The weight of the battle still hung in the air as Lin Xi and the others emerged from the ancient ruins. The midday sun beat down on them, a stark contrast to the oppressive darkness they had just left behind. Su Qinghe was still pale from his efforts, and Lin Xi herself felt as though the magic of the seal had drained a part of her soul.
But there was no time to rest. The Black Dragon Emperor was still out there, and every second they delayed, Hēilóng Dì grew stronger.
"Where do we go from here?" Shēng Lóng asked, leaning on his spear as he surveyed the land ahead. His eyes were sharp, but Lin Xi could see the weariness in his posture.
Su Qinghe held the relic up, examining it. Though they had sealed away the dark energy in the ruins, the relic had absorbed some of its power. It was glowing faintly, a reminder of the ancient magic they now held.
"We need to find the next piece of the puzzle," Su Qinghe said, his voice steady despite his obvious exhaustion. "There are other relics, other places of power, hidden across the land. If we can gather them, we'll stand a chance against Hēilóng Dì. But we'll need to move quickly. His forces won't wait for us to be ready."
Lin Xi glanced around at their surroundings. The rolling hills stretched out before them, but something felt off. There was a stillness to the air that didn't belong. The quiet wasn't peaceful—it was the calm before the storm.
"We're being watched," Lin Xi said softly, her eyes narrowing as she scanned the horizon.
Liú Jùn, always quick to pick up on danger, drew his twin blades. "You sure? I don't see anything."
"That's because they're hiding in the shadows," Lin Xi replied, her voice low. She could feel it now—an unnatural presence, lurking just out of sight. The dark magic they had faced in the ruins had left a trace, and it was being followed.
"Get ready," Su Qinghe warned, his hand tightening around the relic.
Suddenly, from the nearby treeline, dark figures began to emerge—shadows twisting into solid form. There were five of them, their bodies draped in dark cloaks, their faces hidden beneath blackened masks. Their presence was suffocating, like the very air around them had turned cold.
Lin Xi's hand instinctively went to her sword. "Servants of Hēilóng Dì," she muttered, her heart pounding.
Shēng Lóng was the first to act, charging forward with his spear raised. He struck out at the nearest figure, but the shadow twisted, avoiding his blow with an unnatural fluidity. The others closed in, their movements almost like liquid as they surrounded the group.
"They're fast!" Liú Jùn called out, his blades flashing as he parried an attack from one of the shadowy figures.
Lin Xi quickly found herself locked in battle with one of the cloaked enemies. The figure moved with an eerie grace, its attacks swift and precise. She blocked a strike aimed at her chest, the force of the blow sending a shockwave through her arms. These weren't ordinary opponents—they were infused with dark magic, their bodies enhanced by the power of the Black Dragon Emperor.
Su Qinghe stood at the center of the fight, the relic in his hand glowing brighter as he channeled its magic. He muttered ancient incantations under his breath, and the air around him shimmered with energy. With a burst of light, he unleashed a wave of magic, forcing the shadows to retreat momentarily.
"They're trying to overwhelm us!" Su Qinghe shouted. "We need to work together!"
Lin Xi nodded, quickly adjusting her stance. She could feel the pull of the dark magic in the air, the remnants of the energy they had sealed away in the ruins. But she also felt the power of the relic, and that gave her hope.
"We'll take them down one by one," Lin Xi called out to the others. "Stay close, don't let them separate us!"
Shēng Lóng, Liú Jùn, and Su Qinghe fell into formation, their backs to one another as the shadowy figures closed in once more. This time, they were ready.
Lin Xi moved with precision, her sword slicing through the air as she engaged the shadow that had targeted her. Each strike was met with resistance, but she was determined to break through. With a quick feint, she disarmed her opponent, sending its weapon clattering to the ground. Before the figure could recover, Lin Xi delivered a decisive blow, her blade cutting through the darkness.
The figure dissolved into a wisp of black smoke, disappearing into the wind.
"One down," Lin Xi muttered, turning her attention to the others.
Shēng Lóng had managed to drive his spear into the chest of another figure, pinning it to the ground. The shadow thrashed and twisted, but Shēng Lóng held firm, his strength overpowering the creature until it, too, dissipated into smoke.
Liú Jùn danced around his opponent, his twin blades flashing in the sunlight as he struck with lightning speed. With a well-timed slash, he took down his target, its form unraveling into nothingness.
Su Qinghe, meanwhile, had focused his magic on the remaining two figures. The relic in his hand pulsed with power, and with a flick of his wrist, he sent a wave of energy crashing into them. The shadows recoiled, their forms flickering before they collapsed under the force of Su Qinghe's spell.
As the last of the shadows faded, the air around them seemed to lighten, the oppressive weight of dark magic lifting.
Lin Xi took a deep breath, lowering her sword as the immediate danger passed. "They were just scouts," she said, her voice tight with frustration. "Hēilóng Dì is testing us."
Su Qinghe nodded. "He's growing stronger. The relic's power is drawing him closer. We need to keep moving."
"Where to next?" Liú Jùn asked, wiping the sweat from his brow.
Su Qinghe glanced at the relic, his expression serious. "We need to find the next place of power. It's hidden deep in the mountains to the north—a place where the Guardians once gathered."
Lin Xi felt a surge of determination. They had won this battle, but the war against the Black Dragon Emperor was far from over. With each step they took, they were moving closer to their final confrontation with Hēilóng Dì—and the fate of the world hung in the balance.