous onslaught. A giant wolf broke through the defense, and Liu Han met it with his sword; the sword pierced the wolf's body, but immediately another strange wolf pounced from the flank, knocking him to the ground.
Chu Lingfeng, seeing this, felt a sharp pain in his heart, as if a close brother had fallen before him. He tightly grasped Ye'ersha's staff, feeling the power and curse contained within. The staff emitted a dim light under his summoning, as if awakening the ancient gods that slept. Chu Lingfeng raised the staff high, and a beam of light shot out from the tip, illuminating the darkness. The wolves howled in pain in the face of this force, retreating one after another.
However, this power was not without a price. Chu Lingfeng could feel the power in the staff retorting, corroding his will while empowering him, as if another voice whispered in his heart, tempting him to sink.
The battle finally came to a temporary end, leaving only heavy breathing and the moans of the wounded on the grasslands. Liu Han lay on the ground, his gaze lingering on Chu Lingfeng for one last moment before it dimmed forever. Chu Lingfeng knelt beside his friend, filled with grief and anger.
As the battle finally ended, the grasslands were left with only corpses and bloodstains, the night wind bringing a chill that blew over the fallen warriors. Chu Lingfeng knew that this victory was fleeting; he had lost too much, and Liu Han's sacrifice deeply hurt his heart.
With Chu Lingfeng's departure, Ye'ersha stood alone in front of the cottage, her eyes flickering with a mysterious light. She knew that Chu Lingfeng's fate was already set, but his journey had just begun.
Ye'ersha murmured ancient incantations in a low voice, as if telling something to the souls that had long since vanished. Her figure appeared particularly lonely in the grassland wind, but her existence hid deeper secrets.
One day in the future, she would appear again in Chu Lingfeng's journey, but at that time, she would no longer be the current Ye'ersha, but a mysterious figure holding the threads of fate. She would become the key to this game, and what Chu Lingfeng would have to face would not only be external enemies but also the darkness deep within his heart.
With the whisper of the wind, Ye'ersha's figure gradually disappeared into the night, as if she had never existed.
However, her existence left an indelible mark in Chu Lingfeng's heart. The staff, the prophecy, the secrets hidden deep in her eyes, all foretold an irreversible future for him.
The Journey to the Distance
Chu Lingfeng, with the remaining troops, continued on the journey to find the Spirit Crystals. The grasslands gradually receded behind him, but the cruelty of that battle still lingered in his mind. Liu Han's sacrifice made him realize that the road ahead would be more treacherous, and he needed to be more cautious with every step.
On the journey, Chu Lingfeng began to re-examine himself. He was not only the king of Zhongzhou but also an ordinary person struggling in the whirlpool of fate. Ye'ersha's staff occasionally emitted a faint light in his hand, a symbol of power but also a fetter, reminding him of the price of this power.
Every time night fell, Chu Lingfeng could feel the unknown power in the staff trying to intrude upon his mind. It seemed that there were two voices fighting in his heart, one longing for power, the other afraid of being consumed.
The Phantom of Lingxi
In the deep night, by the bonfire, Chu Lingfeng sat quietly aside, holding the ancient book, contemplating Lingxi's mysterious history. Suddenly, the firelight seemed to be distorted by some force, and a phantom appeared in the air, her figure outlined by the faint light, as if integrated with the night. Her eyes sparkled with deep light, and a mysterious smile hung at the corner of her mouth. Every time she waved her arm slightly, the light and shadow around her moved with her actions, as if every breath she took was pulling the dim light in the night.
"Are you... Lingxi?" Chu Lingfeng's voice trembled. He knew this was the guidance of the Spirit Crystal mentioned by the sorcerer Ye'ersha.
Lingxi nodded gently, her voice like an ancient echo, with the ethereal loneliness of another world. "Lingfeng, you are on a dangerous path. But you must understand that true power does not come from the outside but from the tenacity and wisdom within."
"I need your help," Chu Lingfeng looked directly into her eyes, his eyes flickering with a firm light. "Only you can unravel the mystery of the Dragon Veins and save the Nine Realms."
Lingxi's gaze softened but also carried a trace of worry. "I am imprisoned in another world and cannot directly contact you. You must collect the Spirit Crystals and break this prohibition. Only then can I fully appear and fight alongside you."
