Legend of the Embroiderer

Stepping through the Dark Portal, a thick, inky mist instantly enveloped Li Zhao and the old man. The temperature around them plummeted, and every breath felt like a biting cold wind. Li Zhao clenched the faintly glowing purification crystal in his hand, attempting to illuminate the path ahead. However, the light was so dim in the thick darkness that it could barely illuminate the area several feet in front of them.

"Child, be careful. The dangers within this Dark Portal are far greater than you can imagine." The old man's voice was slightly hoarse in the darkness, but it carried an undeniable resolve. Li Zhao nodded slightly, placing the light gem, crystal ball, and jade pendant close to his body. The warmth they emanated brought a sense of peace of mind.

The two men groped forward cautiously, the ground beneath their feet uneven, sharp rocks occasionally scratching their boots. Suddenly, Li Zhao felt a strong dark aura approaching from the front. He quickly raised the Sword of Purification and looked around vigilantly. From the darkness, pairs of eerie green eyes gradually emerged, flickering like will-o'-the-wisp, slowly approaching them. As they drew closer, they could clearly see the creatures. They resembled human form, but they exuded a foul odor, their skin a strange blue-black color, and their nails sharp as blades.

"These are dark wraiths. They feed on the life force of living beings. Be careful not to approach them with caution," the old man whispered. Li Zhao channeled the power of the purifying crystal into the sword of purifying light. The blade instantly glowed brightly, and he swung the sword, charging at the horde of dark wraiths. Wherever the purifying light reached, the dark wraiths roared in pain and gradually dissipated. However, the wraiths were numerous, coming in wave after wave, and Li Zhao and the old man gradually became entangled in a difficult battle.

During the fierce battle, Li Zhao discovered that these vengeful spirits seemed to be controlled by some force. Their attacks appeared chaotic, but in reality, they were subtly coordinated. He concentrated his mind, attempting to use the purifying crystal to sense the source of their control. Guided by the power of the purifying crystal, he perceived a faintly gleaming black crystal behind the group of dark vengeful spirits. The crystal seemed to contain dark energy, controlling these vengeful spirits.

"Senior, I've found the source of the manipulation. I'll destroy it," Li Zhao said to the old man. The old man nodded. "Be careful. I'll hold off these wraiths." Li Zhao flashed and rushed toward the black crystal. He nimbly weaved among the wraiths, swinging his sword of purifying light, severing those who stood in his way. Finally, he reached the black crystal and, without hesitation, thrust the sword of purifying light into it with all his might. The crystal trembled violently under the impact of the purifying light, then shattered with a loud bang. As the crystal shattered, the dark wraiths instantly lost control, fell to the ground, and dissipated in puffs of black smoke.

After resolving the threat of the dark spirit, Li Zhao and the old man continued on their journey. They arrived at a vast cavern, thick with darkness, and something seemed to be stirring deep within. As Li Zhao entered, he felt a powerful suction coming from deep within, sending him flying uncontrollably deeper into the cavern. Seeing this, the old man quickly swung his broken cane, releasing a ray of light in an attempt to pull Li Zhao back. However, the suction was too strong, and he was dragged in along with him.

The suction carried the two deeper into the cave. There, a massive black magic circle shimmered with eerie runes, emitting a powerful dark energy that resonated with the power of the Dark Portal. At the center of the magic circle, a sphere radiated black light, seemingly sealed within. Li Zhao's mind raced, realizing this sphere might be the core of the Dark Portal.

Just as they were about to approach the sphere, a sinister laugh suddenly rang out from the darkness. "Hmph, you think you can find the core of the Dark Portal so easily? You're just dreaming." Following the laughter, a figure in a black robe slowly emerged. Their face was pale, their eyes shone with an endless chill, and in their hand they held a wand emitting a faint glow.

