Multiple Personalities

"What... what have you done to me?" the Crane Immortal widened his eyes in terror, clutching his chest tightly, only to feel a heart-piercing pain rapidly spreading through his body, as if countless tiny poisonous insects were gnawing madly within his veins. His face instantly turned pale as paper, and large beads of sweat rolled off his forehead, soaking his disheveled hair.

The dark figure let out a sharp and satisfied laugh, echoing over the Soul-breaking Cliff like a ghostly wail, sending chills down one's spine. "I have carefully laid a special poisonous mist on this Soul-breaking Cliff. This poison is colorless and tasteless, and once inhaled, it invades the body through respiration. Since you have come here on your own today, just accept your fate and die!" The dark figure's voice was deep and eerie, as if it came from the Nine Netherworld Hell.

The Crane Immortal was filled with despair; he never imagined that after countless years of attaining human form, he would fall into the hands of this mysterious dark figure today. He tried to mobilize the True Qi in his body to resist the poisonous invasion, only to find it was as if an invisible force had bound it, unable to move in the slightest. His body teetered, his legs heavy as lead, making every step extremely difficult, as if he might fall at any moment.

The dark figure slowly raised his hands, his black sleeves flaring in the wind like two ferocious demons. In his palms, a mass of ghostly green light gradually condensed, flickering with a chilling aura. "Die!" he roared, pushing his hands forward abruptly. The ghostly green light shot toward the Crane Immortal like a meteor.

Just as the dark figure prepared to unleash this fatal strike, suddenly, a dazzling light descended from the sky like a bolt of lightning that cut through the darkness, illuminating the entire Soul-breaking Cliff. The light was hot and bright like warm sunlight, instantly dispelling the surrounding darkness and poisonous mist. Under the light, the fog on the Soul-breaking Cliff quickly dissipated, revealing the original sinister and terrifying rock formations.

"Who is it?" the dark figure cried out in fear, his voice tinged with a slight tremor. Instinctively, he withdrew the light in his hands, cautiously scanning the surroundings in search of the source of this sudden change.

As the light gradually faded, a familiar figure appeared before the Crane Immortal. It was the white-robed youth! Dressed in a robe as white as snow, under the glow, he seemed to emit a layer of holy light. His face was stern and handsome, with sword-like eyebrows and starry eyes, a high nose bridge, and tightly pressed lips, exuding an inherent aloofness and pride.

"It's you again!" the dark figure said through gritted teeth, his eyes filled with anger and dread. He couldn't believe that this white-robed youth would appear at such a critical moment, thwarting his plan.

The white-robed youth ignored the dark figure's roar, stepping steadily toward the Crane Immortal. His gaze was calm and profound, as if harboring endless secrets. He took out a pill from his bosom, emitting a faint fragrance, offering it to the Crane Immortal, his voice still calm and indifferent: "Take this; it can cure the poison in you."

The Crane Immortal looked gratefully at him, eyes full of the relief of survival and gratitude towards the white-robed youth. His trembling hands took the pill without hesitation. The pill melted as soon as it entered the mouth, turning into a warm current that slowly flowed down the throat into the body. Soon, he felt a powerful warmth coursing through his body, dissipating the intense pain, and the symptoms of dizziness faded away. His complexion slowly regained its color, and his legs regained strength, able to stand steadily on the ground.

"Thank you, senior, for saving me again." The Crane Immortal said with clasped hands, his voice carrying a hint of excitement and respect.

The white-robed youth nodded and said, "No need to thank me. Leave this person to me; you should head back." His tone was succinct yet firm, as if everything was under his control.

The Crane Immortal knew that he wouldn't be of much help here and might even become a burden to the white-robed youth. So he nodded and said, "Then I leave it to you, senior." With that, he turned and, though his steps were a bit unsteady, he left the Soul-breaking Cliff with great determination. With every step, he couldn't help but look back at the white-robed youth's figure, filled with doubt and curiosity. Who exactly is this white-robed youth? Why does he always appear at crucial moments, saving him from danger?

After returning to the Spirit Mountain, the Crane Immortal went directly to the residence of Shen Jingqi and Lin Yue. At this moment, Shen Jingqi was sitting at the table, holding a book in his hand, but flipping through it absent-mindedly, his eyes revealing worry and anxiety. Lin Yue was beside him, wiping her sword, its blade gleaming coldly, reflecting her furrowed brows.

Seeing the Crane Immortal's return, Shen Jingqi and Lin Yue immediately put down what they were doing and greeted him. "Master, you're finally back! Are you alright?" Shen Jingqi asked anxiously, looking the Crane Immortal up and down, eyes full of concern.

The Crane Immortal took a deep breath, trying to calm himself, then recounted the events in detail to Shen Jingqi and Lin Yue. They listened, both feeling greatly shocked, their faces revealing expressions of incredulity.

"Who exactly is that white-robed youth? Why does he always save us?" Shen Jingqi couldn't understand why this mysterious white-robed youth was so concerned with them, repeatedly helping them in times of crisis.

The Crane Immortal shook his head and said, "What we can be sure of is that he is our friend. However, we can't completely rely on him; we still have to rely on our own strength to guard the Spirit Mountain."

In the days that followed, the Crane Immortal, while recuperating, continued to investigate the secret of the Divine Artifact with Shen Jingqi and Lin Yue. They knew that the Divine Artifact was a treasure of the world, possessing earth-shattering power. If it fell into the wrong hands, it would bring about a great catastrophe. And they, as guardians of the Spirit Mountain, had the responsibility and obligation to prevent this from happening.

One night, the Spirit Mountain was shrouded in a thick mist, with the moonlight casting mottled shadows through the fog. The Crane Immortal, Shen Jingqi, and Lin Yue sat around the table, with ancient books and maps laid out. They were carefully researching clues about the Divine Artifact.

"Look here." Shen Jingqi pointed to a marked spot on the map and said, "This seems to be an ancient ruin, where signs of the Divine Artifact were reportedly seen." His eyes gleamed with excitement, as if he had already seen the hope of finding the Divine Artifact.

The Crane Immortal frowned, looking intently at the map, after a moment of contemplation, he said: "I've heard of this ruin, but it's said to be full of mechanisms and exceedingly dangerous. Furthermore, so many years have passed, it's uncertain whether there are still clues about the Divine Artifact inside."

"But we have no other choice," Shen Jingqi and Lin Yue exchanged a glance.

The Crane Immortal paused and said, "Alright, we'll prepare and set off for the ruins tomorrow."

However, just on the night before they were about to depart, something bizarre happened on the Spirit Mountain. The Crane Immortal was in his room meditating, when suddenly, a faint sound of footsteps came from outside the door. Alarmed, he immediately opened his eyes and asked cautiously, "Who is it?"

There was no response from outside the door, but the footsteps grew closer.