A Western Kid’s Journey into the Eastern Cultivation World

The dark mist - creature let out a guttural screech, its form undulating as it lunged at Elder Li's golden barrier once more. The old man's face contorted with the strain, beads of sweat rolling down his forehead as the symbols on his staff flickered and wavered. Jack could feel the merged orb in his chest pounding like a war drum, its erratic surges of power sending jolts of pain through his limbs.​"Jack, we need a way to hit it!" Lyra shouted, her dagger held uselessly at her side. She'd already tried throwing several makeshift weapons, but each had passed through the creature's misty form without effect.​The Keeper, her knuckles white around the crystal shard, circled the creature, looking for any sign of weakness. "It has no solid form. We can't cut it, and magic seems to pass through it too!"​Jack's eyes fell on the swirling portals. Their dark tendrils were now snaking across the floor, inching closer to them with a menacing slowness. An idea sparked in his mind. "The portals! They're connected to this thing. If we disrupt the connection..."​Before he could finish, the creature launched itself at Lyra. She yelped and stumbled backwards, tripping over a chunk of crystal. In an instant, the mist - like claws were upon her. But at the last moment, the Keeper leaped in front of her, slashing at the creature with the crystal shard. The blade passed through the mist, but the act of aggression seemed to distract it, giving Lyra enough time to scramble to safety.​Elder Li let out a cry of pain. The barrier shattered, and the creature turned its attention to the old man. Jack knew they were running out of time. He closed his eyes and delved into the chaotic power within him, trying to find a way to harness it. The images from the tome flashed through his mind—symbols of ancient binding spells and energy manipulation.​Suddenly, he felt a strange connection. The power of the orb and the dark energy from the portals were two sides of the same coin. If he could balance them...​"Elder Li, send a wave of your light magic at the creature!" Jack shouted, opening his eyes. "Lyra, Keeper, find anything that can conduct energy and place it near the portals!"​Without hesitation, Elder Li raised his staff. A brilliant stream of golden light shot towards the creature, temporarily illuminating its form. Jack could see faint, glowing lines within the mist, like veins of power connecting it to the portals.​Lyra and the Keeper scrambled through the debris. Lyra found a long, metallic rod, while the Keeper unearthed a chain of what looked like enchanted silver. They rushed to the nearest portal and laid the items down.​Jack focused all his energy, channeling the power of the orb to create a surge of multicolored energy. He directed it towards the metallic rod, and the energy coursed through it, creating an electrical charge. The chain began to vibrate, humming with power.​The creature let out a scream as the connection between it and the portals started to fray. Its form became more unstable, flickering in and out of existence. But just as they thought they had the upper hand, the portals began to shake violently. Dark energy exploded from them, knocking everyone off their feet.​When Jack picked himself up, he saw that the portals were larger than ever. And emerging from the largest one was a figure—a hooded form, its face hidden in shadow, and its hands crackling with dark, forbidden magic. A new, more terrifying threat had arrived, and Jack wasn't sure if they had the strength or the wits to survive this time.​