Chapter 11: The Fractured Path
The thundering rain had finally ceased, leaving the air thick with the scent of wet earth and damp foliage. Yao Huaijin, his expression calm and composed, opened his eyes and stood up. Without sparing a glance at Lin Feng, he turned to Jun Qiguang and spoke in his usual cold, clipped manner. "Didn't you come here to gain experience? Let's go."
With that, Yao Huaijin turned and began walking away, his white robes flowing behind him like a ghostly apparition. Jun Qiguang, who had been silently contemplating their next move, stood up to follow.
Lin Feng, seeing them ready to leave, hastily scrambled to his feet. He had barely managed to keep up with the events that had unfolded, and the thought of being left alone in this treacherous realm filled him with dread. He called out, "Immortal Master," Yao Huaijin stopped and looked at him, his gaze piercing.
Under the weight of Yao Huaijin's cold eyes, Lin Feng felt his courage falter. He lowered his head and spoke timidly, "thank you for saving me earlier. Actually... I.... I am scared on my own. Can I... please come along with you?"
Jun Qiguang snorted inwardly at Lin Feng's fearful demeanor. Yao Huaijin, after a moment's pause, simply turned around and said, "Do whatever you want."
Lin Feng's face lit up with relief. He bowed deeply; his voice filled with gratitude. "Thank you, thank you very much!" But Yao Huaijin had already walked away, his figure disappearing into the mist ahead.
Jun Qiguang glanced at Lin Feng's still-bowing figure with a hint of impatience. "You are coming or not?" he asked, his tone sharp.
"Coming, coming!" Lin Feng stammered, quickly hurrying after them.
Outside the cave, the world was transformed. The heavy rain had washed everything clean, leaving behind a landscape that was dark and foreboding. The ground was slick with mud, reflecting the dim light of the overcast sky. A chill wind whispered through the trees, causing the leaves to shiver and the branches to sway ominously. The mist, still clinging to the earth, wove through the trees like a ghostly veil.
Lin Feng could not keep his mouth shut. He didn't dare speak directly to Yao Huaijin, but every now and then he would call out to Jun Qiguang, "Big brother, this… Big brother, that…" Jun Qiguang very much wanted to tell Lin Feng that he had never agreed to be his big brother, but he had to tolerate the annoying chatterbox in front of Yao Huaijin.
They soon arrived at what seemed to be a river except it didn't look like a river at the same time. Because its color was an unnerving shade of black, shifting with an almost liquid darkness that seemed to absorb the light. Jun Qiguang furrowed his brows, his confusion evident. Lin Feng was still speaking but Jun Qiguang wasn't listening. He had spent a considerable amount of time in the Eclipse Realm before, and he was certain that this river was not part of his previous experience. There had been no river or even a small spring in the Eclipse Realm before.
Understood. Here's a revised version incorporating that thought:
So much had changed since his rebirth, leaving Jun Qiguang unsure if he would still be able to find the Blood Moon Sabre. The Eclipse Realm had transformed in ways he hadn't anticipated, and he questioned whether his previous knowledge was still accurate. Yet, he knew he wouldn't know for sure unless he tried. Even if the search ended in disappointment, with no sabre to show for his efforts, he had to take the chance.
Before he could come to a conclusion, a sudden disturbance from their sides drew his attention. Black shadows began to emerge from the thick mist that surrounded the area. These shadows moved with an eerie grace, their forms fluid and indistinct. They coalesced into menacing shapes that seemed to merge seamlessly with the darkness of the realm itself.
Lin Feng, his face pale with fear, was the first to speak out. Trembling, he stammered, "Holy shit… gh… gh… ghost!"
Yao Huaijin's eyes, sharp and vigilant, detected the emerging threat immediately. Drawing his sword with practiced fluidity, he prepared to confront the encroaching shadows. Lin Feng, visibly shaken, staggered back, fumbling with his weapon, his fear palpable. Jun Qiguang was about to unsheathe his own weapon, when Yao Huaijin's sharp voice resounded, "Stay back."
Jun Qiguang had no choice but to comply, maintaining a strategic distance.
Even as Yao Huaijin fought with notable skill, the shadows seemed endless, and it was apparent that it wouldn't be easy to handle them all alone.
Suddenly, Jun Qiguang's keen eyes spotted a shadow inching closer to Yao Huaijin's unguarded back. Without a second thought, Jun Qiguang told to Lin Feng, "Stay put!" and darted towards Yao Huaijin, his sword flashing as he dispatched the lurking threat.
Yao Huaijin glanced at Jun Qiguang, a flicker of irritation crossing his face. "Didn't I tell you to stay back? leave!"
Before Jun Qiguang could say anything, more shadows emerged pressing in from every angle, their forms coalescing into an overwhelming tide.
Amid the chaos, the ancient array embedded in the ground, previously unnoticed, began to hum with a deep, resonant energy. The array's mechanisms, disturbed by the battle, activated with a violent surge of magic.
Jun Qiguang's eyes widened as the array's energy flared. "Not good," he muttered, his gaze briefly meeting Yao Huaijin's. For a fleeting moment, he thought he saw a hint of concern in Yao Huaijin's usually expressionless face. Before he could fully grasp this fleeting glance, a powerful force enveloped him, and the world spun around him.
When the disorienting sensation finally ceased, Jun Qiguang found himself in an unfamiliar place. The surroundings were profoundly different from the chaotic battleground he had just left. The terrain was rough and uneven, covered in jagged, obsidian-like rocks that seemed to absorb any light. The air was heavy and laden with an oppressive silence.
The sky above was an endless expanse of swirling black clouds, roiling and churning as if alive. There was no visible sun or moon, only an inky void that swallowed any hint of light.
In the distance, ancient, crumbling structures loomed ominously. Their architecture was bizarre and alien, with spires twisting into unnatural shapes and massive arches resembling skeletal remains of a bygone era.
Moving forward, Jun Qiguang noticed strange, ethereal wisps of energy floating through the air. These wisps reacted to his presence, flaring up briefly before fading away.
As Jun Qiguang steadied himself, his mind raced. He wasn't sure where he had been teleported or if Yao Huaijin had been transported to a different location as well. The uncertainty gnawed at him, but he quickly pushed aside his worry.
Was Yao Huaijin someone who needed anyone to worry about him? he mocked himself internally. The thought of worrying about someone else when he wasn't even sure about his circumstances was absurd to him. Regardless, he was now trapped in a stranger part of the realm, and he needed to find his way out—and hopefully, locate the Blood Moon Sabre amidst the new chaos.
CREATORS' THOUGHTS 
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chuju_ Apologies for the late update.
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