Revelations and Resolutions

The Black Sorceress lay on the ground, weakened and gasping for breath, her heart pierced by Xiao Yang's sword. As she struggled to move, the demonic sigil on Xiao Yang's forehead miraculously disappeared, and he coughed up a mouthful of blood. He glanced around the chaotic scene, his face a mixture of shock and concern.

Amidst the battlefield, Elder Xu sat in a meditative posture, his hands forming a unique mudra with interlaced fingers and palms facing up. His legs were crossed as he remained seated on the ground, appearing remarkably calm despite the recent tumultuous events.

Xiao Yang, bewildered and worried, extended his hand towards Elder Xu. He gently shook the elder, trying to rouse him. "Elder Xu, are you alright? What's happening?"

Elder Xu slowly opened his eyes, revealing a piercing yet serene gaze. "Xiao Yang, I'm fine. The technique I just employed was forbidden, but it was the only way to temporarily contain the Black Sorceress's power. That is why you were able to stab her"

" A forbidden technique?" Xiao Yang asked still confused. "It's known as the 'Three Needles Soul Shackle Technique.' When I faced her in battle, I discreetly launched these three needles at her meridians in her neck and arm region. I feigned injury to divert her focus, and just as you were about to strike, despite her agility, the Black Sorceress was immobilized, allowing you to land that blow."

"To wield such a forbidden skill requires an immense amount of divine energy. I had to steady my inner qi to harness and prevent my divine energy from fading so that is ehy i was in such a psrture."

As Elder Xu rose from his meditation, they approached the quivering form of the black sorceress. "Is she dying?" Xiao Yang inquired, baffled by her condition.

"No, she's already a ghost. She won't succumb, but she needs release from her lingering resentment," Elder Xu explained. With a deft movement, he extracted the needles from her meridians, restoring mobility to her body. She struggled to rise, attempting to assail them despite her frailty, but a whip swiftly encircled her, revealing Xiao Rui and Li Ying Ying who regained there consciousness. "I won't spare anyone! I'll obliterate anyone in my path! This world teems with deceitful souls. There are no more virtuous people," the ghost wailed, her cries and screams piercing the air, while bloody tears swelled up in her eyes and rolled down her cheeks.

"Black sorceress, it's your festering resentment that's ensnared you in this vengeful state. Release your bitterness so that you can attain peace and have a good next life," Elder Xu implored.

"Tell me, have you truly found solace in the reclamation of your child, even if it meant decimating the Zhao clan and extinguishing countless lives? Did you even get your dead child back" His eyes bore into her with a mixture of anger and curiosity.

"Your pursuit of vengeance hasn't provided the peace you sought; instead, it's trapped you in the unending cycle of life, death, and rebirth," he remarked with a hint of sorrow, his words laced with profound wisdom.

"You're right. Revenge has blinded my senses," the sorceress confessed, her tears flowing, and Li Yingying and Xiao Rui couldn't help but feel sorrow for her.

Closing her eyes, the sorceress cleansed her heart by forgiving all those who had wronged her. As her resentment dissipated, her ghostly form unexpectedly transformed into a beautiful young maiden in white attire. Her face radiated with beauty, her eyes were enchanting, and she wore a warm, serene smile, bringing happiness to all who witnessed it.

Thank you for opening my eyes," she said with a smile. "I never intended to harm Xue Zi Qian. I was manipulated by a masked man and woman who deceived me, claiming that Zhao Xian was still alive and urging me to seek revenge against him. They told me that they would lead me Zhao Xian if i bring Xue Zi Qian to them."

"But he will undoubtedly require the Soul Revitalizing Pill to awaken," she said with a tinge of sadness, as a golden essence started to envelop her. She recognized that the moment had come for her to find inner peace and begin a new cycle of life.

"May the winds of time carry away my regrets, and may my new life be a canvas of kindness and love." She said as a tear rolled down her eyes and fell on the ground. Her form gradually dissipated and soon she vanished entirely. "I hope you find a better life in your next incarnation," Elder Xu murmured, watching her vanish with a serene smile on her face.

Elder Xu sighed and entered Zi Qian's room, unable to contain his thoughts. "The entrance exams haven't even begun, and already, so much is unfolding," he remarked. His gaze fixed on Zi Qian's unconscious form, and he thought to himself, "You are truly extraordinary. But that entity within you must be vanquished. The seal is on the verge of breaking, and if it does, we won't be able to rescue you. That's why your father sent you here."

Xiao Rui, Li Yingying, and Xiao Yang made their way to the academic clinic to tend to their injuries. Closing his eyes, he gently touched Zi Qian's forehead with two fingers, attempting to transfer some of his divine energy. But his efforts proved futile. Elder Xu couldn't help but wonder about Wei Yang's whereabouts. Was he dead? Did he even make it into the forest? Had he obtained the Soul Revitalizing Pill? These questions echoed in his mind when, suddenly, the door creaked open.

