Obsidian Root didn't quiet down after the trial.
If anything, it got louder.
The clang of spirit hammers striking metal echoed from forge houses that lined the upper ring. Taverns swelled with drinkers and gamblers, shouting over dice rolls and slurred curses. Somewhere deeper in the alleys, a fire burned, and no one seemed inclined to put it out.
The city didn't sleep.
And Shang Di could feel it pressing against the back of his neck as he and Wei Lin moved through the Market Crescent, ducking beneath faded talisman lines and char-stained arches.
"Your name's already circulating, you know?" Wei Lin muttered, chewing on a strip of dried beast meat that glowed faintly. "Someone said you palm-punched a guy's spirit out through his spine."
Shang Di raised a brow. "Is that what they're saying?"
"That's the polite version. The dramatic one has you shattering a soul core and spitting fire."
He didn't respond. He didn't care if they talked.
They passed a robed vendor selling 'spirit-drunk peaches,' a woman whispering into a mirror, and a beggar clutching a formation shard like a prayer bead. The smells of ash, hot steel, and the scent of fried meat mingled strangely in the air.
Then the path curved.
They came out onto a narrow overlook above a broken sector of the city. What had once been a flourishing sect courtyard, was now dead silent. Cracked stone, scorched statues, and half-faded formation rings. Dead trees arched like clawed fingers over ruined disciple quarters.
"Looks like someone tried to erase this place with a sledgehammer," Wei Lin muttered.
Shang Di stepped closer to the edge, wind tugging at his cloak.
[System Notification]
Vein Hollow Detected – Former Sect Grounds
Status: Unclaimed Territory
Environmental Qi: Wood-Fire Blend
Formation State: Fractured
Requirement: Clear Zone of Hostile Beasts
Claim Available: Sect Base (1-Star Max – Upgradable)
Warning: Nightshift Beasts active after dusk.
He exhaled through his nose. "There it is."
Wei Lin squinted. "There what is?"
"Our next step."
He gave a curious glance, but didn't press further. They watched in silence as the red sun dipped closer to the cracked rooftops of the ruins turning the sky from blue to orange.
...
They returned to the inn just before sunset.
Shang Di sat cross-legged on the creaky floor, while Lucky curled loosely around his wrist like a soft black bracelet. The flickering candlelight swayed shadows across the room's cracked wall.
[System Interface – Active]
SP Available: 835
Tickets: 0
[New Shop Rotation Detected]
...
Shadow Ember Exploration Box
Cost: 500 SP
Contents: 3 Formation Tools, 1 Defensive Talisman, 1 Random Rare Technique
Rarity Distribution:
– Uncommon (UC): 40%
– Rare (R): 40%
– Epic (E): 15%
– Super Rare (SR): 5%
Includes: Entry-level dungeon equipment, field formations, escape slips, supportive combat techniques
Draw Method: Fixed contents – 5 items per purchase
...
Whisperbound Contract Box (Limited-Time)
Cost: 300 SP
Contents: 1 Spirit Beast Pull – Shadow/Flight Type
Rarity Distribution:
– Rare (R): 60%
– Epic (E): 30%
– Super Rare (SR): 10%
Includes: Stealth or scouting-based spirit beast contracts; synergizes with "Whispering Crow"
Draw Method: Single pull – 1 contract scroll per draw
...
Nightshade Flame Cache
Cost: 750 SP
Contents: 1 Flame-Type Manual, 1 Fire Qi Pill
Rarity Distribution:
– Rare (R): 50%
– Epic (E): 35%
– Super Rare (SR): 15%
Includes: Flame techniques, affinity-enhancing pills, rare Yin-Yang flame compatibility manuals
Draw Method: 2-item pull – 1 pill + 1 scripture
...
Shang Di's eyes lingered on the Whisperbound box.
"Let's see if you're worth the SP."
[300 SP Deducted]
[Opening Whisperbound Contract Box…]
A black-edged card rotated slowly in the air. It shimmered—once, twice—and flipped swiftly with a soft metallic sound.
[Spirit Beast Pull: Murk-Tailed Kite]
Tier: Rare
Type: Shadow / Scout
Traits: Enhanced Vision, Long-Range Glide, Dungeon Detection Field
Status: Passive – Auto-scout radius (50 meters)
"Hm," he muttered. "That'll help."
SP Remaining: 535
He didn't pull again.
Not tonight.
...
They returned to the overlook after sundown. The ruins looked different now—darker, like the shadows had grown teeth.
Shang Di stood at the edge, cloak billowing in the soft breeze, while Lucky peeked from beneath his sleeve.
Wei Lin yawned. "So… are we really going to go down there?"
"Yes."
"Let me guess—because something down there glows ominously and most likely wants to eat us?"
"Because it's unclaimed. Because it has a formation base. Because it has potential."
He paused.
"And yes, probably that too."
Wei Lin looked down. "There's something moving."
[System Update]
Entry Condition Met – Dungeon Zone Activating
Dungeon Zone: Vein Hollow
Type: Ruin-Combat Trial
Estimated Threat: Moderate
First-Time Clear Reward: ???
Note: Dungeon binds entry to participant's spiritual ID. Escape is prohibited during active sequence.
Then the system whispered again:
Warning: Nightshift Beast Activity Detected
Classification: Nocturnal-class predator
Mutation-prone. Drawn to fragmented Qi.
Origin: Ruin-dwelling, partial spiritual remnants
Threat: Mid-Stage Qi Condensation and above
Shang Di felt a flicker of recognition from the earlier scan.
The system hadn't explained it—it showed him. Threads of broken formations. A bestiary entry embedded into the energy field.
"Nightshift beasts wake after dusk," he said aloud.
Wei Lin raised an eyebrow. "You say that like you've met them."
Shang Di shrugged. "I've heard about them. They show up in broken places. Where the Qi is unstable."
It was close enough to the truth.
Wei Lin nodded slowly. "Lovely. I'm sure this will be fun."
Shang Di smiled faintly.
"No. But it will be necessary."
Somewhere below, something howled — long, distant, and unnatural.
The Hollow had begun to stir.
...
To be continued…