CHAPTER 165: DARK SPIRITS

Ling Yu nodded lightly. "Yes. The corruption within this forest isn’t something your people can sense anymore."

Her words made a visible shiver pass through the group. Some younger elves exchanged uncertain looks; even for them, who had lived all their lives under the Tree’s protection, the mention of corruption felt like an omen.

Seeing their unease, Ling Yu, once more, unconsciously softened her tone slightly. "You needn’t worry. Just protect the sacred glades. I’ll take care of what lurks beyond the reach of your songs."

The elves hesitated, but they saw the faint sigil glowing over the back of her hand, the same one that marked her bond with the Tree’s spirit. It pulsed softly, like a living heart. It was enough to convince them.

That night, Ling Yu found herself sitting near the edge of their encampment, her knees drawn to her chest as she sharpened her dagger. Fluffy was curled in her lap, softly breathing, the tiny creature’s fur glowing faintly under the moonlight. Nearby, Xian Yu was half-dozing, leaning on his sword that she recently gave him for self-defence, while Nie Ziyu and Ye Qingxue discussed something among themselves in low voices.

They all knew she wasn’t going to rest.

Nie Ziyu finally sighed and broke the silence. "You don’t plan to wait till morning, do you?"

Ling Yu looked up at her friend, her gaze calm but unwavering. "No. The longer I wait, the deeper the corruption spreads. The guardian said it feeds on life energy. That means every passing hour is a risk."

Ye Qingxue frowned. "Then we’ll go with you."

Ling Yu shook her head. "No. This isn’t like the other monsters we’ve fought. These things are dark spirits; they are intangible and parasitic. They attach themselves to life, to memories, to pain. If you go, you’ll only become targets."

Xian Yu lifted his head slightly at that, the faintest trace of displeasure flickering in his eyes. "And you won’t?"

"I already carry the curse," Ling Yu said flatly. "They’ll come for me regardless."

The words settled heavily between them. None of them could refute her, they all knew the darkness of the curse had been a constant companion to her for a long ago. It was the very thing that made her unique... and the reason she could sense the corruption when others could not.

Fluffy stirred, letting out a soft chirp of protest as if it understood the tension. Ling Yu smiled faintly and stroked its fur. "Don’t worry. I won’t die that easily."

Before she departed, the elves gathered again, this time not as curious onlookers but as witnesses. They handed her a small vial filled with shimmering green liquid, Spirit Dew, a rare elven blessing that could heal even the deepest wounds. Elder Aerendel’s voice trembled as he gave it to her. "This is all we can offer. May the Tree’s song protect you."

Ling Yu nodded gratefully. "Thank you."

And with that, she turned, stepping into the heart of the forest where moonlight struggled to pierce through the thick canopy. The ground beneath her feet was damp, each step releasing faint motes of green light from the moss. The forest felt alive as if it was watching her, breathing with her, yet at the same time, something beneath it all was wrong.

The deeper she went, the thicker the air became. The sweet scent of flowers began to warp, twisting into something faintly metallic, the smell of rot. The leaves whispered in a language that wasn’t quite natural, and her sigil pulsed against her hand like a heartbeat, warning her.

She stopped when she reached a clearing.

The moonlight here was strange; it glowed with a reddish tint. And in the center of the clearing, the roots of the World Tree extended like veins, wrapping around something black and oozing, a crystalline growth that pulsed with dark energy.

Ling Yu exhaled slowly, her eyes narrowing.

"Found you."

The moment she spoke, the air rippled. Dark fog poured out of the crystal, twisting into grotesque shapes, faces without eyes, claws without bodies, whispering voices that sounded half like wailing, half like laughter.

They were the dark spirits, corrupted fragments of the forest’s soul, turned sentient by decay.

Fluffy hissed softly from her shoulder, fur puffed up. The little creature’s body began to glow faintly in golden light, reacting instinctively to the dark presence.

Ling Yu drew her sword, the blade etched with faint sigils from her earlier blessings. "I’ll make this quick."

The first spirit lunged, shrieking, but Ling Yu was faster. Her blade sliced through it, and though it dissolved into smoke, black residue splattered onto her arm, burning like acid. She grimaced but didn’t falter; instead, she murmured a low incantation under her breath. The curse mark on her hand flared to life, drawing in the corruption.

The pain was excruciating as if she were burning from the inside, but she held her ground. The Tree’s spirit had told her that her curse could consume the dark energy, that her body was the only vessel capable of balancing it.

So she endured it.

The spirits screamed as she moved, as her sword was dancing in silver arcs. Each strike was swift and precise; she didn’t waste motion. When they tried to overwhelm her, she raised her other hand, letting the black sigil on her wrist expand, swallowing their essence like a whirlpool.

Her vision blurred slightly as the curse energy mixed with her veins, but she didn’t stop. She knew this wasn’t a normal battle; it was a purification. The darkness had to be drawn out completely before it could spread again.

By the time the last wail faded, the clearing had gone silent again. The air was heavy with the smell of ash and blood, but the crimson tint of moonlight had faded.

Ling Yu fell to one knee, panting heavily. Sweat dripped from her chin, and her hand trembled as she pressed it against the soil.