Chapter 13 - The Realm of Sealed Evil

Lin Feng, Mei - ling, and the warriors from the ancient order emerged on the other side of the portal into a strange and foreboding landscape. The air was thick with a noxious, purple - tinged mist that swirled around them, carrying with it an otherworldly chill that seeped through their clothes and into their bones. The ground beneath their feet was a dark, cracked expanse, and in the distance, strange, spire - like structures loomed, their jagged edges piercing the hazy sky. As they stepped forward, the portal behind them vanished with a soft pop, leaving them alone in this alien realm. Lin Feng held the artifacts tightly, their glow cutting through the mist to some extent. He looked around, trying to get a sense of their surroundings. The first trial of the realm awaited them, but they had no idea where to start. Mei - ling shivered, not just from the cold but from the palpable sense of malevolence that seemed to hang in the air. "This place... it's filled with so much dark energy. We need to be extremely cautious." Garret nodded, his eyes scanning the area for any signs of immediate danger. "Stay close together. We don't know what's out there." The warriors formed a tight formation around Lin Feng and Mei - ling, their weapons at the ready. They began to move forward slowly, their footsteps echoing dully on the hard ground. As they walked, they noticed that the spires in the distance seemed to be made of a strange, black - crystal - like substance that glistened menacingly. Suddenly, a group of shadowy figures emerged from the mist. They were humanoid in shape but lacked any distinct features, their forms constantly shifting and wavering. The figures let out a collective, high - pitched wail that sent shivers down the spines of everyone present. "These must be some of the guardians of this realm," Lin Feng said. He raised the artifacts, and a warm, golden light radiated from them, pushing back the shadowy figures for a moment. The warriors charged at the figures, their swords slashing through the mist. But as their blades passed through the shadowy forms, it was as if they were cutting through thin air. The figures seemed unaffected, and they launched a counter - attack, their hands reaching out to grab the warriors. One of the warriors was grabbed by a shadowy figure. He let out a scream as a cold, numbing sensation spread through his body. Lin Feng quickly focused the power of the artifacts and sent a blast of energy towards the figure holding the warrior. The blast hit the figure, and it dissipated into the mist, releasing the warrior. Mei - ling joined in, using her own powers to create a barrier of light around the group. The shadowy figures hissed and swirled around the barrier, trying to find a way in. Lin Feng studied the figures, trying to figure out how to defeat them. "I think we need to find their source of power," he shouted over the wailing of the figures. "There must be something that gives them form." As they fought, Lin Feng noticed that the shadowy figures seemed to be drawn to the artifacts. He had an idea. He stepped forward, away from the safety of the barrier, holding the artifacts high. "Lin Feng, what are you doing?" Mei - ling cried out. "I think I can draw them away and find a way to stop them," he replied. The shadowy figures lunged towards him, their movements more frenzied. Lin Feng ran, leading them away from the group. As he ran, he looked for any signs of what might be powering the figures. Suddenly, he came across a small, black - crystal pedestal in the middle of a clearing. On the pedestal was a pulsating, dark - purple orb. The shadowy figures seemed to be connected to the orb, their movements becoming more erratic as Lin Feng approached it. He realized that this was the source of their power. He focused the power of the artifacts and sent a beam of light towards the orb. The beam hit the orb, and it began to crack. The shadowy figures let out a deafening scream as the orb shattered. They dissipated into the mist, disappearing completely. Lin Feng rejoined the group, his face pale from the effort. "We need to keep moving. There will be more challenges ahead." As they continued their journey, they came across a large, stagnant lake. The water was a sickly green color, and bubbles of noxious gas rose to the surface, bursting with a foul smell. On the other side of the lake, they could see a large, imposing structure that seemed to be the next destination. But as they tried to find a way around the lake, a massive serpent - like creature emerged from the water. Its body was covered in slimy, green scales, and its eyes were a glowing yellow. It opened its large jaws, revealing rows of sharp, venom - filled teeth. The creature let out a roar and lunged towards them. Lin Feng quickly created a shield using the artifacts, but the force of the creature's attack sent shockwaves through the shield. The warriors began to shoot arrows at the creature, but the arrows seemed to bounce off its tough scales. Mei - ling concentrated her powers and sent a blast of energy towards the creature's eyes. The creature reared back, temporarily blinded. Taking advantage of this, Lin Feng focused all the power of the artifacts into a single, powerful blast. The blast hit the creature in its underbelly, where the scales were slightly softer. The creature let out a pained howl and thrashed in the water. It tried to attack again, but Garret and some of the warriors rushed forward and stabbed at its underbelly with their swords. The combination of Lin Feng's blast and the warriors' attacks seemed to weaken the creature. After a fierce battle, the creature finally slumped into the water, dead. Lin Feng and the others took a moment to catch their breath. But they knew that they couldn't rest for long. As they made their way around the lake towards the structure, they heard a loud rumbling sound. The ground began to shake, and large chunks of earth started to rise from the ground, forming into giant, earthen golems. The golems were massive, each one towering over them, their stone fists clenched menacingly. "Great, more challenges," Garret muttered. Lin Feng knew that they had to find a way to defeat these golems quickly. He noticed that the golems seemed to be made of a type of porous stone. He had an idea. He used the artifacts to create a powerful suction force. The force pulled at the loose stones of the golems, causing them to crumble. The warriors joined in, attacking the golems with their weapons as they were being weakened by Lin Feng's power. One by one, the golems started to fall apart. But as they were dealing with the last golem, a figure emerged from the structure. It was a man, dressed in a long, black robe. He had a pale face and red eyes that glowed with an intense hatred. "So, you think you can just waltz through this realm and seal the evil?" the man sneered. "I am one of the keepers of this place, and I won't let you pass." Lin Feng stepped forward. "We have to seal the evil. The cult is trying to unleash it on the world. You can't let that happen." The man laughed. "The cult means nothing to me. But I will not allow anyone to disrupt the balance that has been maintained for centuries. You must turn back." With that, the man raised his hands, and a wave of dark energy shot towards them. Lin Feng used the artifacts to create a shield, but he knew that this was going to be a tough fight. And with the cult likely on their way through the portal soon, time was running out. How could they convince this keeper to let them pass or defeat him if necessary? And what other dangers awaited them within the structure? The situation in the realm of the sealed evil was growing more perilous by the moment, and Lin Feng and his companions were in for an even greater battle.