What Darkness Awaits Below?"
Yu Xuan strolls through the corridors of the academy, his hands clasped behind his back as he heads toward his next class. It's been a fortnight since he took on the role of mentor at the academy. His responsibilities involve instructing disciples in new combat techniques and cultivation methods to improve their spiritual essence and gain an advantage in battles. However, his mentorship is limited to the Bronze Batch team.
A recent decree has shaken up the academy's tradition for the first time in two centuries. The new rule divides disciples into three main categories: Bronze, Silver, and Gold Batches. The Gold Batch comprises the elite cultivators, possessing formidable skills and abilities. On the other hand, the Bronze Batch consists of less skilled cultivators who must diligently work to improve their cultivation, despite passing the entrance exams.
Advancement between batches is governed by a unique system. Disciples must earn silver tokens from the elders to progress to a higher tier. These tokens are awarded for outstanding efforts and achievements during missions. For instance, Bronze Batch members typically undertake less perilous missions, such as hunting lesser demons. In contrast, Gold Batch disciples pursue higher-ranked demons, although they do not engage with those of the Supreme Highest rank.
As Yu Xuan made his way toward the Silver Batch team area to meet Zi Qian, his thoughts were consumed by anticipation. Yet, fate had other plans for him as he traversed the corridors of the academy. Suddenly, he collided with someone, his footing faltering as he stumbled forward. With a graceful twist, he teetered on the brink of falling, only to be caught by the swift reflexes of a mysterious figure.
In a moment of panic, Yu Xuan felt himself careening forward, but before he could hit the ground, a pair of strong arms wrapped around his waist, pulling him back from the brink of disaster.
In that fleeting moment, time seemed to slow as Yu Xuan found himself enveloped in the strong, yet gentle arms of his savior.
The touch of their hands sent a shiver down his spine, igniting a spark of warmth within him. As he steadied himself, he looked up to behold the face of his rescuer, and his breath caught in his throat.
Before him stood Xiao Yang, their eyes locking in an intimate gaze that seemed to transcend the confines of the bustling corridor. In that shared moment, Yu Xuan felt a connection unlike any he had experienced before, as if fate had orchestrated their meeting for a greater purpose.
With a tender smile, Xiao Yang guided Yu Xuan back to his feet, their proximity sending a rush of exhilaration coursing through Yu Xuan's veins. As they stood together, their hands lingering in a lingering touch, Xiao Yang bent down to retrieve the fallen books scattered across the floor.
As Xiao Yang handed Yu Xuan the fallen books, Yu Xuan offered a polite bow, his expression sheepish with embarrassment. "I apologize for the rush. Thank you for your help," he said, his voice tinged with genuine gratitude.
Xiao Yang regarded him with a curious gaze, his features inscrutable as he inquired, "May I ask who you are?"
With a good-natured chuckle, Yu Xuan replied, "Ah, yes, it's understandable that you wouldn't recognize me. I'm Yu Han, a new instructor here. I teach the Bronze Batch."
Xiao Yang's eyebrows rose in surprise at the revelation. "A teacher?" he echoed, his tone tinged with curiosity. "You seem rather young to be an instructor. It must mean you're exceptionally skilled. I look forward to learning from you, Teacher Yu."
A warm smile graced Yu Xuan's lips at the unexpected compliment. "Thank yo. Your words mean a lot," he replied graciously, his nerves easing slightly in the face of Xiao Yang's genuine interest.
As Xiao Yang introduced himself as a student of the Gold Batch team and bowed respectfully, Yu Xuan returned the gesture with a polite nod of his own. "It's a pleasure to meet you, Xiao Yang," he replied, his smile growing more relaxed as he felt the tension dissipate between them.
"I'll take my leave now!" Yu Xuan called out hastily as he hurried toward the silver batch area to meet Zi Qian.
"Is that really you? Do you not recognize me?" Xiao Yang questioned himself quietly, his expression unreadable as he watched Yu Xuan's retreating figure. With a resigned sigh, he followed in Yu Xuan's footsteps, trailing behind him toward the silver batch.
As they entered the silver batch campus, Yu Xuan slowed his pace, greeted by respectful bows from the students around him. However, his focus remained singular as he sought out Zi Qian. "Excuse me, have you seen Xue Zi Qian?" he inquired of a passing student.
"Xue Zi Qian should be at the training ground. He's been training alone lately, often until late at night," the student replied earnestly.
"Thank you," Yu Xuan acknowledged with a nod before darting off in the direction of the training ground, determination etched into his features.
