I dominated the game from the start with cards.

As the dust settled, the colossal figure vanished completely, leaving behind only a ravaged landscape. However, the anomalies caused by the battle lingered; the ground still trembled slightly, crimson lava could be faintly seen flowing through the cracks, and an unsettling smell of sulfur filled the air. The vortex in the sky had dissipated, leaving behind a strange, dark red stain, like a gigantic scar hanging menacingly across the heavens. Ye Ling held a longsword, its blade gleaming coldly, reflecting on his solemn face. He cautiously surveyed his surroundings, a sense of unease creeping into his heart. This victory had come too easily, making it all the more unsettling. He felt as if something lurked in the shadows, waiting for its chance to strike. "Ling, are you alright?" Shu Yao's voice, tinged with worry, interrupted Ye Ling's thoughts. He turned to look at Shu Yao, who was carefully tending to the unconscious Qing Yue. Qing Yue had exhausted a great deal of spiritual energy in the previous battle; her face was pale, and her breath weak. Shu Yao gently stroked Qingyue's forehead, softly humming an ancient spirit race song, trying to soothe her restless soul. Looking at Shu Yao's gentle profile, Ye Ling felt a surge of warmth in his heart. He quietly walked to Shu Yao's side and took her hand. Shu Yao looked up, met his gaze, and smiled, her eyes filled with tenderness and trust. This gentle smile was like a clear spring, washing away Ye Ling's unease and weariness. "I'm fine," Ye Ling said softly, "I just feel something's strange, this battle..." "Indeed strange," the elder spirit, who had been silent, slowly spoke, his gaze deep and wise. "This enormous figure appeared suddenly, and disappeared just as suddenly, and..." He paused, his tone becoming grave, "It doesn't seem to be a true enemy." "Not a true enemy?" Ye Ling asked doubtfully. "Yes," the elder spirit nodded, "I sense that a more powerful force is hidden behind the scenes, manipulating everything. And this enormous figure might just be a pawn it uses to test us." Ye Ling's heart sank again. He knew that Elder Ling's premonitions were always accurate. If what he said was true, then the danger they faced was far more terrifying than they imagined. Just then, the ground suddenly trembled violently, the cracks widened rapidly, and lava gushed out, forming fiery red waterfalls. The dark red in the sky also intensified, as if it were about to drip blood. "Not good!" Elder Ling's expression changed drastically, "It's coming!" Ye Ling gripped Shu Yao's hand tightly, his gaze fixed firmly ahead. He knew that the real battle had only just begun. Suddenly, a deep and hoarse voice came from the depths of the earth, carrying endless pressure and malice: "Interesting... truly interesting..." Ye Ling gripped his sword tightly, his eyes sharp as blades. Lava gushed out, the earth trembled, and the air was filled with a suffocating smell of sulfur. Ye Ling, sword in hand, stood ready as if facing a formidable enemy, protecting Shu Yao behind him. Shu Yao held the still unconscious Qing Yue, her expression worried. Just then, the previously restless surroundings suddenly quieted down, and the tremors of the ground stopped. Ye Ling cautiously surveyed his surroundings, only to discover several faintly glowing spirits timidly emerging from cracks, trees, and even the air. They varied in form, some like drifting mist, others like humanoid shadows, but all gazed at Ye Ling with awe. One of the bolder spirits floated before Ye Ling, bowing respectfully: "Honorable warrior, we witnessed your valiant performance in battle. Your immense power is enough to awe the entire supernatural world! We are willing to follow you and become your loyal servants!" The other spirits echoed, expressing their willingness to submit to Ye Ling. Ye Ling was initially surprised, but then understood. The power he had displayed in his battle against the enormous figure had already instilled awe in these weaker spirits, even inspiring them to seek his protection. An unprecedented sense of accomplishment welled up within him. In this perilous supernatural world, power represented everything. And now, he possessed his own power, and he had his first group of followers. A surge of heroic ambition welled up within him, and he seemed to see himself dominating this world in the future. He surveyed the trembling spirits and said in a deep voice, "I accept your allegiance. From this day forward, we will face challenges together and carve out our own path in this world!" The spirits cheered and swore their undying loyalty. Ye Ling felt a powerful force gathering around him—the power of faith, the recognition and trust of his followers. This power made him even more confident and resolute.