At first, there was no one at the door, but soon, Elder Xu spotted blood dripping on the floor. A disheveled man crawled into the room, unable to walk due to the severe injuries that covered his body. His upper body was exposed, revealing his muscular chest. His bloodied hands left traces on the ground. As the bloodied man looked up, Elder Xu was shocked to see Wei Yang in such a dire state. His raven-black hair clung to his forehead, matted with sweat and blood, as his dark, intense, red and teary eyes gazed up at Elder Xu with determination. His face was a tapestry of pain and determination, a testament to the hardships and trials he had endured in the Forest of the Dead. What truly astonished him was that despite his condition, Wei Yang had brought the Soul Revitalizing Pill himself. Spitting out blood, Wei Yang remained on the floor, pain etched on his face, as he painstakingly retrieved the pill from a wooden chest. With trembling, bloody hands, he presented it to Elder Xu. "Please, save my master!" Wei Yang pleaded with tears in his eyes as he closed his own eyes, his concern evident, having expended his last ounce of energy. Elder Xu's expression showed a mixture of concern and determination. With a sigh and a faint smile, he carefully opened the wooden chest, revealing a neat arrangement of green emerald pills. He was taken aback by Wei Yang's resourcefulness in collecting over twenty of these precious pills.

Taking one of the emerald pills, he gently placed it in Zi Qian's mouth, ensuring that he swallowed it. With a sense of relief, Elder Xu closed the wooden chest and set it down on the nearby table. Several tense minutes passed before Zi Qian's eyes began to flutter open. His vision was blurred from days of unconsciousness, but he could finally perceive the soft light of the room, and, most importantly, he felt the vitality returning to his body. As he slowly regained consciousness, the first person he saw was Elder Xu, a reassuring presence in the room.

As Zi Qian's groggy eyes began to focus, he made an attempt to sit up.Elder Xu gently pressed a hand against Zi Qian's chest, preventing him from leaping out of bed in his panicked state. "Take it easy, Zi Qian," he urged, his voice calm and reassuring.

Zi Qian nodded weakly, his head still throbbing from the ordeal. He managed to speak, his voice hoarse, "What happened? I remember the ghost, and then... Xiao Yang....everything went dark."

"The vengeful spirit you encountered was the black sorceress." Zi Qian's eyes widened in disbelief. "The black sorceress? She's the one who trapped me in that virtual world?" Elder Xu nodded. "Yes, but Xiao Yang managed to free you from her grasp. However, the ordeal drained a significant amount of your divine essence, and that's why you needed the Soul Revitalizing Pill and thus you were unconscious for several days. Wei Yang risked his life to retrieve it from the Forest of the Dead for you."

Zi Qian's eyes widened in astonishment. "What! The Forest of the Dead? Wei Yang went there for me? Is he alright? Did he get injured? I need to see him immediately!" Panic and concern filled his voice as he attempted to sit up once more, a rush of urgency propelling him to check on his courageous friend.

Elder Xu firmly held him by the shoulders to restrain him. "Wei Yang is in the academy's clinic. I'm confident he will recover soon," he reassured Zi Qian. Seeing the worry on his face, Zi Qian stopped struggling and sat upright on the bed. I will send some herbal medicine for you," Elder Xu said as he prepared to leave the room. "Don't forget to take it." Alone in his room, Zi Qian ran his fingers through his hair and contemplated the whirlwind of events. "What is happening to me?" he muttered to himself. "Why is everyone after me? What's the secret of the seal? Who was that man in my dream? Why did the ghost attack me? And why was I targeted by the Zhao Clan?" These questions echoed in his mind, filling him with unease. However, after a moment of terrible silence, Zi Qian raised his head from his knees, his eyes filled with determination. "I believe all the answers lie here in the Ling Tian Academy. To uncover the truth, I have to stay right here."

As Zi Qian sat on the bed, determined to unravel the mysteries surrounding him and the academy, he heard a soft knock on the door. It was Xiao Yang, holding a small tray with a steaming cup of herbal tea and a bowl of medicinal herbs. "I've brought this herbal tea to help you recover your strength as ordered by Elder Xu," Xiao Yang said as he placed the tray on the bedside table. "It will also ease the strain on your divine essence."

Zi Qian nodded, appreciating the latter's care. He took a sip of the herbal tea, its warmth and earthy aroma soothing his senses. "Thank you, Xiao Yang. I'm still trying to make sense of everything that has happened." Xiao Yang sat in a chair nearby, his wise eyes fixed on Zi Qian. "I understand, Zi Qian. The events of the past few days have been overwhelming. But know that you're not alone in this. We'll figure out the truth together."

The young man took another sip of the tea, feeling its restorative effects and looked at Xiao Yang. Zi Qian, his voice tinged with sadness and curiosity, couldn't help but ask "Don't you feel threatened around me? Why did you risk your life and enter the virtual world?" He couldn't shake the feeling that he was somehow a danger to those close to him. Xiao Yang remained silent for a moment, his eyes evading Zi Qian's. "Why do you ask? You need to rest," he deflected,

as he started to rise from the chair, intent on removing the tray, when Zi Qian's hand shot out and gently but firmly grasped his wrist. Zi Qian looked directly into Xiao Yang's eyes, a hint of vulnerability in his own. " Tell me? I need to know. I can't bear the thought of endangering all those close to me. You've been by my side through all of this," Zi Qian said as his voice trembled and he held his tears in his eyes.

Xiao Yang hesitated, his gaze shifting away as he tried to downplay his actions. "What are you saying? I saved you just once," he began, his voice slightly unsteady. But Zi Qian's grip on his wrist tightened slightly, and he implored, "Xiao Yang, you don't need to hide it. I know that you were the one who rescued me when I was captured by the Zhao Clan,"