The colossal shadow loomed like a nightmare given form, its body a swirling mass of inky tendrils that sucked the light from the cave walls. The air grew thick, oppressive, as if the very Qi of the Whispering Caves recoiled from its presence. Li Wang's heart pounded, his mind racing to process the suite's frantic alerts flashing across his inner vision.
[Entity Analysis: Void Devourer - Qi Absorption Variant. Core Functions: Devour (Active), Regenerate (Latent). Threat Level: High. Backlash Risk: 87%.]
Ji-Yeon drew her sword in a fluid motion, the blade humming with infused Qi that barely pierced the gloom. "Stay behind me," she snapped, though her voice carried an edge of uncertainty she'd never shown before.
Zhao Lin fumbled for a jade vial from his robes, his usual eccentricity replaced by wide-eyed alarm. "This isn't in any bestiary I know. That thing's feeding on the ambient Qi—it's why the caves feel so dead."
Li Wang ignored them both for a split second, his fingers twitching as if typing invisible code. He couldn't afford panic. Not now. The suite was his edge, the one thing that separated him from being just another cannon-fodder disciple. He focused inward, scanning the entity's metaphysical signature amid the chaos of data streams. It was like sifting through a corrupted server log—endless noise, but patterns emerged if you knew where to look.
There. A value cluster: [Qi Absorption Rate: 45 units/second]. If he could freeze that, buy them time. His will extended like a digital probe, latching onto the variable. Freeze.
The shadow lunged, a tendril whipping forward fast enough to crack stone. Ji-Yeon met it head-on, her sword slicing through with a burst of silver light, but the appendage reformed almost instantly, coiling around her ankle. She gasped, Qi flaring as she severed it, but the effort drained her, her face paling.
"Ji-Yeon!" Li Wang shouted, dodging a secondary lash that gouged the cavern floor. The freeze had worked—partially. The absorption rate held steady at zero, but the entity didn't slow. It adapted, or maybe his hack wasn't clean. A warning pinged: [Partial Lock. Entity Countermeasure Detected.]
Zhao Lin hurled a vial that shattered against the shadow's core, releasing a cloud of corrosive mist. It hissed, tendrils recoiling, but the alchemist stumbled back, cursing. "My anti-spirit brew—useless! It's not spirit, it's... void."
The Devourer roared, a soundless vibration that rattled Li Wang's bones and disrupted his Qi flow. He felt the suite glitch, a brief stutter in his interface as if the world's code rebelled against his intrusion. Pain lanced through his meridians, the Dao Backlash from earlier edits flaring like feedback from an overloaded circuit. He gritted his teeth, pushing through. Edit time. He targeted the regeneration function next, probing for a vulnerability. The data was denser here, layered like encrypted files, but he spotted a loophole—a dependency on external Qi.
Modify: Redirect regeneration to self-consume. Infinite loop initiated.
The shadow faltered mid-strike, its form convulsing as tendrils turned inward, devouring their own edges. Black ichor sprayed, sizzling on the ground. Ji-Yeon seized the opening, channeling her Qi into a piercing thrust that embedded her sword in the core. "Now! While it's weak!"
Li Wang nodded, sweat beading on his brow. He froze the core's stability next, locking [Structural Integrity: 23%]. The entity thrashed, the cave shaking as stalactites plummeted like deadly rain. Zhao Lin lobbed another vial—this one explosive—detonating against the mass and tearing chunks away.
It was working. The Devourer shrank, its coal-like eyes dimming as the loop ate it from inside out. But Li Wang felt the cost mounting. His dantian churned, Qi spiraling erratically, and the suite blared another alert: [Backlash Escalation: Heavenly Scrutiny Imminent. Concealment Failing.]
With a final, desperate surge, Ji-Yeon twisted her blade, unleashing a torrent of condensed Qi that bisected the shadow. It unraveled in a burst of dissipating darkness, leaving only echoes of void in the air. The cave fell silent, save for their ragged breaths.
Li Wang slumped against the wall, clutching his side where a shallow gash wept blood. "That... was not in the quest log."
Ji-Yeon sheathed her sword, wiping sweat from her forehead as she knelt beside him. Her eyes searched his face, sharp and probing. "Your 'gift' again. You froze it, didn't you? Just like the wraith."
