Luring Shadows: Hunting the Black Sorceress

In the eerie darkness of the virtual world, the malevolent ghost's bloody hands tightened around Zi Qian's neck, lifting him off the ground. Her mouth opened wide, revealing a dark abyss of terror as she began to absorb his primordial spirit. Zi Qian struggled to breathe or speak, his vision dimming as she drained his essence.

Suddenly, the ghost froze, her grip loosening. Her eyes filled with horror, and her hands trembled. "Why is he inside you?" She stammered, terror etched on her spectral face. Zi Qian tried to utter a response, but his voice failed him, leaving him gasping for breath. A swift, gleaming sword soared through the air, slicing through the ghost's form and striking her from behind. She coughed up a dark, dense green substance and smirked wickedly. "You weaklings think that a sword can kill me!" She cackled malevolently, transforming into a crimson mist that dissipated into nothingness. Zi Qian crumpled to the ground, his strength depleted, and the mysterious sword returned to its rightful owner. To his astonishment, it was none other than Xiao Yang who had come to his rescue. The young master of the Shen Pavilion rushed to Zi Qian's side, offering his support. Badly injured, Zi Qian gripped Xiao Yang's hand for stability. "Are you alright?" Xiao Yang inquired with concern. With effort, Zi Qian managed to speak, despite his weakened state. "How did you get here?" he asked, his voice hoarse. "This is the virtual world, Elder Xu used his divine essence to send me here," Xiao Yang explained, blood staining his clothing as he coughed blood unexpectedly. "We need to leave quickly. Spending too much time in this virtual world can deplete our divine essence, and our primordial spirits will vanish," Xiao Yang warned. As Zi Qian couldn't walk, Xiao Yang offered him a piggyback ride, and they hurried toward a portal that would return them to reality. As they emerged from the portal, both Zi Qian and Xiao Yang returned to the real world. They lay side by side on a bed, unconscious and bearing the marks of their otherworldly ordeal on their body. Especially Zi Qian. "Are they alright?" Wei Yang inquired, concern etched across his face, as he sits beside his young master. "They've expended a significant amount of divine essence," Elder Xu explained, pacing back and forth with his hands behind his back. "They need time to recover."

" Shen Xiao Yang will wake up soon but as for Zi Qian he needs rest," Elder Xu continued, "and they'll need to consume the soul-revitalizing pill to restore their divine essence as quickly as possible, but..."

There was a brief pause. Wei Yang's eyes revealed his unwavering determination as he interrupted, "Where can we find the these pills? Tell me, and I'll retrieve them."

Elder Xu sighed, realizing the dangerous path Wei Yang was willing to tread to help his master. "Soul-revitalizing pills are exceedingly rare, found only in the Forest of the Dead," Elder Xu explained. He stressed the immense danger that the forest posed, inhabited by deadly creatures and mutant humans. "Only those with extraordinary skills and abilities can venture into this forest and return alive," Elder Xu cautioned. But Wei Yang was undeterred. " I'm willing to die for Young master, but i will definitely bring the pill," with unwavering determination, he declared his intent to venture into the Forest of the Dead. Elder Xu sighed, understanding the depth of Wei Yang's commitment. "It's a treacherous journey, young man. Not many return from the Forest of the Dead. But if you're determined to go, I can't stop you." He swiftly grabbed his sword and dashed outside, leaving everyone behind. " I pray that this young man returns alive from there," Elder Xu couldn't help but murmur a prayer for Wei Yang's safety. A heavy silence hung over the room. The intense atmosphere was only broken by Xiao Yang, who gradually gained full consciousness. Elder Xu commended him, "Xiao Yang, your quick thinking and courage saved Zi Qian's life."

Xiao Yang nodded and asked, "Who was that ghost?"

Elder Xu sighed heavily. "It was the Black Sorceress. Her sudden reappearance has left us all bewildered."

