The crimson mist of the gorge had begun to fade, the oppressive energy lingering like the aftermath of a nightmare.
Zhang Hao leaned against a boulder, cleaning his twin blades with measured precision.
I sat nearby, the Vitality Orchid now safely tucked in my satchel, its faint golden glow barely visible through the fabric.
The system's voice cut through the relative quiet.
[System Notification: Task Complete.
Combat Efficiency Increased by 13%.]
A sense of accomplishment washed over me, but it was fleeting.
My thoughts turned to the battle ahead. If the Bloodbound Demon had been any indication, Wu Shang's forces were growing more relentless.
Zhang Hao broke the silence.
"You've been awfully quiet. Thinking about Wu Shang?"
I glanced at him, a slight smirk tugging at the corner of my mouth.
"When am I not?"
Before he could respond, a sharp whistle echoed through the air.
Zhang Hao tensed, blades in hand in an instant.
I scanned the area, my spiritual senses heightened.
"It's not a threat," I said, sensing no malice in the sound. "But it's close."
From the shadows emerged a figure clad in tattered gray robes.
His steps were hesitant, his face obscured by a wide-brimmed hat.
As he drew closer, I recognized the old man—a courier from the nearby village.
He stopped a few paces away, bowing deeply. "Li Wei, a message for you."
I frowned. "From who?"
The man held out a scroll, bound with red string and sealed with a symbol I hadn't seen in years—a phoenix entwined with a lotus.
My breath hitched. Liu Ying.
"Who gave you this?" I demanded, my voice sharper than intended.
The courier shook his head.
"The messenger didn't give a name, only said it was meant for you. And... that it was urgent."
I took the scroll, breaking the seal carefully.
The parchment inside was worn but the handwriting was unmistakable.
Li Wei,
The Seven Spirit Guardians still exist.
Their strength could turn the tide against Wu Shang, but they are scattered, hidden from both friend and foe.
If you wish to reclaim your power and fulfill your destiny, find them.
Begin your search where the moonlight touches the tallest peak in the valley.
I hope we meet again.
—Liu Ying
My hands tightened around the scroll.
The Seven Spirit Guardians...
I thought they were legends, stories told to inspire hope in desperate times. If they truly existed, their power could be the key to stopping Wu Shang.
Zhang Hao peered over my shoulder.
"Seven Spirit Guardians? Do you trust this Liu Ying?"
I hesitated.
"We fought together once, in my past life. She's not one to send a message lightly."
Zhang Hao nodded, though his expression remained skeptical.
"Then it seems we have a new goal. But the tallest peak... That's deep in Xu Wanyu's territory."
Of course, it would be.
[System Notification: New Task Assigned – Locate the Seven Spirit Guardians.
Subtask: Begin the search at the Moonlit Peak.
Time Limit: None. Recommended Cultivation Level: Ethereal Realms – Star Ascendant.]
I grimaced.
My current level, Lunar Vanguard, wasn't nearly enough to face whatever challenges awaited us there.
Zhang Hao noticed my expression.
"What's wrong?"
"The system recommends a higher cultivation level for this task."
He chuckled dryly. "When has that ever stopped you?"
I couldn't help but smile.
"Fair point."
As we prepared to move, the ground beneath us trembled slightly.
A distant roar echoed through the gorge, faint but unmistakable.
"Another demon?" Zhang Hao asked, his blades already drawn.
"No," I said, focusing my senses. "Something... larger."
The system chimed.
[System Notification: Massive Energy Surge Detected.
Possible Guardian Artifact Nearby.]
"Guardian Artifact?" Zhang Hao's eyebrows shot up.
"It's connected to the Seven Spirit Guardians," I explained.
"If we find it, it might lead us to them."
The system provided a faint map overlay, guiding us toward the artifact's location.
It was deeper into the gorge, past terrain that practically screamed ambush.
"Let's move," I said.
Zhang Hao smirked.
"You're full of bad ideas today."
We traversed the uneven terrain in silence, the tension thickening with each step.
The air grew colder, and faint whispers seemed to echo from the shadows.
"Xu Wanyu's magic again?" Zhang Hao muttered.
I nodded. "Stay alert."
The artifact's location wasn't far—a small shrine nestled against a cliffside.
The structure was ancient, its stone walls weathered by time and streaked with crimson veins of corrupted energy.
At its center stood a pedestal holding a glowing orb, its light pulsating rhythmically.
"That's it," I said, stepping closer.
Before I could reach the orb, the shadows around the shrine coalesced into a hulking figure.
It was larger than the Bloodbound Demon, its form more grotesque.
"Another of Wu Shang's pets," Zhang Hao muttered.
[System Notification: Enemy Detected – Abyssal Enforcer.
Weakness: Precision Strikes to Core Energy Points.
Task Assigned: Defeat the Abyssal Enforcer to Claim the Guardian Artifact.]
[Reward - Battle point]
The demon roared, its crimson eyes locking onto me.
I felt the weight of its malice, but I stood my ground.
"Zhang Hao, keep it distracted," I said, summoning my energy.
"I'll aim for its weak points."
He nodded, charging forward with a battle cry.
The clash of steel against corrupted flesh filled the air as I circled the demon, my senses focused on finding its core energy points.
The system highlighted three glowing spots on the demon's body—its chest, left shoulder, and right thigh.
I summoned the ethereal lotus, channeling my energy into a concentrated strike.
"Zhang Hao, now!" I shouted.
He leaped back as I unleashed my attack, the lotus slicing through the demon's shoulder.
It roared in pain, its movements growing erratic.
"Two more to go," I muttered, dodging a swipe from its massive claw.
With Zhang Hao's help, we struck the remaining points, the demon's body collapsing into a heap of shadowy tendrils.
[System Notification: Abyssal Enforcer Defeated.
Guardian Artifact Acquired. Task Complete.]
The orb's light intensified, and I felt its energy coursing through me as I approached.
It was a fragment of something greater—a piece of the Seven Spirit Guardians' power.
Zhang Hao clapped a hand on my shoulder.
"Not bad, Li Wei. Not bad at all."
I smiled, the weight of the journey ahead tempered by the flicker of hope the artifact represented.
"We're one step closer," I said. "Let's keep moving."