Meanwhile, Qingyue, nestled in Shuyao's arms, drifted in a coma. She seemed to be bathed in warm light, familiar voices echoing in her ears. It was Ye Ling's hearty laughter, Shuyao's gentle humming, and the wise teachings of Elder Ling. She saw them exploring the mysterious ancient tomb together, fighting ferocious spirit beasts, sharing food and laughter around the campfire. These happy memories flowed like a warm current through her heart, dispelling the chill within and repairing her damaged spiritual power. Her complexion gradually regained its rosy hue, and her breathing became steady. Ye Ling noticed Qingyue's change and was overjoyed. He gently stroked Qingyue's forehead and said softly, "Qingyue, you'll get better soon." Shuyao also smiled with relief. She looked up at Ye Ling, her eyes filled with love and gratitude. Just then, a figure slowly approached. "Ye Ling," Elder Ling's voice was low and serious, "we need to talk." A hint of barely perceptible worry flickered in his eyes. "About what?" Ye Ling asked, a vague unease creeping into his heart. Elder Ling took a deep breath and slowly said, "About your power, and... the trouble it's brought." He paused, his gaze turning grave as he looked at Ye Ling. "Your power has grown too rapidly, attracting the attention of some established powers..." Qingyue gradually awoke under Shu Yao's care. Opening her eyes, she saw Shu Yao's gentle smile and Ye Ling's concerned gaze, feeling as if she were in a dream. "I...I'm alright?" Qingyue asked weakly. "You're alright, thanks to Ye Ling." Shu Yao gently stroked Qingyue's hair, her eyes filled with relief. Ye Ling looked at the two of them, a warm feeling welling up inside him. The joy of surviving a calamity made him cherish his peaceful life even more. However, Elder Ling's appearance shattered this brief tranquility. "Ye Ling," Elder Ling's voice was low and serious, "your power has grown too rapidly, attracting the attention of some established powers. They won't stand idly by." Ye Ling's heart skipped a beat; he understood Elder Ling's meaning. In this dog-eat-dog world of the supernatural, strength is everything. His rapid rise in power will inevitably threaten the interests of other forces, attracting jealousy and hostility. "Which forces?" Ye Ling asked in a deep voice. Elder Ling stroked his beard and slowly said, "Netherworld Valley, Ten Thousand Demon Cave, and... Blood Demon Sect. These are all established forces in the supernatural world, with formidable strength and unfathomable depths. They might sabotage you in secret, or even attack you directly." Ye Ling frowned. He hadn't expected to become the target of everyone's attacks so quickly. He had only wanted to gain a foothold in this world and protect those around him, but he hadn't expected to be drawn into such a complex power struggle. "This world is more complex than I imagined," Ye Ling sighed. He began to delve into the distribution of power and the rules of the supernatural world, discovering that each force had its own interests, and that the relationships between them were intricate and rife with intrigue and backstabbing. And he was like a pebble thrown into a calm lake, creating ripples. “We need to be prepared,” Ye Ling said firmly. “We can’t just sit here and wait to die.” Shu Yao and Qing Yue also realized the seriousness of the situation. Although they were worried, they chose to stand firmly by Ye Ling’s side and face the impending challenge together. In the following days, Ye Ling consolidated his own strength while gathering intelligence to learn about potential enemies. He discovered that the Netherworld Valley was skilled in using insidious curses, the Myriad Demon Cave possessed various powerful demonic beasts, and the Blood Demon Sect was known for its bloodthirstiness and brutality. “Know yourself and know your enemy, and you will never be defeated.” Ye Ling flipped through the ancient book in his hands, which recorded information about various supernatural creatures and forces. He realized that to survive in this world, he needed not only great strength but also wisdom and strategy. Late at night, Ye Ling was alone in his room studying his cards. These cards were the source of his power and his greatest reliance. He spread out the cards one by one, from ordinary ghost cards to rare yaksha cards, and then to epic ghost general cards, each containing powerful spiritual energy. His gaze finally fell on the only legendary card—the Mountain God card. This card, obtained from the colossal figure, contained immense power. He carefully examined the patterns on the card, discovering details he'd never noticed before. "These patterns..." Ye Ling murmured to himself, sensing a hidden energy fluctuation within them. He tried channeling spiritual energy into the card, and the patterns suddenly lit up, radiating a dazzling light. "This is..." Ye Ling felt an unprecedented power surge into his body, his heart racing. "A legendary card...it has hidden functions..." The Mountain God card shone brightly, an ancient and powerful force flowing into Ye Ling's body, coursing through his meridians. Ye Ling felt his senses become incredibly sharp; he could clearly discern the surrounding spiritual energy fluctuations. He even felt a strange connection between himself and the mountains and earth, as if he could borrow the power of nature. The light gradually faded, and the patterns on the card returned to calm, but Ye Ling knew this was just the beginning. He experimented repeatedly, discovering that injecting different types of spiritual energy would trigger different effects from the Mountain God card. Infusing the card with fire elemental power will unleash raging flames; infusing it with water elemental power will transform it into a raging flood; and infusing it with wood elemental power will give rise to towering trees.

"This is simply a mini treasure trove!" Ye Ling exclaimed excitedly; the potential of this card far exceeded his expectations. He couldn't help but marvel at the wonder of this card system, which seemed to hold endless mysteries waiting for him to explore. He carefully stored the Mountain God card, preparing to study it slowly later; right now, there were more important things to do—to prepare for the upcoming challenge. In the following days, Ye Ling and Shu Yao tried their best to create a peaceful atmosphere, taking walks and chatting with Qing Yue, practicing spiritual arts together, as if the life-or-death crisis they had just experienced was merely a nightmare. Qing Yue gradually regained her former liveliness and cheerfulness, her silvery laughter once again echoing in the courtyard. The Spirit Elder silently observed all of this, occasionally stroking his beard, a satisfied smile on his face. However, the gears of fate never stopped turning. Just when everyone thought life was gradually getting back on track, one night, Qing Yue suddenly woke up from her sleep, her face pale and her whole body trembling. "I...I dreamt...dreamed of something terrifying..." Qingyue gripped Shuyao's hand tightly, speaking incoherently, "A huge black shadow, shrouding the entire sky...it exuded a suffocating evil aura..." Shuyao gently patted Qingyue's back, comforting her, "It's alright, it's just a dream." "No, it's not a dream!" Qingyue suddenly became agitated, her eyes filled with fear, "While I was unconscious...I also felt...that evil power...it...it was quietly approaching..." Ye Ling and Elder Ling's expressions both turned solemn. Qingyue's spiritual senses were always sharp, and her words forced them to take them seriously. "Qingyue, can you sense the source of that power?" Ye Ling asked in a deep voice. Qingyue closed her eyes, carefully sensing, her brows furrowed, and after a long while, she slowly spoke: "In...in the north...a...a mysterious forest..." Elder Ling's face changed drastically, and he muttered to himself, "The north...could it be...a forbidden land..." Ye Ling looked at Elder Ling, a sense of foreboding rising in his heart. He sensed that a greater crisis was quietly approaching... He stood up, picked up the sword on the table, and the blade flashed with a cold light. "Let's go."