Chapter 3: The Whispering Shadows
A Voice in the Dark
Leon Voss moved cautiously through the Abyssal Ruins, his steps barely making a sound on the damp stone floor. The whisper he had heard earlier still lingered in his mind—faint, unsettling, yet undeniably real.
The dim blue glow of the cavern's fungi barely illuminated his path, casting eerie shadows that shifted with every step. The deeper he ventured, the more he felt an unnatural presence pressing against his senses.
Then, it happened again.
A whisper.
"Awaken… Forsaken one…"
Leon froze, his pulse quickening. His fingers instinctively tightened around the rusted sword he had taken from the serpent's lair.
"Who's there?" he demanded, his voice steady despite the unease creeping into his bones.
Silence.
Then, laughter. Low, echoing, and filled with an ancient malice.
"So weak… yet bound to the System…"
Leon clenched his jaw. He was not in the mood for cryptic riddles.
[Danger Detected.]
The system's cold notification flashed in his vision. Instinct took over, and he immediately stepped back—just as black tendrils shot out from the darkness, aiming for his throat.
His body moved on instinct. He twisted to the side, barely avoiding the shadowy attack. A rush of cold air brushed against his skin as the tendrils retracted back into the depths of the cavern.
Then, it emerged.
The Wraithbound Guardian
A towering figure stepped forward, its form cloaked in swirling shadows. Its eyes burned with eerie blue flames, and its skeletal hands clutched a jagged obsidian blade. Chains of black energy wrapped around its body, rattling with each movement.
[Name: Wraithbound Guardian]
[Rank: Qi Refinement (Peak)]
[Threat Level: High]
Leon's heart pounded. This thing was far stronger than the Void Serpent. He was barely recovering his cultivation, while this creature had likely been lingering in these ruins for centuries.
Can I even win this fight?
He forced the doubt aside. He had the System. He had Energy Drain. If he could land a clean hit…
The wraith didn't give him time to think further. It surged forward, its blade flashing with dark energy. Leon barely managed to parry, the rusted sword in his grip shuddering under the impact.
The sheer force sent him skidding backward.
Too strong.
If he took a direct hit, he was dead.
A Desperate Gamble
Leon exhaled sharply. He needed a strategy.
The wraith attacked again, its movements fluid yet erratic. Leon dodged, barely keeping up. Every swing of its blade sent shockwaves through the air, forcing him further into a corner.
His mind raced. He couldn't overpower it. He had no techniques, no proper cultivation—but he had Energy Drain.
He needed to get close.
Leon feigned a stumble, dropping his guard just enough to bait the wraith. The creature lunged, aiming straight for his chest.
At the last second, he pivoted.
The blade missed his heart, grazing his shoulder instead. Pain erupted through his body, but he ignored it. This was his moment.
Leon grabbed the wraith's arm with his free hand.
"Activate Energy Drain!"
A surge of dark energy exploded between them. Black tendrils of power wrapped around Leon's arm, siphoning the wraith's essence.
The creature shrieked—a horrible, bone-chilling sound—as its strength was forcibly drained. Its form flickered, its once-solid body turning more transparent by the second.
Leon felt a rush of power flood into him. His meridians pulsed violently, absorbing the stolen energy.
[Energy Absorbed: +5% Meridian Restoration]
[Warning: Instability Rising]
Leon grit his teeth. His body trembled from the raw influx of Qi, but he refused to let go. He needed more.
The wraith thrashed violently, breaking free from his grip. It staggered backward, its once-mighty form now weakened.
Leon didn't hesitate. He lunged, driving his rusted sword straight into the wraith's flickering core.
The creature let out a final, agonized wail—before shattering into black mist.
The System's Reward
Leon collapsed onto one knee, his breaths ragged. His entire body burned from the strain, but he had won.
A notification flashed before him.
[Quest Completed: Escape the Abyssal Ruins (Partial)]
[Reward: 20 System Points + Basic Cultivation Technique]
Leon's eyes widened.
A technique.
For the first time since his fall, he finally had the means to cultivate again.
Another screen appeared.
[You have obtained: Void Requiem (Basic)]
[A foundational technique that refines Qi from darkness and destruction. Adaptable to host's potential.]
Leon exhaled. This was it. His first step toward reclaiming his power.
He rose to his feet, determination burning in his gaze.
The world had forsaken him.
But with the System, he would rise again.
And this time, he would never be betrayed.