Volume 6 — The Obsidian Envoy
The man in obsidian armor stood at the edge of the shattered forest, his presence bending the air like a storm trapped in human form. Lin Feng felt his knees wobble. Not out of bravery—those had abandoned him long ago—but out of sheer survival instinct.
Caiyi stepped in front of him, sword drawn. "State your name."
The armored man inclined his head. "I am Hei Xu, Envoy of the Obsidian Root Palace. I come for the Peach Host."
Lin Feng waved weakly. "Can we talk about this? Maybe negotiate? Bargain? Beg?"
"There is nothing to discuss," Hei Xu replied. "You hold what belongs to us."
Caiyi glared. "The Peach Blossom Heart Method belongs to NO ONE but the Sect."
Hei Xu's eyes glowed faintly. "You misunderstand. We do not want the technique. We want the spirit."
Lin Feng blinked. "There's a spirit?! Inside me?!"
"Yes," Elder Mo said, popping out of a bush. "Did I forget to mention that?"
"YES!" Lin Feng and Caiyi shouted together.
Hei Xu raised one hand. The air turned pitch-black. Stone cracked beneath his feet. "Surrender quietly and your death will be painless."
Lin Feng yelped. "Caiyi, do something!"
She did. She grabbed him by the collar and ran.
Hei Xu launched a spear of dark energy. Caiyi blocked—but the shockwave sent both her and Lin Feng tumbling down the mountainside. They crashed through branches, bounced off rocks, and finally landed in a glowing peach grove.
Lin Feng gasped. "Ow… Are we alive?"
"Unfortunately," Caiyi groaned.
The grove responded to their arrival. Petals lit up, spiraling around Lin Feng like fireflies.
A whisper echoed in his mind:
Host… danger… awaken… protect…
Suddenly, spiritual energy surged from his core. His vision blurred. His heartbeat synchronized with the glowing grove. For a moment, he felt weightless—connected to something ancient, vast, and warm.
Caiyi stared. "Lin Feng… your eyes—they're glowing."
A figure emerged from the peach tree's light: a faint silhouette of a woman in flowing robes, her voice soft as wind.
"Child… I am the Peach Spirit. And we have little time."
Before Lin Feng could fully panic, Hei Xu crashed into the grove, darkness clashing with peach-light.
The battle for the host had begun.