Legend of the Divine Archer

The ground beneath him was uneven and littered with debris—sharp shards of broken crystal, fragments of ancient stone, and twisted remnants of once-mighty structures. The room had been ravaged, its walls crumbling and its columns toppled, leaving behind a chaotic mess of destruction.

The corruption that had tainted the core still lingered, an almost palpable, sour odor mingling with the earthy scent of dust and decay.

Guided by the faint vibrations and the residual energies in the air, Yan Jin carefully sifted through the debris. His hands, though injured and trembling, worked with precision as he cleared away the rubble. He could feel the subtle changes in texture beneath his fingers, sensing the movement of particles and the occasional crackle of residual energy.

As he cleared the last of the debris, he felt a faint, rhythmic pulsing—a heartbeat of life amidst the ruins.

His fingers brushed against the surface of the egg, covered in scales that felt warm and slightly slick. The egg was surprisingly cool to the touch, a stark contrast to the ambient heat of the shattered core. It was alive, its pulse steady and reassuring, a sign of hope in the midst of devastation.

Yan Jin's enhanced senses allowed him to feel the gentle thrum of energy emanating from the egg, a delicate warmth that spoke of vitality and promise.

With great care, Yan Jin lifted the egg from the debris, brushing off the dust and fragments with a gentle touch. The egg's surface was smooth yet textured, and he could sense the faint, almost imperceptible vibrations of life contained within. In his visions of the great Garuda, it was clear that she was a female and pregnant.

The reason her resentment lasted so long was to protect her offspring, for years she had fought against the corruption to preserve the life contained in this egg.

"You have done well," Yan Jin murmured, his voice a soft, reverent whisper. "I will take it from here and I will protect it."

He then reached into his quiver and retrieved the stem cell, feeling its unique texture—a subtle, pulsating energy that contrasted with the static remnants of the core. He placed the stem cell carefully on top of the scattered core fragments. As he did so, he could sense the gradual shift in the energy around him, a faint vibration indicating that the restoration process had begun.

"There was an old man who believed in your power and your prosperity. Many lives were sacrificed for that vision. So, I need you to bloom again. This is a pact I make with your son," he continued, his voice imbued with solemnity and resolve.

As the stem cell began to interact with the residual core, Yan Jin felt a subtle yet noticeable change in the vibrations beneath his hands. The fragments of the core started to move, drawn together by an unseen force. He could sense the energy coalescing, the once-chaotic remnants beginning to form a cohesive structure.

The process was slow but steady, and he could feel the faint warmth and hum of reawakening power.

Satisfied that the restoration was in progress, Yan Jin took a deep breath, inhaling the mingling scents of dust, decay, and emerging renewal. He allowed himself a moment to feel the changes in the atmosphere, the subtle shifts that signaled the core's gradual return to vitality. With one last, lingering touch on the egg, he turned to leave the chamber.

--

As Yan Jin returned to the hidden chamber, the first rays of sunlight were just beginning to pierce through the darkness that had blanketed Pine City. The pale light cast long shadows across the city's ruined streets, a somber reminder of the devastation that had befallen them. He found Wei Xi curled up in a corner, the young boy's face twisted in anguish even in sleep.

His night had clearly been tormented by nightmares, haunted by the horrors he had witnessed and endured.

"Wake up," Yan Jin said, his voice firm but not unkind as he gently shook Wei Xi.

The boy stirred, his eyes fluttering open to reveal a deep weariness. He looked up at Yan Jin, his expression hollow, as if he had lost all the fire that once fueled his spirit. Yan Jin sighed inwardly, understanding the boy's pain but knowing there was no time to dwell on it.

"I understand you feel disheartened," Yan Jin began, his tone serious as he crouched down to be at eye level with Wei Xi. "But I need you to listen to me very clearly."

Wei Xi blinked, trying to focus, his mind still clouded by the remnants of his troubled sleep. Yan Jin's words cut through the haze, bringing a sharp clarity to the moment.

"Your grandfather came to me months ago," Yan Jin continued, "and made me promise to take you to your mother's family in the eastern region. As you can see, I used a forbidden power to increase my strength, and now my cultivation is sealed. I can't protect you."

The gravity of Yan Jin's words seemed to weigh heavily on Wei Xi. The boy's eyes widened slightly as he absorbed the meaning behind them. Yan Jin could see the struggle within him—the battle between his grief and the need to understand the situation.

"The Meng family is the new power in place," Yan Jin went on. "The only reason you are still alive is because they don't know the state I'm in. We cannot stay in Pine City any longer. They will not let us go, and for that, they will use the corpse of your grandfather as a way to coerce you."

Wei Xi's face crumpled at the mention of his grandfather. He opened his mouth to protest, but Yan Jin cut him off.

"I will not put my life on the line for the corpse of your grandfather," Yan Jin said bluntly. "And I will not force you to leave if you don't want to. Your grandfather had predicted this and had sacrificed a lot for this opportunity. So now, the ball is in your court. Will you stay or leave with me?"

Wei Xi's lips trembled as he struggled to find his voice. "Why would teacher do that? I mean… grandfather…"

Yan Jin's patience wore thin. He kicked the boy lightly, more to jolt him out of his daze than to cause harm. "Stop being pathetic and give me your answer."

The sharpness in Yan Jin's tone seemed to snap Wei Xi out of his spiraling thoughts. The boy looked up, his eyes clearing as he finally grasped the reality of the situation. After a long, tense moment, he swallowed hard and nodded.

"I will go with you," Wei Xi said, his voice steadying with resolve.

Yan Jin nodded, relief flickering in his expression. "Good. Leave everything behind except your weapon."

He paused, making sure Wei Xi was paying full attention. "Listen carefully," Yan Jin instructed, his voice low and urgent as he began to outline their plan for escape.