Path United

As **Xiao Ling** knelt down to pick up the scroll, its aged surface felt brittle beneath her fingers. The ancient symbols etched into the parchment glowed faintly, as if they had been waiting for centuries to be read aloud. The moment she began to scan the strange script, a sense of unease washed over her—it was written in a language long forgotten, one she had never seen before.

But something inside her urged her forward.

She began to speak, her voice low and hesitant at first, as she struggled to pronounce the ancient words. They felt foreign on her tongue, sharp and guttural, but as she continued, the syllables began to flow more naturally, almost as if the language itself was taking hold of her:

**Xiao Ling**: "*Vahdrin solis kheh'dun, emana'rieth valar ka'shira... Thael osaran, ven'thor kai.*"

With each word, the air around her began to hum, the ground beneath her feet trembling slightly. The sky darkened further, swirling with unnatural energy, and a deep rumble echoed from the heavens. The others watched in awe as a faint outline of a portal began to form in front of her, its edges shimmering with a strange light that seemed to pull at reality itself.

Her heart raced, but she couldn't stop. The words kept spilling out, faster now:

**Xiao Ling**: "*Dreth velkhar, ku'raltha va'rehn, sha'thakral orion... Kai'valn!*"

With the final syllable, the portal snapped fully into existence with a deafening crack, as if the fabric of space had been torn open. Before her, an enormous, swirling gateway hovered, pulsating with an eerie glow. Through its shifting surface, glimpses of other worlds—some dark and twisted, others bathed in light—flickered for an instant before vanishing into the chaotic swirl.

The portal wasn't like anything she had ever seen before. It was ancient, powerful, and beyond any knowledge the Cloud Knights or cultivators of her world had ever possessed.

Her comrades stood frozen, unsure of what to do.

**Lian Hua** stepped forward cautiously. "What... what have you done, General?" she whispered, her voice trembling with a mix of awe and fear.

**Xiao Ling** didn't answer. She stared into the portal, a storm of emotions brewing inside her. Somewhere out there, her brother was waiting—along with countless other unknown threats. This gateway was a path to power, to answers... and possibly to destruction.

**Xiao Ling**: "This is the doorway," she murmured. "To all worlds... even the ones we thought were lost."

The portal pulsed, its energy growing more intense, as if beckoning her to step through. The decision was hers to make.

**Xiao Ling** tightened her grip on **Frost**, her breath steadying as she stared into the swirling abyss. The journey ahead promised danger and chaos, but it was the only way forward now.

With one final glance at her comrades, she stepped toward the portal, ready to face whatever awaited her on the other side.

**Xiao Ling** focused intently on the glowing scroll in her hands, her Qi flowing steadily into the ancient symbols. The portal pulsed with a vibrant energy, expanding wider with every drop of her power. She felt a strange connection to it, as if it were drawing strength from her very essence.

Knowing that this portal was both a blessing and a curse, she turned to her comrades, the Cloud Knights, who were still processing the shock of what had just occurred.

**Xiao Ling**: "Listen up! We need to rebuild our forces immediately. I can't hold this portal open for long without a steady supply of Qi. We'll need everyone who can fight, and I'll need all of you to support me while I venture through."

The knights nodded, determination etched on their faces. They understood the stakes and the significance of this moment. They had lost so much already; they couldn't afford to lose any more.

**Lian Hua**, stepping forward, spoke with resolve: "We'll gather the remaining knights and form a base here. We'll channel our Qi into the portal, allowing you to explore the unknown. But you must promise to return, Xiao Ling."

**Xiao Ling** met her gaze, her heart heavy with the weight of her promise. "I will return," she vowed, gripping **Frost** tightly. "But I need you to stay strong. This journey may lead me into danger, and I won't be able to look back."

The knights quickly set to work, spreading out to collect the scattered remnants of their comrades. They began chanting together, their voices rising in a harmony of power that surged into the portal, fueling it further.

**Xiao Ling** felt the rush of their Qi merging with her own, amplifying her strength. As the energy flowed, she began to speak the incantation again, her voice gaining strength alongside the growing light of the portal:

**Xiao Ling**: "*Zin'thor agasa, thrak delora, shan'kira eth thrakvel...*"

With each repetition, the portal roared to life, swirling with vibrant colors, reflecting the hopes and fears of those who stood behind her. The gateway shimmered like a living entity, ready to unleash its secrets.

**Xiao Ling** turned back one last time, her gaze sweeping over her comrades—their faces resolute and determined. She could feel their belief in her, their trust, and it steeled her resolve.

**Xiao Ling**: "This is for all of us! For those we've lost and those we'll protect! I will find answers. I will find my brother, and I will bring justice to the Xianzhou!"

With that declaration echoing in her heart, she stepped closer to the portal's edge, the immense energy swirling around her. She could see flickering images of worlds she had never known—a stark contrast to the barren landscape she had fought to protect.

Taking a deep breath, **Xiao Ling** pushed her Qi into the scroll once more, stabilizing the portal as she prepared to leap into the unknown.

As the last syllable of the incantation left her lips, the air crackled with energy, and the portal widened, inviting her into its depths. Without hesitating, she launched herself through, the world around her dissolving into a whirlwind of light and darkness, leaving behind the remnants of her old life.

**Xiao Ling** was ready to face whatever awaited her on the other side. The fight for the Xianzhou had only just begun.