As dawn broke over the valley, a sense of dread settled over the village. Dark clouds hung low in the sky, casting long shadows over the narrow streets, as if the heavens themselves knew of the storm that was about to break.
Lin Xi stirred from a fitful sleep, haunted by remnants of dreams she could barely recall. Each night, the illusions grew stronger, tugging at the edges of her mind and filling her with an unease she couldn't shake. She could no longer tell if the emotions welling up inside her were truly her own or manifestations of the curse. But beneath it all, her fear was simple yet devastating: that her love for Su Qinghe was nothing more than a trick of fate, a cruel consequence of the curse they were bound to fight.
In the village square, Su Qinghe noticed the villagers gathering in hushed groups, murmuring with worry and distrust. A series of strange incidents had spread unease like wildfire. Crops had begun withering overnight, wells had run dry, and livestock had vanished without a trace. The villagers, once so grateful to Lin Xi and Su Qinghe for their protection, now looked at them with suspicion in their eyes, whispering accusations behind their backs.
"This never happened before the Guardians returned," one elderly woman muttered, clutching her shawl tightly. "Perhaps they bring the curse upon us rather than protecting us from it."
Others nodded, unwilling to voice their fears aloud but visibly distressed. Fear and uncertainty were infectious, spreading through the village like a sickness. Lin Xi felt the weight of their distrust, a heavy burden pressing down on her heart. Her once-unshakeable faith in her mission wavered with every distrustful glance, every whispered doubt.
It wasn't long before the villagers' fears coalesced into open resentment. By noon, a crowd had gathered at Lin Xi's doorstep, their faces twisted in anger and fear. The village elder, once a steadfast supporter of the Guardians, stepped forward, his eyes hard and accusing.
"Guardian Lin Xi," he said, his voice echoing through the tense silence, "the people are suffering, and strange things are happening all around us. You promised to protect us, yet the curse only seems to grow stronger in your presence."
Lin Xi's heart pounded as she faced the crowd, their distrust a tangible force pressing in on her. She had always been able to rely on her strength and purpose, but now, with the curse blurring the lines between reality and illusion, she could hardly find the words to defend herself. She glanced at Su Qinghe, hoping his calm assurance would anchor her, but even he looked troubled, his eyes clouded with worry.
"Elder, I don't know what's causing these events," Lin Xi replied, her voice steady yet edged with desperation. "But Su Qinghe and I are doing everything we can to protect you. This curse… it's more powerful than we anticipated."
Another voice from the crowd shouted, "Perhaps you're the reason it's so powerful! Maybe your presence brings it closer, infecting our village!" Others murmured in agreement, their eyes filled with a mixture of fear and resentment. Lin Xi could feel the thin thread of trust they had once shared unraveling.
Unbeknownst to Lin Xi and Su Qinghe, Hēilóng Dì's general watched from the shadows. Disguised as a villager, he had quietly spread rumors throughout the village for days, planting seeds of doubt and fear among the people. His words were subtle, whispers that sounded like genuine concern, hints of doubt that festered until they became full-fledged suspicion. His dark magic had caused the crops to wither and the wells to dry, carefully crafted to erode the villagers' faith in the Guardians.
And now, as he watched Lin Xi struggle to calm the angry crowd, he allowed himself a small, triumphant smile. The Guardians were no longer the symbols of hope they once were. They were becoming the villagers' scapegoats, and soon, they would be isolated, defenseless, and alone.
The general's mission was clear: to fracture the Guardians' unity, to push Lin Xi and Su Qinghe to the breaking point where they would doubt not only the villagers but each other. His dark master, Hēilóng Dì, had no intention of allowing them to remain a united front against the curse. He would break them, piece by piece, until they no longer trusted anyone—not even themselves.
As night fell, Lin Xi sat alone by the river, her mind a storm of conflicting emotions. Her thoughts drifted back to the images that haunted her dreams, memories of a life she couldn't fully remember yet couldn't forget. Her bond with Su Qinghe, once her greatest source of strength, now felt fragile, tainted by doubt and despair.
Su Qinghe found her there, his face etched with worry. "Lin Xi, you can't let their doubts get to you. The curse is feeding on their fear, turning them against us. But we know the truth. We are here to protect them, even if they don't understand."
Lin Xi looked up at him, her eyes filled with a mixture of sadness and frustration. "But what if they're right, Su Qinghe? What if… what if our presence really is making things worse? I don't even know if I can trust my own feelings anymore. The curse—this darkness inside me—it's changing me, twisting my thoughts."
Su Qinghe reached for her hand, his touch warm and reassuring. "No curse can change who you are, Lin Xi. You are a Guardian, and I believe in you. I believe in us. Whatever we face, we face it together."
His words were a balm to her weary heart, a reminder of the love and trust they shared. But even as she clung to his reassurance, a small, insidious voice whispered in the back of her mind, sowing seeds of doubt that she couldn't ignore.
Meanwhile, Hēilóng Dì watched the scene unfold through his enchanted crystal, his expression one of cruel satisfaction. His general's report had confirmed his suspicions: Lin Xi was on the verge of breaking. The curse's grip on her mind was tightening with each passing day, eroding her will, her resolve, and her trust in those around her.
He had orchestrated the perfect trap, drawing her into a web of doubt and despair that would ultimately sever her bond with Su Qinghe. And when the time came, when she was lost and vulnerable, he would strike, crushing the last remnants of her hope and bending her to his will.
But Hēilóng Dì was patient. He knew that victory would come not through brute force, but through the slow, relentless erosion of his enemies' spirits. And so, he waited, content in the knowledge that the Guardians were already teetering on the edge of oblivion.