Shadow Cultivator

Li Yuan stood in front of the ancient symbols that glowed with a faint golden light on the rough stone walls. He ran his fingers over one of the patterns, feeling warmth run across his skin. The system panel flashed, displaying lines of text:

> **Activated: Recognizing ancient inscriptions. Deciphering has begun.**

"What does that mean?" - he muttered, but soon new lines of text began to appear before his eyes:

> **Ancient knowledge: The symbols speak of sacrifice as the basis of spiritual growth. Only through giving can one accumulate true power.> **

"Sacrifice..." - This word sounded too heavy. Li Yuan pondered, feeling his fear gradually giving way to curiosity. "What do they mean? And what kind of sacrifice are they demanding?"

He began to study the symbols one by one, noticing how their patterns formed into a sort of map or instruction. One corner of the wall showed a glowing circle surrounded by lines resembling the rays of the sun. The system panel flashed again:

> **Hint: Follow the lines. Find the energy source.

Following the directions, Li Yuan fumbled for a small niche in the wall. When he pressed on it, a grinding sound was heard and a part of the wall began to slowly slide open, revealing a hidden space. Inside was a strange artifact, a small crystal emitting a soft bluish glow. The panel immediately responded:

> **Artifact detected: Spiritual Energy Amplifier. Compatible with skill: Inner Vision.

> **Choice: Activate the artifact now or save it for later use. Activate with caution - every action has consequences.**

"Activate now or later?" - Li Yuan pondered while looking at the crystal. Its light beckoned, but the system's warning sounded ominous. "What are the consequences?"

> **Information: By activating the artifact now, you can enhance your current abilities, but you risk attracting the attention of the environment. Saving the artifact allows you to use it later when the conditions are more suitable.**

Li Yuan frowned, realizing that any decision could be critical. He felt every cell in his body protesting this decision, but something inside told him this was the only right path. He felt himself being torn apart. "Will I be able to handle this?" - he thought, feeling fear of the unknown power, but at the same time feeling an irresistible urge for hidden knowledge. It was as if the crystal beckoned to him, promising answers to questions he didn't even know how to ask. He decided to keep the artifact safe, carefully tucking it away in his pocket. As soon as he did so, one of the symbols on the wall began to glow slightly with a soft golden light. Soon the others glowed behind it, forming a complex pattern that resembled a starry sky. The light seemed to guide his path, reinforcing the feeling that his choice was predetermined by something powerful. It was almost imperceptible, but enough to make Li Yuan feel as if his choice was already part of some grand plan. The crystal pulsed in his pocket, the burning intensified, and the faint whispering in his head became more rhythmic, as if someone was casting an incantation in an unfamiliar language. Once the crystal was inside, however, he felt a strange rhythmic pulsing, as if the crystal was "waiting" to be activated. The slight burning intensified, changing to the sensation of a faint whisper that was too quiet to make out the words. The panel immediately refreshed:

> **Artefact saved. Use as needed.**

However, as soon as he hid the crystal, his palm felt a slight burning sensation. It was as if the crystal was warning him of its power or danger. Li Yuan wondered if his decision was really the right one.

If he had chosen to activate it, the consequences could have been immediate. The tiger that was outside could sense the increase in energy. Perhaps the artifact would awaken ancient creatures or activate traps hidden deep within the cave. The panel displayed a message:

> **Your choices determine your development. Proceed with caution.

The joy was short-lived. As soon as he touched the artifact, the walls of the cave began to tremble. A panel flashed a warning:

> **Trap activated. Danger heightened.

The walls began to shift, large chunks of stone crumbled from the ceiling. Li Yuan, holding the crystal, rushed back to the altar. But that wasn't all. A loud roar made him freeze. The tiger was here again.

"He's still not gone!" - Li Yuan shouted out in despair as the beast's huge paw broke through the collapsed part of the wall. The tiger's claws crashed into the stone with a crack, scattering debris in all directions. The roar became more and more fierce, and its aura visible through Inner Vision intensified, as if fueled by the surrounding fear.

Li Yuan quickly looked around, hoping to find a way out. The panel suggested a new task:

> **Find an alternate exit. Use an artifact to enhance your perception.

"Alright, let's see what you can do," he said, activating Inner Vision. The world around him changed again. He saw not only the auras of the cave and the tiger, but also a faint flicker emanating from one of the walls. "There!"

Without wasting any time, he headed towards that point. Using the crystal, he struck the weak point of the wall. With a crackling sound, part of the stone surface collapsed, revealing a narrow passage. Li Yuan squeezed into it, feeling the cave walls continue to shake from the tiger strikes and crumbling stone.

As he moved through the narrow passage, his gaze fell once again on the symbols inscribed on the walls. One of them, a circle surrounded by lines, flashed in his mind. Li Yuan felt a vision flash through his mind: a figure in long robes stood on top of a mountain, holding a similar crystal in his hands. He felt a slight but throbbing pain in his temples, as if the images were trying to squeeze into his mind, crowding out his own thoughts. The sensation was strange and unsettling, as if his own soul already knew this mountain and the ritual associated with it. He thought he could feel her emotions, a strange mixture of calm determination and bereavement. The space around her looked familiar, as if his fate was tied to this place. "Why do I feel like I know this mountain?" - he thought. Her voice echoed as if echoing in his mind, "You'll be next. Not everyone is ready for this path." The words burned his mind, causing a strange mixture of fear and determination. Li Yuan felt a strange warmth in his chest, as if these words echoed in his heart, confirming his connection to this place. "Why do I feel like I know this mountain?" - he thought, gripped by an unsettling energy. The words burned his mind, evoking a strange mixture of fear and determination. He felt something stirring inside him, as if those words had awakened a hidden power or a forgotten memory. "Why does it sound as if it were addressed to me?" - he thought, seized by an anxious energy. The gesture of the figure slowly raising the crystal to the sky seemed familiar, but he could not remember where he had seen it before. The light of the moon illuminated her face, but her features remained blurred. The same symbols glowed around her, as if they were part of a ritual. The space around the figure seemed familiar, as if he had seen this mountain before - majestic, wrapped in clouds.

"Why am I seeing this?" - he whispered, feeling a faint sense of deja vu. Soon the others glowed behind it, forming a complex pattern that resembled a starry sky.

The light seemed to guide his path, reinforcing the feeling that his choice was predetermined by something powerful. It was almost imperceptible, but enough to make Li Yuan feel as if his choice was already part of some grand plan.

The crystal pulsed in his pocket, the burning intensified, and the faint whispering in his head became more rhythmic, as if someone was casting an incantation in an unfamiliar language. Once the crystal was inside, however, he felt a strange rhythmic pulsing, as if the crystal was "waiting" to be activated. The slight burning intensified, changing to the sensation of a faint whisper that was too quiet to make out the words. The panel immediately refreshed: > **Artefact saved. Use as needed.** However, as soon as he hid the crystal, his palm felt a slight burning sensation. It was as if the crystal was warning him of its power or danger. Li Yuan wondered if his decision was really the right one. If he had chosen to activate it, the consequences could have been immediate. The tiger that was outside could sense the increase in energy. Perhaps the artifact would awaken ancient creatures or activate traps hidden deep within the cave. The panel displayed a message:

> **Your choices determine your development.

Proceed with caution. The joy was short-lived. As soon as he touched the artifact, the walls of the cave began to tremble.

A panel flashed a warning: > **Trap activated. Danger heightened. The walls began to shift, large chunks of stone crumbled from the ceiling.