"The Black Sorceress?" Xiao Yang's concern grew. "Has she not already exacted her revenge on the Zhao Clan? Why is she now targeting Zi Qian?"

Elder Xu shook his head. "We don't know her motives, but the only way to find out is to catch her. We'll set up Demon-Catching Talismans around your room. When she returns, we'll be ready."

Days passed, and the Lingtian Academy remained on high alert, waiting for the return of the Black Sorceress. The Demon-Catching Talismans were set around Zi Qian's room with the latter being still unconscious, carefully concealed from sight. Their intricate patterns were only visible to those who knew where to look that is it was only visible to Elder Xu. Amidst the darkness, the Black Sorceress descended in her mist form, moving silently like a wraith. chilling wind blew through the courtyard, making the lanterns flicker as an ominous mist rolled in slowly. The air grew cold, and her malevolent presence sent shivers down the spines of those who could sense her arrival. Li Ying Ying, Xiao Rui and Xiao Bai watched her every movement, rightly holding their respective weapon in their hands. With her crimson eyes burning with malice, she floated closer to Zi Qian's room, unaware of the invisible enchantments that lay in wait. In an instant, the Demon-Catching Talismans sprung to life, their hidden silver chains emerging like serpents from the ground. The chains moved with precision and grace, surrounding the Black Sorceress with a shimmering, otherworldly golden glow. Their enchanted links formed a perfect circle around her. The sorceress struggled, but the chains held her captive. She fought back, her form growing more substantial as she struggled against the enchanted restraints. Desperation filled the sorceress's crimson eyes as she realized she was ensnared. The Black Sorceress, though ensnared in the chains, was far from a weak spirit. Her malevolent energy had been honed through years of dark cultivation, and she was not one to be easily trapped. As the silvery chains tightened around her, she closed her crimson eyes and began to focus. " That's bad! She is about to do something, " Elder Xu said. Xiao Rui, Li YingYing, and Xiao Yang, valiantly took to the air, weapons in hand, ready to confront the Black Sorceress. With their fierce determination, they launched an attack, aiming to put an end to her malevolent presence once and for all. But as the sorceress opened her crimson eyes, a wave of dark energy burst forth from her,shattering the chains like fragile glass. Her dark aura expanded, creating a shockwave that sent the broken chains scattering across the courtyard and the force of her dark power was overwhelming that It hit the three sending them spiraling backward as they spat blood. Xiao Yang collided with the stone wall with a resounding thud, while Xiao Rui and Li YingYing were flung to the ground. They groaned in pain, their weapons dropping from their grasp. She hovered in the air, her blood-red eyes filled with wicked intent. Her nails elongated and turned into razor-sharp, blood-red claws.

"Your feeble strength is no match for me!" She cackled maliciously as she closed in on Elder Xu. Both of them possessed remarkable abilities, but her malevolent power was overwhelming. In the meantime, due to the sheer force of her prior attack, Xiao Rui and Li YingYing had been rendered unconscious, laying helplessly on the ground. Xiao Shen, along with Elder Xu, joined forces to face her. They executed perfect coordination, evading each of her sinister strikes. The Black Sorceress attempted to inflict harm with her elongated, nightmarish nails, but their swift reflexes allowed them to evade her lethal touch. Suddenly, in an unexpected turn of events, she managed to land a vicious scratch on Elder Xu's chest, causing blood to spurt from the wound. He fell to the ground, incapacitated and unable to defend himself. The sorceress gloated in her perceived victory, unaware that Shen Xiao Yang had silently flown behind her. With a swift and calculated strike, Xiao Yang plunged his sword into her heart, targeting her vulnerability. As she gazed upon him, her terror was magnified upon seeing a demonic sigil etched onto Xiao Yang's forehead, his eyes darkened, and his blade pulsating with sinister energy. Lying on the ground, her malevolent power dissipating, the Black Sorceress gasped weakly as she uttered, "Harbinger of doom?" Her voice trembled with a mix of fear and surprise.