The sun had returned, but the mountain was still shaking.
Smoke rose from the battlefield.
Shen Li sat on a rock, holding his ribs. "That guy… hit hard."
Yue Qian gently placed her hand on his chest. "Hold still."
Her moonfire glowed softly. It burned away the pain, not the flesh.
He winced, then smiled. "You've gotten stronger."
She looked into his eyes. "You too. But this power… it's hurting you."
---
💔 A System with Secrets
Suddenly:
You have overused your dual core. Damage level: 68%.
Side effect: Memory distortion may begin.
"What…?" Shen Li blinked. "Memory distortion?"
Yan Su stepped closer, face dark. "Too much dual energy without balance—it can burn your mind."
Shen Li stood up. "Then I'll find balance."
Yan Su shook his head. "Not here. Not in this mountain."
---
🌍 A New Mission Begins
He pointed east, toward the rising sun.
"There's a place called Lanxin Valley. Hidden. Silent. Deadly."
"That's where you'll find the Mirror Root Lotus."
Shen Li frowned. "What's that?"
"It's a sacred herb. It can heal your core—and unlock your true potential."
Yue Qian stood beside him. "Then we're going."
---
🧭 On the Road Again
Two days later, the trio set off.
Through thick forests. Across rivers. Past crumbling temples.
The road was not quiet.
Bandits tried to ambush them.
BOOM! Shen Li sent them flying with a flick of his sword.
A spirit beast blocked a bridge.
CRASH! Yue Qian roasted it with her flame.
But it wasn't just fights.
They laughed. Shared roasted rabbit by campfire.
Yue Qian teased Shen Li about snoring (he denied it).
Yan Su told old war stories.
It felt… normal. Happy.
For once, Shen Li forgot he was being hunted.
---
🌫️ Lanxin Valley
By the seventh day, they reached the edge of the valley.
It was silent. Too silent.
The trees didn't move. The air didn't breathe.
"This place feels… wrong," Yue Qian whispered.
Yan Su nodded. "Lanxin is cursed. The dead walk here."
Shen Li gripped his swords. "Good. Let them try me."
---
🧟♂️ The Dead Rise
The moment they stepped inside, the earth cracked.
Hands reached up from the soil. Eyes glowed in the dark.
Undead warriors. Hundreds.
"Formation!" Yan Su shouted.
BOOM!
BOOM!
BOOM!!!
Fire. Light. Shadow. Seals.
They cut through wave after wave.
But then—it happened.
---
⚠️ Shen Li Breaks
A dark sword stabbed into Shen Li's chest.
"LI!" Yue Qian screamed.
He coughed blood—but his eyes glowed silver.
Emergency Mode Activated: Duality Overdrive
He screamed—
BOOOOMMMM!!!!
A wave of energy exploded out.
Every undead nearby turned to dust.
Even the clouds above split open.
But when the light faded… Shen Li dropped.
Unconscious. Pale. Not moving.
---
⚡ A Final Reveal
As Yue Qian held him and cried, Yan Su looked ahead.
Far in the valley, a single lotus glowed in the dark. Its petals were silver and black.
"The Mirror Root Lotus…" he whispered. "It's real."
Then—
The white-haired boy appeared again.
This time, he walked toward them slowly, eyes glowing gold.
"It's time," he said softly. "The gate is opening."
---