Taking the opportunity of traveling through books

The storm subsided for a while, but my heart was still trembling

The darkness receded like a tide, and everything returned to silence. Only the whistling of the wind and Hao Yang's heavy breathing reminded me that what I had just experienced was not an illusion. I tried to open my heavy eyelids, but all I saw was a blur of light and shadow.

"Yao'er! Yao'er!" Elder Wei's anxious call echoed in my ears. His voice trembled as he gripped my hand tightly, as if I were a fragile treasure. I tried to speak, but no sound came out. Only a weak breath of air squeezed through my throat, causing a tearing pain.

"Don't talk, Yao'er, save your strength." Elder Wei looked at me distressedly, his cloudy old eyes filled with tears. He could sense my current state. My body had become as transparent as a cicada's wing, as if it would disappear at any moment.

I could feel my soul and strength undergoing their final fusion. It felt like being in a furnace, painful and tormenting. But I had no regrets. For Hao Yang, for the hard-earned relationship between us, I was willing to give everything, even my life.

I mustered my last bit of strength, trying to get a clear look at Hao Yang's appearance. He stood not far away, his body swaying like a sapling in a strong wind, ready to fall at any moment. His clothes were tattered, revealing his sturdy body, covered in wounds of varying sizes, a shocking sight.

I endured the excruciating pain deep within my soul and continuously channeled the fused power to Hao Yang. I could feel his aura gradually stabilizing, and his once dim eyes gradually regaining their spirit.

"Yao'er..." His low voice sounded in my ears, filled with deep worry and self-blame.

I tried to smile at him and tell him I was fine, but I couldn't even move the corners of my mouth. I felt my consciousness slowly blurring and the scene before my eyes began to become distorted.

Just when I was about to give up, a familiar voice suddenly came from a distance: "Don't panic, I'm here!"...

"Master!" Hao Yang's voice was full of surprise and hope, as if he saw a ray of light in the dark night.

I tried to open my eyes and saw a familiar figure walking towards us. Master Hao, he is finally here!

He walked steadily, like a towering mountain, bringing me an infinite sense of security. He first checked Hao Yang's injuries, frowning slightly, but soon relaxed, and took out a porcelain bottle and an exquisite wooden box from his arms.

"This is the Huiyuan Pill I made using the thousand-year-old snow lotus from the top of the snow-capped mountains. It can quickly restore your vitality." Master Hao handed me the porcelain bottle, his tone carrying a hint of heartache. "Yao'er, take it quickly."

I took the porcelain bottle, and a refreshing fragrance filled my nostrils. After taking the elixir, I felt a warm current surge through my body. My originally cold body gradually regained a little warmth, and the severe pain in my soul also eased a lot.

"Thank you, Master." I said weakly, my voice still hoarse, but much better than before.

Master Hao nodded, handed the wooden box to Hao Yang, and said, "Inside this is a magic weapon I accidentally found, called the 'Golden Light Shield', which can resist the invasion of evil spirits. Take it and use it for self-defense."

"Thank you, Master!" Hao Yang took the wooden box with a determined look in his eyes. "I will definitely protect Yao'er and never let her get hurt again!"

I looked at the master and his apprentice, my heart filled with gratitude and emotion. Although I was still extremely weak, seeing them working so hard for me filled my heart with strength.

"Master," I forced myself to look at Master Hao and asked, "Do you know where that dark power came from? Why is it so powerful?"

Master Hao's expression grew serious. He pondered for a moment and then slowly said, "Regarding that power, I've only heard of it in some ancient legends..."

Master Hao's brows were furrowed, his deep eyes seeming to see through millennia. "Legend has it that in ancient times, there existed two forces, light and darkness. They balanced each other, maintaining the balance of the world. But later, the dark force was sealed, and the light force also disappeared..."

He paused, his tone becoming more serious. "Now that the forces of darkness have returned, I'm afraid the only way to completely eliminate them is to find the source of the power of light that counteracts them."

After hearing this, Hao Yang's eyes flashed with determination. He clenched his fists and said firmly, "Master, I will go find it! I must find the power of light and protect Yao'er!"

As he spoke, ignoring his own pain and fatigue, he began to look around, hoping to find a clue to the power of light.

