As the days passed, Moria and Jiang Yan found themselves traveling through the wilderness, following a series of ancient symbols that only Moria seemed to understand. The landscape around them was vast and unyielding—mountains that loomed like giants, forests that stretched endlessly in all directions, and rivers that cut through the earth like veins of silver.
Li Yuan, ever loyal but wary, walked by their side, his eyes constantly scanning their surroundings. He had never been one for long journeys, preferring the comfort of his books and scrolls, but he knew that this was no ordinary trip. The quest for the Flame Lotus had taken a darker turn, and he could feel the weight of it pressing down on him.
"So, what exactly are we looking for?" Li Yuan asked, his voice breaking the silence that had settled between them.
Moria glanced over her shoulder at him, her expression unreadable. "The Flame Lotus is just one piece of a much larger puzzle. To unlock its true potential, we need to find the other artifacts—relics of ancient power that have been lost to time."
Li Yuan's brow furrowed. "And where do we find these relics?"
Moria smiled faintly. "That is what we are searching for. The symbols lead us, and I follow them. Trust me, Li Yuan, the path will reveal itself in time."
Jiang Yan, who had been walking in silence, suddenly spoke. "And what happens when we find these relics? What will we do with them?"
Moria's smile faded, and her expression grew serious. "We will use them to restore balance. The world is out of balance, Jiang Yan. The Flame Lotus is the key to everything, but it must be wielded by someone worthy. Someone who understands its true purpose."
The words hung in the air, heavy with meaning. Jiang Yan felt the weight of them settling on his shoulders. There was something in Moria's voice—something that spoke of a deeper purpose, of a fate that was already written. And yet, he couldn't shake the feeling that they were walking into something far more dangerous than they realized.