Meanwhile, Xiao Yang, having overheard the exchange between the student and Yu Xuan, pondered the implications quietly to himself. "So, he's searching for Xue Zi Qian," he mused thoughtfully, his interest piqued by the unexpected revelation. "It seems Teacher Yu Han and that Xue Zi Qian are quite close. Could there be something more between them?"
Elsewhere, Jiahao and his group of friends huddled together, their voices hushed as they indulged in gossip. "Did you see that? Teacher Yu Han and that spoiled brat Xue Zi Qian seem awfully cozy," Jiahao remarked with a smirk. "Do you think there's something going on between them?"
Xiao Yang's ears perked at the mention of Yu Xuan's name, his curiosity piqued by the tantalizing gossip. "So, he's been frequenting this area," he observed silently, his mind buzzing with newfound intrigue. With a determined stride, he made his way toward the training ground, eager to uncover the truth for himself.
Yu Xuan wandered through the deserted training ground, his brow furrowed in confusion. "Where could he be?" he muttered to himself, scanning the area for any sign of Zi Qian's presence.
As Yu Xuan paced the empty training ground, a sudden sense of unease prickled at his senses. Instinctively, he clenched his fist, sliding his hand into his pocket to retrieve a small dagger, poised and ready for action. With a fluid motion, he spun around, the blade poised at the vital point of Xiao Yang's neck before the latter could even react.
"Why are you following me?" Yu Xuan demanded, his tone dripping with seriousness as he narrowed his eyes at the intruder. Xiao Yang remained silent, his expression inscrutable as he met Yu Xuan's gaze head-on.
Noticing the books in Yu Xuan's hand, Xiao Yang spoke up, his voice calm yet tinged with a hint of apology. "I'm sorry to startle you, Teacher Yu, but I believe you've taken accidentally my book with you when we collided earlier," he explained, gesturing towards the tome in Yu Xuan's grasp.
Yu Xuan's eyes widened in realization, and he cautiously withdrew the dagger from Xiao Yang's neck, his suspicions still lingering. "If you needed your book, why didn't you simply call out to me instead of shadowing my every move?" he questioned, his tone laced with skepticism.
"I did call out to you, but perhaps you didn't hear," Xiao Yang replied, his voice faltering slightly as he fabricated a lie.
"Is that so? I didn't hear anything. Regardless, take your book and refrain from following me," Yu Xuan stated firmly, his demeanor unwavering.
However, Xiao Yang's offer of assistance intrigued him. "Perhaps you're looking for someone. Maybe I can be of help," Xiao Yang proposed, his expression earnest.
As Yu Xuan pondered Xiao Yang's offer, a surge of conflicting emotions and thoughts flooded his mind. Suspicion warred with curiosity as he mulled over Xiao Yang's intentions. "Why was he trailing me? There's an odd familiarity about him. Could he be someone I know in disguise, lurking here? And his name, Xiao Yang... Wasn't he the one who bestowed that potent amulet upon Zi Qian? But was it a gesture of goodwill, or something more sinister? Could he be involved with the enigmatic 6 Great Magical Tools? To unearth his true motives, I must shadow him, stay close, and unravel the mysteries veiled within."
"Hmm! I was just look--" His words were abruptly cut off by a rumble, as if the earth itself was protesting. "Do you hear that?" Yu Xuan questioned Xiao Yang. With fox-like senses, Yu Xuan was attuned to even the slightest disturbances. Xiao Yang shook his head in response.
Suddenly, the ground beneath them began to tremble, sending shockwaves through their bodies. Instinctively, Xiao Yang grasped Yu Xuan's hand, steadying him against the upheaval. "We need to get out of here!" Xiao Yang exclaimed urgently, his voice tinged with concern. They attempted to flee, but before they could make their escape, a viscous green substance emerged, ensnaring their feet in its sticky embrace, trapping them in place.
The viscous green liquid bubbled menacingly, emitting an eerie sound that sent shivers down their spines. "I'm stuck!" Yu Xuan exclaimed, his voice laced with panic as he struggled against the adhesive grip of the substance.
Xiao Yang wielded his sword with precision, slashing at the viscous liquid in a desperate attempt to break free from its grasp, but his efforts were futile against its tenacious hold. Meanwhile, Yu Xuan summoned his inner power, channeling it with all his might in a bid to break through the encroaching substance.
