As Li Wei and his team continued through the forest, the air grew heavy with an unfamiliar tension. The trees around them seemed to close in, their branches twisting in unnatural ways. It was as if the forest sensed their strength and had decided to test them in new ways, challenging not only their power but also their resolve.
Jin Rui was the first to notice the change. He slowed his steps, his hand tightening around his staff. "Does anyone else feel… that?" His voice was barely more than a whisper.
Li Wei nodded, his senses alert. "Something is here. It's not like the other creatures we've faced."
Zhou Wei held his sword defensively, his eyes narrowed as he scanned their surroundings. "Is it another beast?"
"No." Li Wei's voice was calm, but there was a hardness to it that made the others fall silent. "This feels like something else. Something… older."
Just then, a low rumble echoed through the trees. Shadows began to shift, coalescing into a dark mist that swirled and pulsed around them. The mist twisted and turned, taking the vague shape of figures—flickering silhouettes that seemed to move with purpose, though their forms remained indistinct. Li Wei's eyes narrowed as he recognized a dark familiarity within these figures. They were more than just shadows; they were remnants of the past, echoes of battles fought long ago.
Mei Chen's face paled as one of the shadowy figures drifted close to her. She could feel a chill emanating from it, a cold that went beyond the physical. It was a cold that seemed to reach into her very soul, reminding her of fears she thought she had conquered.
"What are these things?" Mei Chen whispered, barely daring to move.
Li Wei's gaze hardened. "They're shades—fragments of spirits left behind. Sometimes, when cultivators fall in battle, their resentments and unresolved conflicts linger, forming entities like these. They're not fully sentient, but they retain memories of who they once were."
Jin Rui's face contorted with unease. "So they're… ghosts?"
"Not quite," Li Wei replied. "They're more like echoes, imprints of powerful cultivators who died with unfinished desires or hatred. They are dangerous, though. They feed on the energy of the living."
Without warning, one of the shades lunged at Zhou Wei. The movement was so sudden that even with his heightened senses, he barely had time to raise his sword in defense. The shadowy figure's ethereal claw passed through his sword, reaching straight for his heart. Zhou Wei gasped, feeling a sudden and intense pressure in his chest as the shade's touch drained his energy.
Li Wei sprang into action, focusing his Qi into his palm. With a swift strike, he unleashed a burst of energy that collided with the shade, forcing it back. The shadow shrieked, a chilling sound that seemed to vibrate through the trees before dissipating into silence.
"Be careful," Li Wei warned, his tone sharp. "Physical attacks won't work on them. Use your Qi to defend yourselves."
The team tightened their formation, their faces set in grim determination. Each member channeled their energy, their auras glowing faintly in the dim light of the forest. The shades circled them, as if testing for a weakness. Li Wei could sense the malevolent hunger within them. These entities weren't merely trying to scare them—they were looking to consume the team's life force.
Zhou Wei exhaled slowly, focusing his Qi into his sword, causing its blade to shimmer with a faint, ethereal light. He swung it cautiously, and this time, when it connected with a shade, it cleaved through the figure with a burst of energy. The shadow dissipated, scattering like smoke in the wind.
"That's the way," Li Wei encouraged. "If we channel our Qi properly, we can dispel them. Focus on controlling your energy—don't let them get too close."
Jin Rui tightened his grip on his staff, focusing his Qi until the wood glowed faintly. He swung it through a shade that had darted toward him, and the creature dissolved, shrieking as it faded into nothingness.
Meanwhile, Mei Chen stood with her palms open, her Qi shimmering around her hands. She moved gracefully, dodging and striking, using her Qi as a barrier to deflect the shades that approached her. With each move, her confidence grew, her fear replaced by a fierce determination.
Li Jun held his spear steady, thrusting it at an approaching shade with a surge of energy. The spear pierced through the creature, dispersing it with a flicker of ghostly light. His movements were precise and controlled, reflecting the discipline that had brought him to this level.
But as more shades emerged from the mist, it became clear that the team was fighting an uphill battle. For every shade they dispelled, another took its place, and the oppressive cold intensified, sapping their strength bit by bit. Li Wei's senses sharpened as he analyzed the flow of energy within the shades, searching for a weakness.
"These shades are bound here by something," he murmured to himself, realizing that they were unlikely to overcome the shadows if they didn't deal with the source. He scanned the surroundings, trying to sense any unusual fluctuations in the forest's energy.
Then he felt it—a faint pulse, like a heartbeat, emanating from deep within the trees to their left. It was subtle, almost hidden within the natural flow of Qi, but unmistakable in its malevolent rhythm. His eyes narrowed as he followed the source with his gaze.
"There!" he called, pointing toward the origin of the pulse. "The shades are anchored to that spot. We need to break whatever is binding them here."
The team exchanged glances, understanding the need for speed. Without another word, they followed Li Wei as he led them through the dense undergrowth, the shades following like dark specters. As they approached the source, they saw it—a massive, ancient tree with twisted roots that burrowed deep into the earth. Its bark was blackened, and the faint glimmer of corrupted Qi surrounded it, pulsing in sync with the shades' movements.
Zhou Wei stared in horror. "Is that… a cursed tree?"
Li Wei nodded. "Yes. It must have absorbed the lingering resentments of fallen cultivators over the centuries. The shades are bound to it, feeding off its corrupted energy."
Li Jun clenched his jaw, raising his spear. "Then we destroy it."
"No!" Li Wei's voice was firm. "If we attack recklessly, we'll only release more shades. This needs to be done carefully. I'll channel my Qi to sever the flow of corrupted energy from the tree, but I'll need your protection while I concentrate."
His teammates moved into formation around him, their eyes focused on the shades still hovering nearby. Li Wei took a deep breath, placing his hand on the trunk of the ancient tree. He closed his eyes, reaching out with his Qi to disrupt the flow of dark energy.
As he concentrated, the pulse of corruption grew stronger, as if resisting his efforts. The shades hissed, their movements growing more erratic as they sensed the disruption. Several lunged toward Li Wei, but Jin Rui and Mei Chen intercepted them, dispersing the shades with carefully aimed strikes.
Li Wei gritted his teeth, focusing all his willpower on severing the tree's connection to the shades. His Qi clashed with the corrupted energy, a battle of wills as he pushed deeper, channeling his energy into the roots of the tree. The darkness resisted, but Li Wei's determination was unbreakable. Slowly, he felt the flow of corruption weaken, its grip on the shades beginning to falter.
Finally, with one last surge of energy, he severed the connection entirely. The tree shuddered, its bark cracking as the dark aura dissipated. The shades let out a final, piercing shriek before vanishing, their forms dissolving into the air like mist under the sun.
Li Wei staggered back, catching his breath. The team gathered around him, relief evident in their expressions.
"It's over," he said quietly, watching as the ancient tree's twisted form slowly returned to normal, its darkened bark lightening as the last traces of corruption faded.
Mei Chen exhaled, placing a hand on Li Wei's shoulder. "Thank you. I don't think we would have survived this without your guidance."
Li Wei nodded, though his mind was already processing what they had learned. If such malevolent forces lingered in the depths of the forest, then their journey was far from over. But one thing was certain—they had grown stronger together, and no force, no matter how ancient or dark, would stand in their way.
With renewed resolve, the team turned to leave, stepping forward with a unity that spoke of the battles they had fought—and the ones they were ready to face.