I watched him busy at work, feeling both moved and worried. I wanted to stand up and help, but Elder Wei gently held my shoulder.

"Yao'er, the most important thing for you now is to rest well and recover your strength." Elder Wei said earnestly, "Only when you recover can you better face the challenges ahead."

I understood what he meant and could only nod helplessly, trying hard to circulate the remaining spiritual energy in my body to speed up the healing process.

Time passed, and Hao Yang still hadn't found any clues. He returned to us in frustration, his brow furrowed and his face full of worry.

"Don't be discouraged, child." Master Hao patted his shoulder and comforted him, "The source of light and power may be hidden among us, but we haven't discovered it yet. We must believe that hope lies ahead."

Hao Yang took a deep breath, nodded, and cheered himself up.

As the night deepened, all was quiet except for the rustling of the trees in the breeze. We sat around the fire, each of us silent and preoccupied.

At this moment, I suddenly felt something strange. I raised my head and looked into the distance...

"...Be careful!" I stood up suddenly and pointed into the distance, but when I saw the scene in front of me clearly, I stopped suddenly, and the rest of the words were stuck in my throat.

There was nothing there, only the woods shrouded in darkness and the vague outlines of distant mountains. I blinked in confusion, wondering if I was mistaken.

"What's wrong, Yao'er?" Hao Yang was the first to rush to my side and asked nervously, "Is there any danger?"

I shook my head and said uncertainly, "I... I seem to feel the fluctuation of a dark force, right over there..." I pointed in the direction where I felt strange just now.

My words made the atmosphere, which had been slightly relaxed, tense again. Master Hao and Elder Wei immediately stood up and looked into the distance with sharp eyes.

"There is indeed a slight fluctuation. Although it is very faint, it is indeed there." Elder Wei said in a deep voice, his brows furrowed tightly. "It seems that the enemy has not truly retreated, but is accumulating strength to prepare for a more fierce attack."

Master Hao nodded solemnly, a hint of worry in his tone: "We must find a solution as soon as possible, otherwise when the dark forces attack again, I'm afraid..."

He didn't finish, but we all understood his point. If we couldn't find a way to stop the enemy before they returned, we would be dealt a devastating blow.

"System, can you detect the source and strength of that dark force?" I lowered my voice and asked the system in my mind.

"Sorry, host, with your current capabilities, the system cannot perform accurate detection at such a long distance." The system's cold mechanical voice sounded in my mind, but it did not bring any useful information.

My heart sank. It seemed we had no choice but to rely on ourselves.

"Hao Yang, take your master and the elders and leave here first. I'll go and investigate the situation." I held Hao Yang's hand and said in a firm tone.

"No! It's too dangerous. I won't allow you to take the risk alone!" Hao Yang refused without thinking, holding my hand tightly and refusing to let go.

"This is an order!" I emphasized, looking him straight in the eye. "Obey it!"

Hao Yang was stunned for a moment, a trace of struggle flashed in his eyes, but he finally nodded helplessly. He knew that my decision would not change easily.

"Don't worry, I'll be careful." I gave him a reassuring smile, then turned to look at Elder Wei and Master Hao, "I'll leave it to you two."

The two elders looked at each other and saw a hint of worry in each other's eyes, but ultimately chose to respect my decision.

"Be careful," Elder Wei said in a deep voice, handing me a jade pendant. "If you encounter any danger, crush it and we will come to support you immediately."

I nodded, took the jade pendant, turned around and walked towards the direction where I felt strange just now.

The night wind rustled my clothes, bringing a hint of coolness. I took a deep breath, cleared my mind of all distracting thoughts, and focused my attention, carefully perceiving everything around me.

All around was quiet, with only the sound of my footsteps being particularly clear in the stillness of the night. I walked forward cautiously, taking every step with extreme caution.

I don't know how long I walked, but just when I was about to give up, I suddenly found a strange rune mark on the trunk of a big tree...

"What is this?" I reached out and gently stroked the rune, and a cold feeling instantly spread throughout my body.

Just then, a slight sound of footsteps suddenly came from behind.

"Who?" I turned around suddenly, but saw Wei Qing standing not far away, looking at me coldly.

Why is she here?

I was shocked and a bad premonition came over me.