In the blink of an eye, Xiaohui’s figure vanished into the darkness. Guili, caught off guard by this unexpected move, was startled but did not immediately rise to pursue. Instead, he slowly lifted his head, straining to hear the eerie melody that drifted from the shadows.
There was a peculiar familiarity to the song, as if he had heard it before, somewhere in the distant past. The years seemed to have passed as swiftly as the tune now wafted through the air.
Jin Ping’er approached Guili, her eyes warily scanning their surroundings. She whispered, “What is it?”
Guili did not reply, but his expression turned complex. Xiaohui’s voice faintly carried from afar, punctuated by a surprised “eh” after the usual “chirps.” Soon, however, Xiaohui fell silent, and the haunting, melancholic song gradually ceased.
The cave was eerily silent, as if unseen eyes watched from the shadows. Guili’s gaze sharpened, fixating on the darkness ahead. Jin Ping’er, on the other hand, seemed uneasy. The song had unsettled her, and the oppressive, unknown darkness made her instinctively wary.
She instinctively moved closer to Guili, just as a flash of light cut through the dark. Instantly, both Guili and Jin Ping’er’s expressions changed. While Guili was taken aback, Jin Ping’er seemed to breathe a sigh of relief.
A ghostly white light darted from the depths of the darkness, hurtling towards the two. Guili stood unmoving, and the light passed him, heading straight for Jin Ping’er.
Jin Ping’er sneered, seemingly unfazed by the sudden attack. What truly concerned her was the unsettling silence that preceded it. As the light neared, her face turned cold, and with a sharp cry, she raised her right hand, conjuring a purple glow. A mystical, dream-like aura of azure and violet flashed, slicing through the air and striking the white light with pinpoint precision.
“Snap!”
The white light split in two, flying apart. However, they soon regained their size, transforming into two identical glowing halos, spiraling back with a shrill whine, their speed doubled.
Jin Ping’er’s previously calm demeanor shifted, and she summoned her purple blade once more. The reappearing white objects were cleaved again, multiplying into four, each rebounding lifelessly.
Yet, the eerie white lights, like relentless spirits, regained their form and size, surging back at Jin Ping’er even more fiercely. Her countenance darkened, and she retreated, but the confined space of the cave left little room. The white halos closed in, and Jin Ping’er’s commands echoed, sending purple flashes against the encroaching lights. These resilient entities quickly recovered, continuing their relentless assault.
As the white halos began to envelop Jin Ping’er, forming a luminous cocoon, Guili observed her growing struggle. He did not intervene, recognizing the strength of the unseen adversary. It must be the malevolent spirit mentioned by the black tiger.
With Jin Ping’er’s situation becoming increasingly perilous, Guili suddenly dashed into the darkness, the ethereal glow of Shizhen dissipating as he merged with the shadows.
From the distance, a cold snort echoed.
In the familiar, chilling darkness, a sinister presence lingered. The distant wails of the white halos attacking Jin Ping’er faded, and an uncanny stillness enveloped the area. Suddenly, the ground trembled violently, and the cave walls shook. Debris rained down from the ceiling, creating a hazy scene.
Amidst the chaos, the falling stones paused mid-air, time seeming to freeze. Then, with a sharp howl, the debris converged into a massive, surging wave, charging towards a point in the darkness. Just as it neared its target, a slender, pale hand emerged, fingers forming a mystical seal that exuded a seductive, yet ominous power.
An invisible force condensed around the hand, and the giant wave, unable to advance, crashed down, sending rocks and dust flying. Guili’s figure materialized from the dust, lunging towards the hand.
The hand transformed, fingers aligning differently. In that moment, Jin Ping’er’s purple light flared, breaking free from the white constraints. The dispersed white lights reunited, forming a massive, blazing wall that charged towards Guili.
The wall of light nearly overwhelmed Guili, but he remained resolute, rushing towards the pale hand. With a swift motion, he formed a powerful Buddhist seal, and a golden radiance erupted from his palm, colliding with the incoming wall.
The explosion was deafening, and the cave was bathed in a dazzling array of colors. The white wall shattered, and Guili reached the hand, grasping its wrist. The touch was soft and gentle, bringing a wave of nostalgic warmth.
Suddenly, the world seemed to turn, and memories of a different time and place flooded his mind. But the tranquility was short-lived. The hand jerked back, and Guili, enveloped in a blinding green light, thrust Shizhen forward, piercing the darkness.
The shadowy figure, with another hand, formed a delicate fist, striking at Guili. Guili’s expression flickered, and his eyes lost their red glow. He channeled the power of the Tai Chi Xuan Qing Dao, and the two forces clashed. The fist sank into the Tai Chi pattern, causing Guili to falter momentarily.
But the pattern began to spin, dispersing the force. The mysterious figure, showing a hint of pain, withdrew her hand, and the darkness receded. Guili leaped forward, and the chase continued deeper into the cave.
Finally, the figure stopped, turning to face Guili. In the dim light, a familiar figure emerged—Jiuwei Tianhu, Bai Xiao. Xiaohui, perched on Guili’s shoulder, chirped happily.
Bai Xiao’s beautiful, alluring form shimmered in the light. She spat, “Do you remember me? Or are you too distracted by that enchanting woman at your side?”
Guili, taken aback, replied, “You misunderstand. I didn’t know the path led here.”
Bai Xiao’s tone softened, and she sighed, “Men are never good.”
Guili could only shake his head, a wry smile on his face, as the darkness around them slowly dissipated.
Tai Sui Yellow Amulet Paper FuLu Taoist Love Talisman Traditional Chinese Spiritual Charm Attracting Love Protecting Marriage