The Revenant's body dissolved into ash, spiraling upward in threads like smoke seeking release. The once-suffocating presence that had lingered in the ravine dissipated, as though a storm had passed and the air could breathe again.
Jiang Xun lowered his saber slowly, blood trickling from a split in his lip. Lin Yue stepped back, panting, her blade trembling in her grasp.
[Target Eliminated – Lesser Revenant]
Vital Breath: +4 (Partial Soul Absorption)
Insight Fragment Gained: "Spirit-Infused Strikes"
Technique Proficiency (Ironblood Saber Arts – Sundered Gale): +9%
Condition: Internal bruising detected. Minor fracture (left rib). Recovery advised.
Jiang Xun coughed, wiped his mouth, and nodded. "That was cleaner than I expected."
Lin Yue gave him a sideways look. "You call that clean?"
"No one died."
She didn't reply immediately. Instead, she knelt by the dissipating remains, brushing ash aside to reveal a cracked talisman etched in faded ink. It pulsed once—dim, but still alive with ancient intent.
"What is this?" she murmured.
Jiang Xun stepped beside her, squinting.
[System Notification – Spirit Relic Detected: Fragment of the Binding Seal]
A fragment of a forgotten sealing ritual. Contains faded inscriptions of an exorcist order once tasked with containing grudge-born demons.
Binding Potential: 12% (Ritual Incomplete)
System Integration Possible: Unlock "Seal Insight" tree upon acquiring three fragments.
"Looks like our demon was once part of something much bigger," he muttered.
Lin Yue turned the fragment over. "A seal this old... That shrine must've been an anchor point. If the seal's broken, this place might draw in other spirits."
He frowned. "A wound in the land."
And wounds fester.
...
After tending to their injuries and resting briefly in the ravine's upper rim, Jiang Xun sat cross-legged beneath the shade of a wind-bent cedar. He allowed his breath to settle, heart slowing as he sank into his cultivation state.
[Entering Deep Breath State – External distractions minimized]
Vital Breath circulating...
Insight Fragment available: Spirit-Infused Strikes
Would you like to integrate this insight now?
"Yes."
A rush of sensation flooded him—not memory exactly, but understanding. He saw in his mind's eye the Revenant's unnatural durability, its aura-fueled counterattacks, and the way his own blade cut deeper when it carried the pulse of his breath.
The insight coalesced.
[Insight Integrated – Spirit-Infused Strikes: Level 1]
You may now channel minor Vital Breath into your weapon for a brief infusion (3 seconds). Costs 1 point of Breath. Increases strike effectiveness against spiritual and incorporeal targets by 20%.
Warning: Excessive use without control can drain stamina rapidly.
He opened his eyes, the sensation fading like mist.
This world wasn't fair. He'd already realized that. But it was structured, and structure could be exploited. Every piece of essence, every demon slain, brought him one step closer to power.
And maybe, eventually, answers.
...
They left the ravine before sunset, traveling westward on a crooked mountain path. Lin Yue was quieter than usual.
Eventually, Jiang Xun broke the silence. "You sensed it too. That shrine was more than a haunt."
She nodded. "That was exorcist work. Old school. From the Iron Scripture sect, maybe. My grandfather told stories about their last campaigns before the Demon Wars ended."
"Didn't end well, I'm guessing."
"They say the sect disbanded after a failed ritual near the capital. The demons they tried to seal instead possessed the shrine itself. After that... no one saw them again."
Jiang Xun exhaled slowly. "So either that Revenant was a remnant... or bait."
She looked at him sharply. "You think something sent it?"
"Or used it to test this area. Demons are getting bolder. If they're probing for broken seals, that's bad for everyone."
[Side Quest Unlocked: Shrine of Broken Vows]
Investigate ancient shrines across the region. Collect lost seal fragments and restore the map of binding points. Progress: 1/7
Reward: Unlock "Seal Insight" tree and gain access to forgotten martial techniques once used by demon hunters.
He didn't smile—but he felt something flicker in his chest. A thread pulling him forward.
Something more than survival.
...
That night, they set camp in a narrow pass between two hills. The wind howled gently across the rocks, but the stars above were clear.
As Lin Yue slept, Jiang Xun sat watch.
In the darkness, the system screen shimmered before him—quiet, constant, a pale reminder that he did not belong to this world, yet was now bound to it.
And he wondered—not for the first time—what had happened to the one whose body he now inhabited. Who had this young demon slayer been, truly? What had he died for?
And what would Jiang Xun choose to live for now?
His hand tightened around the saber beside him.
There would be answers.
Even if he had to carve them from the corpses of demons and spirits alike.