As the days passed, Liang became more determined than ever. The deeper he delved into his inner world, the greater the challenges he faced. As he planted new elements and gained more power, the threats from the outside world were rapidly increasing. He could no longer ignore the reality that the spiritual energy beasts—creatures that attacked cities and invaded lands—were moving closer to his village. The greatest threat now did not only come from the beasts but also from the dark spirits that began to appear due to disturbances in the spiritual energy.
While Liang sat in his small rented apartment, a cramped place unsuitable for his dreams, he worked on developing his spiritual techniques. The window of the apartment, which overlooked the city, allowed only a faint amount of light to enter, yet Liang never complained. In this simple space, he began to feel an increasing connection between him and his inner system. But despite his isolation, he felt a strange attack approaching his spiritual world.
While in a deep state of meditation, he suddenly heard a strange sound. It was deep, as if it came from the depths of the earth, whispering incomprehensible words in his ear. He closed his eyes, trying to block out the disturbance, but the sound increased, becoming unbearable.
"Liang..." This was the only word he heard. It echoed in his mind, causing his body to tremble from within.
As he tried to focus on himself, the ground within his world shook, and suddenly, a dark cloud appeared above his land. It was a dense cloud emitting limitless negative energy, causing the trees and flowers in his inner world to begin wilting gradually.
"What is this?" Liang whispered to himself as he tried to block his mind from this phenomenon.
But the dark cloud continued to expand, and with each passing moment, the land was affected more. This was not just a random event. It was something dark, something he had never felt before. This attack on his inner world signaled a real danger.
At that moment, the system appeared before him again, but this time it was an unconventional notification.
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[System]:
Warning: Dark creatures present in your inner world.
Requirements: Eliminate these creatures to maintain the balance of spiritual energy within your world.
Tasks:
* Identify the source of darkness in your inner world.
* Remove the dark creatures from the energy system.
* Maintain the spiritual balance of the lands.
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"Dark creatures? Are these the spirits born from disturbances in spiritual energy?" Liang wondered, a sense of unease creeping into his heart. He knew that using spiritual energy in an unstable way could lead to the appearance of such dark creatures, but he never imagined that these spirits would appear inside his world.
Liang quickly headed to the point where he felt his spiritual energy tremble, where the dark cloud had gathered. The closer he got, the heavier the atmosphere felt, as though the air had become denser. When he reached the center of the cloud, a distorted figure appeared before him, seemingly a dark spirit materialized.
The spirit moved at incredible speed, distorted and unclear in shape, but its eyes gleamed with intense hatred. Liang felt a rush of negative energy flowing toward his heart, making him feel as though his soul was about to tear apart.
"This spirit is not ordinary... It is a pure dark spirit, born from the chaos in the energy world," these thoughts raced through his mind, and he quickly realized that he could no longer retreat. He had to face this challenge, not just for his inner world but for himself as well.
"I will not let you destroy what I've built!" Liang whispered firmly to himself as he extended his hand toward the dark cloud, relying on his inner energy.
His hand began to glow with spiritual light as he summoned energy from the five elements he had learned and started integrating them, trying to ignite the balance of elements where the spirit resided. Every movement he made was carefully planned, as any mistake could lead to catastrophic consequences for his inner world.
In a moment of deep contemplation, he felt a strange surge in his energy. That moment was when he discovered an ancient secret.
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[System]:
Ancient technique discovered: "Purification of Darkness."
*This technique allows you to summon pure light from the five elements to expel dark spirits.
Requirements : Balanced spiritual energy and stability in your inner world.
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Once Liang felt the connection with this technique, he immediately began to apply it. He started gathering light from the five elements, feeling it flow through his body in a stunning balance. The light grew brighter and brighter, and in an instant, he felt all the darkness beginning to dissipate.
The dark spirit, which had been trying to attack him, began to shrink slowly. When the dark cloud completely evaporated, Liang felt a deep exhaustion, but he knew he had succeeded in purging his inner world of this threat.
"I have overcome this trial, but the challenges ahead will be greater." This was what Liang thought as he looked at his inner world. He had learned a profound lesson: power does not only come from controlling the elements, but from the ability to maintain their balance.
If Liang truly wanted to become stronger, he had to learn how to confront darkness in all its forms. The world was no longer what it once was, and he too had to change to keep up with the transformations.
Conclusion
As he breathed deeply, Liang realized that balance was the essence of everything. His challenges were far from over; in fact, they had only just begun. He would have to face the consequences of the power he had gained, and the dark spirits that were becoming more intense over time.
End of Chapter Nine