Chapter 20 : Unlocking The Darkness Element
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They trudged along the edge of the city, leaves crunching beneath their feet as the dense greenery began to surround them. The Omen held the map in one hand, squinting at it with a deep frown.
"I swear," he muttered, waving the map like it had insulted him, "we have literally nothing but this damn map. No bags, no water bottles, no backup plan—just vibes and desperation."
Ling Huai glanced at him, her robes still tattered from the battle she'd fought days ago. Bai adjusted the strap on his shoulder, carrying nothing but air.
"And don't even get me started on that," Omen said, pointing dramatically at Ling Huai's robes. "You look like you wrestled a demon, lost, and then rolled in dirt for the fun of it. And have either of you realized we've not eaten a real meal since you shared that tiny meal, Ling Huai?"
"…You're being dramatic," she said dryly, though her stomach did let out a tiny growl.
"Not dramatic enough," Omen sniffed. "What are we supposed to do when we kill a beast and don't even have bags to store the meat? Or the herbs? Or the berries? We're broke. We're half-starved. We're practically naked."
"And no water bottles," Bai added helpfully.
Omen threw his hands up. "Exactly! And we can't drink elemental water, unless we want to kill ourselves slowly."
There was a beat of silence as the three of them stood under the shade of a tree.
"…F*ck it," Omen said suddenly. "Let's steal."
Ling Huai blinked. "Wait, what?"
"I second that," Bai said with a little too much enthusiasm.
Ling Huai sighed, glancing between them. "…Fine. But be quick."
With a grin, Omen vanished in a swirl of red and black space energy, slipping out of existence. The forest was quiet for fifteen whole minutes before a flash of black-red tore through the air, and Omen reappeared, arms full with supplies—satchels, neatly folded clothes, multiple water flasks, and even a steaming food box.
Ling Huai blinked in shock. "That was fast…"
Omen snorted as he dropped everything onto a patch of grass. "You should've seen it. People screaming, things vanishing. Every market stall had something missing—but no one could catch me."
His memory briefly flashed to the chaos: a merchant chasing after a floating loaf of bread, a fruit stand mysteriously losing every mango, and a spice vendor shrieking that her chili peppers had developed legs.
He chuckled. "Good times. Anyway—gear up."
They changed quickly, slipping into more travel-friendly clothes. Ling Huai was no longer in rags, Bai had a decent jacket, and Omen had acquired yet another ridiculous, flowing robe.
Once they were dressed, they sat together under a tree and dug into the average meal Omen had "borrowed." Bread, roast chicken, something spicy with noodles, and a small bottle of honeyed tea.
"Not bad," Bai said through a mouthful.
"Let's just not make this a habit," Ling Huai added with a sigh, even though her eyes said she was grateful.
When the meal was done, Omen tossed the now-empty box aside and handed the map to Bai. "You're the guide now. Ling Huai's our medical staff, I'm the main damage-dealer. Don't get us killed, cartographer."
"Mm," Bai nodded, carefully folding the map.
They resumed their journey, trekking deeper into the woods. After a while, they stumbled across a wide, sparkling river that shimmered under the sun. They all paused.
"Bai," Omen said slowly, "that better be on the map."
Bai pulled the map out and checked, his eyes narrowing. "No river marked here."
"…Are we lost?" Ling Huai asked.
Omen rubbed his temples. "No. Maybe. Probably. I dunno."
He crouched by the river, scooped up a handful of water, and took a sip. His eyes widened. "This… is actually good."
Ling Huai and Bai each took a drink and nodded in agreement. The water was clean and crisp—something they desperately needed.
As they finished, the trees grew denser, and the sounds of wildlife echoed around them. They were truly entering the depths now.
Omen looked at Bai. "You got our path?"
Bai nodded once more. "Let's keep going."
Omen and Bai transformed into their small beast forms—Omen into a sleek black fox with red eyes, and Bai into a snow-white lynx with silver fur—and hopped onto Ling Huai's shoulders as she began leading them deeper into the unknown forest, their journey officially underway.
Here's your continuation with everything woven in:
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As the sun began to dip beneath the thick canopy, casting elongated shadows across the underbrush, the trio found a small cave nestled between mossy boulders. It was just wide enough for shelter and deep enough to offer privacy.
"Let's take a break here," Bai suggested, rolling his shoulders as he returned to human form.
"Agreed," Ling Huai said, already tugging off her outer layer and settling onto a flat stone inside the cave.
Omen dropped the last of their gathered herbs near the wall, stretched, and plopped down beside her. "About time. My paws were about to fall off."
While Bai unrolled the map to mark their progress, Ling Huai suddenly stilled. Her body tensed slightly before her eyes closed.
"…She's cultivating," Omen muttered, noticing the shift in the air.
Ling Huai's breathing steadied. Her thoughts quieted. The world outside her body dulled, and in its place, a deep pull surged from within her core.
Unknowingly, her qi began to thicken—richer, darker, heavier.
A strange distortion shimmered around her, faint and barely visible. The cave air turned colder, more still, almost reverent. Outside the cultivation zone, Omen blinked. "Bai, you feel that?"
"Her qi is changing…" Bai said, eyes wide.
They called her name—once, twice, thrice.
But Ling Huai heard none of it.
Inside her consciousness, the world had shifted entirely. She now stood in a realm of darkness and soft light. Wisps of violet and gray energy coiled like mist around her feet.
Before her stood a beast, gray-furred with majestic antlers, long elegant limbs, and eyes that shimmered with her exact qi color—violet mixed with silvery-blue. It looked ancient, powerful, and… familiar in a strange way.
The voice that came from it echoed in her soul.
"Finally… a worthy bearer of Celestial blood has awoken me again."
Ling Huai stared, heart pounding. "Celestial…? What do you mean by that? Who are you?"
The beast tilted its head, as if trying to speak more—but then its ears twitched. A whisper only it could hear brushed past.
"Don't tell her yet."
Its mouth closed. Ling Huai narrowed her eyes, sensing something was being withheld.
"…You were going to say something," she accused.
The beast didn't respond to her question. Instead, it slowly raised its paw and pressed it lightly to her forehead. "Take this gift. Your blood will understand it, even if you do not."
A surge of sharp, overwhelming knowledge exploded into her mind.
Poisons.
She could suddenly name hundreds—how they were made, how they killed, how they lingered. From common venom herbs to obscure things like Das Oranges—a citrus fruit most people casually ate but, in the right condition, could become deadly. She saw how to use pollen, venom sacs, decayed flower roots, even certain minerals.
She saw how to balance antidotes. How to counter poisons with poisons. How to hide them in scents, colors, and shadows.
And through it all… something darker started seeping into her soul.
Darkness.
The element of secrets. Of concealment. Of death and silence. The poison knowledge acted like a key—opening her mind to the darkness element as if it had always been waiting within her.
Back in the cave, the space around Ling Huai had shifted entirely. Her body radiated a chilling aura. The once vibrant grass near her had turned black and withered, and the stone beneath her feet cracked slightly from the energy pulse.
Omen frowned, folding his arms. "She's learning something. Something deep."
Bai stood silently beside him, eyes narrowed.
Inside the strange realm, Ling Huai stood still, a swirling storm of darkness and poison knowledge anchored around her soul. The ancient beast was now fading.
"Survive… little Celestial."
"We'll meet again."
Then the beast vanished.
Ling Huai's eyes snapped open. They glowed briefly—violet tinted with silver—before fading back to normal.
She exhaled, her body suddenly feeling heavy, powerful… and different.
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