Chapter 47

The journey through the dense forest was silent, save for the occasional rustle of leaves and the chirping of unseen birds. Tang Xiu led the way, his eyes scanning their surroundings with vigilance. Behind him, Xu Liang and Lei Xian followed, their weapons at the ready.

After a few hours of walking, they reached a narrow mountain path that snaked upward toward a rocky cliff. The air grew cooler, and faint traces of mist curled around their feet.

Xu Liang broke the silence. "We've been walking for hours. Do you even know where we're going?"

Tang Xiu didn't stop. "Yes."

Lei Xian groaned. "Care to share with the rest of us?"

Tang Xiu glanced back at them. "There's an ancient ruin near the peak. If my memory is correct, it belonged to a sect that once thrived on Earth. They may have left something useful behind."

Xu Liang raised an eyebrow. "A sect? On Earth? You're saying this barren place used to have real cultivators?"

Tang Xiu nodded. "Long ago. Before the spiritual energy dried up, this world wasn't as weak as it is now. Some remnants of that era still remain, hidden and forgotten."

Lei Xian whistled. "You've been holding out on us. Anything dangerous up there?"

Tang Xiu smirked. "Most likely."

As they climbed higher, the path grew steeper and more treacherous. The mist thickened, obscuring their view, and the air took on a strange, metallic taste.

Tang Xiu stopped abruptly, raising a hand. "We're not alone."

Xu Liang and Lei Xian immediately drew their weapons, their eyes darting around.

From the mist, faint shadows began to appear—figures that moved with unnatural grace. As they drew closer, it became clear they weren't human. Their bodies were skeletal, wrapped in decayed robes, and their hollow eyes glowed with an eerie blue light.

"What are those?" Xu Liang whispered.

"Wraiths," Tang Xiu said calmly. "The remains of those who failed to ascend and were cursed to wander for eternity."

Lei Xian cursed under his breath. "They don't look friendly."

"They're not," Tang Xiu replied. "But they're not invincible either."

The wraiths let out low, guttural moans as they advanced, their bony hands reaching out. Tang Xiu moved first, his figure blurring as he darted forward.

With a sharp strike, he drove his palm into the chest of the nearest wraith, shattering its ribcage and reducing it to ash.

Xu Liang and Lei Xian joined the fray, fighting back-to-back. Xu Liang's arrows pierced the wraiths with precision, each shot glowing faintly as it struck. Lei Xian's spear spun in deadly arcs, slicing through the skeletal figures with raw strength.

Despite their efforts, the wraiths kept coming, their numbers seemingly endless.

"This isn't working!" Xu Liang shouted. "They just keep regenerating!"

Tang Xiu leaped back, his expression calm but focused. "They're bound to this place by a formation. We need to find its core and destroy it."

Lei Xian groaned. "Of course there's a formation. Why wouldn't there be?"

Tang Xiu ignored him and closed his eyes, sensing the flow of energy in the area. A faint pulse emanated from deeper within the mist.

"There," he said, pointing toward the heart of the ruin. "The core is up ahead. Keep them off me while I deal with it."

Without waiting for a response, Tang Xiu surged forward, his movements swift and precise.

At the center of the ruin, Tang Xiu found an ancient altar. Its surface was etched with glowing runes, and a black crystal pulsed with dark energy at its center.

The wraiths seemed to grow stronger as he approached, their movements faster and more aggressive. Xu Liang and Lei Xian struggled to hold the line, their attacks slowing as exhaustion set in.

Tang Xiu placed his hand on the altar, studying the runes. They were written in an archaic language, but to him, they were as clear as day.

"Whoever designed this was skilled," he muttered. "But not skilled enough."

He began channeling his qi, weaving it into the runes. The crystal resisted, emitting a high-pitched whine, but Tang Xiu's will was unshakable.

The runes flared brightly before cracking, one by one. The wraiths let out anguished cries as their bodies disintegrated, their forms dissolving into the mist.

With a final surge of energy, Tang Xiu shattered the black crystal. The altar crumbled, and an eerie silence fell over the ruins.

Xu Liang and Lei Xian staggered toward him, their faces pale but relieved.

"That was… intense," Lei Xian said, leaning on his spear.

Xu Liang nodded, wiping sweat from his brow. "Please tell me we're done here."

Tang Xiu held up a small, glowing orb he had retrieved from the altar's remains. "Not quite. This is a spirit essence—what's left of the sect's power. It's weak, but it'll help us in the future."

Lei Xian groaned. "Next time, warn us before dragging us into a haunted ruin."

Tang Xiu smirked. "Where's the fun in that?"

Despite their exhaustion, Xu Liang and Lei Xian couldn't help but laugh.

As they began their descent, Tang Xiu's grip on the orb tightened. He could feel its faint energy pulsing in his hand, a small but significant step toward his ultimate goal.

The journey was far from over, but for the first time in a long while, he felt a glimmer of hope.