A Western Kid’s Journey into the Eastern Cultivation World

A blinding light engulfed Jack and his companions as they stepped through the swirling portal. The sensation of being pulled in a thousand directions at once made Jack's stomach churn. When the light finally faded, they found themselves in a world unlike any they had ever seen.​The sky was a deep, sickly green, dotted with floating islands made of a strange, crystalline material. These islands glowed with an otherworldly light, casting long, distorted shadows on the ground below. The air was thick and humid, filled with the smell of sulfur and something sweet, like rotting flowers.​Lyra was the first to speak, her voice filled with awe. "Where in the world are we?"​Elder Li scanned their surroundings, his staff held tightly. "I'm not sure, but I can feel a powerful magic at work here. This place... it's not of our realm."​The Keeper drew her ice - blue sword, her eyes Glancing around cautiously. "Well, wherever we are, we need to be on our guard. We don't know what kind of creatures might be lurking around."​As if on cue, a strange noise echoed through the air—a high - pitched screech that sent shivers down Jack's spine. From behind a large boulder, a creature emerged. It had the body of a lion, but its mane was made of writhing tentacles, and its eyes glowed a menacing purple.​"Stay behind me," Jack said, stepping forward. He could feel the merged orb in his chest pulsing, as if it was reacting to the creature's presence. The creature let out another screech and charged towards them, its tentacles lashing out.​Jack raised his sword, the power of the orb and the tome coursing through his veins. His blade met the creature's tentacles, and a shower of sparks flew. The creature let out a pained roar and retreated, but it wasn't defeated. It circled around them, looking for an opening to attack.​Lyra, her dagger in hand, circled in the opposite direction. "We need to work together. I'll distract it, and you go for the kill, Jack."​Before Jack could respond, more creatures emerged from the shadows. There were dozens of them, each one as strange and terrifying as the last. Some had the heads of birds and the bodies of snakes, while others were made entirely of a glowing, pulsating substance.​Elder Li raised his staff and began to chant. Golden symbols formed in the air, creating a barrier around the group. "We can't fight them all at once. We need to find a way out of here and start our search for the other crystals."​Jack nodded, his mind racing. He looked around, trying to find any signs of a path or a clue. Then, he noticed something strange. In the distance, there was a tower made of the same crystalline material as the floating islands. It glowed with a faint, purple light, the same color as the crystal they had encountered in the temple.​"There!" Jack pointed towards the tower. "That has to be our first destination. Maybe we'll find some answers there."​Without waiting for a response, he charged towards the tower, his companions close behind. The creatures let out angry screeches and gave chase, but the group didn't look back. They knew that their only hope of saving the world was to find the other crystals, and this strange new world held the first piece of the puzzle.​As they ran, Jack couldn't help but wonder what other dangers awaited them in this mysterious realm. But he was determined. No matter what stood in their way, he would find the crystals and stop the darkness from spreading.