The wind at dawn scraped across the plateau.
Dry. Cold. Sharp.
Ash blew in lazy spirals over broken formation rings, swirling around the edges of a half-buried altar stone. The earth here was cracked, brittle, but underneath it pulsed something faint—something old.
Shang Di stood in silence at the center of it all, fingers closed around the Vein Sensing Orb as a soft hum vibrated through his palm.
The others watched from a distance.
Yun sat perched on a chunk of fallen masonry, rubbing sleep from his eyes. Lucky curled around his neck like a black scarf. Wei Lin stood with arms folded, chewing on a dried fruit slice as he scanned the dead horizon.
"Let me guess," he said finally. "This spot's another maybe?"
Shang Di's gaze didn't shift. The orb in his hand pulsed again.
[Vein Node Detected – Distance: 48 meters west]
Type: Dormant Anchor
Restoration Feasibility: 38%
Environmental Stability: Uncertain
Note: Proximity scan recommends anchor interaction.
"No," Shang Di muttered. "This one's not a maybe."
He turned west, stepping over charred roots and shallow rubble.
Wei Lin blinked and tossed the fruit core. "Alright then."
...
The earth sloped down into a shallow basin carved from broken terraces and time-worn platforms. Vines hung dead from stone arches. The remnants of something sacred—or once sacred—lingered in the way the rubble lay. Like a forgotten breath waiting to be exhaled.
At the far end, half-buried beneath scorched dirt, was an altar.
Shang Di knelt beside it and placed a hand to its surface.
[System Interface – Active]
Vein Anchor – Detected
Anchor Status: Inactive
Integrity: 41%
Option Available: Channel Qi to restore
Requirement: Continuous Spiritual Output (60 seconds)
Risk: Elevated. Hostile presence nearby.
"I need to restore it," he said, more to himself than the others.
"Same as last time?" Wei Lin asked, already loosening his blade.
"Same plan."
He didn't need to explain. Wei Lin had long since accepted that Shang Di did things others didn't. He just didn't ask anymore.
Yun shifted uneasily. "Is it going to glow again?"
"Probably."
"Alright," Yun muttered. "Just making sure."
Shang Di drew in a breath, placed both palms to the altar, and let the flow begin.
Qi poured from his core—dark, smooth, spiraling into the stone.
The altar responded.
Lines etched into its surface shimmered blue and violet. Formation veins snapped awake beneath the ground, like nerves returning to a body long dead.
And then the ground moved.
[System Warning]
Hostile Entity Approaching
Designation: Ashcoil Devourer
Classification: Formation-Eater Beast
Tier: Late Qi Condensation
Traits: Qi Absorption – Ambush Mobility – Reinforced Hide
Threat Level: High
The soil exploded in a geyser of ash and rubble.
From the fissure coiled a massive serpent-body, its upper half feline and hunched, jaws wide open in a roar that rattled the stone.
Yun scrambled backward.
Wei Lin charged forward without hesitation.
His blade met claw—sparks flew.
The beast hissed, coiling with unnatural speed toward the altar.
Wei Lin intercepted it again, barely managing to redirect the lunge.
Shang Di kept his hands on the stone.
He couldn't stop now.
[Restoration Progress: 38%… 52%…]
Stability Holding
The creature's eyes locked on Shang Di. It surged again, using its powerful tail to sling debris toward the altar.
Shang Di's eyes flashed.
"[Flying Darkness Sword]," he whispered.
A blade of shadow spiraled into being and shot through the air, slicing through the debris and clipping the beast's flank.
Wei Lin used the opening to leap in, driving his blade along the side of its ribs. The creature screeched, twisting midair, tail lashing. It caught Wei Lin across the side and sent him crashing into a stone pillar.
Yun screamed. "Wei!"
Shang Di didn't flinch.
[Restoration Progress: 89%… 93%…]
Final Calibration – Anchoring Spiritual Lines
"Almost there…" he murmured.
The beast spun back toward him.
It launched itself forward—claws wide, fangs gleaming.
"[Darkness Swallowing Technique]," Shang Di growled, his Qi bursting outward.
A wave of darkness rose around him, swallowing the altar in shadow just as the beast struck.
Its claws hit something solid.
Shang Di's form blurred, stepping through space—
—he reappeared behind the creature, palm extended.
"Bind."
[Shadow Latch – Active]
Enemy Movement Slowed – Qi Disruption Inflicted
The Ashcoil staggered.
Wei Lin was already up again—bloodied, limping, but grinning.
"Nice trick," he muttered.
Then he swung—
And the beast collapsed.
[System Notification]
Beast Defeated – SP Gained: +60
Anchor Fully Restored
Compatibility Rating: 91%
Option Available: Establish Sect Foundation
...
Later, as the sun climbed, the plateau shimmered faintly.
Spiritual lines pulsed beneath the ground—subtle, but rhythmic. Like a heartbeat.
Yun crouched down beside the altar, peering into the glowing lines.
"This feels… calm," he said.
Shang Di stood at the center, letting the air pass over him. The system hummed quietly.
[Claim Available – Vein Anchor Active]
Core Requirements Met
Naming Process: Pending
Estimated Sect Rank: 1-Star (Upgradeable)
Wei Lin watched him for a long moment.
"I don't get what you're doing," he said, finally. "But… whatever it is? You've been chasing it since the forest."
Shang Di didn't answer immediately.
Then he said, "This place matters."
Wei Lin didn't press further.
"…You've got that look again," he muttered. "The one where you've already decided something but aren't telling anyone."
Shang Di allowed a thin smile. "I'll claim it tomorrow."
"Why wait?"
"Because names aren't rushed."
Wei Lin gave a shrug, then turned away. "You're a weird one."
Shang Di stepped up to the altar and placed his hand gently against the surface.
It hummed beneath his palm.
It was ready.
He just wasn't finished yet.
...
To be continued…