"You're the ones who've been sabotaging our plans. Today, you'll stay here," the black-robed figure said, waving his wand. A beam of black energy shot toward Li Zhao and the old man. Li Zhao quickly swung his sword of purifying light to block it. The energy beam and the purifying light collided with a loud bang, and light splattered everywhere. Seeing this, the black-robed figure sneered and waved his wand again. The runes within the black magic circle glowed brightly, and countless black tentacles stretched out from the circle, wrapping around Li Zhao and the old man.

Li Zhao and the old man fought with all their might, swinging their purifying swords and broken canes, severing the approaching tentacles. However, the tentacles continued to pour forth, and they gradually began to lose strength. Just then, the fragment in Li Zhao's hand suddenly emitted a powerful light, a light that seemed to hold a mysterious power. Li Zhao's mind moved, and he concentrated, channeling the fragment's power into the battle. Instantly, the fragment's light intensified, intertwining with the light from the purifying crystal, the luminous gem, the crystal ball, and the jade pendant, forming a powerful purifying force.

Li Zhao, harnessing this purifying force, charged at the black-robed figure once more. The black-robed figure's expression changed drastically; he hadn't expected Li Zhao to unleash such immense power in such dire straits. He swiftly swung his wand, increasing the output of dark energy in an attempt to block Li Zhao's attack. However, the purifying force was too strong, and the black-robed figure's defenses gradually crumbled under its impact. Li Zhao seized the opportunity to plunge the purifying sword into the black-robed figure's body. He let out a painful cry and collapsed to the ground.

As the black-robed figure fell, the runic glow within the black magic circle gradually dimmed, and the black tentacles vanished. Li Zhao breathed a sigh of relief. He walked to the center of the magic circle, ready to pick up the sphere emitting a black glow. However, just as his hand was about to touch the sphere, it suddenly vibrated violently, and a powerful dark energy sent him flying. Li Zhao fell heavily to the ground, a trickle of blood oozing from the corner of his mouth.

The old man hurried over, helped Li Zhao to his feet, and anxiously asked, "Child, how are you?" Li Zhao wiped the blood from the corner of his mouth and shook his head. "I'm fine, senior. This sphere seems to have a self-protection mechanism. We need to find a way." Just then, a faint sound of footsteps suddenly rang out from the cave. Li Zhao and the old man looked warily in the direction of the sound, only to see a woman in a white robe slowly approaching. The woman had a beautiful face, a mysterious look in her eyes, and in her hands she held a faintly glowing ancient book.

"You must be Li Zhao and the old man, right? I've been waiting for you." The woman's voice was clear and melodious, but it seemed a little out of place in the dark cave. Li Zhao and the old man exchanged a glance, their eyes filled with confusion. "Who are you? Why are you here?" Li Zhao asked. The woman smiled faintly. "My name is Lingyue, and I'm the messenger protecting this land. I know your mission and how to close the Dark Portal." As she spoke, she walked to the front of the magic circle, opened the ancient book in her hand, and muttered to herself. As she spoke, a beam of light emanated from the book, enveloping the sphere. The sphere's vibrations gradually ceased, and the dark energy began to weaken.

Lingyue turned to look at Li Zhao and the old man, saying, "Now, you may infuse the power of the five treasures into the sphere and close the Dark Portal." Li Zhao hesitated, but decided to trust Lingyue. He and the old man walked over to the sphere and unleashed the power of the Purifying Crystal, the Light Gem, the Crystal Ball, the Jade Pendant, and the fragments, injecting them into the sphere. Under the infusion of the treasures, the sphere's glow gradually softened, and the dark aura of the Dark Portal began to rapidly weaken.

Just as the Dark Portal was about to close, a black beam of light suddenly emanated from the sphere, striking Lingyue, and her body instantly became ethereal. "No!" Li Zhao exclaimed, attempting to rush forward, but a powerful force blocked her. Lingyue looked at Li Zhao and the old man, eyes filled with reluctance. "The forces of darkness will not let you off easily. You must be careful..." With that, Lingyue's body dissipated into a ball of light. Simultaneously, the Dark Portal shook violently again, and a powerful dark force surged from it, rushing towards Li Zhao and the old man.