The worm lunged, the air splitting with a shriek of friction and force. Yu's instincts screamed. He threw up a weak barrier, the translucent shield cracking instantly as the impact sent both of them tumbling through the sand. Heat, dust, and the taste of blood filled his mouth. He looked up in time to see the worm coil back, the shadow of its open maw swallowing the light above them.
It was over.
Yu barely felt his legs; his mana was drained, his consciousness slipping. Is this how we end? he thought faintly, staring at the vast, gaping darkness descending toward them.
Then the ground itself shuddered.
The sand beneath them gave way with a thunderous crack. For a single, fleeting instant, Yu saw Lian turn toward him, eyes wide, before gravity pulled them both down into the abyss.
The world disappeared.
...
The sensation of falling was endless.
Air whipped past them, the sound of rushing wind blending into silence. Yu reached out instinctively—his fingers brushed against Lian's hand. He grasped it tightly, refusing to let go. Then a burst of cyan light shimmered between them as Lian used the last of his mana to soften their fall.
They hit ground hard. Dust and gravel scattered. Yu coughed violently, the taste of earth thick in his mouth. His limbs ached, his lungs burned—but he was alive.
"Lian…" he croaked, pushing himself up on trembling arms. The dim glow of his own fading mana lit the surroundings faintly—damp, uneven stone walls, a hollow space that smelled faintly of moss and minerals.
Lian groaned softly nearby, hand pressed to his ribs. "Still breathing," he muttered, voice hoarse. "That's… something."
Yu's heart eased slightly. He crawled closer, checking Lian's wounds. "You're bleeding—"
"I'll live," Lian cut in gently. "You?"
"Bruised pride, maybe," Yu muttered, exhaling. Then he paused.
Something was off.
He inhaled slowly. The air down here wasn't like above. It was thick, heavy—almost alive. Every breath tingled faintly with mana, filling his lungs like mist.
"Do you feel that?" Yu whispered.
Lian closed his eyes, sensing. "...The air's saturated with energy. This isn't ordinary earth."
"It's like… a sealed space," Yu murmured. He extended his senses, letting his awareness stretch outward. Threads of energy pulsed through the ground and stone, converging somewhere ahead. "There's a concentration point nearby. Strong—maybe a natural node."
He turned toward the faint glimmer ahead in the dark. "There. Mana's converging there."
Lian gave a faint, strained smile. "Then let's go before the worm finds a way down here."
.....
The tunnel was narrow, winding—walls glistening with damp stone and streaks of faintly glowing moss. Yu supported Lian as they moved, each step echoing softly in the silence. The deeper they went, the denser the air became. Mana pooled around them like invisible mist; Yu could almost see it shimmer at the edges of his vision.
Occasionally, small sparks of blue light pulsed along the cavern wall—bioluminescent veins in the rock, flickering like heartbeat patterns.
"This place…" Yu murmured, voice reverberating softly. "It feels ancient."
Lian nodded, brushing his hand along a glowing root. "These formations… they're natural. Probably untouched for centuries."
He paused, glancing back the way they came—nothing but darkness stretching endlessly. "It's strange. The secret realm feels like it's shifting. Every step forward, it feels… deeper."
Yu chuckled weakly. "And yet we keep walking."
Lian's lips curved faintly. "Because if we stop, it's over."
They shared a quiet look—tired, blood-streaked, but unyielding. Then they pressed on, drawn by the subtle light ahead. The faint whisper of dripping water grew louder, echoing through the tunnel. Yu's heart began to beat faster. That kind of sound could only mean one thing.
An open space.
.....
The tunnel opened into a wide cavern glowing with soft, ethereal light. For a long moment, neither of them spoke.
It was like stepping into another world.
The air shimmered faintly, warm and moist, filled with a fragrance both sweet and sharp. The ground glittered faintly with mineral dust, and in the center of the cavern lay a clear pool of water—glowing a serene, luminous blue. Ripples of mana danced across its surface, casting shifting light over the rocky ceiling above.
And in the center of water pool grew a single plant.
Its leaves were long, slender, edged in gold. Delicate threads of light pulsed through them like veins. At the top, a single crimson bud swayed faintly in an unseen breeze.
Yu froze, breath catching. His voice trembled slightly when he spoke.
"This… this is a Spirit-Cleansing Orchid."
Lian blinked. "A what?"
