"Mother, I will go out of the city to complete the Cai Ji task first. You stay here in the inn," Li Chou said.
"Alright, Chou'er," his mother nodded slightly, her eyes filled with concern. "Be careful when you go outside. If you encounter any danger, return immediately. I will wait for you here."
"I will, Mother." With that, Li Chou took the task list and walked out of the Bright Inn, heading toward the city gates.
Outside the city, his heart was a mix of nervousness and excitement; the world beyond was full of unknowns and challenges for him. He tried to recall the details of the task, silently reciting the items he needed to gather for the Cai Ji.
As he stepped through the city gates, the scenery around him was stunning. Sunlight filtered through the thin clouds onto the land, but as he went deeper, the surroundings gradually darkened, carrying a faint sense of pressure. He took a deep breath, focused his mind, and decided to find a safe place to start looking for the items.
He scanned his surroundings, searching for a potential hiding spot. In the distance, he noticed a small clearing shielded by trees that seemed like a good place to investigate. Li Chou approached quietly, careful not to disturb any creatures nearby.
In the clearing, he began searching thoroughly for the items listed in the task. As time passed, he felt as if everything around him was watching him, a faint feeling of unease rising in his heart. He reminded himself to stay alert, listening closely to any sounds nearby.
Suddenly, he heard a low murmur, as if someone were whispering. He turned around cautiously, looking in all directions, but saw nothing.
Li Chou continued his careful exploration in the dim surroundings, his gaze sharp as he studied the task map for the mysterious markers. Anxiety crept into his heart; the rare ingredients required to make the elixir could only be found in specific locations.
He traversed a desolate area filled with a cold, eerie aura. The twisted trees seemed to warn him of impending danger. Li Chou focused his senses, silently reciting the characteristics of the material he sought, directing all his attention to his perceptions.
Then, a faint glimmer of light caught his eye—like a glimmer of hope in the darkness. Li Chou hurried toward the source, silently chanting, "I hope that's the material I need for my task."
His heart filled with excitement. The Youguang Flower was not only the primary goal of his journey but also a crucial material for advancing to the Youying Realm. Legend held that this flower contained pure, powerful energy capable of helping practitioners break through bottlenecks and reach higher levels.
He carefully studied the Youguang Flower, recalling its legends. Ancient records claimed that the flower bloomed at specific hours, its glow intensifying and drawing surrounding spiritual energy. Harvesting it at this precise time would yield higher-quality materials, with even more potent effects for cultivation.
However, a sense of danger lingered within him. As he expected, the beauty of the Youguang Flower did not equate to safety. In this dark world, many would stop at nothing to seize such rare materials. Li Chou knew he had to act quickly.
He swiftly but carefully picked the Youguang Flower, placing it securely in a spirit herb box to prevent any damage. As he prepared to leave, the air around him tensed up again, and a chilling aura came toward him. Li Chou spun around, alert, scanning his surroundings and bracing for any threats.
Two dark beasts appeared in the grass—an Ancan Tiger pair resembling saber-toothed tigers, one male and one female. They circled him, eyeing his herb box and searching for a chance to strike. Cold sweat beaded on Li Chou's forehead as he steeled himself, trying to anticipate their attacks. The tension in the air was palpable.
"Damn, they're both in the early Yinming Realm, and I'm only in the mid-stage of the Anxi Realm. I don't stand a chance in a direct fight," Li Chou thought, "Stay calm. There's always a way out." Just then, the beasts launched their attack. Both pounced simultaneously. Li Chou sidestepped, gathering dark energy in his hand, and struck one of the beasts. Then he quickly ducked, evading the other's attack, and kicked it hard, then got up with dark energy gathered in his fists.
Closing his eyes, Li Chou felt the flow of darkness around him, sensing the trajectory of the beasts' attacks. He struck a series of punches, landing one on a beast. At that moment, it suddenly gathered energy in its hind leg and unleashed a powerful dark wave at him. Li Chou's pupils narrowed as he dodged, thinking, "That was close—this attack would have severely injured me if it hit!"