Chu Lingfeng was silent for a moment. He knew this path was full of unknowns and dangers, but he had no way out. "I will find them, at all costs."
Lingxi's figure gradually dissipated in the firelight, as if she had never existed. But her words were deeply imprinted in Chu Lingfeng's heart, pointing the direction for his journey.
The Shadow of the Future
As dawn broke again, Chu Lingfeng's team continued to move forward. With each step, they became more resolute, but the shadow in their hearts grew heavier. The clues to the Spirit Crystals were getting closer, but with each step closer, they could feel the evil forces hidden in the land of the Nine Realms slowly awakening.
The sorcerer Ye'ersha's prophecy still echoed in Chu Lingfeng's ears, the sentence "Every time you use the staff, it will consume a part of your soul" seemed like an invisible sword hanging over his head. He knew that more tests awaited him ahead, and Liu Han's sacrifice was just the beginning of this journey.
While Chu Lingfeng and his team struggled to move forward on the grasslands, at the secret camp of the Xuanming Clan on the other end of the Nine Realms, shadows danced in the dim light of the fire. The leader of the Xuanming Clan, Cang Ming, stared at the crystal ball in his hand with cold eyes, reflecting the figure of Chu Lingfeng. Every move he made, even his inner doubts, was seen by Cang Ming.
Cang Ming slowly turned the crystal ball in his hand, revealing a satisfied smile. He had long sent the mysterious staff to Chu Lingfeng through the sorcerer Ye'ersha, and this staff was actually a trap set up by Cang Ming. The sorcerer Ye'ersha, once one of the most powerful sorcerers in the Nine Realms, for some unknown reason, had his soul controlled by Cang Ming and became a pawn in the hands of the Xuanming Clan.
The Xuanming Clan is a mysterious race in the oldest legends of the Nine Realms, originating from the shadows of the Dragon Veins, not from the cold abyss. Their origin can be traced back to the early period when the Dragon Veins of the Nine Realms were awakened. Each Dragon Vein not only endowed the state with great power but also nurtured the opposing dark energy—"Ming Energy." This power lurked under the light of the Dragon Veins and gradually awakened as the Dragon Veins declined, condensing into the Xuanming Clan.
Thousands of years ago, the brilliance of the Dragon Veins brought prosperity to the earth, but this power was not pure. Every strand of power released by the Dragon Veins would produce aftershocks, which gathered in the dark corners of the world, eventually forming the "Ming Energy" full of resentment and revenge. Ming Energy gradually nurtured conscious beings, evolving into the Xuanming Clan. They are not simple creatures but are composed of Ming Energy, naturally endowed with the talent to manipulate the power of darkness. The stronger the Dragon Veins, the more their power is suppressed; on the contrary, when the power of the Dragon Veins declines, their power will grow rapidly.
The power of the Xuanming Clan comes from Ming Energy, which can corrode the human mind, leading it to despair and madness. They can also "shadowize" to pass through physical obstacles, travel freely in the shadows of the Nine Realms, and summon the "Ming Shadow Legion" eroded by Ming Energy. These legions are extremely powerful in combat. The leader of the Xuanming Clan, the Shadow of Ming, is the oldest and most powerful being in this race. His wisdom and insight beyond time enable him to foresee future crises. He firmly believes that only the Xuanming Clan can save the Nine Realms, even if it means destroying the existing civilization.
As the darkness quietly spreads across the land of the Nine Realms, Chu Lingfeng's journey has just begun. Every step he takes is for the fate of the Nine Realms and for those friends who sacrificed for him. Chu Lingfeng understands that the future is full of unpredictable challenges, but he will meet every coming trial with wisdom and courage.
However, at the other end of the Nine Realms, the seeds of conspiracy have quietly sprouted. The lords of the East Sea Pearl secretly gathered and began to plan an attack on Zhongzhou. Their reason is that the chaos brought about by the decline of the Dragon Veins has made the power of Zhongzhou precarious, which is the best time to seize control of the Dragon Veins.
"If we can seize the Dragon Veins of Zhongzhou in the chaos, who will be able to shake the position of our East Sea Pearl in the future?" The voice of a lord was deep and ambitious.
Selena Tide did not attend this meeting, but she felt the difference in the tides. The waves of the East Sea seemed to be indicating that a greater storm was brewing.
Here, a new chapter is about to unfold.