Yu stepped closer, eyes wide in awe. "A higher-grade spiritual plant. It purifies meridians, enhances the soul's foundation. Even a drop of it's essence can push a cultivator past their bottleneck.But it depends on how old the plant is and this one seems to be young."
Lian chuckled softly,stepping beside him. "So we fell from death's maw straight into fortune's cradle."
Yu gave a shaky laugh. "You make it sound like we planned it."
"Maybe fate did," Lian murmured. His gaze softened as he watched Yu kneel beside the pool, hands hovering reverently over the glowing water.
.....
They didn't dare overuse the spring. Yu carefully scooped a handful of the luminous water into his palm and brought it to his lips. The taste was faintly sweet, cool, and heavy with spiritual energy. A warm current spread through his veins almost instantly, mending the smaller wounds and restoring his depleted mana.
He passed some to Lian, who drank silently, exhaling after a long pause. "It's like breathing after drowning."
Yu nodded in agreement. "Even the water here is… extraordinary."
Lian leaned back against a nearby boulder, eyes half-closed as the tension began to leave his body. "It's a pure mana pool.A bottle of this water can cause bloody battle between family and clans.You always seem to find miracles in the strangest places."
Yu gave a faint smile, opening his pouch to retrieve some vials. "It's not luck. Just persistence—and a bit of stubbornness."
"You call falling through the desert floor 'persistence'?"
"Adaptability, then." Yu's tone was dry, but there was humor behind it. He began bottling small samples of the spring water carefully. Every movement was precise, practiced—the rhythm of an alchemist who'd lived by care and control.
Lian watched him in silence for a while, his gaze softened by quiet fondness. "Every time I think the heavens abandon us," he said finally, "they throw you in my path again."
Yu's hand stilled. For a heartbeat, the cavern felt too quiet.
"Or maybe they enjoy toying with us," he said softly.
Lian chuckled, the sound low, warm. "If so, I hope they never get bored."
Yu looked up, caught off guard by the tenderness in his tone. Something flickered in the air between them—unspoken, fragile. He broke the gaze first, reaching into his satchel for a few jade bottles he'd gathered earlier. "Here. Help me fill these."
Lian arched a brow. "Still putting me to work, even after near-death?"
"You can complain after your wounds close," Yu replied evenly.
Together, They start collecting the mama water . After that Yu started making medicine for their injuries , he mixed crushed herbs with droplets of mana water, in the cauldron forming a faintly glowing paste. When applied, it soothed the burns and closed deeper cuts within moments. The process was simple but grounding—each motion bringing them back from the edge of exhaustion.
Hours passed like that, quietly. The glow of the spring dimmed and brightened with the flow of mana, as if breathing along with them.
...
By the time they'd finished, Yu's energy had steadied. The faint ache in his limbs was gone, replaced by a calm hum beneath his skin. He stood near the water's edge, watching ripples shift and merge, reflecting the crimson bud's glow.
"With this much mana source…" he murmured, "it would be wasteful not to cultivate."
Lian joined him, nodding slightly. "It's not just the mana water. The air here is saturated with aura. This spring has probably existed for a century at least. It could purify your meridians and help you refine your core."
"And you?" Yu asked.
"It'll help me stabilize my foundation. Maybe even strengthen my spiritual sense." Lian glanced toward the tunnel they'd fallen through—nothing but darkness and silence. "We're safe here. For now."
Yu considered that, then smiled faintly. "Then let's not waste time."
Lian lifted a hand and traced a simple defensive sigil in the air, channeling his mana to create a soft, shimmering barrier at the mouth of the cavern. The energy pulsed faintly, protecting the space from intrusions. It wasn't a formation—just a temporary ward made purely of intent.
Meanwhile, Yu settled near the spring, crossing his legs in the lotus position. He inhaled deeply, letting the thick, rich mana flow through him like liquid gold. The sensation was overwhelming but pure—his veins thrummed with life, his dantian glowing faintly as mana energy circulated faster and faster.
On the other side of the spring, Lian did the same. His aura flared, steady and strong, blending subtly with Yu's. The mana energy in the cavern responded, swirling around them like a gentle vortex. The blue glow of the water intensified, and faint golden motes drifted through the air.
Time lost meaning.
Their breaths fell into rhythm, two pulses in harmony with the cavern's living energy. The Spirit-Cleansing Orchid swayed faintly at the centre with their breath , releasing a delicate fragrance that lingered in the air.
For the first time in weeks, there was no fear—only focus, balance, and the quiet promise of strength.
...
Picture of Spirit-Cleansing Orchid