He managed a weak grin, playing it off with the cunning deflection that had kept him alive so far. "Gift? Nah, just good timing and a bit of luck. You did the heavy lifting."
Zhao Lin snorted, pocketing his remaining vials with trembling hands. "Luck doesn't rewrite the laws of nature, boy. I've seen anomalies in my elixirs, but this? You're no ordinary outer disciple." He glanced at the Moonshade Lotus, still pristine on its pedestal, petals glowing faintly now that the Qi had stabilized. "Worth the risk, at least. Elder Mei Ling will be pleased."
Ji-Yeon helped Li Wang to his feet, her touch lingering a moment longer than necessary. "We need to get out of here. That thing might not be alone."
They harvested the lotus carefully, Zhao Lin wrapping it in a protective silk cloth infused with stabilizing runes. The path back was tense, every shadow a potential threat, but no more rifts opened. Li Wang kept his suite active, scanning for anomalies, but the caves seemed to breathe easier, the Qi flows resuming their natural rhythm.
As they emerged into the late afternoon sun, the Whispering Caves' misty veil parting behind them, Zhao Lin led the way toward Azure City. "Direct report to the sect. No detours. And Li Wang, you owe me details over a cup of spirit tea. Can't have my assistant exploding from hidden powers."
Li Wang chuckled, though it came out strained. His body ached, the backlash simmering like a virus in his system. "Assistant? I thought I was the muscle."
Ji-Yeon walked beside him, her poise returning but her gaze distant. "You saved us back there. Again. But these rifts... they're tied to you, aren't they?"
He hesitated, the weight of her words pressing in. Sung Ji-Yeon wasn't one for idle talk; her fallen clan had taught her to spot lies like cracks in jade. "Maybe. Or maybe the world's just glitchy. Ever think the Dao's got bugs?"
She didn't laugh, but a faint smile tugged at her lips. "In my world, glitches get you killed."
By dusk, they reached the Azure Cloud Sect's outer gates, the familiar spires rising against the crimson sky. Disciples milled about, casting curious glances at the trio's disheveled state, but no one dared question an alchemist's entourage. Zhao Lin vanished into the alchemy pavilion with the lotus, muttering about refinements, leaving Li Wang and Ji-Yeon to report to Elder Huo Feng.
The stern elder awaited them in the drill hall, his Core Formation aura a steady pressure that made lesser cultivators bow instinctively. "The lotus secured? And no casualties?"
Ji-Yeon bowed crisply. "Secured, Elder. We encountered... complications. Bandits, and then a spirit beast guardian."
Huo Feng's eyes narrowed on Li Wang, who kept his expression neutral, though the suite whispered of elevated scrutiny. [Observer Alert: Elder Huo Feng - Suspicion Level: Rising.]
"Complications," the elder repeated, stroking his beard. "You've a knack for them, Li Wang. Elder Mei Ling requests your presence immediately. Alone."
Li Wang's stomach twisted. Of course she did. The reclusive alchemist had been circling him since the trials, her suspicions sharper than any blade. He nodded, masking his unease with a respectful bow. "As you command, Elder."
Ji-Yeon caught his arm as Huo Feng departed. "Be careful. Mei's not one for games."
"Neither am I," he replied, flashing that cunning smile. "But I play to win."
Elder Mei Ling's pavilion nestled in the sect's eastern groves, a secluded haven of bubbling cauldrons and herb-scented air. She sat cross-legged on a jade platform, her Foundation Establishment presence calm yet unyielding, like a still pond hiding undercurrents. Scars from old betrayals etched faint lines on her face, but her eyes burned with the fire of one who'd lost everything and rebuilt from ash.
"Li Wang," she said without preamble as he entered, gesturing to a cushion opposite her. "Sit. The lotus arrives soon. But you... you intrigue me."
He settled, keeping his Qi circulation steady to avoid betraying the lingering backlash. "Elder, I only seek to serve the sect."
She poured two cups of emerald tea, the steam carrying hints of calming herbs. "Serve? Or subvert? I've felt the ripples since your trials—the unnatural freezes in Qi, the voids that shouldn't exist. And now Zhao Lin whispers of shadows in the caves."
Li Wang sipped the tea, buying time. The suite scanned her subtly: [No Direct Threat. Curiosity Dominant.] Good. He could work with that. "The world is full of mysteries, Elder. I've just been lucky."
