Chronicles of the Trash God

Feng Xiao awoke to the sound of whispers.

They weren't the same faint murmurs that haunted the Valley at all hours. No, these whispers were sharper, clearer, as though spoken directly into his ears. He jolted upright, his fingers clutching the Pearl instinctively. It pulsed faintly in his hand, the warmth of its glow seeping into his skin like a living heartbeat. The whispers faded as he stirred, retreating back into the haze of the Valley.

He took a deep, shuddering breath, his chest still heaving from the strain of the fight the day before. His body ached, his muscles screaming in protest as he moved to stand. His left arm, in particular, throbbed with a deep, dull pain where the claws of the Trash Spirit had grazed him. The wound wasn't deep, but the edges of the cut were darkened, as though corrupted by the creature's energy.

"Damn it," Feng Xiao muttered, pulling back his sleeve to inspect the injury. The flesh around the wound was inflamed, faint tendrils of black energy radiating outward like veins. He pressed a finger to the edge of the cut and winced as a sharp jolt of pain shot through his arm.

The Valley of Ordures wasn't just a graveyard for artifacts—it was a graveyard for people, too. Everything here was toxic in one way or another. Even a scratch from a Trash Spirit could spell doom if the corruption wasn't dealt with quickly.

Feng Xiao glanced down at the Pearl, its faint glow steady and reassuring. Could it fix this? The Pearl had restored broken blades and talismans, but it had never interacted with something as delicate—or as dangerous—as a living body. Still, he didn't have much of a choice. The corruption was spreading, and if he didn't do something soon, it would only get worse.

He held the Pearl over the wound, his breath hitching as he focused his thoughts. The Pearl pulsed once, then twice, its glow intensifying as a faint warmth spread through his hand. For a moment, nothing happened. Then, slowly, the tendrils of black energy began to recede, the inflamed flesh returning to its normal color. The pain dulled, and the wound closed itself, leaving behind only a faint scar.

Feng Xiao exhaled sharply, his body sagging with relief. The Pearl's power was as miraculous as it was terrifying. But as he stared at it, a nagging thought crept into the back of his mind.

What was the cost?

The day stretched on as Feng Xiao scavenged deeper into the Valley, his steps cautious and deliberate. The fight in the ruins had drained him, and every muscle in his body ached from exhaustion. But he couldn't afford to stop. Survival in the Valley was a constant battle, and every moment spent standing still was a moment wasted.

He paused near a particularly large scrap pile, his eyes scanning the debris for anything useful. The Pearl pulsed faintly in his pouch, guiding him toward a cluster of broken artifacts half-buried in the ground. He crouched down, his fingers brushing against the twisted metal as he pulled a shattered piece free.

It was a medallion, its once-polished surface now tarnished and cracked. The faint remnants of an inscription were etched into its surface, but the words were too worn to make out. Feng Xiao frowned, turning the medallion over in his hands as he tried to decipher its purpose.

The Pearl pulsed again, the warmth of its energy spreading through his fingers. The medallion began to glow faintly, the cracks on its surface sealing themselves as the tarnish flaked away. Within moments, the artifact was restored, its polished surface gleaming in the dim light of the Valley.

Feng Xiao held it up, his eyes narrowing as he studied the inscription. The words were clearer now, though written in an ancient script he didn't recognize. But the medallion's purpose was immediately apparent—it was a spiritual compass, an artifact designed to guide its user toward concentrations of spiritual energy.

A faint smile tugged at Feng Xiao's lips. This was a valuable find. With the compass, he could navigate the Valley more efficiently, seeking out places of power and avoiding areas thick with corruption. He slipped it into his pouch, silently thanking the Pearl for its guidance.

By midday, Feng Xiao had ventured farther than ever before, the landscape of the Valley shifting around him as he moved deeper into its heart. The air grew heavier, the haze thickening until it clung to his skin like a second layer. The piles of scrap metal grew larger, towering over him like jagged cliffs, and the faint hum of corrupted energy grew louder with each step.