At first, their combined efforts showed signs of success, as the liquid began to recede, its hold weakening under the onslaught of their determined struggle. However, their momentary triumph was short-lived, as a sudden, violent tremor shook the ground beneath them with unrestrained ferocity.
The earth quaked and convulsed, the very foundation of their world crumbling beneath their feet.
"It's the headless ghost!" Xiao Yang's voice rang out, his tone laden with dread.
As fissures widened and the ground split asunder, a deafening roar filled the air. As the ground beneath them fractured and crumbled, they found themselves being swallowed whole by the gaping maw of the earth, plunging into the darkness below.
As they plummeted into the depths below, Xiao Yang's hand instinctively reached out, grasping a dangling branch for support, with Yu Xuan's hand clasped firmly in his own. Above, a faint glimmer of light pierced through the darkness, offering a fleeting glimpse of hope amidst the encroaching abyss. Yet, their precarious perch upon the fragile branch left them teetering on the brink of oblivion, with the looming threat of imminent collapse hanging heavily over their heads.
As the ground above began to seal shut, showering them with cascading rocks and debris, Xiao Yang's voice cut through the chaos, a beacon of calm amidst the turmoil."Hold on tightly," he urged, his grip tightening around Yu Xuan's hand, their connection serving as a lifeline in the face of impending danger. In the dim light, Yu Xuan caught a glimpse of the veins coursing beneath Xiao Yang's skin, a silent testament to the intensity of their predicament.
Amidst the chaos, Yu Xuan found himself grappling with a flurry of thoughts and questions, his mind racing to make sense of the unfolding events. "Could it truly be the Headless Demon? But how was it released from its ancient prison?" he mused, his thoughts a whirlwind of uncertainty and doubt.
"Legend has it that the Headless Demon was sealed away in the depths of the Dark Realm millennia ago," Xiao Yang explained, his words tinged with strain as he fought to maintain his grasp on the branch. "If it has indeed been unleashed upon the world once more, it can only mean that someone has dared to tamper with the ancient seals that bind the dark realm."
Yu Xuan's gaze narrowed, a flicker of suspicion dancing in his eyes as he processed Xiao Yang's revelation. "So he possesses knowledge of the Headless Demon and the Dark Realm," he pondered, his thoughts swirling with newfound intrigue. "Perhaps there is more to him than meets the eye."
"How do you know about that?" Yu Xuan inquired, his curiosity piqued by Xiao Yang's unexpected revelation. While it was true that certain demons had been sealed within the confines of the Dark Realm to forestall untold chaos, the notion that Xiao Yang possessed intimate knowledge of such matters left Yu Xuan intrigued.
As his mind delved deeper into the mystery, Yu Xuan found himself grappling with a perplexing question: how had Xiao Yang come by this information? The existence of the Headless Demon was a well-guarded secret, relegated to the annals of ancient lore, with little mention in historical records. After all, the Headless Demon was considered a low-ranking entity, its notoriety eclipsed by the legends of more formidable adversaries.
Furthermore, the specifics of the Headless Demon's abilities remained shrouded in mystery, with no mention of its purported control over the enigmatic green substance that now ensnared them. Thus, the revelation that Xiao Yang possessed knowledge of the Headless Demon's capabilities raised more questions than answers, leaving Yu Xuan to ponder the enigma before him. Was Xiao Yang privy to secrets unknown to the rest of the world, or was there more to his story than met the eye?
"I just read about it somewhere," Xiao Yang's response came swiftly, though the hint of hesitation lingered in his voice. It was a feeble attempt to conceal the truth, but Yu Xuan's keen intuition sensed the deception lurking beneath his companion's words.
The atmosphere grew tense as Yu Xuan's gaze bore into Xiao Yang, his mind awash with doubt and suspicion. Yet, amidst the palpable tension, a sense of urgency gripped them both as they teetered on the brink of disaster.
"Let go of my hand," Yu Xuan's voice cut through the tense silence, his tone resolute despite the fear that gnawed at his insides. Xiao Yang hesitated, his grip tightening in a futile attempt to maintain their connection.
But Yu Xuan was resolute in his decision, his resolve unyielding as he forcibly extricated his hand from Xiao Yang's grasp. With a sense of finality, he watched as Xiao Yang's eyes widened in disbelief, the realization of their impending separation dawning upon him too late.
In a swift and merciless motion, Yu Xuan plunged into the abyss, the darkness swallowing him whole as he descended into the unknown. Xiao Yang's outstretched hand remained suspended in the air, a futile gesture of desperation as he watched Yu Xuan disappear from sight.