The wind howled through the jagged mountains as Li Feng, Yan Wei, and Lei Ming followed the path eastward. Each step seemed heavier, as though the land itself resisted their passage. Lei Ming’s revelation weighed on them all—shadows still lingered, and the Shadowborn Sect’s remnants were far from defeated.

“Tell us what you know,” Yan Wei said, her voice sharp. “How are they still active? Their leader was destroyed.”

Lei Ming rested his spear against his shoulder, his expression grim. “The Shadowborn Sect wasn’t just one man. The leader you defeated was only a fragment of their power. The sect is like the shadows themselves—dispersed, but always waiting to regroup.”

Li Feng tightened his grip on his staff. “And now they’re trying to exploit what’s left of the Dao’s corruption.”

Lei Ming nodded. “I’ve seen it myself. Cultivators disappearing, entire villages consumed by darkness. They’re targeting places rich in qi, trying to reverse the threads’ mending.”

Yan Wei’s jaw tightened. “And where exactly are they now?”

“I have a lead,” Lei Ming said. “There’s a ruined monastery south of here, near the Valley of Shattered Stars. The sect was spotted there, but their activity is spreading. If we don’t stop them now, they’ll gain enough strength to undo everything you’ve fought for.”

Li Feng exchanged a glance with Yan Wei. Her exhaustion was evident, but the fire in her eyes hadn’t dimmed. He knew she wouldn’t back down, and neither would he.

“Then we’ll stop them,” Li Feng said. “Lead the way.”

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The journey to the Valley of Shattered Stars was grueling. The closer they got, the more oppressive the air became, thick with residual qi that crackled like distant thunder. They camped in the ruins of an old watchtower, the fire casting flickering shadows across the crumbling stone walls.

As they rested, Lei Ming shared more of his story. “I was a disciple of the Starforged Sect before it fell. When the Dao fractured, the balance shifted, and our cultivation methods… turned against us.”

“What do you mean?” Li Feng asked, his brow furrowing.

Lei Ming stared into the flames. “The threads of the Dao are what anchor cultivation. When they broke, everything tied to them started to unravel. Techniques failed. Foundations crumbled. And those who tried to push through...”

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His voice trailed off, and Li Feng didn’t press him further. He could see the pain in Lei Ming’s eyes, the memories of comrades lost to ambition and desperation.

“We’re not the only ones who’ve suffered,” Lei Ming said finally. “But if we don’t act, we’ll lose what little balance we’ve regained.”

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They reached the monastery at dusk. The structure was a crumbling shell, its once-proud spires reduced to jagged stumps. The air was heavy with the scent of decay, and faint whispers echoed through the ruins.

“They’re here,” Yan Wei said, drawing her blade.

Lei Ming nodded, his spear at the ready. “Be careful. The shadows thrive in places like this.”

They moved cautiously through the monastery, the faint light of Li Feng’s staff illuminating the darkened halls. The whispers grew louder, and the air grew colder with each step.

As they entered the central chamber, they found themselves surrounded. Shadows emerged from the walls, their forms shifting and writhing. At their center stood a figure clad in black and silver robes, their face obscured by a swirling mask of darkness.

“You’ve come far,” the figure said, their voice a cold whisper. “But the Nexus’s light is fleeting. The Dao will fall again, and we will rise.”

Li Feng stepped forward, his voice steady. “Not while we’re here.”

The figure laughed, a low, hollow sound. “Then you will join the shadows.”

The chamber erupted into chaos as the shadows attacked. Lei Ming’s spear spun in a blur of silver light, cutting through the writhing forms. Yan Wei moved like a tempest, her blade slicing through the darkness with precise, powerful strikes.

Li Feng channeled the mark’s residual energy into his staff, each strike sending ripples of light through the shadows. But the figure in black and silver remained untouched, their form shifting and flickering like smoke.

“They’re feeding on the threads!” Lei Ming shouted, his voice strained. “We need to disrupt their connection.”

Li Feng focused on the figure, his mind racing. He could feel the faint pulse of the Dao within them, a corrupted thread anchoring their power. “I’ll handle the leader. Cover me!”

Yan Wei and Lei Ming didn’t hesitate, their strikes creating a protective circle around Li Feng as he channeled his energy. The mark flared weakly, its light reaching out to the corrupted thread.

The figure let out a piercing scream as the connection was severed. Their form wavered, and the shadows faltered. Yan Wei lunged forward, her blade striking true, and the figure dissolved into smoke.

The chamber fell silent, the oppressive energy lifting. Li Feng collapsed to his knees, his chest heaving. The mark’s faint pulse steadied, its light dim but present.

“It’s not over,” Lei Ming said, his voice heavy. “This was only one fragment. There are more out there.”

Li Feng rose slowly, his resolve hardening. “Then we’ll find them. All of them.”

Yan Wei nodded, her blade still glowing faintly. “And we’ll finish what we started.”

They stepped out of the monastery, the sky above tinged with the faint light of dawn. The battle ahead would be long, but they were ready to face it together.