Liu Chen stood firmly before the dark opening leading into the depths of the forest.
This was no ordinary forest; he could feel the flow of strong spiritual energy around him, as if the very earth was warning him not to proceed.
But Liu, with his cautious and ambitious nature, wasn't the type to retreat in the face of mysterious warnings or potential dangers.
He knew that true power required sacrifice and risk.
Zhang Ming, standing behind him, hesitated.
"Are... are you sure this is the place?" he asked, his voice betraying clear unease.
Zhang felt something unnatural, something terrifying emanating from the darkness ahead of them, but at the same time, he felt an inexplicable pull, a power he had never sensed before.
Without turning to Zhang, Liu Chen replied,
"Yes, this is the place. If you want power, you must be willing to go where others fear to tread."
His tone was calm and confident, as though fear was something unfamiliar to him.
Liu looked ahead, his steps steady as he began walking through the dark opening.
The air here was heavier, as if it was saturated with ancient energy that had lain dormant for ages.
The trees grew denser, their leaves seeming to breathe slowly with every step Liu took.
Zhang followed behind nervously, his hands trembling slightly, but he didn't dare turn back now.
After a short distance, the ground beneath their feet began to change.
The soil here was unnaturally damp, and Liu could feel something strange flowing beneath it.
It wasn't just water; it was something else, something spiritual.
"Do you feel that?" Liu asked without looking back at Zhang.
Zhang looked down at his feet anxiously.
"Yes, but... it's different. I've never felt anything like this before."
Liu smiled faintly.
"That's why this forest is considered forbidden. No ordinary cultivator can endure being here for long. But we are not ordinary cultivators, are we?"
Zhang hesitated before answering, but eventually nodded.
He knew that Liu possessed a great deal of confidence in himself and that he wouldn't have taken this path without a clear plan.
Still, something inside him screamed for him to flee.
Just then, Liu's steps suddenly halted. He looked around carefully, then slowly moved toward a specific spot on the ground as if something was drawing him there.
"What's wrong?" Zhang asked, trying to suppress his anxiety.
"Here... I can feel something," Liu said softly as he knelt down, placing his hands on the damp soil.
He closed his eyes for a few moments, as if trying to communicate with something unseen.
Suddenly, the ground beneath them shook lightly.
Zhang jumped back in fear, but Liu remained calm, as though the tremors were part of his plan.
"This is it..." Liu whispered in a barely audible voice.
"It's here."
At that moment, a faint light began to rise from the ground where Liu's hand was placed.
The light was a deep blue, spectral in nature, slowly ascending toward the sky.
Zhang stepped back further, his eyes wide with fear and astonishment.
"What... what is that?!" Zhang shouted.
Liu smiled a small smile, his eyes fixed on the light.
"It's ancient spiritual energy. The energy of a creature that has been trapped here for countless ages. Now, it's time for us to harness it."
Zhang couldn't comprehend what was happening, but he knew one thing, this was not something to be tampered with.
But Liu, as usual, had planned everything carefully. He wasn't here just to explore; he was here to gain power, whatever the cost.
Suddenly, the blue light intensified, and strange shapes began to form in the air around them.
These shapes resembled phantoms, as if they were
trapped spirits seeking freedom. But Liu showed no fear; in fact, he seemed to relish what was happening.
"This is what we were searching for, Zhang." Liu said as he stood slowly, watching the phantoms surrounding him.
"These spirits hold immense energy. And if we can control them... we will become unstoppable."
But in that moment, the phantoms began to move toward them rapidly, as if they were trying to attack.
Zhang screamed in terror and tried to retreat quickly, but Liu did not move.
Instead, he closed his eyes and raised his right hand toward the approaching spirits.
"Spirit Control..." Liu muttered softly.
Suddenly, the spirits stopped in their tracks, as if something had seized control of them.
They swayed in the air, almost as if they were acknowledging Liu's authority.
Zhang watched in shock, unable to believe what he was seeing.
"How... how did you do that?" Zhang asked, his voice trembling.
Liu slowly opened his eyes and looked at Zhang with a slight smile.
"Controlling spirits requires more than just spiritual power. It requires a strong will. And if you're willing to pay the price, you can get what you want."
Zhang looked at Liu hesitantly.
"What price are you talking about?"
Liu didn't answer directly. Instead, he gestured toward the spirits hovering around them and said,
"Everything in this world comes with a price, Zhang. If you want power, you must be willing to sacrifice. The spirits you see before you... they were once part of powerful creatures, but now they are merely tools we can use."
A shiver ran down Zhang's spine.
He wasn't sure if he was ready to pay the price Liu was speaking of, but he had no other option. He knew that Liu had already become strong enough to control these spirits, and if he didn't follow in his footsteps, he might end up a victim of them.
"Alright, what do we do now?" Zhang finally asked, resigned to the situation.
Liu looked at the spirits around him and calmly said,
"Now, we will use these spirits. This is just the beginning. If we can control more of them, we will become more powerful than anyone in this world."
He then pointed to Zhang, saying,
"You will be my first test. If you can control these spirits without losing your mind, you will be able to stand by my side on this journey."
Zhang swallowed hard, but didn't object.
He had already chosen to join Liu, and now he had to prove his worth.
Liu took a step back and allowed the spirits to slowly approach Zhang.
Zhang felt immense fear rising in his heart, but he knew he couldn't run now. All he had to do was focus.
"Remember," Liu said calmly,
"if you don't control them, they will control you."
At that moment, the spirits engulfed Zhang entirely.
…