The air over Qinghe grew heavier in the days following Yan Wei’s return. Though the Shadowborn Sect had been scattered, their lingering corruption still tainted the land. Li Feng could feel it in the faint hum beneath his feet and the restless energy in the villagers’ voices. The balance of the Dao remained fragile.

As the group gathered near the village square, Lei Ming stepped forward, his expression grim. “There’s trouble to the east. Rumors of cultivators falling to qi deviation and spirit beasts attacking settlements.”

Mei Lin frowned. “That’s not random. Something is agitating the qi in the area.”

Li Feng tightened his grip on his staff. “The Dao’s threads might be stable, but the energy they carry is still raw. If someone’s trying to manipulate it…”

“They’ll fracture it all over again,” Yan Wei finished, her blade glowing faintly at her side. “We can’t let that happen.”

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Their journey east took them through rolling plains and dense forests, each step carrying them closer to the disturbance. As they approached a small settlement nestled in the shadow of a mountain range, the air grew thick with corrupted qi.

The settlement was in ruins. Homes were reduced to smoldering rubble, and the once-vibrant fields were blackened and lifeless. A faint mist clung to the ground, swirling with threads of dark energy.

“This isn’t natural,” Mei Lin said, her voice tense. “Something is pulling the corruption here.”

“Or someone,” Lei Ming said, his spear at the ready.

A low growl echoed from the mist, and the ground trembled beneath their feet. From the shadows emerged a massive beast, its body twisted and malformed. Its fur was matted with black ichor, and its eyes glowed crimson.

“Corrupted spirit beast,” Yan Wei said, drawing her blade. “Be ready.”

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The battle was fierce. The beast moved with unnatural speed, its claws rending the ground as it charged. Li Feng channeled the echoes of the mark into his staff, striking at the creature’s core. Yan Wei moved with deadly precision, her blade glowing as she deflected the beast’s attacks. Lei Ming’s spear spun in arcs of light, keeping the creature at bay, while Mei Lin used her qi to stabilize the area, disrupting the corruption feeding the beast.

As the creature let out a final, anguished roar and dissolved into mist, the group caught their breath. The air grew lighter, but the lingering corruption in the ground remained.

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“This isn’t just a random attack,” Yan Wei said, her tone sharp. “Someone’s controlling these beasts.”

Mei Lin knelt beside a patch of scorched earth, her fingers brushing against faint runes etched into the ground. “These markings… they’re tied to the threads. Whoever did this knows how to manipulate the Dao.”

Li Feng’s chest tightened. “The Shadowborn Sect?”

“Not exactly,” a voice said, cold and sharp.

The group turned as a figure emerged from the mist, their form shrouded in a dark cloak. Their face was hidden beneath a hood, but their presence radiated power and malice. In their hand, they held a fragment of glowing light, its energy crackling like fire.

“Who are you?” Li Feng demanded, his staff glowing faintly.

The figure’s laugh was low and hollow. “A seeker. A reformer. A liberator.”

“You’re trying to fracture the Dao,” Yan Wei said, her blade glowing brighter.

“Fracture? No,” the figure said. “The Dao is already broken—your mending is nothing but a crude patch. I am refining it. The threads are raw, chaotic. Perfect for creating something… new.”

Lei Ming’s spear pointed toward the figure. “At what cost? You’ve already destroyed this settlement.”

The figure’s tone grew sharper. “Balance is destruction. From destruction comes rebirth. The Dao was never meant to remain stagnant.”

Li Feng stepped forward, his voice steady. “You’re wrong. The Dao is fragile, but it sustains everything. You’re playing with forces you don’t understand.”

The figure tilted their head, their hood shifting to reveal a faint, cruel smile. “And you do? The Nexus, the threads—they’re tools. Tools meant to be wielded by those with the strength to shape them.”

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The figure raised their hand, and the fragment in their grasp flared with light. The ground trembled, and the air crackled with energy. From the shadows emerged more beasts, their forms twisted and glowing with corrupted qi.

“Stop them!” Li Feng shouted, his staff glowing as he moved to intercept the creatures.

The group fought as one. Yan Wei’s blade cut through the beasts with precision, while Lei Ming’s spear struck with unrelenting force. Mei Lin channeled her qi into the earth, disrupting the runes that anchored the corruption. Li Feng focused on the figure, his staff glowing brighter as he channeled the mark’s echoes into his strikes.

The figure moved with deadly precision, their attacks infused with the fragment’s energy. Each strike sent shockwaves through the clearing, forcing Li Feng to push his limits to keep up.

“You think you can stop me?” the figure taunted, their voice cold and mocking. “The Dao belongs to those with the will to shape it.”

“It belongs to everyone,” Li Feng shot back. “The Dao isn’t a tool—it’s a foundation.”

The figure laughed, their movements growing more erratic. “Then prove it.”

Li Feng struck with all his strength, his staff connecting with the fragment. The energy erupted in a blinding flash, sending both him and the figure sprawling. The beasts dissolved into mist, and the air grew still.

The figure staggered to their feet, their hood falling back to reveal a young face, twisted with ambition and rage. “You’ve delayed the inevitable. But the Dao’s instability will only grow. You can’t stop what’s coming.”

With a final surge of energy, the figure vanished into the mist, leaving the group in silence.