Kai stood before the ruins of the Azure Cloud Sect, the early morning fog drifting through the fractured pillars and weathered stone walls. His journey had brought him to the southernmost area of the ruins, as instructed by the mysterious immortal from his dream. Here, obscured beneath tangled vines and dense undergrowth, stood an ancient stone shrine, its weathered structure hinting at secrets long hidden.
He carefully approached, brushing aside the thick vegetation that clung stubbornly to the structure. As he cleared the last of the vines, an intricate pattern emerged before him on the ground—an elaborate formation etched deeply into the stone floor, pulsing faintly with a dim, elemental energy.
Kai's eyes narrowed thoughtfully. The formation before him was clearly designed based on the Five Elements—metal, wood, water, fire, and earth. Lines intersected, twisted, and looped in patterns dizzying to the eye, creating a labyrinth-like complexity that suggested dangerous traps hidden within.
Taking a cautious step forward, Kai entered the formation's boundary. Instantly, his surroundings shifted. The clear morning mist transformed into a dense, bewildering fog, obscuring his vision in all directions. He turned quickly, only to find himself already lost amid identical stone walls and corridors, each indistinguishable from the others.
Realizing the severity of his predicament, he attempted to use his Qi to sense a way through, but the formation seemed to feed off his energy, drawing it away rather than guiding him forward. Each step led him further into confusion, deeper into frustration. After what felt like hours of futile wandering, Kai finally stopped, exhausted and disoriented.
"This is pointless," he muttered, frustration evident in his voice. The immortal's advice had brought him here, yet he was trapped, incapable of reaching the answers he sought.
Desperate, Kai drew out the Celestial Eclipse manual he always carried, the same manual that had accompanied him since he first embarked on his cultivation journey. Opening the book to a random page, he enquired about breaking complex five elemental formations.
Words began to glow with delicate calligraphy:
"Breaking the Five Elements Formation requires deep knowledge of elemental interactions. One must understand the intricate balance among metal, wood, water, fire and earth."
He sighed heavily, the words faded sway and the next line of text appeared.
His heart sank momentarily as he saw the words that emerged:
"Consult Zhao Xun, the Ghoul of Lightness, master of elemental formations."
Kai's brow furrowed. Of all the people he could rely on, why did it have to be Zhao Xun, the most problematic and unpredictable disciple within his sect? Zhao Xun was infamous not only for his eccentric behavior and elusive temperament but also for causing trouble at the slightest provocation. Yet, Kai had no other choice.
With resignation, Kai pulled a crimson-colored flare from his robes and ignited it. It shot upward, piercing through the fog and releasing a loud, crackling burst of Qi that resonated far into the distance. Now, all he could do was wait and hope the Ghoul of Lightness would respond.
He didn't wait long. Within mere minutes, a blur of gray flashed through the formation's foggy maze. Zhao Xun landed gracefully before him, grinning mischievously. The man was strikingly slender, dressed entirely in robes of black silk that seemed to float rather than hang on his wiry frame. His thin face, betrayed no hint of seriousness despite the dangerous setting.
"You called, Sect Lord?" Zhao Xun drawled playfully, bowing exaggeratedly.
Kai restrained his irritation, forcing patience into his voice. "Zhao Xun, I require your assistance."
Zhao Xun raised an eyebrow, amused. "And here I thought you summoned me simply to exchange pleasantries."
Kai ignored the remark, motioning toward the complex formation encircling them. "This is a Five Elements Formation. Without your knowledge, I cannot break it. Time is critical."
Zhao Xun sighed dramatically, rolling his eyes theatrically as he approached the formation lines on the stone floor. "Of course, Sect Lord. Let's get to it, shall we?"
His demeanor shifted abruptly from playful to deadly serious as he examined the intricate markings carefully. His nimble fingers traced several lines, eyes narrowing in concentration. "This formation is clever," Zhao Xun commented, suddenly serious. "It channels elemental forces in a cycle—metal suppresses wood, wood restrains earth, earth absorbs water, water extinguishes fire, fire melts metal. Whoever set this is skilled."
"Can you break it?" Kai asked impatiently.
"Of course," Zhao Xun replied confidently, eyes glittering with excitement. "But you must listen carefully. Each step must be precise, and speed will matter greatly."
"Then speak clearly," Kai instructed sharply, unwilling to waste more time.
Zhao Xun nodded, quickly outlining the intricacies of the formation. "We must first disrupt the formation by severing its weakest element—metal in this case—to cause imbalance. Once the formation becomes unstable, we'll swiftly suppress the central node with wood Qi, immediately neutralizing its power."
Kai listened carefully, committing each instruction to memory. With Zhao Xun's signal, they moved swiftly together through the formation's intricate paths. Zhao Xun darted like lightning, his mastery of Qing Gong evident in his lightness and speed. Kai matched him stride-for-stride, following his lead.
Together, they systematically disrupted the pattern of the formation, targeting the elemental nodes Zhao Xun had identified. Each step created tremors in the formation's energy, weakening it further. Kai marveled inwardly at Zhao Xun's flawless precision—despite his problematic nature, his skills were undeniably exceptional.
Finally, Zhao Xun halted at the formation's center, his hand hovering over the core rune etched deeply into the stone. "This is the final step," he announced seriously, looking at Kai with rare sincerity. "When I disable this node, the formation will collapse."
Kai nodded solemnly. "Do it."
Zhao Xun pressed his palm firmly onto the central rune, channeling pure wood Qi into it. Immediately, a shudder passed through the formation. Lines of elemental energy fractured and collapsed, the surrounding fog clearing rapidly to reveal the entrance of the shrine clearly visible once again.
The heavy stone door at the shrine's entrance swung open with a deep, resonant creak, darkness yawning within. Zhao Xun stepped back respectfully, gesturing for Kai to enter.
Kai moved forward, but Zhao Xun quickly stopped him. With a mischievous grin, Zhao Xun handed Kai a small, intricately carved metal talisman he had discreetly retrieved from within the formation.
"What is this?" Kai asked, inspecting the item.
"I found it concealed within the formation," Zhao Xun replied cryptically, winking slyly. "Keep it close, Sect Lord. I suspect it might prove useful."
Kai stared thoughtfully at the talisman, sensing an unusual aura within it. He tucked it securely within his robe and nodded gratefully toward Zhao Xun.
"You have done well," Kai acknowledged sincerely. "I need to proceed alone."
Zhao Xun chuckled lightly, giving a respectful bow. "Until you need me again, Sect Lord." With a final, playful wink, he vanished as swiftly as he'd appeared.
Taking a steadying breath, Kai approached the shrine's open doorway. He remembered the immortal's instruction vividly—the chamber must be entered alone. Squaring his shoulders resolutely, he stepped carefully into the shrine, the door silently swinging shut behind him.
Inside, a long stone corridor stretched into darkness, faintly illuminated by mysterious crystals embedded within the walls. Kai's heart raced with anticipation and uncertainty. He had finally reached the chamber promised by the Immortal Paragon of the Pure Path. Whatever secrets awaited, Kai was ready.
Taking another step forward into the unknown, he moved confidently toward the truth he sought.