"Luck doesn't bend the Dao." Her voice softened, a mentor's tone edging in. "I lost my family to betrayal, to those who twisted arts for power. If you're wielding something forbidden, it will consume you. Let me help. Teach you control."
The offer hung there, genuine protectiveness warring with her caution. Li Wang saw the opportunity— an ally in Mei Ling could stabilize his hacks, maybe even mask the growing backlash. But trust was a double-edged sword in this world.
Before he could respond, the pavilion doors creaked open. Tao Ren entered, his spirit fox perched on his shoulder, its tails flickering like flames. The beast tamer's empathetic eyes flicked between them, sensing the tension. "Elder Mei. Li Wang. Word from the wilds—a beast tide stirs near the Whispering Caves. Jiao Yu requests aid."
Mei Ling rose, her calm fracturing. "A tide? Now?"
Tao Ren nodded gravely. "Demonic influences, they say. And rifts, like the ones your group faced."
Li Wang's suite pinged urgently: [Anomaly Correlation: 92%. External Trigger Detected.]
The pieces clicked. His edits weren't just drawing personal wrath—they were unraveling the local balance. If a tide hit, the sect would mobilize, and he'd be at the center.
Ji-Yeon appeared at the threshold, sword at her side, Zhao Feng trailing with his rogue's grin. "We're volunteering," she said firmly. "Whatever caused those shadows, we end it."
Mei Ling's gaze settled on Li Wang, heavy with unspoken questions. "Then we go. But know this: the Dao watches, and it does not forgive cheats."
As the group assembled, Li Wang felt the weight of eyes on him—friends, allies, potential foes. The backlash thrummed in his veins, a timer ticking down. And deep in his interface, a new alert flickered, half-formed.
[Global Function Query: Dao Harmony Protocol. Access Denied. Breach Imminent.]
The tide was coming, and with it, something far worse than shadows.
After battle, more interaction on the way back.
At the sect, more with Huo Feng, then Mei Ling scene extended.
Introduce more with Tao Ren, etc.
Build tension.
Let me continue writing to reach length.Chapter 5: Echoes of the Rift
The colossal shadow loomed like a nightmare given form, its body a swirling mass of inky tendrils that sucked the light from the cave walls. The air grew thick, oppressive, as if the very Qi of the Whispering Caves recoiled from its presence. Li Wang's heart pounded, his mind racing to process the suite's frantic alerts flashing across his inner vision.
[Entity Analysis: Void Devourer - Qi Absorption Variant. Core Functions: Devour (Active), Regenerate (Latent). Threat Level: High. Backlash Risk: 87%.]
Ji-Yeon's sword cleared its sheath with a whisper of steel, the blade igniting in a halo of condensed Qi that cut through the gloom like a beacon. She positioned herself between Li Wang and the beast, her stance low and ready, every muscle coiled from years of solitary training. "Stay back," she said, her voice steady despite the pallor creeping into her cheeks. "This one's beyond outer disciple fodder."
Zhao Lin, for once devoid of his bumbling charm, rummaged through his satchel with frantic efficiency. Vials clinked as he selected one, its contents glowing with an acrid green hue. "Not a spirit beast," he muttered, more to himself than them. "This is aberration—pure void, feeding on the cave's essence. If it reaches the lotus, we're done."
Li Wang pressed against the damp cave wall, his breath coming in shallow bursts. The suite was his lifeline, but using it here, in this concentrated nexus of natural Qi, felt like hacking a live mainframe. One wrong edit, and the whole system could crash around him. He couldn't let that happen. Not with Ji-Yeon and the old alchemist counting on him, even if they didn't fully know it.
Focus. He closed his eyes briefly, diving into the metaphysical code. The world's data flooded his senses—Qi densities, structural integrities, flow rates—all jumbled like lines of buggy script. The Devourer's signature stood out, a pulsating void amid the streams. He latched onto the absorption rate first: [45 units/second]. Simple enough. Freeze it.
The command pulsed out, and the shadow hesitated, its tendrils quivering as the variable locked. But it recovered fast, a low rumble vibrating through the stone as it charged. The lead tendril lashed out, thicker than a man's arm, aimed straight for Ji-Yeon's midsection.