While lost in thought, one of the beasts pounced and wounded him. "That was close. Thank goodness I trained in 'Dark Breath,' which strengthened my body; otherwise, I would have been done for." Training in 'Dark Breath' had made his body several times stronger than that of other cultivators in his realm.
Li Chou turned and fled into the dense forest. The darkness of the Eternal Night meant the two beasts could only track him by scent. Hiding behind a tree, he used dark energy to conceal his presence, his eyes gleaming. "Now it's my turn!" With a thought, he vanished into the darkness, ready to strike a lethal blow.
The two beasts arrived, sensing Li Chou's presence lingering there, and attacked northward. Smoke filled the area, and as it cleared, the beasts realized, stunned, that no one was there. Just then, Li Chou leaped from behind them, landing a heavy blow on one of their backs. The injured beast did not die immediately, and the other one pounced, but missed. After his punch, Li Chou rolled into the underbrush, hiding again.
Using "Dark Breath" once more to amplify his attack, he struck twice more, with the third blow finally killing one of the beasts. Only the injured beast remained, and Li Chou showed no mercy, launching another round of attacks. Moments later, he defeated it.
Breathing heavily, Li Chou sat down, exhausted. "That was close. I'm at my limit, but at least I killed them." He quickly sat cross-legged, activating "Dark Breath" to replenish his energy.
Hours later, Li Chou opened his eyes, a surge of dark energy rippling around him. He felt a powerful force flowing through him, a smile forming on his lips. "I've broken through! This battle has tempered me, and I finally reached the peak of the Anxi Realm."
Standing up, he stretched, feeling the resilience in every fiber of his body, and glanced at the remains of the Ancan Tigers, silent witnesses to his life-and-death struggle.
"The collection task is complete. Next is delivering the message." He murmured, his gaze toward the depths of the Eternal Night, where darkness seemed endless, swallowing everything. But at this moment, his heart was filled with resolve.
"No matter how dangerous the path ahead, I will complete this task." Tightening his fists, his figure melted into the shadows, moving swiftly toward his new destination.
The Eternal Night may be deep, but the light within his heart shone ever brighter.
Li Chou moved quickly through the darkness, the surroundings blurring, only the occasional sound of the wind passing by his ears. He became calm, fully focused on the urgency of his task.
Suddenly, he heard a faint noise ahead. Stopping abruptly, he held his breath, his gaze sharp as an eagle's, alertly scanning the area. In the darkness, shadows moved with a hidden, dangerous aura.
"It seems I'm not the only one who knows the importance of this message." Li Chou thought, stepping back quietly, adjusting his position. He had to continue without alerting these figures. Delivering the message was crucial, and any delay could bring unforeseeable consequences.
He took a deep breath, activated "Dark Breath," and blended completely into the darkness, silently bypassing the unknown enemies.
Each step was careful and precise.
Li Chou bypassed the lurking enemies, moving forward with high alert. He knew these people might be here to stop him or perhaps were just cultivators who had accidentally wandered into the Eternal Night, but he couldn't take any chances.
Suddenly, he sensed a subtle wave of energy from afar, as if something powerful was approaching. Li Chou's brow furrowed, and he halted, aware of the formidable aura.
"It seems the real danger is here." He quickly assessed the situation and hid in a concealed spot, waiting for the enemy to appear.
Moments later, a cloaked figure emerged from the darkness, shrouded in an intense dark aura that blended seamlessly with the shadows. This person's aura far surpassed that of the Ancan Tigers—at least at the mid-stage of the Yinming Realm.
Holding his breath, Li Chou remained still, his mind racing for a way out. Confronting this person head-on was impossible; he had to find another way.
As the cloaked figure neared his hiding place, a sudden deafening sound broke the silence of the Eternal Night. The figure's expression shifted, and he stopped, turning toward the source of the noise before swiftly disappearing into the shadows.
Li Chou exhaled a sigh of relief, but...