The two weeks since we claimed the village as our base felt like a lifetime. Training and cultivation had become a way of life, the routine as steady as the rise and fall of the sun. Each of us—Wang Jian, Ming Lian, Bao, and I—had grown in strength and skill, but one glaring issue remained: our weapons. With the exception of Illusion, the tools we wielded were barely holding together. Bao’s daggers were worn and unreliable, Wang Jian’s spear was rusted and dull, and Ming Lian’s borrowed sword didn’t suit his style or power.
We needed better weapons. Spirit weapons, like Illusion, capable of resonating with and amplifying our cultivation. But weapons like that weren’t easily found.
“Mira,” I asked during one of our nightly strategy meetings, “where do we even begin to look?”
[Spirit weapons of significant value are often found in ancient ruins or areas of high Chi concentration,] she replied. [These places are rare and dangerous. Guardians or traps frequently protect such treasures.]
Her words lingered in my mind as we ventured into the forest the following morning. We weren’t just hunting for herbs or resources this time—we were hunting for power.
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The forest was alive with the sounds of rustling leaves and distant calls of beasts. After weeks of training, we moved through the underbrush with purpose and confidence, our movements more coordinated than ever. Ming Lian led the way, his sharp eyes scanning for useful plants.
He crouched near a cluster of vivid blue blossoms and plucked them carefully. “Spirit Bloom,” he explained, tucking the herbs into his pouch. “Good for mental fortitude pills.”
Bao, spinning one of his battered daggers between his fingers, grinned. “More pills, huh? You’re obsessed.”
“You’ll thank me when these save your life,” Ming Lian replied with a smirk.
Wang Jian chuckled, his rusty sword resting against his shoulder. “Let him work. We’re lucky to have a medicinal pill maker in the group.”
I held up a hand to silence them as a strange energy prickled at the edge of my senses. The air had grown heavier, the Chi thick enough to feel like a weight pressing against my skin. My Enhanced Awareness hummed, picking up faint vibrations in the ground ahead.
“Mira,” I whispered, “what are we walking into?”
[An ancient ruin lies ahead, Jayson,] she replied. [The density of Chi indicates significant power within, but such places are rarely unguarded.]
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The ruin came into view moments later, a crumbling stone structure partially hidden by moss and vines. Its carvings were faded but still visible, depicting scenes of cultivation, battle, and forging. The power radiating from it was undeniable, the Chi swirling visibly in the air like mist.
“This place is incredible,” Ming Lian said, his voice filled with awe. “It feels ancient.”
“It also feels dangerous,” Wang Jian added, his hand tightening on his sword.
We approached cautiously, stepping through the jagged archway that marked the entrance. Inside, the air grew colder, and the carvings on the walls seemed to glow faintly, the energy within them pulsating like a heartbeat.
“This is it,” I said. “If there’s a chance to find spirit weapons, it’s here.”
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The deeper we ventured, the stronger the Chi became. It pressed against us with each step, a constant reminder that this place was alive in its own way. The narrow hallways eventually opened into a vast chamber, where the Chi swirled in luminous clouds around three pedestals.
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Each pedestal bore a weapon: a massive glaive, a pair of sleek daggers, and a longsword. They radiated power, their auras shimmering in the dim light of the room. But as we stepped closer, the Chi clouds began to coalesce, forming three towering guardians.
The first was a serpentine beast, its scales glinting like polished metal as it coiled protectively around the glaive. The second was a shadowy panther, its movements liquid and predatory as it crouched near the daggers. The third was a hulking warrior clad in ethereal armor, its imposing figure standing sentinel over the longsword.
“We’ve got company,” Bao muttered, his daggers already in his hands.
“We take them together,” I said, drawing Illusion. “Work as a team and don’t let your guard down.”
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The battle erupted with ferocity.
The serpent lunged at Ming Lian, its metallic scales ringing like a bell as they scraped against the floor. Ming Lian moved with precision, his borrowed blade flashing as he parried and countered. Even in the heat of combat, his sharp eyes scanned the room, noting the herbs and resources scattered among the debris.
“These are spirit-grade!” he called out as he dodged another strike. “Perfect for body-strengthening and healing pills!”
Bao faced the panther, his agility matched only by the beast’s fluid movements. His battered daggers flashed as he struck at the panther’s flanks, but it was his afterimages—products of his cultivation—that gave him an edge. The beast lashed out at illusions, giving Bao precious openings to strike.
Wang Jian squared off against the armored warrior, their blades colliding in a shower of sparks. Despite the rust on his sword, Wang Jian’s strikes were relentless, each one carrying the weight of his determination. “This sword isn’t worthy of me,” he growled, dodging a crushing blow. “But I’ll make do until I earn the real one.”
I moved between them, activating Illusion to create shadowy duplicates of myself. The phantoms harried the guardians, drawing their attacks and creating openings for my team. Every strike I landed was amplified by the illusions, the confusion tilting the battle in our favor.
Finally, after what felt like an eternity, the guardians dissolved into streams of Chi, their energy flowing into the weapons they had protected. The room fell silent, the oppressive weight lifting as the weapons pulsed with newfound power.
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Ming Lian approached the glaive, his hands trembling as he lifted it from the pedestal. The weapon was a masterpiece, its blade etched with patterns that seemed to shimmer with an inner light. As he held it, the weapon resonated with his Chi, amplifying it.
“Mira?” I asked, watching as Ming Lian tested the glaive’s balance.
[The glaive is aligned with Ming Lian’s cultivation Path,] she explained. [It enhances his control over energy flow and his precision in combat. Additionally, it boosts his ability to refine medicinal pills, allowing him to create higher-grade pills with less effort.]
“This is perfect,” Ming Lian said, his voice filled with reverence. “It feels... alive.”
Bao took the daggers from the second pedestal, their sleek, curved blades fitting perfectly in his hands. He twirled them experimentally, grinning. “Now this is what I’m talking about.”
[The daggers amplify Bao’s agility and speed,] Mira said. [They also enhance his afterimage technique, allowing him to create more realistic and durable illusions in battle.]
Bao tested the weapons with a quick series of strikes, their movements almost too fast to follow. “These are deadly,” he said, his grin widening. “I can already feel the difference.”
Wang Jian approached the longsword, his steps steady. He reached out and gripped the hilt, lifting the blade with ease. The weapon’s aura flared, resonating with his Chi.
[The longsword is aligned with Wang Jian’s Path as a swordsman,] Mira said. [It enhances his strength and precision, amplifying the impact of his strikes. Additionally, it grants him an ability called Sword Echo, which allows his strikes to project Chi slashes at a distance.]
Wang Jian sheathed the sword at his side, his expression unreadable but his grip firm. “This is mine,” he said simply. “It’s the weapon I’ve been waiting for.”
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As we left the ruin, our packs heavier with herbs and our weapons radiating power, I couldn’t help but feel a surge of hope. These weapons weren’t just tools—they were extensions of our cultivation, designed to amplify our strengths and unlock new potential.
Ming Lian inspected the herbs we had gathered, already planning the pills he could refine. “With what we’ve found, I can create body-strengthening pills for endurance, mental fortitude pills for focus, and healing pills for emergencies.”
“We’ll need all of it,” Wang Jian said. “The stronger we get, the more dangerous our enemies will become.”
Bao twirled his new daggers, his grin never fading. “Let them come. We’ve got what it takes to handle anything now.”
I gripped the hilt of Illusion, the blade humming faintly at my side. This wasn’t just a step forward—it was a turning point. The village wasn’t just a base anymore. It was the foundation of something much larger, something worth fighting for.
And we were ready to defend it.