The Mystic Realm was unlike anything Lin Xue had ever experienced. As soon as she stepped through the portal, the world shifted around her—lush, verdant landscapes stretched as far as the eye could see, dotted with ancient ruins and towering mountains. The air was thick with spiritual energy, more potent than any she had encountered in the sect. It was clear that this realm was filled with treasures, but also dangers lurking beneath the surface.
The light faded, and Lin Xue, Liang Chen, and Xu Feng found themselves standing in a vast forest, its trees impossibly tall, their branches intertwining to form a canopy that blotted out much of the sky. The ground was soft underfoot, and the air was thick with the scent of unknown herbs and plants.
Liang Chen let out a low whistle. "Well, this is certainly more… lively than I expected."
Xu Feng, ever cautious, surveyed their surroundings with a critical eye. "Don't be fooled. The Mystic Realm is full of opportunities, but it's just as full of danger. We need to stay sharp."
Lin Xue nodded in agreement, her expression hidden behind her veil. She could feel the spiritual energy around her, thrumming beneath the surface of the earth. The plants here weren't just ordinary—they were rare spiritual herbs, some of which could enhance cultivation or be used to create powerful pills.
They moved cautiously through the forest, their senses on high alert. Lin Xue led the way, her spiritual awareness extending outward as she scouted for any signs of danger—or opportunity.
After a short while, they came across a small clearing. In the center of the clearing stood a tall, ancient tree with deep purple leaves that shimmered in the sunlight. At its base grew a cluster of pale blue flowers, their petals glowing faintly with spiritual energy.
Xu Feng crouched down to examine them more closely. "These are Lunar Spirit Flowers," he said, his voice tinged with excitement. "They're incredibly rare, even in the sect. They can be used to refine high-grade spirit pills that boost cultivation."
Liang Chen grinned. "Looks like we're off to a good start."
Lin Xue remained silent, her eyes focused on the tree itself. She could feel something strange emanating from it, a deep and ancient energy that pulsed beneath its bark. Without a word, she approached the tree and placed her hand on its trunk. As soon as her fingers touched the wood, a surge of cold energy rushed through her, chilling her to the bone.
"This tree," she said quietly, "is more than just a source of herbs. It's connected to the flow of spiritual energy in this area. If we tap into it, we might be able to find more treasures nearby."
Xu Feng looked up from the flowers, intrigued. "You can sense that?"
Lin Xue nodded, though she offered no further explanation. Her sensitivity to spiritual energy had always been stronger than most, and now, with her dual Ice and Darkness bodies awakening, that sensitivity was growing even sharper.
They worked quickly, gathering the Lunar Spirit Flowers and storing them in their pouches. Lin Xue used her spiritual energy to channel a small amount of the tree's power, creating a map of the surrounding area in her mind. As she had suspected, there were several pockets of strong spiritual energy nearby, each one a potential source of rare treasures.
"We should head northeast," Lin Xue said, turning to her companions. "There's something there—a cluster of spiritual energy, much stronger than what we've found here."
Liang Chen didn't hesitate. "Lead the way."
They moved swiftly through the forest, the atmosphere between them relatively amicable. Though Lin Xue still kept her distance emotionally, she couldn't deny that Liang Chen and Xu Feng were capable. Liang Chen's straightforward confidence, while occasionally grating, had proven useful in several situations already, and Xu Feng's keen intellect and strategy made him a valuable ally. For now, their alliance was serving its purpose.
After several minutes of walking, they arrived at another clearing. This one was much larger than the last, and at its center stood a massive stone altar, covered in moss and vines. Strange, glowing symbols were etched into its surface, and the air around it was thick with spiritual energy.
Liang Chen's eyes widened. "That's an ancient formation! If we activate it, who knows what kind of treasures could appear?"
Xu Feng, ever cautious, approached the altar carefully. "Be careful. Ancient formations can be dangerous if we don't understand them. We need to analyze it first."
Lin Xue, however, had already sensed something deeper. The spiritual energy here was different—it wasn't just ambient energy like in the rest of the forest. It was concentrated, focused. There was something beneath the altar, something powerful.
Ignoring Xu Feng's warning, Lin Xue placed her hand on the altar. Instantly, the symbols on its surface flared to life, glowing brightly as the formation activated. The ground beneath them rumbled, and the vines covering the altar began to wither and fall away, revealing the stone beneath.
"What are you doing?!" Xu Feng shouted, alarmed. "You can't just—"
Before he could finish, the altar split open with a loud crack, revealing a hidden chamber beneath. Inside, nestled among the stone, were several ancient artifacts—crystals, weapons, and a small, intricately carved box that glowed with a soft, otherworldly light.
Liang Chen let out a low whistle. "Well, I'll be damned. Looks like you were right, Lin Xue."
Xu Feng, though still tense, couldn't hide his interest as he stepped forward to examine the artifacts. "These… these are ancient relics. The sect's elders would kill to get their hands on these."
Lin Xue ignored them, her eyes fixed on the glowing box. It was small, easily fitting into the palm of her hand, but the energy it radiated was unlike anything she had ever felt. Dark, cold, and ancient, it seemed to call out to her, resonating with the Ice and Darkness bodies she had only recently begun to understand.
Without a word, she picked up the box. As soon as her fingers touched it, a surge of cold energy rushed through her, more intense than anything she had felt before. For a moment, the world around her seemed to fade away, replaced by an endless expanse of darkness and ice. In that moment, she felt the full weight of her potential—the power that she could wield if she mastered her cultivation.
She quickly regained her composure, storing the box in her pouch without saying anything. Liang Chen and Xu Feng were too busy marveling at the other treasures to notice the shift in her aura, but Lin Xue knew that what she had just found was something far more valuable than any of the other relics in the chamber.
"Let's move," Lin Xue said, her voice steady. "There's more to find, and we're not the only ones here."
Liang Chen grinned, clearly enjoying the thrill of the hunt. "Lead the way, fearless leader."
Xu Feng, though still wary, nodded in agreement. "We've already found more than most will in their entire time here. Let's not get careless."
As they left the clearing, Lin Xue couldn't help but glance down at the pouch where the glowing box rested. Whatever it was, it had awakened something within her—a hunger for power, for control. She had always wanted strength, but now, a new ambition was beginning to stir within her.
Ruling the world, standing at the pinnacle of cultivation—these were goals that no one could know about. But deep down, Lin Xue knew that this was her true path. And she would let nothing stand in her way.