She twisted aside, her sword arcing in a precise counter that severed the tip. Black ichor sprayed, hissing as it ate into the ground, but the wound knit back almost immediately. "It's regenerating!" she called, dodging another strike that shattered a boulder behind her. Sweat beaded on her brow, her Qi reserves straining under the onslaught.
Zhao Lin flung his vial, the green mist exploding on impact and corroding a swath of tendrils. The alchemist whooped despite the chaos. "Take that, you oversized ink blot! My essence of verdant decay—refined from thousand-year vine cores!"
The Devourer recoiled, but only for a moment. Its form expanded, drawing in the ambient Qi from the walls, the very air growing thinner. Li Wang felt his own circulation falter, a dizzying pull tugging at his dantian. The freeze was holding, but barely—the entity was countering, its code adapting like a virus patching itself.
He pushed harder, scanning deeper. Regeneration function: [Enabled. Source: External Qi Pool]. There—a dependency loop. If he could invert it... His will shaped the edit, cunning fingers of intent rewriting the parameter. Modify: Internalize source. Create feedback cycle.
The shadow convulsed, tendrils curling inward as it began consuming its own mass. A silent scream echoed in the Qi, the cave trembling as chunks of its body sloughed off, dissolving into wisps. Ji-Yeon pressed the advantage, her sword a blur of strikes that carved glowing gashes into the core. "It's weakening—keep it up!"
Li Wang nodded, but the effort burned. Pain spiked through his meridians, the Dao Backlash from his earlier meddlings igniting like a server overload. His vision blurred, the suite glitching with error messages: [Integration Failed. Reality Strain: 67%]. He bit back a groan, steadying himself. One more push. He targeted the core's integrity: [Structural Value: 42%]. Freeze and degrade.
The Devourer buckled, its massive form compressing as the loop accelerated. Zhao Lin capitalized, hurling a second vial that burst into binding chains of alchemical fire, wrapping the entity's limbs. "Hold it steady! I've got a finisher!"
Ji-Yeon leaped, channeling her remaining Qi into a single, devastating thrust. Her blade sank deep into the pulsing heart, silver light erupting in a cascade that lit the cave like dawn. The shadow let out a final, earth-shaking wail before shattering into fading motes, the void essence dispersing into harmless ether.
Silence descended, broken only by their heaving breaths. Li Wang slid down the wall, his body screaming in protest. The gash on his side from a glancing tendril throbbed, blood soaking his robes. "Well," he rasped, forcing a grin through the pain, "that was one way to harvest a flower. Next time, let's stick to bandits."
Ji-Yeon knelt beside him, tearing a strip from her own sleeve to bind the wound. Her touch was gentle, at odds with the warrior's calluses on her hands. "Fool. You froze it again, didn't you? That convulsion—it wasn't natural."
He met her eyes, seeing the mix of gratitude and wariness there. Sung Ji-Yeon had her own secrets, her vengeance driving her like a forge fire, but she wasn't blind. "Call it a trick I picked up from... old games," he said lightly, deflecting with the humor that kept the darkness at bay. "Saved your pretty hide, didn't it?"
She huffed, tying the bandage tight enough to make him wince. "Flattery won't distract me. But thank you."
Zhao Lin bustled over, inspecting the remains with scholarly glee despite the ordeal. "Fascinating! Void residue—could refine it into a shadow-quelling pill. Li Wang, my boy, you're a walking anomaly. Elder Mei Ling will want every detail."
The alchemist moved to the pedestal, his hands steady as he plucked the Moonshade Lotus. Its petals shimmered, unharmed by the chaos, releasing a soft, restorative fragrance that eased the tension in Li Wang's chest. They secured it in a rune-etched case, the cave's Qi slowly rebounding as they beat a hasty retreat.
The journey back to Azure City stretched into the evening, the forest paths winding under a canopy of stars. Ji-Yeon scouted ahead, her steps silent, while Zhao Lin chattered about potential elixir recipes, undeterred by near-death. Li Wang lagged a bit, nursing his injuries and monitoring the suite. The backlash lingered, a dull ache in his core, but no new rifts opened. For now.
"You know," Zhao Lin said, falling back to walk with him, "I've dabbled in forbidden arts myself. Once, I tweaked a pill formula to boost Qi intake by thirty percent. Nearly blew up my pavilion." He chuckled, eyes twinkling. "But you... you're editing the world itself. Dangerous game."