The Pearl pulsed more frequently now, its warmth a constant presence in his chest. It was guiding him again, pulling him toward something he couldn't yet see. Feng Xiao's grip on his restored blade tightened as he followed its lead, his senses on high alert.

The whispers in the air grew louder, the fragmented voices blending together into an eerie, dissonant chorus. Feng Xiao's skin prickled as he rounded a corner, his eyes widening at the sight before him.

A massive pit stretched out before him, its edges lined with jagged shards of metal and broken artifacts. The ground around it was cracked and uneven, glowing faintly with a sickly green light. At the center of the pit was a pulsating mass of black sludge, its surface bubbling and writhing as though alive.

Feng Xiao's stomach churned at the sight. The pit was a wound in the earth, a festering scar left behind by centuries of discarded spiritual energy. It radiated corruption, the air around it thick with the stench of decay. But there was something else, too—something deeper.

At the center of the sludge, barely visible beneath the surface, was a faint glow. It was small, no larger than a coin, but its light was unmistakable. Feng Xiao's heart skipped a beat as he recognized it. Another Pearl.

The whispers grew deafening, the voices clawing at his mind as though urging him forward. Feng Xiao hesitated, his instincts screaming at him to turn back. But the pull of the Pearl was too strong, its glow too tantalizing to ignore.

He stepped closer to the edge of the pit, his blade drawn and ready. The ground beneath him shifted, the cracks spreading as he moved. The sludge bubbled violently, and Feng Xiao froze as a massive shape began to rise from its depths.

A Behemoth Trash Spirit emerged from the pit, its grotesque form dripping with black sludge. Its body was a chaotic amalgamation of broken artifacts and corrupted energy, its jagged limbs ending in massive claws that scraped against the ground. Its glowing red eyes locked onto Feng Xiao, and it let out a deafening roar that shook the earth.

Feng Xiao's grip on his blade tightened, his heart pounding in his chest. The Pearl pulsed in his pouch, its warmth surging as though urging him to fight.

"Not this again," Feng Xiao muttered, his voice tinged with frustration. But there was no time to hesitate. The Behemoth lunged toward him, its claws slicing through the air with deadly precision.

Feng Xiao dove to the side, the creature's attack missing him by inches. He rolled to his feet, his blade glowing faintly as he channeled the Pearl's energy into it. The Behemoth roared again, its massive body crashing into the ground as it charged toward him.

The fight was chaotic and brutal. The Behemoth's sheer size and strength made it nearly impossible to approach, its claws slicing through the air with terrifying speed. Feng Xiao relied on his speed and agility, dodging and weaving as he searched for an opening.

The Pearl pulsed in his pouch, its warmth growing stronger with each passing moment. Feng Xiao's mind raced as he tried to formulate a plan. The Behemoth was too powerful to fight head-on—he needed to outsmart it.

His gaze darted toward the edges of the pit, where jagged shards of metal jutted out like spikes. An idea formed in his mind, and he tightened his grip on his blade.

"Let's see how tough you really are," he muttered under his breath.

Feng Xiao darted toward the edge of the pit, the Behemoth roaring as it gave chase. He leapt onto one of the jagged shards, using it as a makeshift platform to launch himself higher. The Behemoth lunged after him, its massive body crashing into the spikes as it tried to reach him.

The shards pierced through the creature's sludge-like form, its corrupted energy spilling out in a torrent of black ooze. The Behemoth let out a deafening roar, its body convulsing as it thrashed against the spikes.

Feng Xiao didn't waste the opportunity. He leapt from the shard, his blade glowing brightly as he drove it into the Behemoth's core. The Pearl's energy surged through the weapon, the glow intensifying as it pierced the creature's body.

The Behemoth let out one final, ear-piercing screech before collapsing into the pit, its form dissolving into a pool of black sludge. Feng Xiao landed on the edge of the pit, his chest heaving as he struggled to catch his breath.

The whispers in the air faded, and the glow at the center of the sludge grew brighter. Feng Xiao stared at it for a long moment before stepping forward, his hand reaching toward the light.

Another Pearl. Another piece of the puzzle.