The fading echo of the stranger's laughter lingered in the air long after he had vanished into the forest. Lin Xi's heart still raced, the cold grip of fear clinging to her as she stood in the aftermath of the encounter. Xu Jian paced restlessly, his sword still unsheathed, his expression hardened into one of grim determination.
"That man," Xu Jian muttered, shaking his head. "He knew about the curse. And about you."
Lin Xi tightened her grip on the pendant, feeling its faint warmth beneath her fingers. "He said we were too late. That the real darkness is still coming."
"Typical cryptic nonsense," Xu Jian said, though there was an edge of worry in his voice. "Whoever he is, he's part of something bigger—something that's been set in motion long before we arrived here."
Lin Xi turned, staring into the thick forest where the stranger had disappeared. She couldn't help but feel that the man had been testing them, gauging their strength. But for what purpose?
"We need answers," she said, turning back to Xu Jian. "Su Qinghe might know more about this than he's letting on. He warned us about the curse, but how much does he actually know?"
Xu Jian sheathed his sword, his expression unreadable. "You think he's hiding something?"
Lin Xi hesitated, then nodded. "Yes. He's too... calm about all of this. And his family's connection to the Guardians can't be a coincidence. He's got to know more about the curse and what we're really dealing with."
Xu Jian folded his arms, his eyes narrowing in thought. "If that's true, then we'll need to confront him. But carefully. We can't risk pushing him away—he's still the best lead we have."
Lin Xi agreed, though her mind was clouded with doubt. Su Qinghe had been a valuable ally so far, but his cryptic warnings and evasive answers were starting to wear on her patience. If they were going to stop the curse and face whatever darkness was coming, they needed all the information they could get.
"We'll find him," Lin Xi said. "But first, we need to rest. That battle took more out of me than I realized."
Xu Jian nodded, glancing around the clearing. "Agreed. We should set up camp nearby. It's too dangerous to travel through the forest at night, especially with whatever else might be lurking out there."
They moved away from the temple ruins, finding a small clearing nestled between the trees. As they set up camp, the silence between them was heavy, each of them lost in their own thoughts.
Lin Xi sat by the fire, the warmth soothing her tired body, but her mind remained restless. She couldn't shake the feeling that time was slipping away, that the darkness they had only just glimpsed was drawing closer with every passing moment.
As the fire crackled softly, Xu Jian finally broke the silence. "You know, you handled yourself well back there."
Lin Xi glanced at him, surprised by the compliment. "Thanks. I'm still getting used to this... power."
Xu Jian nodded, his gaze steady. "You're stronger than you think. The pendant—whatever it is—it's responding to you because you're capable of using it. But you can't rely on it alone. We're going to need more than just magic to face what's coming."
Lin Xi frowned, absently tracing the pendant's surface with her fingertips. "I know. But every time I use it, I feel... connected to something. Like I'm tapping into a power I don't fully understand."
Xu Jian considered her words for a moment before speaking. "Maybe that's the point. The Guardians didn't leave that pendant behind for just anyone. They must have known who would find it. Maybe they trusted you to figure it out."
Lin Xi wasn't sure if she believed that, but the thought gave her a small sense of comfort. She had been thrust into this situation without warning, but she wasn't completely helpless. She had the pendant, her own abilities, and allies—like Xu Jian—who were willing to stand beside her.
They sat in silence for a while longer, the fire crackling softly, before Xu Jian finally spoke again. "Tomorrow, we'll head to Su Qinghe. We need to know everything he's been hiding."
---
The next morning, they broke camp and began the journey back to Su Qinghe's estate. The sun filtered through the trees, casting long shadows on the forest floor as they made their way through the dense woods. The encounter with the dark figure weighed heavily on Lin Xi's mind, but she forced herself to focus on their immediate goal: confronting Su Qinghe.
As they neared the estate, Lin Xi felt a familiar twinge of uncertainty. Su Qinghe had been an enigma from the start—calm, polite, always offering just enough information to keep them interested, but never enough to satisfy their questions. Now, they would have to demand answers.
The gates of the estate loomed ahead, and Lin Xi could see Su Qinghe standing at the entrance, as if he had been expecting them. His expression was unreadable, but there was a glint in his eyes that made Lin Xi's stomach twist with unease.
"Lin Xi, Xu Jian," Su Qinghe greeted them with a slight bow. "I take it your journey into the forest was eventful."
Lin Xi wasted no time. "We found the temple—and fought something that was sealed inside. There's more going on than you've told us, Su Qinghe. It's time you explain what you know about the curse. All of it."
Su Qinghe's gaze flickered, his calm facade faltering for the briefest moment before he smiled. "I see. You've encountered one of the ancient guardians of the curse. That's to be expected."
Lin Xi's frustration boiled over. "That's not enough. You knew we'd find something dangerous out there, and you still sent us. Why?"
Su Qinghe's expression darkened. "Because you needed to see it for yourselves. The curse is not something that can be explained easily—it's a living force, one that reacts to the presence of those connected to it. Like you, Lin Xi."
Lin Xi felt her breath catch in her throat. "Connected to it? What are you talking about?"
Su Qinghe stepped closer, his voice lowering to a conspiratorial tone. "The pendant you wear—it belonged to one of the original Guardians. But you already knew that, didn't you? What you may not realize is that the Guardians themselves were not immune to the curse they sought to contain. Some of them... became part of it."
Lin Xi stared at him, her mind racing. "Part of it?"
Su Qinghe nodded. "The Guardians sealed the curse within the temples, but in doing so, they bound themselves to its fate. Their power is what keeps the curse contained—but it also means that their descendants carry a connection to that same darkness."
Lin Xi felt a chill run down her spine. "You're saying... I'm one of them?"
Su Qinghe's eyes were steady, but there was a hint of sympathy in his voice. "Yes. The pendant chose you because you carry the bloodline of the Guardians. The curse is tied to your past—and your future."
Xu Jian stepped forward, his voice sharp. "Why didn't you tell us this from the beginning?"
Su Qinghe sighed, looking weary for the first time since they had met him. "Because I wasn't certain how much you were ready to hear. The curse is not just a danger to the world—it's a danger to you, Lin Xi. You have the power to stop it, but that power comes at a price."
Lin Xi's head spun with the weight of his words. She had suspected there was more to her connection to the pendant, but to hear it confirmed left her feeling unsteady. The curse wasn't just a distant threat—it was part of her, tied to her bloodline, her identity. And now, it seemed that her role in stopping it was more complicated—and dangerous—than she had realized.
"What kind of price?" Lin Xi asked, her voice barely above a whisper.
Su Qinghe's gaze softened. "That's something you'll have to discover for yourself. But know this: the darkness is growing stronger. The time to confront it is coming soon. And when that time comes, you must be ready to face the truth."
Lin Xi swallowed hard, her heart pounding in her chest. The truth. She wasn't sure what that meant, but she knew that whatever lay ahead, it was going to challenge everything she thought she knew about herself.
As Su Qinghe turned and led them inside the estate, Lin Xi felt a cold knot of dread settle in her stomach. The real battle was still to come, and now, more than ever, she needed to be prepared—for the curse, for the truth, and for the darkness that awaited them all.