Li Wang raised an eyebrow, his smart mind weighing how much to reveal. Zhao Lin was opportunistic but loyal in his eccentricity— a potential asset. "It's not editing. More like... nudging variables. But yeah, dangerous. That thing back there? My nudges drew it."
The alchemist nodded sagely. "The Dao despises cheats. But sometimes, cheats are the only way up. Just don't nudge too hard, or you'll pull the whole tower down."
Ji-Yeon rejoined them as the city's lights flickered into view, her expression thoughtful. "The rifts are worsening. If they're tied to you, we need a plan. Alliances, not solitude."
Li Wang appreciated the shift in her— from wary exile to tentative partner. Her beauty was striking in the moonlight, poise masking the grief that fueled her, but it was her resolve that drew him. "Allies, then. But no promises on the glitches."
They slipped through Azure City's gates under cover of night, the enforcer patrols nodding them through without question. The Azure Cloud Sect loomed ahead, its protective arrays humming softly. Zhao Lin peeled off toward the alchemy halls, lotus in tow, while Ji-Yeon escorted Li Wang to the outer disciple quarters.
"Rest," she said at his door, her hand brushing his arm. "We talk tomorrow."
He watched her go, the suite quiet for the first time in hours. But sleep evaded him. Instead, he meditated, probing the backlash. The data revealed fractures—small tears in his Qi pathways, echoes of the void. Fixing them would require delicate edits, but the risk of escalation loomed.
Dawn brought summons. Elder Huo Feng awaited in the drill hall, his Core Formation aura a wall of disciplined pressure. Outer disciples trained around him, forms sharp and synchronized, but he pulled Li Wang aside with a stern glance.
"The lotus is verified," the elder said, voice like grinding stone. "Mei Ling praises your efficiency. But reports of shadows... Explain."
Li Wang bowed, keeping his tone respectful. "A guardian beast, Elder. We subdued it through teamwork."
Huo Feng's eyes bored into him, suspicion etching deeper lines on his face. "Teamwork that bends Qi unnaturally? I've tested hundreds of disciples. You stand out—too much." He paused, then added, "Prove your worth on the next mission. A beast tide stirs near the caves. You'll join the response team."
Dismissed, Li Wang headed to Mei Ling's pavilion, the grove's mists curling like welcoming fingers. She awaited on her jade platform, brewing a fresh pot of tea. Her Foundation Establishment presence felt probing, but not hostile—scarred by betrayal, yet fiercely protective of potential legacies.
"Sit," she commanded softly, pouring the steaming liquid. "The lotus will yield fine elixirs. But you, Li Wang... the ripples follow you."
He accepted the cup, the herbal scent soothing his frayed nerves. "Elder, I don't seek trouble."
"Yet it seeks you." She leaned forward, eyes sharp. "I've seen arts like yours before—outworld influences, they call them. They corrupt if unchecked. My family died to such power wielded wrongly. Let me guide you. Stabilize it."
The offer tempted him. Mei Ling's knowledge could refine his hacks, turn liabilities into strengths. But trust was earned, not given. "What do you propose?"
"Lessons in harmony," she said. "Blend your 'gift' with true cultivation. In return, aid my research. No more solo risks."
Before he could reply, the doors opened. Tao Ren entered, his spirit fox yipping softly from his shoulder. The beast tamer's nomadic robes were dust-streaked, his empathetic aura a calming counter to the tension. "Elder Mei. Li Wang. Urgent word from Jiao Yu—the tide builds. Demonic rifts, like your cave encounter."
Mei Ling's composure cracked. "How soon?"
"Days, perhaps. The wilds cry out."
Zhao Feng slipped in behind, grinning roguishly, with Ji-Yeon at his side. "Heard about the tide. Count us in," the rogue said. "Can't let the new guy hog all the glory."
Ji-Yeon nodded, her gaze locking on Li Wang. "We're in this together."
Mei Ling rose, resolve hardening. "Then prepare. But Li Wang, remember—the Dao tests the cunning. Fail, and it breaks you."
As the group dispersed to gather supplies, Li Wang felt the suite stir. A new alert bloomed: [Anomaly Cascade: Tide Integration. Hidden Function Unlocked? Query Dao Core.]
The storm approached, and his hacks were the lightning at its heart. What secrets would the tide reveal—or destroy?